Yūki-tsumugi
Encyclopedia
is the Japanese craft
of silk
cloth practised chiefly in the vicinity of Yūki
in Ibaraki Prefecture
. It is designated one of the Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Japan and has also been inscribed on the UNESCO
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
.
and the cloth, at first plain, was used as gifts for the shogun
.
Currently approximately one hundred and thirty craftsmen transmit the technique in Yūki
and Oyama
.
floss is extracted from silkworm cocoons and spun
by hand into yarn
. Patterns
are added by tie-dying, before weaving
with a loom known as a . The strap around the weaver's waist enables the tension of the vertical thread to be adjusted. It can take up to fifteen days to weave enough plain fabric for an adult garment, and up to forty-five days for patterned fabric.
in Yūki
has a Yūki-tsumugi club. In 2010 Yūki-tsumugi was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
.
Japanese handicrafts
The many and varied traditional handicrafts of Japan are officially recognised and protected and, owing to the folk art movement, are much in demand. Some enjoy status as a meibutsu or regional specialty. Each craft demands a set of specialized skills...
of silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
cloth practised chiefly in the vicinity of Yūki
Yuki, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 51,966, with a household number of 18,132 and the density of 789.28 persons per km². There is a relatively large population of people of Brazilian, Filipino, Peruvian, and mixed descent...
in Ibaraki Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...
. It is designated one of the Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Japan and has also been inscribed on the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
The Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage are established by UNESCO aiming to ensure the better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance...
.
History
Developing from earlier silk techniques, the name Yūki-tsumugi was adopted in 1602. Weavers were invited from UedaUeda Castle
Ueda Castle was the original home of the Sanada clan, built by Sanada Masayuki.It was this castle that the Sanada defended twice from the Tokugawa, first in 1583 and again in 1600, putting up a very impressive defense both of those times....
and the cloth, at first plain, was used as gifts for the shogun
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
.
Currently approximately one hundred and thirty craftsmen transmit the technique in Yūki
Yuki, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 51,966, with a household number of 18,132 and the density of 789.28 persons per km². There is a relatively large population of people of Brazilian, Filipino, Peruvian, and mixed descent...
and Oyama
Oyama, Tochigi
is a city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.As April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 163,954, with 62,714 households, and a population density of 955.39 persons per km²...
.
Technology
SilkSilk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
floss is extracted from silkworm cocoons and spun
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
by hand into yarn
Yarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...
. Patterns
Kasuri
Kasuri is a Japanese word for fabric that has been woven with fibers dyed specifically to create patterns and images in the fabric. It is an ikat technique. Kasuri is weft ikat; the warp threads can be a solid color or resist dyed as well, and the weft thread is resist-tied in a specific pattern...
are added by tie-dying, before weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
with a loom known as a . The strap around the weaver's waist enables the tension of the vertical thread to be adjusted. It can take up to fifteen days to weave enough plain fabric for an adult garment, and up to forty-five days for patterned fabric.
Safeguarding
In 1956 Yūki-tsumugi was designated one of the Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Japan. The was established in 1976 and helps promote and transmit the craft. Yūki Daiichi High SchoolSecondary education in Japan
Secondary education in Japan is split into middle schools which cover the seventh through ninth grades, and high schools which mostly cover grades ten through twelve...
in Yūki
Yuki, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 51,966, with a household number of 18,132 and the density of 789.28 persons per km². There is a relatively large population of people of Brazilian, Filipino, Peruvian, and mixed descent...
has a Yūki-tsumugi club. In 2010 Yūki-tsumugi was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
The Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage are established by UNESCO aiming to ensure the better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance...
.
See also
- SericultureSericultureSericulture, or silk farming, is the rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk.Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, Bombyx mori is the most widely used and intensively studied. According to Confucian texts, the discovery of silk production by B...
- KasuriKasuriKasuri is a Japanese word for fabric that has been woven with fibers dyed specifically to create patterns and images in the fabric. It is an ikat technique. Kasuri is weft ikat; the warp threads can be a solid color or resist dyed as well, and the weft thread is resist-tied in a specific pattern...
- Kumejima-tsumugiKumejima-tsumugiis the Japanese craft of silk cloth practised in Kumejima, Okinawa Prefecture. Kumejima tsumugi has the longest history of the approximately two hundred forms of tsumugi, and is the oldest kasuri fabric...
- Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Japan
- National Treasures of Japan - Dyeing and Weaving
- Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of HumanityRepresentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of HumanityThe Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage are established by UNESCO aiming to ensure the better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance...