Nishijin-ori: The memory and beauty of Kyoto told through a thousand years of silk
Nishijin-ori: Kyoto's Memories and Beauty Told Through Thousand Years of Silk
Chapter 1: The origins of Nishijin-ori: A culture that arrived along with silk
Kyoto's textile culture dates back to the Kofun period. In the 5th or 6th century, the Hata clan, who came from the continent, settled in Uzumasa and brought with them the techniques of sericulture and silk weaving, which is said to be the origin of Nishijin textiles.
During the Nara and Heian periods, the Imperial Court established a government-run workshop called "Oribe no Tsukasa" to produce high-quality textiles such as twill and brocade. Craftsmen gathered in what is now Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, and formed a town called "Oribe-cho."
With the collapse of the Ritsuryo system, government-run workshops eventually declined, and artisans began to run their own textile businesses. They gathered in Otoneri-cho and produced fabrics known as "Otoneri Aya" and "Omiya Silk." This was the beginning of privately-run Nishijin weaving.
Chapter 2: The Onin War and the birth of Nishijin - A place name woven amid the flames of war
During the Muromachi period, the Onin War (1467-1477), which took place in Kyoto between the Eastern and Western armies, completely changed the lives of textile craftsmen. Craftsmen who fled the flames of war fled to Sakai and other places, and the textile industry in Otoneri-cho was devastated.
After the rebellion ended, the craftsmen returned to Kyoto and set up workshops on the site of the Western Army's headquarters. This area came to be called "Nishijin," and with the revival of the textile industry, the term "Nishijin-ori" became established.
Nishijin-ori is not just about techniques and designs, but also the story of the return and revival of artisans who overcame the ravages of war.
Chapter 3: The Golden Age of Nishijin Weaving - Edo Culture and the Beauty of Costumes
During the Edo period, Nishijin-ori flourished under the protection of the shogunate, and established itself as a luxury textile representative of Japan. A wide variety of products were produced, including obi sashes, Noh costumes, and mounting cloth, and textiles became a platform for designs that expressed status and tastes.
The obi sashes are decorated with patterns that reflect the seasons and ideologies, and sometimes a single obi can be made using threads of more than 50 different colors. The gold brocade and satin used in Noh costumes are fabrics that tell a story through light and composition, appealing to the sensibilities of the audience.
During this period, Nishijin-ori was a symbol of beauty and prestige, and was at the center of life and culture.
Chapter 4: Technological innovation and the birth of patterned weaving - The universe of design told through textiles
Nishijin-ori was elevated to the status of art through the development of monori, a technique in which patterns are woven by intricately combining warp and weft threads, and the patterns are not created by embroidery but by the weaving itself.
During the Meiji period, the introduction of French jacquard looms made it possible to weave complex patterns in large quantities and with precision. Nishijin-ori's design expression evolved dramatically, and in addition to Noh costumes and obi, the luxurious fabric "Kinran" using gold and silver threads was also born.
Chapter 5: Kinran - Light Designs Weaving Paradise
Kinran is a gorgeous fabric woven with gold and silver threads, and is a particularly prestigious type of Nishijin textile. It has been used to decorate temples and shrines, for monks' robes, for Noh costumes, and for mounting hanging scrolls, and has served as a symbol of respect for the gods and Buddhas, as well as an expression of paradise.
The manufacturing process uses a technique called "hikibaku," in which real gold leaf is applied to lacquered Japanese paper, which is then cut into threads and woven into the fabric, giving the fabric a symbolic presence that is imbued with light and three-dimensionality.
Nowadays, Kinran made from polyester material has also appeared, which is lighter and easier to handle and is being incorporated into everyday life.
Chapter 6: The memory of weaving that resides in the incense container - the philosophy of WABISUKE
Kinran is used in the cloth incense holders developed by WABISUKE. Though made of polyester, Kinran has inherited traditional designs and weaving techniques and has been reinterpreted as a fabric that fits into modern life.
The cloth incense container is a container for storing incense (also used overseas as an accessory or medicine container), but it also embodies the memory and sensibility of textiles. Its rounded shape and the brilliance of the gold orchid create a small space for prayer in the palm of your hand.
This incense holder can be purchased online, but the clasp purse and pochette featuring the same gold orchid are only available in physical stores. This is also an expression of WABISUKE's philosophy: to let customers touch the fabric, feel its texture, and experience the beauty of the weave with all five senses.
WABISUKE continues to weave together the tranquility of Zen and the intelligence of structure as a single aesthetic in order to design what people will love 100 years from now.
Conclusion: Urban Memories Told Through Silk
Nishijin-ori is the very memory that has been woven by the city of Kyoto. This fabric has endured war, refined techniques, and embraced culture, and it still has the power to touch people's hearts.
WABISUKE's cloth incense containers are vessels that hold those memories in the palm of your hand. Along with the brilliance of the gold and orchid, the story told by the textile will continue quietly but surely.