Expressing MANGA with the Rare Nishijin Technique “Hikibaku”

At Nishijin Okamoto, we have quietly and steadily woven silk textiles for many years to adorn shrines and temples. But as we listened closely to the sound of the looms, we began to realize—there are untold stories hidden within the techniques of Nishijin weaving.

We wanted to break out of our shell and create Nishijin textiles that speak for themselves. Our team has long been thinking about presenting new designs in Nishijin weaving.

You can watch the short version of the Hyuran. video here.

MANGA × Nishijin Kinran E-haku Junbiki Pattern Hikibaku: “Hyuran.”

Kyoto’s Nishijin is a town of textiles. Within Nishijin, the technique known as “hikibaku” is especially rare. We collaborated with the young manga creator unit to create a work titled “Hyuran.” woven with hikibaku, and crafted it into a tapestry.

What inspired you to express MANGA through the traditional Nishijin weaving technique using decorative foil and hikihaku?

Our company president and textile designer have loved manga since childhood. The panel layout, the use of blank space, the brilliance of its design, and the ability to express both slow motion and speed—manga has the power to manipulate even the flow of time.

Using e-haku hikibaku, we can create a first layer, add a second layer with background patterns, and then a third layer with silk weft designs—allowing for deep, multi-layered expression within a single piece of fabric.

We stepped forward with the belief that hikibaku—Nishijin’s treasured technique—could bring manga’s essence to life.