Surrounded by abundant nature and waterways, the Kitaharima region is home to the birthplace of one of Japan’s most renowned textiles: Banshu-ori.

The rich waters of the Kakogawa, Sugihara River, and Nomagawa rivers provide soft water that is ideal for dyeing yarn. Thanks to this natural resource, the area flourished as a center for sakizome textiles, in which the yarn is dyed first and then woven into patterns using the dyed yarn. By dyeing the yarn before weaving, Banshu-ori is known for its deep, rich colors and distinctive texture.

Wanting to share the unique appeal of woven textiles, which differs from that of printed fabrics, we took on the challenge of creating our own original Banshu-ori fabric. We visited a factory in Nishiwaki City, the birthplace of sakizome textiles, to take you behind the scenes of how Banshu-ori is made.

Banshu-ori is believed to have originated around 220 years ago, during the mid-Edo period, when a master carpenter named Yasubei Hida brought weaving techniques from Nishijin in Kyoto back to the Kitaharima region.

Today, Banshu-ori is produced primarily in and around Nishiwaki City in the Kitaharima region. The yarn is dyed before being woven, and the fabric goes through various processing stages. Only fabrics that meet established quality standards are officially recognized as Banshu-ori.

Banshu-ori is also distinctive in the way it is produced.

The process of creating the fabric can be broadly divided into three stages: yarn dyeing, weaving, and finishing. In the production of Banshu-ori, each stage takes place at different factories throughout Nishiwaki City. The fabric gradually takes shape as it passes from factory to factory and from one skilled craftsperson to another.

The first step in weaving fabric is, of course, preparing the yarn. The process begins with undyed yarn spun from materials such as cotton and linen. This yarn is dyed at a specialized dyeing factory.

First, color formulas and samples are tested in beakers to create the desired base color. When developing a color, the dyers also refer to formulas used for yarn that was dyed in the past. Even undyed yarn can vary in color depending on when the cotton was harvested. The yarn’s condition also varies from batch to batch, so the final color is carefully adjusted by eye to achieve the desired shade.

Once the color testing in beakers is complete, the yarn is dyed and set in a large dyeing vat under pressure. The delicate and precise adjustments required to achieve the right color are the result of years of experience, intuition, and technical skill. Craftspeople use their expertise to create subtle qualities that cannot be reproduced by machines alone.

After the yarn has been dyed, it is ready for the next stage - weaving. The dyed yarn is transported to a weaving factory, where it begins its transformation into fabric.

At the weaving factory, rows of looms line the floor, each one moving to a steady rhythm—clack, clack, clack. This is where the yarn begins its transformation into fabric.

The dyed yarn from the dyeing factory is threaded onto a reed, a comb-like part of the loom, with two warp threads passing through each opening according to the design being woven.

Amazingly, around 2,700 threads are used for the warp. Threading each one by hand is a painstaking task that is almost dizzying just to imagine. Once the warp threads have been carefully set up, after many hours of work, the weaving can finally begin.

A shuttle moves across the loom, carrying the yarn from side to side as the warp and weft threads intersect, gradually forming the fabric. The yarn can sometimes break during the weaving process. Whenever the loom stops, the craftspeople manually reconnect the broken thread before continuing.

Once the fabric has been woven, it is sent to the finishing factory for the final stage.