An Origin story of the Nishijin woven scarf | Tu-Ton-Ton Yasaka village Watabun Art Fabric

Preface

Deep in the mountains of
Hamada city (formerly known as Yasaka Village) in Shimane Prefecture,
craftsmen who have long honed their techniques of
Nishijin weaving in Kyoto, quietly focus on their crafts.

“TU-TON-TON”

The sound of weaving machines echoes lightly in the rich nature.
This is a story of how a hand-woven pure silk scarf is brought to life.

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Sericulture

01 Sericulture

Yasaka village was once a thriving area for sericulture; a key material used to make silk. Silkworm, a larva of a silk moth, is a very weak creature. Unable to walk on its own, let alone acquire food for itself, a human helps raise them in exchange for the silk threads they produce. In essence, this is how humans and silkworms have co-existed for many years. Providing for one another.

01 Sericulture

Weaving a single band of strand requires putting an end to about 3000 to 4000 silkworm lives; however, we understand the weight of this life more profoundly than anyone else. Long ago, the children of Yasaka village woke up to the sound of silkworms rustling in the nature, and learned to help feed and care for them every day. This relationship between silkworms and humans still lingers to this day. We believe we must fulfill our responsibility to return the graces that silkworms have brought to us, through our finished products.

Silk Threads

02 Silk Threads

The silk threads used in our products are made entirely of carefully handwoven silk strands. We do not use any machines. The silk reeling process, in which the fibers are taken from the silkworm cocoons and made into silk, is a craft that requires delicate techniques and experiences which cannot be imitated by just anyone. As a result of the craftsmanship, the spinned silk thread is thin, supple, and yet highly durable, making it an ideal material for scarves.

02 Silk Threads

A major feature of the silk thread is its color development. Silk absorbs more dye into its fibers compared to other materials such as cotton, so it turns out into a significantly deeper and rich color. This is the reason why it cannot be put in a washing machine; when silk is agitated, it expels the dye from within. Because of such properties, some say the “silk is alive”.

02 Silk Threads

The scarf woven with silk has excellent qualities; it has a refreshing touch while retaining warmth when wrapped. Since we thoroughly select the best out of all the materials, we cannot specify the exact colors it turns out to be; every scarf once created can never be exactly recreated. As you use them, the depth of the colors are further enhanced, and each scarf turns out slightly different from one another; harboring its own characteristics. When finished, it becomes the "one and only” scarf in the world.

Handlooms

03 Handlooms

Our scarves are made with wooden handlooms lined up in the factory. Using refined senses cultivated over many years, craftsmen maneuver the weaving machines as if they were their own limbs, weaving each scarf one by one. It takes more time than when using a machine, but applying delicate forces depending on the condition of each thread and handloom, helps craft an exquisite warm scarf that can never be replicated by a machine.

03 Handlooms

There are currently four weavers in our factory. Only the best weaver amongst the four can weave the scarves. Thus, only a couple of scarves can be weaved in a single month. As a result, customers who are looking forward to our products face a longer wait. However, we do not see great value in adding more weavers for a larger production.

03 Handlooms

One reason for this is our company spirit that we have kept over the past years. We were originally craftsmen weaving kimonos and obis in Nishijin, Kyoto. There, we learned of the importance of "crafting quality products" over profit and efficiency. Just like the mentality of the Kyoto craftsmen, our representative who used to be a Japanese traditional craftsman master, focuses on maintaining the highest craft possible. To achieve this, we prioritize producing the finest quality over large-scale quantities.

Craftsmen

04 Craftsmen

With responsibility and devotion towards the silkworms and silk threads that originated in Yasaka village, and along with the techniques and dignity that the Nishijin weavers have been harboring for many years, we craft this scarf in hopes of creating the best product using our traditional techniques.

04 Craftsmen

One of the origins of our brand name, "Tu Ton Ton", represents the rhythmic sound of the weaving machines. The other origin symbolizes the craftsmen who have embodied the treasures of both Yasaka Village and Nishijin. We are proud to say that this scarf is the modern representation of the rich history and culture of crafts that have been kept alive for centuries.

04 Craftsmen

If you have read this far, please come visit us at the factory to experience hands-on weaving using actual handlooms and silk threads. We invite you to see the Nishijin weaving method, the nature protecting Yasaka Village, and the spirit of crafts that brought this scarf to life.

04 Craftsmen

Address I514-1 Yasakacho Kitsuka,
Hamada-shi, Shimane 697-1122 Japan

Opening hours 9:00 - 16:00 (excluding weekends and holidays.)

Contact

Credits

We created this site to pay an homage to the Japanese traditions, our relationship with the nature, and the roots of craftsmanship that takes place in this workshop. As a web designer, we normally refrain from presenting ourselves on our client's sites, but the craftsmen of this workshop wished to share this wonderful inauguration together with everyone involved throughout the design process. Thus we would like to present to you those who made this project come to life. Tu-Ton-Ton welcomes you on a journey of tradition and artistry.

Producer: Masaharu Tamaoki (MARS)
Creative Director: Hikaru Kato (kanvas - Team MARS)
Designer Illustrator: Nanami Kato (kanvas - Team MARS)
Coder: Hikari Hyakuda (kanvas - Team MARS)
Translator: Risa Takeuchi
Local Collaborator: Hideyuki Sasaki (EVOL - Team MARS)
Local Collaborator: Hayato Sasaki (EVOL - Team MARS)

The End