Workshop Tour of a Traditional Japanese Craft and Textile Producer: Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka Weaving

Hello, this is the staff of The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa.


When it comes to thinking about traditional crafts in Kyoto, the first thing that often comes to mind is Nishijin weaving for many people. Even in current times, if you walk through the streets of Nishijin, you can hear the sound of weaving machines. In this blog, I would like to introduce Kyoto Nishijin Fukoka, a weaving studio that continues to take on new challenges while inheriting the traditional craft of Nishijin weaving into the modern era.

About Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka Weaving

Founded in 1902 as Fukuoka Kinjiro Shoten in Nishijin, Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka has been preserving the tradition of Nishijin textiles for 120 years. Currently, the fourth generation head, Hironori Fukuoka, has taken over as the representative of the company, and while continuing to preserve the traditional Nishijin textiles as a traditional craftsman, he is also focusing on creating innovative products that meet modern needs. The fourth proprietress, Mrs. Tokiko Fukuoka, continues to support Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka and the culture of Nishijin textiles by appearing on local radio programs and serving as a guest speaker at events to promote Nishijin textiles.

Weaving by hand, one by one, according to the customer’s request.

What kind of textile is Nishijin-ori (weaving)?

Before introducing the textile characteristics, we would like to first explain what kind of place Nishijin is.

Nishijin is the name given to the area stretching from Kamigyo-ku to Kita-ku in Kyoto City, but currently, there is no administrative district using the name Nishijin. In other words, there is neither a Nishijin Street nor a place with the name Nishijin in its address. In this case, what is Nishijin?

The Nishijin district of today, with its traditional cobblestone streets.

The origin of the name Nishijin actually dates back to the Onin War that took place more than 500 years ago. The Onin War, which was caused by the Ashikaga family’s succession problem, involved the Hosokawa and Yamana clans, two of the most powerful feudal lords, and developed into a nationwide battle that divided the eastern and western armies. At this time, Yamana Munetada, the general of the western army, and others set up their headquarters in the area northwest of Imadegawa, Horikawa Dori, and this area came to be known as Nishijin (the west camp).

In the Heian period (794-1185), this area was home to many weavers called Oribe no Tsukasa, who were employed by the Imperial Court, and after the Onin War, the beautiful and colorful textiles produced by these craftsmen eventually came to be known as Nishijin weaving, after the name of the area, and today it is no exaggeration to say that the name has become synonymous with Kyoto’s traditional industries.

Now, then, what kind of textile is Nishijin-ori?

Nishijin-ori refers to yarn-dyed patterned fabrics produced in the Nishijin area of Kyoto.

Yarn dyeing refers to a weaving method in which yarn is dyed first, and then patterns are woven by combining different colors to create a single final fabric. The color is added firmly to the threads before weaving, making it difficult for the color to fade and producing deep colors, On the other hand, yarn-dyed fabrics are characterized by the need for elaborate design drawings and delicate manual work that requires patience.

Nishijin textiles are characterized by a wide variety of beautiful patterns and colors, so much so that it is said that there is nothing that cannot be woven with Nishijin-ori. In the Nishijin area, you can see how excellent techniques have been passed down from generation to generation and how they have developed.

This work shows the beauty and gorgeousness of dancing snow in a tranquil setting.

History of Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka

Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka was established in 1902 (Meiji 35) as Fukuoka Kinjiro Shoten dealing in Western fabrics. At that time, it was a very large factory with a vast site of 1,000 tsubos. Around the beginning of the Taisho era, the founder, Kinjiro Fukuoka, introduced the first jacquard loom in Nishijin, bringing innovation to textiles that had previously been done entirely by hand.

Jacquard loom of Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka

In the mid-1950s, the company began exporting to the Soviet Union, etc. From around the 1970s, it began to focus on the production of obi (sash) fabrics, and in the 1980s, it began to produce obi fabrics. After Hironori Fukuoka took over as the fourth generation in 1998, the company continued to take on innovative challenges, especially Nishijin After Hironori Fukuoka took over as the fourth generation in 1998, the company continued to take on innovative challenges, especially Nishijin Carbon, a fabric that combines the delicate patterns of Nishijin-ori with light and strong carbon fiber.

The production process of Nishijin Carbon. Various patterns can be expressed thanks to the technology of Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka.

Currently, as part of their SDGs efforts, they are also working on the production of products using fibers made from Nishijin Carbon. The efforts to connect the tradition of Nishijin textiles to the needs of the next new era will continue.

Clothing made from a fusion of recycled materials and Nishijin textile techniques. This jacket was characterized by its lightweight comfort, yet it also provided good protection against the cold.

In addition to Japanese kimonos such as obis, the company has developed industrial carbon textiles for weaving any kind of fabric on Jacquard machines, The company also provides technology to artists and cooperates in the development of products using woven fabrics. I will continue to challenge myself, just as the founder of the company was ahead of his time in introducing the Jacquard machine to the Nishijin area.

From the official website of Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka
Hironori Fukuoka, the fourth generation head of the family and a traditional craftsman.

We went on a factory tour!

The staff of The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa visited the factory and we would like to introduce a little bit of the production process of Nishijin textiles.

First of all, the person who showed us around the factory this time was Ms. Tokiko Fukuoka, the proprietress who is admitted by both herself and others as the “walking billboard of Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka.” Through appearances on local radio stations and guest speakers at events, she is working to spread awareness of Nishijin textiles, as well as Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka. While the proprietress explained the history of Nishijin weaving, production methods, and its appeal, we actually toured the factory.

We were given an actual tour of the factory while the proprietress explained the history of Nishijin weaving, its production methods, and its charms.

First, we observed the work called itokuri, in which the threads used in Nishijin weaving are wound one by one around the thread frame in order to set them on the jacquard loom. If the thread gets entangled by mistake, the thread itself may become unusable, so they must be careful.

Next, we actually observed weaving on a Jacquard loom. The sight of the large looms standing side by side was very powerful! The sound of the looms clicking and clacking as the fabric is gradually woven into the fabric is a sight to behold.

A view of the inside of the Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka factory. The Jacquard looms are lined up in a row and are very powerful.

Weaving on a Jacquard loom involves applying 3,000 to 8,000 warp threads and then applying the weft threads in a tool called a shuttle, one by one. In order to increase the adhesion between the warp and weft yarns, the weft is wetted and woven using a technique called wet weft. To ensure that there are no discrepancies in the size or pattern of the fabric when the threads dry, a bamboo clamp called a hatabari is hooked to the ear of the fabric at equal intervals.

The hooks are placed at equal intervals and adjusted to ensure uniformity of width.
A needle is attached to the back of the machine needle, and this needle is used to hold the fabric firmly in place.

The actual pattern appears on the opposite side of the fabric from the one the craftsman is looking at. The weaver looks at the mirror placed under the weaves, checking from time to time whether there are any deviations or distortions in the pattern and whether the weaving is progressing according to the blueprints. They check the mirror every step of the way.

They check the mirror every step of the way to make sure that the weaving is progressing according to the design.

Since the movement of the shuttle is very fast, if the timing of stopping or moving the loom is off even a little, it will not go according to the design drawing and will have to be redone, and the thread will not be able to be used. The craftsmen’s long-term intuition and skill make it possible to use the Jacquard loom.

This Jacquard loom moves the shuttle based on a design drawing called mongami, which is made by punching holes in a cardboard-like material based on the design drawing of the fabric. In modern times, there are types that put design drawings on a floppy disk and give instructions, those that use SD cards, and those that operate a Jacquard loom connected to a personal computer.

The loom is instructed to thread the weft yarn through the holes.
There is also a type of Jacquard loom with a design diagram on a floppy disk.

Even with all this time and effort, only a few meters can be woven in a day, and in the case of difficult materials and blueprints, it may only progress 1 to 2 meters. And the finished fabric is perfect and beautiful according to the design. It is a work that requires skill, perseverance and concentration.

The beautiful patterns are evenly lined up. This is the result of the labor of Nishijin textile craftsmen.

Nishijin-ori was originally based on a complete division of labor. There were craftsmen who made the shuttle, the paper pattern, the needle, and so on. However, after the war, the number of people who wore kimonos as casual clothes decreased dramatically as Western culture began to be adopted in Japan, and the number of successors to each craftsman is decreasing. That is why Mr. and Mrs. Fukuoka want to flexibly respond to the changing needs of the times and spread Nishijin textile as a new standard.

One of the charms of Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka is that customers can create their own semi-custom Nishijin textiles based on the idea of made just for you. Why not purchase a one-of-a-kind Nishijin-ori of your choice as a memento of your trip to Kyoto?

Shop Information

  • Name: Kyoto Nishijin Fukuoka
  • Address: 35-7 Isshiki-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 602-8471
  • TEL: 075-441-0235
  • URL: https://fukuoka-k.co.jp/
  • Business hours: 8:00-18:00 (Tours are available from 10:00-17:00 by prior appointment)
  • Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays

*For the latest information on business hours and holidays, please contact the store directly.

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