Winter Vacation

Kawashima Textile School will be closed for Winter Vacation from December 25, 2021 to January 5, 2022, and the teachers' office (where we answer inquiries in English) from December 24, 2021 to January 11, 2022.
We will respond to your emails after January 12.
We apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for your cooperation.

Yarn Sample Giveaway on instagram!

At Kawashima Textile School, we carry yarn for handweaving. Our new yarn samples will be available for sale starting Jan. 13, 2022! 🎉 (We are not accepting pre-orders, so please wait until the release.)

We will be selling the following three sets:
・Dyed wool (80 colors)
・Dyed cotton (63 colors)
・undyed yarn (cotton, wool, linen, ramie, etc.) (60 types)
　
1000 yen per case (incl. tax) postage not included

We are currently hosting a giveaway on our instagram account, @kawashimatextileschool (Dec. 17 (Fri.)-Dec. 20 (Mon.) 17:00 (JST)).

More information can be found here

About the School: Hori-Sensei’s Dyeing Class 4

”In natural dyeing, nothing is a mistake.”

The first year students' dyeing classes by Hori-sensei are finally nearing the end. Now, the natural dyeing classes have started after students have learned a wide range of dyeing techniques, gotten used to handling yarn and the basics of dyeing. In the class, students dyed and made samples using commercially available plant dyes, and plants that grow around the school. Students dye natural fibers such as wool, silk, and cotton, using various types of plants, with mordants such as aluminum, copper, and iron. By cataloguing the dyed yarn samples and separating them according to the type of yarn, mordant, and plant, the difference in the colors can be seen at a glance. The importance of organizing samples in this way also applies to the previous synthetic dyeing class.

Hori-sensei carefully explains the setup for the class. “There are more steps in natural dyeing compared to synthetic dyeing, such as brewing, pre-treating, mordanting, dyeing, and cooling. You have to run things well, or else, time will just pass. The setup is key to proceed efficiently, such as mordanting and pre-treating while brewing.”

◆ The resulting color is unique to the person who dyed it

One of the things Hori-sensei keeps in mind with natural dyeing is the proportion of the dye and the mordant. Mordants, that help develop the color and stop the color from fading, is something that is necessary for most plant dyes (except for some). Not enough dye and too much mordant will harm the yarn. On the other hand, too much dye and not enough mordant will cause discoloration. “It's important to adjust to a proportion that is just right for the yarn to absorb all of the mordant and for the color to develop,” Hori-sensei says, and teaches what he thinks is the best proportion from his many years of experience. There are some people who are concerned about the environment by using mordanting agents, but he says another reason for adjusting to the best proportion is so that the mordant does not remain in the residual liquid after dyeing. He says that it takes experience to be able to look at the residual liquid and determine if the yarn has fully absorbed the mordant.

“In natural dyeing, nothing is a mistake. It reflects the thoughts of the dyer, such as those who want to reduce the amount of mordant, or those who want to avoid discoloration. Because the amount of mordant changes the color, there are artists who prefer to use less to create their own unique color, and I think that is perfectly fine as well,” Hori-sensei says calmly.

The big difference from synthetic dyeing is the degree of attention to color reproducibility. "In natural dyeing, there are as many colors as there are people. There is a basic process, but the color can be changed depending on how you dye, and the resulting color is unique to the person who dyed it." The premise is different from synthetic dyeing, where one produces the desired color accurately, based on the data.

◆ Teaching so that the students can develop a wide perspective of dyeing

According to Hori-sensei, in Japan, synthetic dyes began to be used in earnest in the middle of the Meiji era (1868-1912), which means that until then, natural dyes were used. There were times in class when he would share his knowledge good-naturedly, saying, "When you visit the Kawashima Textile Museum (on the premises next to the school), it's interesting to see the items on exhibit from that perspective." The students in the class shared their impressions. “As I dyed, I thought about the history of natural dyeing.” “I started to look at the trees and flowers around me, thinking if they could be used for dyeing.” “Plants change each season, and even with the same plants, the colors change with mordants as well. Natural dyeing is so interesting.”

You can tell that Hori-sensei’s class is designed so that through the series of training, students can develop a wider perspective on dyeing itself. Rather than stating the individual merits and demerits of synthetic and natural dyeing, students’ ranges are broadened by him showing them, “there is this way,” within dyeing as a whole. What stood out is that all the classes are conducted so that the students can learn smoothly and openly. This became another class that motivated the students to think, “I want to study more!”

Continued to part 5.

About the School: Hori-sensei's Dyeing Class 3

"Be careful not to tangle the thread. Haste is waste.”

This is a series that covers the classes of skilled dyeing expert Masaru Hori-sensei, and looks at the “something” we must value. Part three is about the dyeing class that is a part of, and works with the first year students’ weaving class. When the class started, the first thing Hori-sensei said was, “You might sweat a lot today. Let’s do our best.” That is because each student will scour and dye approximately 700 grams of cotton thread this day. This thread will be used to weave cloth, as 1200 warp threads. Hori-sensei says it is important to “not tangle the thread,” which is “more important than dyeing well.”

◆ Rather than while dyeing, yarn gets tangled before and afterwards

Scouring is done with each student putting their skeins on a pipe, and soaking them all together in a large pot. The thread absorbs the water and becomes heavy. Using a tool called “Tekagi” to pull up the skeins, which is said to be used by the dyeing craftspeople in Nishijin, students start working after Hori-sensei demonstrates. “Put it (Tekagi) straight through (the skein), and pull up.” “Make sure there is no slack (when pulling up the skein). Please stop if you feel even a tiny bit of resistance.” “When you can’t pull up the skeins because they are too heavy, I want you to let them swim like koinobori (carp streamers) like this.” Hori-sensei gives tips on handling the thread attentively, with careful movements. Taking care not to tangle the thread means to pay attention to it. When the students move the skeins up and down, Hori-sensei’s calls become enthusiastic. The students, who at first were working cautiously, seemed to be getting the hang of it little by little.

“Scouring can be done at this pace, but you should work faster when dyeing. I will demonstrate how I did it when I was working (in the dyeing department).” Hori-sensei said, and turned the skeins using his whole body. The atmosphere immediately became tense, and the students were drawn into his swift and accurate movements. Hori-sensei has focused on dyeing at Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co., Ltd. for 42 years, and when he first joined the company, “working as a pair, would dye 10-20 kilograms of yarn every day.” He says that the first few years doing preparatory work were days of “learning the basic movements of dyeing.” That is why, through experience, he understands the importance of handling yarn.

"Yarn does not necessarily get tangled while dyeing. On the contrary, they get tangled in the steps before and after dyeing," says Hori-sensei. For example, when the skein is placed on a table before dyeing, when it is getting untwisted, when a rod is passed through it, or when they are being rinsed or spin-dryed after dyeing, so Hori-sensei would give advice each time. “Be careful of the angle of the rods so that hot water doesn’t flow out from them." "It’s difficult to wring out the skein when it’s heavy. There is also another way to wring it out, by folding it in thirds.” Hori-sensei kept an eye on everyone so they were careful about how they handled the skeins.

◆ An ear to listen to their needs

This class is for weaving, and the students each choose a painting, extracts 6 colors used in the painting, and weaves a striped cloth that is 8 meters long. Students choose samples that are similar to the six colors they have chosen, but Kanzome is necessary to match the colors perfectly. The students learn and achieve that sense through communicating with Hori-sensei. After seeing the painting and grasping the image of the colors, Hori-sensei asks the students what they want, and starts giving them advice straight away. “What do you want to do?” “The sample is on the dull side. What color do you think you should add?” “Do you think you should stop here?” Knowledge alone can not make everything work. Since the absorption capacity differs depending on the type of thread, it is absolutely necessary to make judgments on the spot, while observing its state.”

While watching Hori-sensei, I notice that he always has a "listening" attitude. That is the same with yarn, and he pays attention to what it wants. It is not limited to dyeing. There was a scene like this in a previous class. When a student's yarn got tangled, Hori-sensei helped and said, "When this happens, don’t get angry. It gets worse." The cause of this is how the yarn is moved during dyeing, and when being rinsed in water. "If you move it gently in one direction, this doesn’t happen. Haste is waste." he said in a calm tone, and when I looked down at his hands, the yarn unraveled smoothly. He silently fixed the yarn, saying, "Yarn is easier to handle for people with thin fingers, than with rugged hands like mine." Yarn directly reflects the consciousness of the person who handles it. It is compelling to see a skilled dyeing expert valuing the basics of handling yarn. Under the guidance of Hori-sensei, the students attempt to communicate with the thread.

Continued to part 4.

Workshops in February 2022

We will be holding two workshops in English next February:

Shifu Weaving
Natural Dyeing

These workshops are open to people living in Japan.

More information about the course and application procedure can be found on our Workshops page. Please use our contact form if you have any questions.

About the School: Hori-sensei's Dyeing Class 2

"The starting point for Kanzome is matching the color perfectly”

This is a series that covers the classes of skilled dyeing expert Masaru Hori-sensei, and looks at the “something” we must value. The second part is about the first year students’ “Kanzome” class. Hori-sensei is sometimes called a magician of dyes. That comes from the time when he instantly changed the color of yarn that a student dyed pink instead of green, by adding dyes intuitively. In the “Kanzome” class, he teaches the basic skills of adding dyes with one's intuition.

◆ The starting point for “Kanzome”

The class started with Hori-sensei explaining about Kanzome. “‘Kanzome” is a word that I coined. The method of dyeing by adding dyestuff intuitively during the dyeing process, has been long called “Horikomi Senshoku (throw-in dyeing)” by the craftspeople in dye houses of Nishijin. For my classes, I named it “Kanzome” so it is easier to imagine.” The basics of Kanzome is color matching using the three basic colors, yellow, red, and blue. Without using data, you add small amounts of dye during the dyeing process to reach your desired color. In class, students choose colors from samples, and dye skeins of wool.

“Once you get used to color matching, you will be able to do it ‘moderately well.’ But you won’t improve by doing it ‘moderately well.’ The starting point for Kanzome is whether you can match the color ‘perfectly’ or not. So in today’s class, we won’t stop at ‘moderately well.’ We will keep dyeing until it is perfect. Hori-sensei, who said that at the beginning, conducted the class exactly as he stated.

As the colors of the skeins got closer to the students' goals, Hori-sensei, who at the beginning of the class had been observing quietly, started to move quickly and spoke to them at the right moment. “It’s getting closer.” He compares the color with the student by laying the sample yarn on top of the skein that is being dyed. He doesn’t give the answer right away. “What do you think?” he first asks, and makes the student think for themself. After that, discussions like these go on.

Student 1: “It’s too light.” Hori-sensei :“Yes, you can continue to add the dye in the same proportion, and increase the concentration.”

Student 2: “It needs more green.” Hori-sensei: “What do you add to make it more green?” “...” “Yellow.”

Student 3: “There’s too much yellow.” Hori-sensei: “Yes, you put in too much yellow. This wool is naturally a bit yellow, so keep that in mind. What should you add?” “Blue.” “How about red?” “Red as well…” “Yes, let’s add blue and red.”

◆ When they are just a step away from matching perfectly, the yarn calls out

As the color becomes closer to that of the sample yarn, Hori-sensei’s question, “What do you think?” changes to, “What do you think it wants?” from the perspective of the yarn. The students understand, and the conversation continues that way. Hori-sensei quietly said, “When you have been dyeing for decades, it feels like the yarn calls for the color it wants. They call when they are just a step away from matching the sample perfectly. Something like, I want red, I want yellow.”

Through the process of matching the color from moderately well to perfect, Hori-sensei’s concentration increases. His calm appearance does not change at all, but his sharpened sense shows subtly in his momentary glances, timing of speaking to the students, and the movement of his hands. The students’ experience of communicating with Hori-sensei as they match colors, seemed to be an opportunity to open up their senses of focusing on the yarn and listening to what it wants.

At 82 years old, Hori-sensei is still active as a teacher, and has over 60 years of experience in dyeing. In the interview in 2020, he said, “Rather than dyeing myself, I like seeing the people I teach get better at color matching.” When a student working on Kanzome for the first time murmured, “It’s hard,” Hori-sensei said, “The only way to train your intuition is to dye many colors and get used to it.” That feeling probably comes from his years of experience. That is why those words resonate heavily. However, at the same time, it doesn’t feel like Hori-sensei’s sensitivity towards yarn is just that. We will continue to look at that “something.”


Continued to part 3.

About the School: Hori-Sensei's Dyeing Class 1

"If the data is non-reproducible, it is better not to have it at all"

Masaru Hori is a skilled expert who has been dyeing for over 60 years. It was in 2020 that we did a three-part interview with Hori-sensei, in which he talked about the work he had done in the Dyeing Department at Kawashima Ltd., his experience teaching as a full-time instructor for over 20 years at Kawashima Textile School after retirement, and about his thoughts now being over 80 years old. After it was published, we received a wide response from Hori-sensei’s students, and people interested in dyeing, both from Japan and from overseas. We feel that Hori-sensei not only has a wealth of experience and reliable skills, but also “something important” in how he teaches. That is not something that can be spoken by himself, but something that he exudes. In this series, we will cover Hori-sensei’s dyeing classes, and seek out what that something is. This first part is about the “Creating Dyeing Data” class.

◆ Why data samples?

Hori-sensei always speaks about the necessity of having data samples. “I want the students to achieve the skills to be able to dye by themselves at home, and continue dyeing, since they came all the way to study here.” This is his basic idea. ”You can get dye samples of single colors at dyeing stores, but there are no samples of mixed colors. Your range of dyeing will broaden by making colors that are not available for purchase. By having the data with you, you will be motivated to dye by yourself. It is important to develop that feeling.” He has continued to conduct his classes on creating data samples with that in mind.

In the first year students’ classes, students learn the basics of dyeing, and at the same time make data samples. Synthetic dyes allow you to create the color you want, as opposed to natural dyeing, where there is a limit in the colors that can be created. In class, students learn the characteristics of both synthetic dyes and natural dyes through making data samples. The students first make synthetic dye data samples. They make over 100 colors of samples using wool, silk, cotton, and polyester yarn, and the synthetic dyes for each type of yarn. They also learn how to create data for color gradients by dyeing from light, neutral, dark, and extremely dark.

Hori-sensei says, “You will be able to do the work yourself, once you get used to it. However, I pay particular attention to the students during steps where mistakes should not be made. Above all, with synthetic dyeing, in which dyes are mixed to create a certain color, confirming the numerical values is important. For light colors, the amount of dye could be less than the smallest unit on a commercial digital scale. Therefore, for example, when measuring the unit of 0.001, the dyestuff is dissolved in boiling water to make a 1000 fold dilution. Both measuring and blending require cautiousness and accuracy. He gives students tips on the spot, such as how to use their fingers when dropping dyestuff from a spoon onto the scale, or how to use the graduated cylinder or pipette, saying, “like this.” “If the data is non-reproducible, it is better not to have it at all. To prevent that, the most important thing is to measure accurately.”

◆ It all started 20 years ago from a handmade color palette

Currently at the school, there are approximately 150 colors of data samples for each type of yarn (June 2021). There are some new colors, and sometimes they are born from mistakes. “If you make a mistake in the digit when measuring dyes, it becomes a completely different color. However, if we can confirm what the mistake was, we include that as a new color in the group of samples.” Measurement must be precise, but on the other hand, saying that “mistakes in dyeing are inherent,” and creating a way to make use of them could be Hori-sensei’s ingenuity. He says, “I want them to have fun when working on dyeing.”

Hori-sensei quietly showed me the color palette he made when he first started teaching at the school. To make the data samples from scratch, he thought he “wanted at least 100 colors,” and “first made this color palette and organized it into a chart for each color tone, and test dyed each color, and created the data.” Hori-sensei was assigned to Kawashima Textile School when he was 60 years old, after working at the Dyeing Department of Kawashima Textile Manufacturers Ltd. (now Kawashima Selkon Textile Co., Ltd.) for 42 years. He took the long view of what to convey from the position of dyeing himself to the position of teaching, and what the school needs, and first organized the data samples, and laid the foundation for what dyeing at Kawashima Textile School is today. The handmade color palette that started it all is still carefully kept in the hands of Hori-sensei, without fading even after 20 years.

After finishing the four "Creating Dyeing Data" classes, Hori-sensei said, “I want you to use the data you made effectively. It can be used not only for yarn dyeing, but applied to dyeing the fabric around you as well." How they will be utilized is left to each student’s will.


Continued to part 2.

Beyond Making: Tapestry Goes on Display at Daycare Facility

A Warm, Welcome, “home”

A tapestry with images of wreaths of flowers and leaves has just been delivered to Social Welfare Corporation Ichihara Dormitory "Kayū Jurakudai," a welfare facility in Kyoto City. The title is “home.” The concept is “'Tadaima (I'm home).' 'Okaeri (Welcome back).' A tapestry that welcomes people warmly, like a home.” This was a group project by the first year students in 2020, and was woven by two students.

For the users, coming to the daycare is a source of energy. To create a tapestry for a place like this, the two students said, “To honor our seniors of life, as motifs we chose flowers that represent gratitude, and expressed wishes for good health, and the joy of gathering in a “circle.”

In this project, students decide on a theme after learning about the facility’s philosophy, design according to the space the tapestry will be in, draw a genga (original drawing), create a cartoon through taking a class by an expert from Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co., Ltd., and weave, receiving advice from the instructors at the school. For the students, it is a culmination of a year of study, and an opportunity to connect to society through creating.

The 157cm wide, 100cm tall tapestry delivered that day was displayed at the entrance used by facility users. It is a space where around 100 people come and go in a day. The average age of the users is 86, and the oldest is 105 years old. Due to the nature of the locality, there are some people who have worked as Nishijin-ori craftspeople. Upon seeing the tapestry, Kiyomi Mori, the director of the facility, instantly smiled and said, "The space has become brighter and more gorgeous.” She said, “The users here all love flowers, regardless of gender. I think conversations will start from seeing the tapestry. I will be happy if this becomes a place like that."

You can read more about the first year students’ group project here:
About the School: Tsuzure-Ori Series 3 | The Group Tapestry Project, The Culmination of a Year of Study

Beyond Making: Student Work Displayed at Tsuruya Yoshinobu

Expressing the Delicate Sense of Japanese Confectionery Through Weaving

A new tapestry made by a 2nd year student has been brought to be displayed at the main store of “Tsuruya Yoshinobu,” which produces Kyoto-style confectionery, in Nishijin, Kyoto. This is a part of the second year students’ curriculum, “Creating textiles for retail spaces,” which students who wish to participate, work on every year. The exhibition space is the landing of the stairs leading from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor of the store. Students actually go to the main store, taste the sweets, and start planning their work by putting themselves in that space.

Among the students of the second year students of 2019, Yuko Kano’s tapestry is now being shown. The motif she chose is a confectionery called “Seitai (Green Moss),” made from amber sugar. This is a beautiful confectionery which "expresses how the moss breathes lushly in sprinkled water (uchimizu),” and is sold as a limited edition product at the main store. The title of her work is also "Seitai." The concept is “such a beautiful day　when the May rain bounces off the stone rocks in the garden　and the moss freshly become grains of light."

Looking back on her creating process, Yuko Kano said, “Trying to express the delicate sense of Japanese confectionery through textiles was a fascinating experience for me. The beautiful colors that seemed to melt in the early summer rain left an impression on me, and when I first encountered this confectionery, I was drawn to its beauty, and decided to use this as the motif for my weaving. I made the tapestry in likeness of a white kakejiku (hanging scroll) that can be seen in the space of the tea room, and continued to work, imagining the changing scenery of the confectionery. After finishing installing the piece at the store, I felt the difficulty of making the best use of the space, but that too became a good opportunity for me.”

When visiting the main store of “Tsuruya Yoshinobu,” please enjoy the work along with the delicious Kyoto-style confectionery.

instagram: yuko__kano

Summer Vacation

Kawashima Textile School will be closed for Summer Vacation from August 7 to 16, and the teachers' office (where we answer inquiries in English) from July 31 to August 22. We will respond to your emails after August 23. We apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for your cooperation.

Workshops in English this November!

We will be holding two workshops in English this November, a basic weaving course and a Kasuri (Ikat) course.

Introduction to Weaving
Introduction to Kasuri

The Kasuri course is popular with students from overseas as a rare opportunity to learn Japanese Kasuri in English. We are opening this course to Japanese residents this year.

Japanese people who would like to study weaving terms in English are welcome to join. The class will be held in English only, and conversational-level English proficiency is required.

More information about the course and application procedure can be found on our Workshops page. Please use our contact form if you have any questions.

Beyond Making: To the Future of Weaving “Me Moyu”

New Tapestry in the Entrance Hall

A new tapestry has recently been displayed in the entrance hall of the school. This piece, named "Me Moyu (meaning 'buds sprout')", is a group project made by the first year students of the school year 2020. When it was first shown at the Kawashima Textile School Graduate Exhibition (March 2021), the two students wrote the following as an introduction.

what kind of buds shall I sprout
what kind of leaves shall I grow
what kind of blossoms shall I bloom
what kind of fruit shall I bear
from this rich land

Focusing on the strength of roots, which absorbs nutrients and uses them as energy, and thinking toward future growth. That creativity is due to the fact that the students have been training continually at the school and have been nurturing the roots of studying.

From the beginning, there was a plan to create a tapestry to hang in the entrance of the school. The 220cm wide and 126cm tall tsuzure-ori tapestry attracts viewers with its delicate color scheme and its expressions shown through weaving, using tsuzure-ori skills to the fullest, making the roots look as if they are rising from the surface. It is interesting to look at, from both near and far. Students can make something like this after studying for a year. Their growth can also be seen in that way.

This school that teaches handweaving exists as a place to create the future, so to speak. The piece, powerfully made in such a place by students looking towards the future, suits the entrance space nicely. When you visit the school, please take a look at "Me Moyu." A fresh sense of creativity shines through.

You can read more about the first year students’ group project here:
About the School: Tsuzure-Ori Series 3 | The Group Tapestry Project, The Culmination of a Year of Study

About the School: Interview with Teacher Fumika Niho

From Interior Design to the World of Weaving

We are bringing you an interview with one of our full-time teachers. Fumika Niho teaches the 10-day and 5-day Beginners’ workshops (Japanese), and also teaches weave structures in the Professional Course, specializing in the countermarch loom. In addition to her friendly personality, her ability to make a bright, lively atmosphere, and her way of teaching, combining strictness and leniency, is popular with students who come to study weaving for the first time. Niho-sensei, who studied “Furniture, Interior & Architecture” at University, worked as an Interior Coordinator, then entered the world of weaving, spoke about her path of changing careers based on the viewpoint of “space.”

Teaching the first year students in the Professional Course how to wind yarn onto kiwaku (wooden bobbins). “Starting off on the right foot is essential. I teach how important it is to handle yarn carefully, while checking each step of the process.”

◆ Beginning from an interest in “space”

The interview started with Niho-sensei asking, “What do you think ‘interior’ is?” “Isn’t it hard to grasp?”

She loved to visit museums and galleries, and entered the Design Department at Tokyo Zokei University, majoring in Shitsunai Kenchiku [*the direct translation would be “Indoor Architecture,” but is called “Furniture, Interior & Architecture” in English], thinking that “creating spaces sounded fun.” However, she runs into the difficulty of creating spaces. “There are so many ways to approach space, and it’s difficult to capture. At critiques, there were students who just talked without having an actual item, or students who would only show their work with graphics using a presentation board. Even if you could make a model, it’s not the actual thing, so in the end, it’s a proposal.”

Still feeling uncertain, unable to have the feeling of making something, after graduating she started working at a home building company. “I wanted a job where I knew ‘what’ I was making.” She became involved with work creating residential spaces, and as an Interior Coordinator, listened to the clients’ requests, and worked in collaboration with the architect, site foreman, and craftspeople. “The most rewarding part about being a Coordinator was seeing the clients move into their new homes comfortably, through communicating with them. I enjoyed that role, but even then, I would struggle with the thought of not being able to create with my hands. I like fabric. After hearing about KTS from a curtain sales representative from Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co., Ltd. that we worked with, I took a school tour. I decided to study there."

◆ “I’m quitting to chase my dream, too.”

Because of how busy she was, it took a year to leave her job, and what led to her actually quitting was her boss leaving the company. “My boss left his job to chase his dream. I said, ‘I’m quitting to chase my dream, too’ (laughs). At the end, it comes down to whether you have the courage to quit or not.” After that, she saved money for tuition, then entered KTS.

Even if it was her first time to study weaving, her perspective of architecture was useful. “After entering, I was able to finish a project in Design Exercise class, with the finished form in mind. I had something like a ‘cash stash’ of design that I cultivated through my time at university and work, and when I used that, design made sense to me. I had always thought I didn’t understand what design was, but I noticed that (even though I didn’t realize it myself), I had been able to think from the point of view of design.” She came to understand the “design” part of “textiles” over a year at KTS, and in her second year, majored in kimono, and made kimonos using the Kasuri technique. “Through my work in architecture, I have learned how to think when creating with restrictions, such as the clients’ wishes, or in construction work. There are many restrictions in weaving, but there is a wide range of things that can be made. Kasuri especially requires a detailed plan in the beginning. It was interesting since the creating process is similar to architecture.”

“I often come up with ideas when I am walking. I wanted to express a joyful kind of movement, and  thinking of how their fins move in a floaty way, decided to use goldfish as a motif.”

“The smallest unit of this design is a warp kasuri that is 3cm long and 3mm wide. I made  a kimono that would be fun to wear, intentionally using a drum warping machine, which has many restrictions, and tried to create an overall sense of rhythm by how the small kasuri patterns were arranged or placed.”

After two years, she ran out of savings. When she was looking for a job where she could hand weave, thinking, “I want to buy a loom, but I need money. I have to work first,” she heard of a job listing for “Jōhana Oriyakata (Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture),” from a friend at KTS who had previously worked there, and applied for the job. She would plan unique handwoven items, and make coasters, shawls, bags, and neckties that would be sold in the shop there. She also taught one-day trial classes. “During the two years I worked there, I met many people who wanted to weave, and understood that there was a demand for weaving.” Upon returning to the Kansai area after getting a loom, the school offered her a job, wanting “young people to bring in fresh air,” due to the generational change in full-time teachers.

“At the shop, I listened directly to the voices of customers and made products that met their needs. Among them, I made new products that used weave structures such as huck weave or double weave, when most of them had been made in plain weave. It was an environment where I was able to do weaving related work freely.”

◆ Space, which was vast and hard to grasp, coming back into her hands, and feeling confidence from her detours

At KTS, she teaches workshops for beginners. The number of participants has gradually increased, and has now become a course that is often full. “Many people who come to KTS are serious about learning how to weave, not just wanting to experience it, and they each have different goals. To understand each person’s needs is the same as working as an Interior Coordinator. I have always had a job that involves talking with people, so that is useful now.”

She also teaches weave structures to the first year students in the Professional Course. The goal is to “acquire a weave structure brain.” Once you understand weave structures, “you can make unique items by arranging them based on what you want to make, not just by weaving standard patterns.” It might be said that is an approach she can take precisely because she has acquired the strength to apply architecture to weaving, and understands the joy of it.

Niho sensei, who majored in “Furniture, Interior & Architecture” after being drawn to exciting spaces, then worked in interior design, is now going forward in the world of hand weaving. “I’ve made many detours.” she says in a crisp tone, but it seems that she is beginning to feel a certain response. That is that by gaining the skills to make things, space, which was vast and hard to grasp, has come back into her hands, and now she is able to materialize it. Living is also space. She will also be teaching the new “Weekly Class” starting in 2021.

“I have visions of the fabric I want to make, so I want to create my own artwork. After all, it’s nice to be able to move your hands and make things!”



-What does weaving mean to you?
"Creating a path"

"At first I looked at weaving with envy. It seemed hard since I am not dexterous, so it felt like something distant, like magic (laughs). Through actually studying it, I was able to get closer to weaving when I understood that I could use my approach of putting things together. Now, as I have found a craft that excites me from the bottom of my heart, and can logically materialize what was an image in my mind, weaving is not magic, but a reality. Right now, I am in the middle of creating my own path in the world of weaving."

About the School: Tsuzure-Ori Series 7 | Hsiang Hsuan Chen

Working on Two Weaves, as a Tsuzure-Ori Craftsperson and Artist

The final part of the Tsuzure-Ori series is an interview with a graduate. Hsiang Hsuan Chen, who joined Kawashima Selkon Textiles Ltd. in April 2020, and works as a tsuzure-ori craftsperson as well as being an artist. We asked Hsiang Hsuan about what she is working on now, the difference between working on a piece by herself and working on a large stage curtain with others, what is interesting about it, and thoughts on her group tapestry project that she made as a student.

Hsiang Hsuan practicing tsuzure-ori

-Please tell us about what attracts you, and what you are learning about tsuzure-ori at work.

At the moment I am working on stage curtains, but the very first time I was fascinated by tsuzure-ori was when I visited the tsuzure-ori obi production site. When I looked at the craftsperson’s hands, they were pushing down a very fine weft thread with the tips of their fingernails, and I admired how they worked. In tsuzure, everything is fascinating, not just the finished textile, but from the original design to making the weft, weaving, finishing, and the tools.

At work, I am learning general skills related to making stage curtains, not only weaving. In the actual weaving, we practice tsuzure-ori techniques that we have learned through training, and weave a variety of things, from muji-ori (plain weave, in which there is no pattern and the weft travels across the entire width), to patterns. In tsuzure, the woven surface changes depending on the amount of pressure used by the fingernails. At first my weaving was uneven, but now I weave with the right amount of pressure in mind. Our eyes and body learn how to weave each shape through gaining experience, instead of weaving the patterns exactly from the cartoon. There is no textbook, so every day I first ask and learn from my seniors, and then apply those techniques in my work.

-How did you choose the path of being an artist while working as a tsuzure-ori craftsperson?

Actually, I hadn’t really thought about it in a complicated way. I had been thinking that I would be grateful if I could become involved deeply in traditional Japanese culture, so when the job listing came to KTS, I applied, thinking it was a good opportunity.

However, I don’t want to give up creating my own artwork, so even though working as a tsuzure-ori craftsperson is a full time job, I thought I should keep on creating as long as I had time outside of work. I don’t have the confidence to say that I am an artist, but I do have a strong sense of wanting to make the ideas that come to mind. That is how I chose the path I am on now.

mom, i’m fine 4/1/20-6/7/20 "Through the Coronavirus pandemic, I have realized that I exist every day, and felt that strongly.  This piece was made as a record of my changing feelings.” (shown in "Kyoto Art for Tomorrow 2021," Museum of Kyoto )

I imagine that weaving by yourself, and weaving a large stage curtain with several other people must feel different. Please tell us about the differences and what is interesting to you, as someone who also works as an artist.

There is freedom in making a piece by yourself, but you have to decide on everything on your own. Usually I would draw a rough design, and work toward a final design through experimenting with such things like materials. I can change it whenever I want to. When I am weaving, I can weave at my own pace. So I feel it’s fine if you can take the responsibility yourself.

On the other hand, stage curtains are produced through division of labor, and are woven by several people, based on rules. I am still new, so I shouldn’t weave based on my own assumptions. Since it’s not a piece that I designed myself, my goal is to weave as neatly and faithfully to the design as possible. For that I always have to keep in mind that I am “making products of Kawashima Selkon Textiles,” and take responsibility in making items for the customers.

Of course it is fun to make my own work, but I think weaving someone else’s design is surprisingly fun, too. Things or ideas that I don’t have feel like a challenge, and are an opportunity to learn.

-When you were a student at KTS, you worked on a tapestry as a group, and it is still displayed at a facility in Ichihara. It is an elaborate piece, incorporating realistic patterns of the plum tree and expressing the light shining through the branches, and I think it shows the power of the original design, which made the best use of expressing with weaving. Upon making the piece, you drew the original design, and worked on the weaving. I think that right now you are learning many rules for weaving a stage curtain as a job, but when you look back, do you think that there were challenges you could take on because you were a student, or unconventional ideas that were born precisely because you didn’t know the rules?

Yes. I first thought of making an abstract piece, but the people at the facility wanted something more realistic, so we went to observe plum trees, and took many photos. The blossoms on the plum tree that we researched then had not bloomed yet, but on the contrary, I felt a tremendous power from it. How to express the vitality of the plum tree through the tapestry, and how to convey it to people was a challenge.

Because we were still beginners in weaving, it was quite difficult to make a design from the perspective of weaving, but I think we just tried to create the design from what we felt. For example, we emphasized the uniqueness of the trunk in the sunlight, and the vibrance of the sprouts. We had a naive idea, "Once it’s drawn, we will somehow be able to weave it," leaving the reality of if it could be done, and how to weave it, to the side.

I thought it would be uninteresting if it was too realistic, so upon choosing the color for the weft, I chose colors that were in between the real and the imaginative world. As our work progressed, it was especially difficult to express the shades and light of the trunk with weaving. It was also difficult to weave the thin shoots.

-Upon seeing the finished tapestry, the people at the facility said, “I felt a very powerful sense of life. I think that this piece supports the meaning to live, and also shows us the preciousness of life.”

輝樹 (2019)

(First Year Students' Group Tapestry Project)

-At work, are there times when you feel that you are glad to have had the foundation that you learned at the school? If so, could you elaborate on that?

I was able to gain some knowledge about textiles at school, so it was easy to understand when my seniors at work explained techniques and weaving structures. Also, when I do technical work, I'm somewhat used to it, so I think it was a good experience. However, just because you studied it, you shouldn't work based on your own beliefs. Weaving has different terms and techniques depending on the place and people, so it is important to understand what you have been taught without preconceptions.

You can follow Hsiang Hsuan on instagram at @shung_shouko

You can read about how Hsiang Hsuan came to study at KTS in our article from 2020, “About the School: Internationality 8 | Interviews with Graduates -A Connection Across Generations, Learning Japanese and Studying Abroad Long-Term- Hsiang Hsuan Chen.”

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About the School: Tsuzure-Ori Series 6 | Voices From Members of an Overseas Group -Jenny Gillis

Creating a Little Bit of KTS in Her Studio

At Kawashima Textile School (KTS) where there is a foundation of traditional tsuzure-ori, we arrange tsuzure-ori workshops for groups from overseas. KTS's tsuzure-ori workshop, which is part of a weaving retreat tour organized by textile artist Natalie Miller, has been held continuously since 2016, and is always filled with the enthusiasm of the weavers.

In Part 6, We will bring you another interview with one of the participants. Jenny Gillis, who lives in Australia and works for the state government, while creating a life with handweaving.

"At work on my weave in 2019"

-Could you tell us about your weaving background, and what made you interested in joining a workshop at KTS and to come back?

I have been following Natalie Miller’s Instagram for a number of years. I really loved her work but had never met her and in 2016 I saw a number of photos of a trip to Japan and I was very interested and registered my interest in a future trip to Japan. At the time I was not a tapestry weaver – I am an Australian Aboriginal and my grandmothers and ancestors were known for their weaving using natural grasses, bark and leaves to help them with their everyday life. I had learnt this type of weaving but wanted to learn more about tapestry style weaving. I have also travelled to Japan a number of times for work and leisure and thought this would be a way to combine my interest in weaving and Japan.

In late 2017 Natalie contacted me to see if I was interested in joining her on the first tsuzure-ori weaving course at KTS and I signed up straight away. That first year was a year of many firsts for me – learning about tsuzure-ori, learning to weave on a loom, getting to know the team at KTS, Natalie, Tasneem and the other ladies who were part of the group. I felt a very strong connection to KTS and the people there and loved every minute. Some nights the caretaker even had to tell us it was time to leave – we loved working on our weaves so much. I’ve now returned to KTS three times and was to return last December – I’ve really missed it last year as I love immersing myself in the KTS and Japanese way of life there, catching up with Natalie, Tasneem and finding out what everyone has been up to and planning to weave. The team at KTS under the guidance of Mari-san are always there to help us and I am truly thankful for every visit and the assistance they have given all of us.

"A little bit of KTS and Clouds (2019) in my studio"

-What do you remember most about Kondo-sensei’s way of teaching?

Kondo-sensei is a master and I have learnt so much from him and feel very lucky to have been taught by him and develop my work. He is always in the atelier with us and available for questions and ideas for our weaving projects. He is encouraging, even with my first few wobbly goes at weaving. Sometimes when we forget to follow the technique, he is there to remind us how to do it the right way.

Over time I have been trying to learn Japanese and I know Kondo-sensei understands us more too. It has also been great to meet and work with an interpreter, Harumi-san who has been a wonderful addition to the team.

-How has your experience at KTS influenced you?

KTS has been a major influence on my work. I didn’t know how to do tsuzure-ori or any kind of tapestry weaving and now it is a passion of mine. I weave as often as I can and during the past year during COVID I have continued to weave and even completed an online rug weaving course and use many of the techniques I learnt from Kondo-sensei. I still refer back to the original samples I wove and have used all of the techniques in my weaves. I’ve also created a little bit of KTS in my home studio with tools and wool I purchased there – it makes me feel close to KTS. I look forward to being able to weave again at KTS – I have lots of ideas and can’t wait to return.

"Inspired by KTS"

You can follow Jenny on instagram at @making.it

About the School: Tsuzure-Ori Series 1/2/3/4/5

About the School: Tsuzure-Ori Series 5 | Voices From Members of an Overseas Group -Tasneem Tyebkhan

An Enchanting Place, KTS’s Atelier is Like a Tapestry

Tsuzure-ori is a weaving technique that is popular around the world, known as "tapestry weaving." Kawashima Textile School (KTS) can hold Tsuzure-ori workshops with an interpreter for groups from overseas, set according to the participants’ level or experience. The workshops have been well received as a special experience, as students are able to design and prepare a cartoon, and weave their own unique tapestry on a Nishijin-style loom.

In Parts 5 and 6 of the Tsuzure-Ori series, we share interviews with two students who have been participating in the Tsuzure-ori workshop every year through the weaving retreat organized by textile artist Natalie Miller, and ask about how they came to take part, and what left an impression on them at KTS. Part 5 is an interview with Tasneem Tyebkhan, who lives in Hong Kong and works as an interior designer.

Ever since I majored in Interior Architecture at Rhode Island School of Design, I have always had an interest in textiles due to the richness and depth that it presents. I am fascinated how textiles can be made part of an object and how it can be formalized into a third dimension. My journey into textiles was rekindled with my attending two workshops by Natalie Miller. This brought back my desire to pursue my interest in this discipline after many years. With Natalie, I learned how to weave on a hand loom using various types of yarns such as wool, cotton, and mohair, in different thicknesses and weights. I was able to explore free weaving of organic lines in a balanced composition of colours and textures.

My mother’s love of Sogetsu Ikebana, followed by my education in design, greatly influenced my deep appreciation and love of Japanese works in architecture and furniture. I have always been in awe of the mastery of balance, composition, timelessness and quietness in Japanese works. When Natalie organized the first workshop to Kawashima Textile School (KTS), I leapt at the opportunity to attend. I was able to visit Japan as a student to learn the Japanese way and to experience Japanese culture first hand. I am truly honoured, humbled and most appreciative to have had the opportunity to learn the Japanese technique of Tsuzure weaving, and with it, patience, attention to detail and creation of balance and harmony.

Rocks 2: Deep Water Bay, HK. (2019)

I visited KTS for three consecutive years in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Each trip, the short but intense training I received from Kondo-sensei of learning how to focus on a single weaving technique before moving on to something new was an invaluable lesson to me. He taught how to create depth and texture, while also imparting knowledge of composition. Kondo-sensei has taught me patience, to stop, to be careful, to look at something, to take time and to notice details, all of which are important disciplines.

KTS is truly an enchanting place. In addition to the unique training from Kondo-sensei, the ambience of the studio filled with large wooden looms evokes a sense of structure and stability, which is comparable to how a tapestry is formed. The architecture of the school’s buildings, the surrounding quaint village, and the dense blanket of pine trees all add to the charm that drew me back to the school year after year. I greatly missed spending time at KTS in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I yearn to return in 2021 to continue my journey at this most mesmerizing place, and to further my learning under the masters of Japanese weaving.

Rocks 1: Kyoto, Japan. (2018)

You can follow Tasneem on instagram at @tasneem_tyebkhan

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About the School: Tsuzure-Ori Series 4 | Voices From Members of an Overseas Group -Textile Artist Natalie Miller

Visiting KTS Every Year With Passionate Weaving Friends, Falling in Love With the Location

There is a group of artists who continue to visit from overseas, who say they are inspired by, and find value in the space to immerse themselves in weaving in the environment of the Rakuhoku area, filled with nature, and the experience of weaving on traditional Nishijin-style tsuzure looms. They are Natalie Miller, an Australia-based textile artist who works on a global scale, and the members of her group.

Over three weeks starting from Part 4 of the Tsuzure-Ori series, we will be sharing interviews with Natalie and two members of the group who have been participating since the very beginning, on how they came to participate in the workshop, and what left an impression on them at KTS. We start with an interview with Natalie.

-Could you tell us about your weaving background, and what made you interested in organizing a workshop at KTS and to come back?

I am an Architect and textile artist. I have been tapestry weaving for many years in Australia. I teach tapestry weaving and also host weaving retreats around the world where weaving is a large part of the culture. I had organized a weaving retreat in Koh Samui in Thailand where one of the students, Aroonprapai (Prang) Rojanachotikul, had studied weaving at Kawashima Textile school. Prang spoke very highly of the school, and I was very intrigued and knew I had to visit.

So I organized a visit to KTS 6 years ago and was blown away by how incredible it is. All the large tapestry weavings that hung on the walls, the weavings that are in process, the looms, the wool, the colours, the dyeing studio, and not to mention the tapestry factory, it was amazing. I knew I had to share this place with fellow weavers as they would fall in love with it as I did. The first year I organized a trip to KTS and it involved a dyeing experience with the master dyer at KTS. The years to follow, the trips involved dyeing and a week of tapestry weaving. The group I bring are all very passionate about weaving and we are fully emerged in the process. We would spend 6 days weaving sometimes 14 hour days at the beautiful handmade looms creating a highly detailed and intricate weave.

-What do you remember most about Kondo-sensei’s way of teaching?

Kondo-sensei is a talented weaver and has great knowledge of tsuzure weaving and also many types of weaving. His passion of weaving (tsuzure-ori) obi is demonstrated in his intricate woven detail in his works. He has an incredible knowledge of design and detail and taught us many techniques. He is kind and very patient with the students. We were provided with an incredible translator. The translation process is smooth and Kondo-sensei demonstrates all his techniques and visually explains his process which helps immensely to understand the process.

-How has your experience at KTS influenced you?

Every December for the last 4 years I have spent time weaving at KTS, something I very much look forward to each year. Unfortunately, Covid cancelled 2020 and may even stop us from weaving at KTS in 2021. However I’m very much looking forward to spending time again at KTS in the future, as it is just such a wonderful experience. The weaving school is surrounded by the hills of Kyoto and beautiful temples. Snow in the winter, and a local Onsen amongst the Japanese trees. Kondo- sensei has taught me some wonderful techniques that I now use in my everyday practice. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and time spent at KTS in Kyoto, Japan, and the warmth and passion of the staff at KTS make it a truly wonderful experience.

the flowers of the sun (2019)

You can visit Natalie's website Natalie Miller or follow her on instagram at @natalie_miller_design

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A Thank You and Spring Vacation

The 2020 school year Graduate Exhibition (March 10-14) has ended. Thank you to everyone who was able to visit. You can see photos of the exhibition on our instagram and facebook pages.

Kawashima Textile School will be closed for Spring Vacation from March 19 to 23, and the teachers' office (where we answer inquiries in English) from March 19 to March 31. We will respond to your emails after April 1. We apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for your cooperation.

About the School: Tsuzure-Ori Series 3 | The Group Tapestry Project, The Culmination of a Year of Study

At the end of the first year of the Professional Course, each student works on an individual project and a group project as the culmination of a year of study. In Part 3 of the Kawashima Textile School (KTS) Tsuzure-Ori series, we will introduce the tsuzure-ori group tapestry project. The project is also an opportunity to connect with the local community, and in recent years, the tapestries have been displayed at daycare centers and elderly care facilities in cooperation with the school. For the students, designing and making a piece for a specific space, not just for self-expression, is a worthwhile experience.

Students weaving on the vertical loom (2015)

Students working hard on tsuzure-ori tapestries on a vertical loom approximately two meters tall and three meters wide, or a large horizontal loom, is a sight that can be seen every winter. Understanding the users’ feelings, and creating a piece that makes them happy. Students spend about seven months, from learning the philosophy of the facility, deciding on the theme of their work, designing for the space it will be displayed in, drawing the genga (original drawing), taking a class by an expert from Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co., Ltd. to make the cartoon, and weaving while getting advice from the teachers. Making a large piece requires a great deal of space and time, which is why there is an aspect that it is a challenge that can be taken on especially during one’s student days. Two to three students form a group, and make the best use of their strengths and help each other. Making a tapestry together as a group comes with its challenges at times, but the students are all the happier when they finish. Comments from people at the facilities, such as, “it heals my heart,” “the warmth makes me feel at ease,” have been encouraging for the students.

夢を抱いて (2017)
Ichiharano Children's Center

The tapestries made by the first year students of the 2020 school year have just been finished. After the finishing process, they will be displayed in a nearby welfare facility, and the entrance of the school this spring. Prior to that, they will be unveiled for the first time at the Graduate Exhibition to be held at the Kyoto City Museum of Art Annex from Wednesday, March 10. We plan to share photos during the exhibition on instagram and facebook. We hope you enjoy seeing them!

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