Akita Hachijo

Akita silk fabrics woven with tradition and plant dyes

Akita Hachijo

Born in the Edo period and with over 230 years of history, Akita Hachijo is a traditional silk textile representing Akita Prefecture, distinguished by its natural plant-based dyeing techniques.

Distinguished by a base palette of three colors—Tobi-iro (a deep reddish-brown traditional Japanese color), yellow, and black—it features a wide variety of checkered and striped patterns. Woven from extremely fine silk threads, it is known for its refined texture and elegant luster. In addition to traditional kimono, it is also used to create accessories such as bags, ties, wallets, and card cases.

Akita Hachijo

Origin

Akita Prefecture

history

1784~ (Edo period)

manufacturer

Akita Hachijo Hamanasu Kobo Narata Toshiko

designation

Traditional Crafts (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
Contemporary Master Craftsman (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)

The charm of Akita Hachijo

Subdued hues drawn from natural plant-based dyes

Unique Tobi-iro

Tobi-iro, one of the base colors, is made from the bark and roots of the rosehip tree that grows wild on the coast of the prefecture. Akita Hachijo is the only place in Japan where textiles are dyed with rosehip.

Each bolt features a one-of-a-kind pattern

One-of-a-kind woven pattern

The combination of 1,800 warp threads and weft threads allows for an infinite number of woven patterns.
It is rare that two identical textiles are produced.
Each roll has a unique woven pattern, so find the perfect piece for you.

A refined luster created by carefully weaving ultra-fine silk threads

Surface texture and gloss

It takes one week to ten days to weave one bolt (approximately 13m) of fabric, with 1,800 warp threads and one weft thread threaded individually, creating a soft, fine texture and a glossy surface.The extremely fine silk threads also make the fabric light and easy to handle.

The history of Akita Hachijo

1784 (Edo period)

A tradition passed down from the Mutsu Sendai Domain

It is said to have been introduced by Takiemon Ishikawa of the Mutsu Sendai Domain.
In 1792, the Akita Domain appointed Takiemon as an official in charge of local products, promoting the development of sericulture, weaving, lacquerware, and other regional industries.

1814 (Edo period)

The birth of Akita Hachijo

Jinpei Tadenuma was invited from Kiryu in Joshu (present-day Gunma Prefecture), where he established dyeing and weaving techniques such as dyed ribbed weaves, dragon-patterned weaves, and Kihachijo weaving. Through further refinements and innovation, Akita Hachijo was born.

By combining the techniques passed down by Takiemon with the sophisticated weaving artistry of Kiryu introduced by Tadenuma, and with the cooperation of Kon Yasuemon and Seki Kinai, they succeeded in creating the elegant tobi-iro color using the roots of wild hamanasu growing along the coast of the prefecture as a natural dye.

1894 (Meiji period)

Decline after peak

Reaching its peak in the Meiji era, by around 1894 there were as many as 27 or 28 weaving workshops in Akita City, and at one point up to 60,000 bolts of fabric were produced annually. However, following the Russo-Japanese War, a severe economic downturn forced many of these workshops to close.

Thereafter, amid the sweeping changes of Westernization, modernization, and two world wars, the craft steadily declined. By the Taisho era, only Kenji Seno, Fusataro Sato, and Goro Namekawa (the first-generation head of the Namekawa weaving workshop) remained, and after 1929, Goro Namekawa was the sole remaining practitioner.

1980 (Showa 55)

Designated as an Akita Prefecture intangible cultural property

Akita Hachijo and Akita Une-ori were designated as Intangible Cultural Properties of Akita Prefecture, with Namekawa Shinkichi recognized as the holder of the tradition. However, in November 2003, the Namekawa Weaving Workshop in Akita City—the only workshop still in operation—closed, and production was temporarily suspended.

In the photograph, from left, are Toshiko Narata and Shinkichi Namekawa, both of whom were engaged in production at the Namekawa Weaving Workshop.

2006 (Showa 55)

Revived by Narata Toshiko

Toshiko Narata, who had been engaged in production under Shinkichi Namekawa, inherited the full set of equipment from him and in 2006 established the “Akita Hachijo Kotomu Workshop” in Kitaakita City, reviving the once-discontinued techniques of Akita Hachijo.

Today, as the sole successor to the tradition, she preserves the traditional techniques of Akita Hachijo while creating works that incorporate a contemporary sensibility.

2023 (Reiwa 5)

Name change and training of successors

Renaming and the Training of a Successor

In April 2023, following the relocation of the workshop to Tsuzureko Nukazawa in Kitaakita City, the workshop was renamed “Akita Hachijo Hamanasu Workshop.” In September of the same year, Kentaro Fujiwara, a member of the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team, was welcomed as a successor.

By further refining her traditional skills and passing them on to Kentaro Fujiwara, Toshiko Narata is working to carry Akita Hachijo into the future.

In the photograph, from left, are Kentaro Fujiwara and Toshiko Narata.

The production process of Akita Hachijo

#1 Collecting plants for dyes

The dyes used in Akita Hachijo are primarily derived from natural plants harvested within Akita Prefecture.

[Hamanasu (Rugosa Rose / Rosaceae)]
The roots and bark of hamanasu, which grows wild along the coast, are used as a dye to produce a brownish tone known as “Tobihachi.”

[Kariyasu (Miscanthus / Poaceae)]
Kariyasu, a wild grass, is used as a dye to create a bright yellow color called “Kihachi.”

#2 Boiling the dye

To extract the color from the plants, they boil them in a large pot to create a dye solution.

1. Boil the roots and bark of the rosehip tree in a large pot.
2. Strain the resulting liquid and prepare it as a dye.
3. Similarly, boil karyas to make a yellow dye.

#3 Dyeing the silk thread

Using the extracted dye solution,
We dye raw silk (silk thread).

[Rosan rose dyeing - Tobihachi]
1. The dyed threads are placed in a hemp bag and boiled in hot water. 2. The color is fixed through stages, from temporary dyeing to final dyeing. 3. The threads are dried to prevent them from tangling.

[Kariyasu dyeing, yellow eight]
1. The raw silk is washed in water to remove starch and other impurities, and then prepared. 2. The thread is immersed in boiled kariyasu liquid and dyed. 3. The process of shaking the thread up and down is repeated to allow the dye to soak in. 4. The thread is slowly moved until the dye cools down, allowing the color to soak in. 5. Wood vinegar or other liquids are sometimes added to give the fabric a greenish color.

#4 Warping

Warping (winding threads) is an important process before weaving.
The dyed thread is wound onto a wooden frame called a "kasegi" and the tension is adjusted.
Prepare the yarns by type and color.

#5 Stretching the warp threads onto the loom

The warp threads are passed through the heddle and reed by hand one by one.
A 39cm wide roll of fabric requires approximately 1,800 warp threads to be threaded through it, so it takes 3 to 4 days for the fabric to be carefully stretched.

The weft thread can be passed through by moving the two heddles.
Also, "reed" refers to the bar that brings the weft threads to the front.

#6 Weaving

The weft threads are woven into the prepared warp threads to create stripes, checkered patterns, etc.
It takes about one week to ten days to weave one bolt (approximately 13 meters) of fabric.

The weft (horizontal) threads are woven using an automatic shuttle, and careful checking is required to ensure that no stitches are skipped or the silk threads are broken.

#7 Completion of the roll of fabric

The basic colors are "Tobihachi (brown)," "Kohachi (yellow)," and "Kurohachi (black)," and the fabric comes in simple designs such as solid colors, stripes, and checkered patterns.
The woven cloth has a glossy finish and becomes softer and more conforms to the body the more it is used.

Born in the Edo period and with over 230 years of history, Akita Hachijo is a traditional silk textile representing Akita Prefecture, distinguished by its natural plant-based dyeing techniques.

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