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Do you know about the woven fabric called "Yonezawa Tsumugi"
Yonezawa Tsumugi is a tsumugi weave that is popular among men and women of all ages, also known as "safflower tsumugi" and "Okitama Tsumugi". This kimono uses only natural dyes such as safflower, and is characterized by its vibrantness, yet does not feel uncomfortable even for elderly people.
This time, we will introduce Yonezawa Tsumugi, a tsumugi that is representative of Yamagata Prefecture.
History of Yonezawa Tsumugi
Yonezawa Tsumugi is particularly popular among Yonezawa weaves. This tsumugi fabric became a specialty of Yonezawa back to the Edo period.
Uesugi Osamunori (Uesugi Takayama) the 9th lord of the Yonezawa Domain , became the lord of the Yonezawa Domain, the domain was suffering from a financial crisis due to repeated declines in Ishitaka.
In order to rebuild the Yonezawa Domain's finances, Osamu encouraged the sericulture and silk fabrics business as part of its plan to rebuild the domain's government, and the Yonezawa Domain successfully rebuild its finances and managed to overcome the famine.
This is said to be the beginning of Yonezawa Tsumugi.
Yonezawa Tsumugi is a woven fabric made using a technique called "yarn dyeing."
This is a technique in which the fabric is not dyed with dye, but is dyed at the yarn stage before it is woven. This allows for a soft and beautiful mixing of colors and texture.
Another feature of Yonezawa Tsumugi is that only dyes created from nature are used.
Yamagata, rich in nature, can be used to store a variety of dyes, including safflower, indigo and Kariyasu. For this reason, Yonezawa can produce tsumugi fabrics called "vegetable dyed tsumugi" and "safflower dyed tsumugi" that do not use synthetic dyes.
It is only because Yonezawa Tsumugi is dyed using only dyes created from nature that it can produce vivid and soft colors that cannot be produced with synthetic dyes.
Among the most popular Yonezawa Tsumugi, safflower dyed tsumugi is. This tsumugi fabric has an attractive gorgeous colour from yellow to red.
Among the tsumugi fabrics, which have many subtle and plain colors, the vibrant colored safflower tsumugi stands out. The secret to its popularity is that it is both gorgeous and elegant, so it doesn't look out of place for young people to older people to wear it.
Wakuwakukan, a dyeing and weaving workshop where you can experience Yonezawa weaving and safflower dyeing
From here, we will introduce spots where you can experience weaving in Yonezawa.
Dyeing and Weaving Workshop Wakuwakukan is a comprehensive tourist facility located 15 minutes by car from Yonezawa Station, complete with a workshop, shop, gallery, and cafe.
Tokiiro Yonezawa, a gallery where you can admire Yonezawa-ori
At the gallery, you can enjoy a variety of Yonezawa-ori products woven by modern craftsmen.
In a space of 30 tsubo, it is filled with the charm of beautiful and majestic Yonezawa-ori, a combination of traditional techniques and modern techniques.
Experience workshop where you can choose from handloom and safflower dyeing
At the workshop, you can experience both hand weaving and safflower dyeing.
You can choose from two types of hand-woven fabrics: table centerpieces and silk coasters, and two types of safflower-dyed fabrics: silk scarves and handkerchiefs.It takes 30-50 minutes for hand-woven fabrics and 15-30 minutes for safflower-dyed fabrics. Masu.
Works created through the experience can be taken home on the day. Since you've come to Yonezawa Orino Village for a long time, why not try making memorable items as a memento as a memento?
Shop & Cafe
At the shop, you can purchase Yonezawa-ori, Japanese accessories, and safflower-dyed products.
The safflower-dyed shirring stole is a popular product that offers a vibrant safflower colour and the unique comfort of silk. Accessories made from Yonezawa Tsumugi are also attractive for the unique feel of Tsumugi. Enjoy the Japanese texture that can be easily incorporated into your daily life, such as bags, pouches, billfolds, and coin purses.
The cafe at the back of the shop is a space where you can relax after the experience or on your journey. Enjoy a relaxing time while looking at the beautiful yet unique works.
Driving and Weaving Workshop Wakuwakukan <Information>
Name: Wakuwakukan, a dyeing and weaving workshop
Address: 1-2-37 Omiya, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, 992-0055
![PXL_20220922_044645946](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAJYAAACWAQAAAAAUekxPAAAAAnRSTlMAAHaTzTgAAAAaSURBVEjH7cExAQAAAMKg9U9tDQ+gAACAdwMLuAABXZHjmQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg== "We tried weaving in the Okitama region of Yamagata Prefecture, "The Town of Textiles"!")
![PXL_20220922_044645946](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PXL_20220922_044645946-150x150.jpg.webp "We tried weaving in the Okitama region of Yamagata Prefecture, "The Town of Textiles"!")
![Mogami safflower](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/30121446_m-1-150x150.jpg.webp ""Mogami safflower" certified as a Japanese heritage and Japanese agricultural heritage [Yamagata Prefecture]")
