It is believed that banana fiber cloth was already being made around the 13th century, but it only became widespread among people in the early modern period.
Banana trees were planted in the gardens and fields of homes, and housewives and daughters wove cloth for their own use. In the 19th century, silk and cotton became available, but banana fiber cloth remained popular. KIJOKA no Bashofu (Banana Fiber Textiles), which carries on this tradition, was designated a National Important Intangible Cultural Property in 1974.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The textile must be woven using one of the following techniques or methods:
  (1) The threads used for the warp and weft shall be banana fiber threads that have been extracted from the Japanese banana plant and spun by hand.
  (2) The weave structure shall be plain weave or patterned weave.
  (3) If dyeing is to be done, it shall be done by pre-dyeing.

  2. When using ikat yarn, the dyeing method for the ikat yarn shall be "hand-tying".

   

  raw materials

  The thread to be used must be banana fiber thread.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  Bashofu cloth is made through a long and arduous process involving numerous difficult steps. It involves cultivating the banana plants used for the yarn, cutting down the trunks to extract the fibers, spinning the yarn, dyeing it, weaving it, and finally finishing it. The journey to weaving is incredibly long.

  Step 1: Cultivation of banana plants and harvesting of ramie.

  To soften the fibers, the banana plant (Ito-basho) is pruned two to three times a year by removing the leaves and pinching the top. "Uu" refers to the fibers of the Ito-basho. The mature trunk of the Ito-basho is cut down and the bark is peeled off. The outer layer has coarse fibers and is used for tablecloths, the inner layer is used for obi sashes and ties, and the innermost part, called "nahaguu," is used for kimono fabric.

  

  Step 2: Boiling the ramie

  Bring the lye to a boil in a large pot and place a rope at the bottom. Bundle the peeled bark and put it in, then cover and boil for several hours. Adjusting the alkalinity of the lye is a difficult task. Once boiled, rinse with water to remove the lye.

  

  Step 3: Extracting the hemp fibers

  The fibers are extracted from the bark. The bark is split into two or three pieces and then squeezed with bamboo tongs called "ebi". The soft fibers are used for the weft, while the harder fibers or colored fibers are used for the warp. After drying in the shade, the bundles are rolled into balls.

  

  Step 4: Spinning the ramie

  The yarn is spun from the rolled-up fibers. After soaking them in water and lightly squeezing them, the fibers are split along the grain from the root end using fingernails or fingertips. The thickness of the yarn is determined according to its intended use. For kimono fabric, it is split very thinly. The split fibers are joined together with a loom knot to make yarn. The yarn is pulled tightly to prevent it from coming loose. The thread that comes out of the knot is cut short. This is the most time-consuming and painstaking part of the process.

  

  Step 5: Twisting and warping

  The warp and weft ikat threads are twisted on a spinning wheel to prevent fraying and make them stronger. This is done while moistening them with a spray bottle. If the twist is too loose, the threads will fray and become difficult to weave. Conversely, if the twist is too tight, it will be difficult to weave and the ikat pattern will be difficult to match. The threads are then prepared by warping to ensure they are the same length.

  

  Step 6: Kasuri knot

  Stretch a thread horizontally, use a measuring skewer to mark the area, and wrap banana bark around the parts you don't want to dye. Then, wrap a string around it and tie it. If it's too tight, the thread will break, and if it's too loose, the dye will seep through, so this is a task that requires experience. This banana bark is called "ubasagara".

  

  工程7： 染色

  The dyes mainly used are Rhaphiolepis indica (Techi) and Ryukyu indigo. For the Rhaphiolepis indica, finely chopped trunks and branches are placed in a large pot with water and boiled. The ikat threads are immersed in the dye solution and left to dry for 7 minutes. The dyeing process is repeated many times, with occasional steaming, until the desired color is achieved. This is repeated at least 30 times.

  

  Step 8: Preparation for weaving

  Once the dyeing is finished, the tied ikat fabric is untied and arranged according to the design, then passed through the temporary reed. Care is taken to wind it up, making sure it does not shift or sag. Then the heddles and reed are threaded.

  

  Step 9: Weaving

  Since the threads will break if they dry out, weave while keeping them moist with a spray bottle. The rainy season in May and June is the most suitable time for weaving.

  

  Step 10: Washing

  The woven fabric is washed with water. Then it is placed in a large pot and boiled in lye. It is then washed with water and dried. It is soaked in rice vinegar (yunaji), which is made from fermented rice porridge and rice flour, to neutralize it. After about two hours, it is washed with water and left to dry for 7 minutes. The width of the fabric is adjusted by hand. Finally, it is ironed to complete the process.

  

   

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  Making banana fiber cloth begins with the joy of touching the soil.

  A banana fiber cloth with brown ikat patterns on an off-white background is something that almost every woman would want to own. This crisp, light, and breathable fabric is made with great care and time, starting from cultivating the banana plants themselves.

   

  "It's rare to find such beautiful fabric these days."

  Two hours by car from Naha, with the cobalt blue sea on your left, and heading further north from Nago, you'll start to see scattered fields of banana plants on your right. These are the banana plants used to make the thread for bashofu cloth. The trees closely resemble bananas, and the fibers are extracted by cutting down the trunks.
  When I visited KIJOKA no Bashofu (Banana Fiber Textiles), I saw Toshiko Taira, a Living National Treasure, working silently among others with a spool of yarn in her hand. Her small stature as she walked around the large room was youthful, and she certainly didn't look 81 years old.
  Bashofu is a fabric that requires an incredible amount of effort and skill to produce, with a long and complex process. It involves cultivating banana plants, extracting the fibers, spinning the yarn, dyeing it, and weaving it. Because it requires intuition gained through experience, it takes years of repetitive, monotonous work to master the technique. The finished fabric, after all this hard work, is light, supple, and breathtakingly beautiful.
  It was Soetsu Yanagi who widely spread the appeal of bashofu (banana fiber cloth) to the world. He began his book "The Story of Bashofu" with the line, "These days, it's rare to find such a beautiful cloth." In modern times, many people are captivated by Toshiko's work. The natural colors, the texture of the dry cloth, and the simple ikat patterns may resonate with the sensibilities of people today who seek something more natural.

  

  Kyoko Taira quickly ties ikat patterns using banana bark.

  Just touching the thread is fun

  We spoke with Kyoko Taira, who has been making banana fiber cloth under Toshiko's guidance for 14 years. Kyoko said that she had been familiar with the tools since childhood because her mother and aunt were weavers. She loves handicrafts and enjoyed needlework and gardening while working as a nursery school teacher, but she wanted to delve deeper into it, so she entered the world of banana fiber cloth making.
  Speaking softly and modestly, Kyoko seemed completely captivated by Basho.
  "For the first week after joining, I spent my time reeling yarn. Just touching the yarn was enjoyable and put me in a good mood. Perhaps there's something appealing about banana fiber. Maybe that's why I don't remember ever feeling any hardship."
  She said she was very happy when she created her first ikat fabric with a swallow pattern, about two years after she started weaving.

  The weaving is only 1/100th of the whole; the rest is long.

  "I'm also drawn to the fact that you can start from the fields. You can see the entire process from soil to cloth. There's a joy in being constantly in contact with the blessings of nature in the land."
  It takes as many as 200 banana plants to produce enough thread for one bolt of yarn. As the saying goes, "good thread comes from a good field," so cultivating the banana plants is a crucial first step. Essential tasks include fertilizing and pruning the leaves and cores. Sometimes, everyone in the workshop goes out to the fields and works on the farm all day long.
  The process from harvesting to spinning the fibers into thread is even more difficult. There are many time-consuming steps, such as skinning the fibers and boiling them in large pots. The preparation takes much longer than the weaving itself. Kyoko says that Toshiko taught her that "weaving is only 1/100th of the whole process."
  "Every step has an impact on the next stage, so we can't cut corners. Thinking about the next job while we work results in a good product."
  The banana plant, which thrives in high temperatures and humidity, is found only in tropical regions. When I touched the yarn, I was pleasantly surprised by its smooth texture despite being dry. Kyoko hopes to continue cherishing Okinawa's unique weaving techniques, which utilize materials suited to the local climate.
  "I want to finish it today."
  Muttering this to herself, she quickly returned to her work of tying the ikat knots.

  Craftsman Profile

  ​Kyoko Taira

  Born in 1952. He applied to a successor training program and gained 14 years of experience under Toshiko Taira.

  Anecdotes

  Simple and unique ikat patterns

  The ikat patterns on bashofu cloth are inspired by motifs from everyday life and nature. It's a pleasure to look at each one individually. We asked Mieko Taira, chairperson of the Kijoka Bashofu Business Cooperative, about the origins of the names and other details.
  "Wheat ears" is used for the obi fabric, and it is tied so that the pattern faces the taiko (drum-shaped knot). "Gomaai" refers to something that surrounds, and it is thought that the name may have been derived from the term used to describe someone who walks with their legs wide apart. "Kuwankaki" is written as "ring hanging" and is a pattern that is linked together like a chain. "Hachijo" is said to have come from the ikat patterns of Hachijo Island.
  There are many other types as well, such as Tuigwa (small bird) and Jindama (coin coin). They are all simple, but sometimes several are combined to create more complex patterns.

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    Kwa (small wa)nkaki

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    wheat ears