VILLAGE Report vol.11 Saitama Prefecture | Chichibu Meisen, Bold Patterns Woven While Loosening Threads

The fourth installment in our Kanto series is Saitama Prefecture. Saitama has 5 items designated as Traditional Crafts, including Iwatsuki dolls and Kasukabe paulownia chests, but this time we look at Chichibu Meisen, a silk textile that developed in the mountains of the prefecture’s northwest. From the Taisho era through the early Showa period, it was widely loved as everyday wear and fashionable clothing for women.

From “Oni Chichibu” to “Meisen”

According to the Chichibu Meisenkan, the origins of Chichibu textiles are said to date back to the reign of Emperor Sujin, when Chichibuhiko no Mikoto introduced sericulture and weaving techniques. In Chichibu, a mountainous area with little farmland, sericulture supported daily life, and sturdy “futori” cloth for home use was woven from off-grade cocoons that could not be shipped. Because of its durability, it was also called “Oni Chichibu.”

Around 1887, it began to be sold under the name “meisen.” In the late 1890s, the name was first written with one pair of kanji, and later with the characters still used today. At its peak, about 70% of Chichibu residents are said to have worked in weaving-related jobs.

Loosely weave, dye, then unravel as you weave

The patterns of Chichibu Meisen are supported by a technique called hogushi nassen, or unraveling stencil dyeing. In 1908, Sotaro Sakamoto of Chichibu obtained a patent for this method. The process proceeds as follows.

• Loosely temporary-weave the prepared warp threads with weft threads
• Dye patterns onto the temporarily woven warp threads using stencils
• When weaving, unravel the temporary weft threads by hand while beating in the actual weft threads

Because it is woven while being unraveled, it is also called hogushi weaving. Since the pattern is dyed directly onto the warp threads, the front and back are dyed in a similar way, and the combination of warp and weft colors can create an iridescent look that changes depending on the viewing angle. Chichibu Meisen was designated a national Traditional Craft Product on December 26, 2013.

Learning in a former industrial testing station building

Chichibu Meisenkan in Chichibu City opened in January 2002 after renovating the former Saitama Prefecture Textile Industry Testing Station, built in 1930. The main building, factory building, and warehouse were registered as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan in 2001. In the sawtooth-roofed factory building, visitors can try dyeing and weaving.

Key Points
・Its roots are said to lie in sturdy “futori” cloth woven from off-grade cocoons
・Hogushi nassen, patented in 1908, made bold and brilliant patterns possible
・At its peak, about 70% of Chichibu’s residents worked in textile-related jobs
・Designated a national Traditional Craft Product on December 26, 2013

Last time, we visited Kiryu Ori textiles in Gunma Prefecture. VILLAGE Report vol.10 Gunma Prefecture is here.

References: Chichibu Meisenkan, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries

—The Value Village Editorial Team

Photo: Suikotei / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)