Handcrafted Island Silk: Kumejima Tsumugi

Beautiful Silk Crafts, Produced Sustainably on Kumejima for More than 500 Years.

With a history stretching back over 500 years to the Ryukyu Kingdom, Kumejima Tsumugi is a rare, entirely handmade silk fabric crafted from start to finish on the island. Every step—from sericulture and thread-making to natural dyeing, pattern design, and hand-weaving—is carried out by local artisans using sustainably sourced island materials. Utilizing natural pigments from mud, trees, and plants, Kumejima Tsumugi features a rich palette of bold and mellow hues paired with a uniquely soft, lustrous texture.

More than just a craft, learning the art of Kumejima Tsumugi offers a window into the soul and story of the island itself.

What is "Tsumugi"?

"Tsumugi" (紬） is a term used to describe a type of plain weave silk pongee fabric often used to make garments such as kimonos. Regions throughout Japan such as Yuki City in Ibaraki (結城紬）and Amami-Oshima in Okinawa (大島紬) produce their own distinctive Tsumugi fabrics according to traditional methods. Common features include the use of local plants as natural pigments, thread spun by hand from silkworm cocoons, and intricate resist dyeing techniques known as "kasuri." Kumejima Tsumugi's distinctive features include its broad range of natural, locally-sourced pigments, its painstaking hand-patterning technique, and its skilled artisan weavers.

About "Kumejima Tsumugi"

Kumejima Tsumugi is known for its natural colors, intricate patterns, and its simple, supple texture. Pigments produced from local plants and minerals yield a broad color palette, from bright yellows and greens to soothing browns, pinks, and greys. In particular, Kumejima's mud-dyed silk (known as "doro-zome" in Japanese) is highly regarded for its deep reddish-black color and rich luster.

The dyeing process makes use of a type of "ikat" resist-dyeing technique known as "kasuri kukuri." In this technique, individual threads are carefully marked and hand-bound in rope and plastic before dyeing. They are woven together weeks later, after the dyed threads have been unbound and dried under the island sun. This painstaking process can take several months, and requires an individual artisan to have a detailed vision of the final pattern, thread by thread, before ever sitting down at the weaving loom. Weavers create original designs based on a traditional repertoire of more than 80 different motifs, including birds, clouds, money, animals, and tools used in daily life.

Unlike many other regions known for "kasuri" weaving, in Kumejima each bolt of fabric is hand-produced on the island by an individual craftsperson. From spinning the threads, to designing the pattern, to dyeing, weaving, and finishing, each Kumejima Tsumugi product is one artisan weaver's unique masterpiece.

History

The history of Kumejima Tsumugi stretches all the way back to the time of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Historical records tell of an extraordinary figure called Do-no-hiya, who traveled all the way to China in the latter half of the 15th century, bringing knowledge of sericulture back to the people of Kumejima. Since silk production techniques first used in the Ryukyu Kingdom gradually spread northward throughout Japan, Kumejima is often said to be the "birthplace of Tsumugi."

Beginning in roughly the seventeenth century, bolts of Kumejima Tsumugi were offered as tax to the Ryukyu Royal Government. While this enabled the people of Kumejima to keep precious rice crops as food, it placed a brutally heavy burden on weavers. All women between the ages 15 and 45 (except the wives of government officials) were required to weave to strict quality standards and meet ever-increasing production volumes in service of the tax. This period is remembered as a time of great suffering and demand for Kumejima's craftswomen. Tales handed down to the present day through oral tradition tell of women crying every day while weaving or suffering violence for substandard work. However, the improvements made to production techniques during this period are a point of pride among contemporary weavers. Even today, each new bolt of Kumejima Tsumugi cloth is reviewed to exacting standards by a local panel of master artisans before sale.

Kumejima Tsumugi was designated as a National Important Intangible Cultural Property in February 2004 for its intricate, manual weaving process. Locals celebrate the anniversary of this honor every year with a "Tsumugi Fair," featuring discounts on Kumejima Tsumugi products, and opportunities to participate in weaving workshops, kimono fittings, and more.

Experience Tsumugi Weaving at Yuimaru-kan

No visit to Kumejima is complete without a stop at Kumejima's Weaving Pavillion and Museum, Yuimaru-kan. At the museum, you can learn about the process of making Kumejima Tsumugi and observe contemporary weavers at work. Yuimaru-kan is also one of Kumejima's best places to shop for "omiyage." In addition to raw cloth that can be purchased in centimeters or by the bolt, the souvenir shop also stocks Kumejima Tsumugi products to suit any budget or occasion, from shirts and handbags, to wallets, cute earrings, home decor, and even colorful cloth flowers.

Yuimaru-kan also offers a number of hands-on workshops introducing key aspects of Kumejima Tsumugi production, such as weaving at a traditional loom and dyeing cloth using natural botanical extracts. Although English support is limited, international guests often find the process of working together by hand with the instructor rewarding. Each workshop is led by one of Kumejima's own Tsumugi weavers, who will guide you through each step of the craft and demonstrate how much time and effort goes into making one piece of fabric.

Reservations for the dyeing and weaving workshops are available by phone (Japanese Only) up to weeks in advance.
A two-hour workshop featuring both dyeing and weaving is also available, starting at 6000 yen.

(1) Natural Dyeing Workshop:

　Bandana dyeing: 3,400 yen - 60 minutes
Silk shawl dyeing (small): 6,000 yen - 90 minutes
Silk shawl dyeing (large): 8,000 yen - 90 minutes

※ reserve at the phone number below (Japanese Only)

Try your hand at dyeing a bandana or silk shawl, using botanicals found right on Kumejima. You can choose from among several dye materials, such as sugar cane (green) and fukugi tree (yellow), each of which produces a different color. Create a unique pattern in the cloth using sticks and rubber bands to "tie" off areas and prevent them from taking on color. At the end of the workshop, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind souvenir to add to your wardrobe back home, as a special keepsake of your time on Kumejima.

(2) Weaving Experience:

　Coaster Weaving Workshop: 3000 yen - 30 minutes.
※ reserve at the phone number below (Japanese Only)

Kumejima Tsumugi draws on a traditional repertoire of more than 80 different motifs, including birds, clouds, money, animals, and everyday tools. Choose your favorite motif from among several samples and weave it into a coaster using a traditional hand loom. An experienced weaver will guide you, as you weave the weft (horizontal) threads of the coaster using a hand shuttle to cross the warp (vertical) threads on the loom.

Kumejima Weaving Pavilion(Yuimaru-kan)　
Website: https://www.kume-tumugi.com
Telephone: 098-985-8333
Address: 1878-1 Maja Kumejima, Okinawa
OPEN: 9:00 - Last entry 16:30
Entry Fee: Adult￥200 / Kids￥100
Exhibition, Shop and some weaving/dyeing experience programs available.
Closed: New Year Holiday, Bon Festival of the lunar calendar