In fact of Oshima tsumugi now

Oshima tsumugi is one of the most difficult textile to make in the world though
Its a declining industry now.
It had been 10 million sales 30years ago.
Weaving women got a lot of money for the salary.
It was around 2 thousand dollar per 1 roll.
But now
Its around 2 handred dollar per 1 roll now.

Many people does not want to make Ooshima tsumugi.

Also people who engage to make Ooshima tsumugi is getting to be older.
Because Young people does not want to engage to make Ooshima tsumugi.
Even if people who engage to make it want to succeed this traditional technique,
No one was hand over by such as people cause small demand.

There are just a few people under 30 years old.

There are a lot of process to make Ooshima tsumugi.

1. Dyeing yarn( doro zome )
2. Making ikat ( shime bata )
3. Weaving thread

Each part of process has specialist.
So no one can make Ooshima tsumugi as one person.

Its a polytheism so its very strong system to keep doing Ooshim tsumugi though it does not has genius.

Dorozome park

I went to Dorozome park in Amami.
It is far 15min to use a car from where i live.

In the park there are many marsh.
A soil which in a marsh is red clay, like a power and has a lot of iron.
Iron in the soil makes fixing color in textile.
The iron content is the highest place this island than.
It will make a pure black in silk.
So its called "Black diamond".

photo by http://amami7.seesaa.net/article/119735412.html

The ancient textile in Japan 4

Kouzo 楮

Kouzo is made by paper - mulberry.
It is popular as to make a paper though
It can make a textile too.
It is used Kozo's skin.
first it have to put on the snow a few days because of to make softer.
And It is steamed.
Then we can make a yarn from it.

It is very strong, plane and artless though the more you use the more you like.

The ancient textile in Japan 3

Kuzuhu in Kakegawa in Japan.  掛川の葛布

Kuzuhu is made by Kuzu which is plants of Kudzu.
Kuzu is popular as to make a flour by roots.
And It is used as medicine in Asia.

This textile's industry is in Kakegawa in middle of Japan.
What is the special this textile is looks sparking and shinning on surface of textile.
It is very rough, strong, simple and beautiful.



 

The ancient textile in Japan 2

Nanbu Shikon Zome (南部紫根染め)

This is in Iwate in Northern Japan.
A violet color is very deep and beautiful.
It is made by roots.
It takes long time to dye it and is difficult to grow this roots.
The way to dye calls Koukechi in long long time ago is kind of Shibori (tie dye) .
It was not allowed to wear this textile by law because of too expensive.
So only royal people was wearing all of ancient amazing textile in Japan too.

The ancient textile in Japan

Attoushi ori (厚司織)
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/アットゥシ

This textile is made in Hokkaidou which is Northern island in Japan.
There are Ainu people there and This is the traditional textile for Ainu.
Yarn is made by Ulmus Laciniate.
It is woven by Asshikarabe which is same way as Zibata.
http://shinrany.blogspot.jp/2012/05/yuki-tsumugi-which-is-most-beautiful.html