01
Highly Advanced
Hand-Weaving Techniques
According to the Textile Dictionary (Textile Bureau, Ministry of International Trade and Industry), "Kameaya is a type of silk fabric, a raw fabric in which the weft threads are woven tightly to create a sheath-shaped twill pattern. After weaving, the starch is removed and the fabric is refined." Also, according to the Primary Color Dyeing and Weaving Dictionary (Tankosha), "since the Tenwa era (1681-1684), the silk twill fabric that began to be woven in Nishijin has been called kameaya [(加女綾 in reference to the traditionally female weaving artisans) but evolved to be referred to as kameaya (亀綾 a name of the same pronunciation, but referring to the woven pattern resembling tortoise-shells.]"
Kameayaori is understood to be a fairly sophisticated fabric based on a twill weave, with variations in patterns such as yamagata, hishigata, chûya, and modifications upon those combinations.
In a standard flat weave, warp and weft threads alternately pass over and under one another, so the thread structure is mainly composed of vertical (warp) and horizontal (weft) threads. In Kameayaori, however, all threads intersect at a diagonal due to the "twill weave" technique.
In a simple twill weave, each weft thread passes over and under three or more warp threads. In some Kameayaori patterns, dozens of threads intersect in highly complex combinations. The fabric pattern is created by stepping on treadles under the loom in precise sequences, thus it demands much more advanced concentration and weaving technique than flat weaving.
These techniques differ from the linen, cotton, and tsumugi fabrics that would have been produced traditionally, and were originally introduced from areas such as Kyoto and Kiryu, locations with a rich textile history and developed weaving techniques.
Because the fabric is woven using thin raw silk and significant weaving force, it takes at least a full day for an expert to weave 20-30cm. To weave a single bolt of kimono or obi fabric, it takes about four months from planning to completion, including preparation work such as starching the threads.
02
An Exquisite Texture Achieved
Through “Post-Degumming”
A defining characteristic of Kameayaori is that it is traditionally woven using untwisted raw silk.
The fabric is woven with the silk’s natural starch coating (sericin) still intact and is removed only after weaving, a method known as post-weaving degumming. During this process, the sericin is washed away, allowing the warp and weft threads to become plump and relaxed.
This post-weaving refining gives Kameayaori its distinctive softness, elegant luster, and supple texture, creating a fabric that feels remarkably light despite its visual richness.
03
A Multitude of
Restored Woven Patterns
At its peak, over 30 different types of Kameayaori were woven, but currently few historical clues exist to determine with certainty the exact number of fabric types woven at the time. Remaining historical texts refer to names such as sayagatahishi, ajiroori, kamokameori, and yatsuhashiori. These names are believed to have been derived from differences in weaving techniques, specifically the fabric structures formed by the interaction of warp and weft threads within each pattern.
From the Bunsei era of the Edo period, Kameayaori was promoted as a specialty product of the Shinjo domain, but production was temporarily suspended after the fires of the Boshin War decimated the tools used for silk production. Through the establishment of vocational schools, repeated revival attempts were made; however, production of Kameayaori eventually ceased at the end of the Meiji period, earning it the moniker “The Mythical Textile.”
As part of the Mogami Model Settlement Area project launched in the 1980s, further attempts were made to restore the weaving methods of "Shinjo Kameayaori," a local specialty of the Mogami Region. Through research into fabric remnants and historical weaving texts, over 10 types of weaving were restored, including the traditional pattern sayagata.
Currently, the Traditional Culture Association attempts to further restore traditional weaving patterns while adding new interpretations based on documents believed to have been produced around the Taisho period.
Until recently, only small items made from Kameayaori fabric had been commercialized. Unfortunately since its establishment, the number of weavers at the Association has dwindled from 10 to 3. In the future, the Association plans to increase its staff in order to allow its weavers to concentrate on their weaving tasks and projects. The Association is also currently accepting reservations for the production of custom bolts of kimono or obi fabric made-to-order.
04
Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture
Currently, "Shinjo Kameayaori" is registered as an intangible folk cultural property of Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture (registered in 2020).
As a specialty product deeply rooted in Shinjo’s history, Kameayaori is popular as a souvenir, gift, or thank-you gift for hometown tax donations.
Characteristics of Shinjo Kameayaori
01
Handwoven Using Advanced Weaving Techniques
02
An Exquisite Texture Achieved Through the “Post-Degumming” Process
03
A Multitude of Restored Woven Patterns
04
Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture
Implementation of
Advanced Weaving Techniques
According to the Textile Dictionary (Textile Bureau, Ministry of International Trade and Industry), "Kameaya is a type of silk fabric, a raw fabric in which the weft threads are woven tightly to create a sheath-shaped twill pattern. After weaving, the starch is removed and the fabric is refined." Also, according to the Primary Color Dyeing and Weaving Dictionary (Tankosha), "since the Tenwa era (1681-1684), the silk twill fabric that began to be woven in Nishijin has been called kameaya [(加女綾 in reference to the traditionally female weaving artisans) but evolved to be referred to as kameaya (亀綾 a name of the same pronunciation, but referring to the woven pattern resembling tortoise-shells.]"
Kameayaori is understood to be a fairly sophisticated fabric based on a twill weave, with variations in patterns such as yamagata, hishigata, chûya, and modifications upon those combinations.
In a standard flat weave, warp and weft threads alternately pass over and under one another, so the thread structure is mainly composed of vertical (warp) and horizontal (weft) threads. In Kameayaori, however, all threads intersect at a diagonal due to the "twill weave" technique.
In a simple twill weave, each weft thread passes over and under three or more warp threads. In some Kameayaori patterns, dozens of threads intersect in highly complex combinations. The fabric pattern is created by stepping on treadles under the loom in precise sequences, thus it demands much more advanced concentration and weaving technique than flat weaving.
These techniques differ from the linen, cotton, and tsumugi fabrics that would have been produced traditionally, and were originally introduced from areas such as Kyoto and Kiryu, locations with a rich textile history and developed weaving techniques.
Because the fabric is woven using thin raw silk and significant weaving force, it takes at least a full day for an expert to weave 20-30cm. To weave a single bolt of kimono or obi fabric, it takes about four months from planning to completion, including preparation work such as starching the threads.
An Exquisite Texture Achieved
Through the “Post-Degumming” Process
A defining characteristic of Kameayaori is that it is traditionally woven using untwisted raw silk. The fabric is woven with the silk’s natural starch coating (sericin) still intact and is removed only after weaving, a method known as post-weaving degumming. During this process, the sericin is washed away, allowing the warp and weft threads to become plump and relaxed.
This post-weaving refining gives Kameayaori its distinctive softness, elegant luster, and supple texture, creating a fabric that feels remarkably light despite its visual richness.
A Multitude of
Restored Woven Patterns
At its peak, over 30 different types of Kameayaori were woven, but currently there are few historical clues to help us determine what kind of fabric they were, so it is difficult to determine the exact number with certainty. In historical texts, names such as sayagatahishi, ajiroori, kamokameori, and yatsuhashiori remain. These appear to have been names derived from differences in the weaving method (the way the warp and weft are braided, or the structure).
From the Bunsei era of the Edo period, Kameayaori was promoted as a specialty product of the Shinjo domain, but production was temporarily suspended due to the loss of tools during the fires of the Boshin War. Although revival attempts were made through the establishment of vocational schools, production of Kameayaori eventually ceased at the end of the Meiji period, earning it the moniker “The Mythical Textile.”
As part of the Mogami Model Settlement Area project launched in the 1980s, further attempts were made to restore the weaving methods of "Shinjo Kameayaori," a local specialty of the Mogami Region. Through research into remnant fabrics and historical weaving texts, over 10 types of weaving were restored, including the traditional pattern sayagata.
Currently, the Traditional Culture Association is attempting to further restore traditional weaving patterns while adding new interpretations based on documents believed to have been produced around the Taisho period.
Until recently, only small items made from Kameayaori fabric had been commercialized. Unfortunately since its establishment, the number of weavers at the Association has dwindled from 10 to 3. In the future, the Association plans to increase its staff so that the weavers can concentrate on their weaving tasks and projects. The Association is also currently accepting reservations for the production of custom bolts of kimono or obi fabric made-to-order.
Intangible Folk Cultural Property of
Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture
Currently, "Shinjo Kameayaori" is registered as an intangible folk cultural property of Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture (registered in 2020).
As a specialty product deeply rooted in Shinjo’s history, Kameayaori is popular as a souvenir, gift, or thank-you gift for hometown tax donations.
Click on the images above to go to the product information page.
Characteristics of Shinjo Kameayaori
According to the Textile Dictionary (Textile Bureau, Ministry of International Trade and Industry), "Kameaya is a type of silk fabric, a raw fabric in which the weft threads are woven tightly to create a sheath-shaped twill pattern. After weaving, the starch is removed and the fabric is refined." Also, according to the Primary Color Dyeing and Weaving Dictionary (Tankosha), "since the Tenwa era (1681-1684), the silk twill fabric that began to be woven in Nishijin has been called kameaya [(加女綾 in reference to the traditionally female weaving artisans) but evolved to be referred to as kameaya (亀綾 a name of the same pronunciation, but referring to the woven pattern resembling tortoise-shells.]"
Kameayaori is understood to be a fairly sophisticated fabric based on a twill weave, with variations in patterns such as yamagata, hishigata, chûya, and modifications upon those combinations.
In normal flat weave, one warp thread and one weft thread are alternately crossed, so the thread structure is mainly composed of vertical (warp) and horizontal (weft) threads. However, in Kameayaori, all threads are diagonally crossed. This is due to the "twill weave" technique, in which the warp and weft threads are crossed at an angle.
A simple twill weave consists of three or more warp and weft threads used to cross each other, but in Kameayaori, there are several combinations of dozens of threads. The fabric pattern is created by stepping on treadles underfoot in sequence, thus it requires much more advanced concentration and weaving techniques than flat weaving.
These techniques differ from the linen, cotton, and tsumugi fabrics that would have been produced traditionally, and were traditionally introduced from areas such as Kyoto and Kiryu, locations with a rich textile history and developed weaving techniques.
Because the fabric is woven using thin raw silk and very strong weaving force, it takes at least a full day for an expert to weave 20-30cm. To weave a single bolt of kimono or obi fabric, it takes about four months from planning to completion, including work such as starching the threads.
The above is based on "Survey on the development of local specialties in the Mogami Model Settlement Area - Report on the survey to support the promotion of the model settlement area" (1982, Yamagata Prefecture Planning and Coordination Department) and other materials.
The characteristics of the restored Kameayaori weaving style correspond closely to those described above. One of its defining features is its soft texture, elegant luster, and supple feel, achieved through a refining process in which the woven fabric is gently boiled in an alkaline solution to wash away impurities after weaving.
Another key feature is the distinctive weaving technique known as twill weave, which produces highly intricate patterns. In a standard flat weave, a single warp thread and a single weft thread alternately cross over and under one another, forming a simple vertical and horizontal structure. In contrast, all Kameayaori fabrics are constructed on a diagonal structure created by the twill weave technique, in which the warp and weft threads intersect diagonally rather than at right angles. Three or more warp and weft threads are interlaced at each crossing, and complex patterns are formed through carefully sequenced operation of the treadles beneath the loom. Due to this structural complexity, weaving Kameayaori requires exceptionally advanced skills and intense concentration.
Because Kameayaori is woven using extremely fine silk threads and demands meticulous control at every stage, even an experienced weaver can produce only about 10 centimeters per day. Completing a single bolt of kimono fabric may take one to one and a half years, depending on the design and preparation processes involved. For many years, this limited productivity meant that only small accessories were commercialized using Kameayaori fabric.
At the time of the establishment of the Traditional Culture Association, approximately ten weavers were involved; however, only three to four of the original members remain today. In addition to weaving, these artisans have been responsible for the production of small goods and the operation of the Ori Nagaya Weaving Tenement House, making it difficult for them to devote themselves fully to weaving alone. Looking ahead, the Association plans to expand its workforce so that weavers can focus exclusively on textile production. The Association also accepts made-to-order commissions for kimono and obi fabric and is working to increase the production of full fabric bolts.
Due to ongoing labor shortages, the Association has previously explored the mechanization of the weaving process. However, the resulting textiles differed significantly from the softness and refined luster characteristic of Shinjo Kameayaori. While mechanized weaving offers increased speed and efficiency, it has yet to match the depth, delicacy, and beauty achieved through traditional hand-weaving techniques, which remain essential to the identity of Shinjo Kameayaori.