Traditional Nishijin technique: Hikibaku｜Future｜Nishijin Okamoto ‘C’

We at Okamoto Nishijin have been weaving gorgeous Nishijin brocade using a technique known as “honkin hikibaku” since the company was founded. Starting with this issue, we will write about the “A B C” of hikibaku in three parts.

This time it is “B”.

Traditional Nishijin technique: Hikibaku｜Future

Characteristics of Nishijin textiles

Nishijin textiles are one of Japan’s world-class traditional crafts. Its most distinctive feature is ‘yarn-dyed textiles’, in which the threads are dyed first and woven in different colours to produce a depth of colour and texture when woven. According to the Nishijin Textile Industry Association, which holds the Nishijin textile trademark, there are 12 different techniques that are recognised as ‘Nishijin textile’.

For more information on the 12 types, click here.

The search for the future of Nishijin textiles.

Innovation and tradition

While preserving traditional techniques, Nishijin textiles have been constantly brushed up, with ground looms evolving into sky drawing looms, equipped with Jacquard, power looms, data-assisted pattern paper, etc.

The video below shows how the Sorahiki-bata, which was used from the Heian to Meiji periods, was restored in 2022 at the Nishijin Weaving Hall as a project to commemorate the 555th anniversary of the Nishijin name. Our president also took part in the restoration.

 

About the loom

We uses shuttle looms and maintains the traditional weaving method using silk yarns, but in Nishijin as a whole, Fukuoka Kigyo has developed a special textile with a design by combining carbon and aramid fibres, and is trying to launch a new business, the carbon fibre business, and is also working on textiles using glass fibres and recycled yarns made from PET bottles, etc. Other companies are also using new materials, such as working on textiles made from recycled yarn made from glass fibres and plastic bottles.

We specialise in silk and use silk yarns. We want to preserve the beautiful expression of silk yarns.

Every weaver is troubled by the fact that they want to weave wide fabrics such as 150 cm in accordance with the times, but the weaving machines for this are high-speed looms such as rapier looms. Our company wants to protect weaving on low-speed shuttle looms. The reasons why we insist on low-speed shuttle looms are given below. That is why we maintain our hand looms and power looms in every possible way. We want a new shuttle loom with a width of 150 cm, and we hope that the regions that love shuttles will get together and start a project such as ‘We will develop a new shuttle loom’.

Why we stick to low-speed shuttle looms

Textiles are made by combining warp and weft yarns. The tension of warp yarns on low-speed looms is looser than on high-speed looms. Weaving on shuttles creates a natural peak in the weft yarn when the weft yarn is inserted, which creates slack in the weft yarn. On high-speed looms after rapier, the weft yarns enter in a straight line and can be woven without looseness. Whether this looseness is necessary or not depends on the product used, but by weaving on shuttles, it is possible to weave the relaxed “fullness” required for high-class Nishijin brocade such as ours. Shuttle looms can also be used to weave only the patterned areas such as stitching, so shuttle weaving at low speed is essential for our silk fabrics in order to protect their quality.

Passing on to the next generation

Nishijin is a division of labour. In order to continue this system for the next generation, it is necessary not only for us weavers to survive, but also to protect the craftsmen in the division of labour. The Nishijin Weavers’ Association is cooperating with the Kyoto Municipal Industrial Technology Research Institute and other organisations to promote measures to prevent the depletion of parts.

We are actively communicating the attractiveness of Nishijin textiles via the internet and participating in exhibitions, etc., in order to make them widely known, especially among young people. We do not actively invite visitors, but we have received applications from students and other visitors, and we are happy that young people are interested in our work.

Nishijin textiles go to the world market

This section chronicles our examples of how Nishijin brocade has been accepted in the global fashion and interior design markets.

See examples of how our Nishijin brocade has been accepted and evolving and developed in markets other than shrines and temples.