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Kokura-ori (小倉織, Kokura weaving) is a high-quality and durable cotton fabric, traditionally woven with vertical stripes. It originated in the Kokura Domain of Buzen Province (present-day Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan) during the Edo period.
Characteristics
[edit]Kokura-ori was woven using fine cotton threads called koito (小糸), which were made by twisting three or four high-quality raw cotton yarns together. This technique made the fabric much stronger than the easily torn textiles of the period. When immersed in water, the fabric tightened and became even more durable. Because of the quality of the cotton threads, Kokura-ori has a natural sheen that increases with washing.
The fabric is usually striped or plain, with a simple design that appeals to modern tastes. Traditionally used for obi and kimono, Kokura-ori today is also found in products such as furoshiki, bags, card cases, and neckties.
Origins
[edit]The exact origins of Kokura-ori are uncertain, as no definitive historical documents have been discovered. Several theories exist:
- Kokura-origin theory – According to a story recorded during the 40th anniversary of Kokura city in 1942, the Ogasawara daimyo brought the technique to Kokura. It was said that when the clan resided in Matsumoto, Shinano Province, a mother made durable clothing for her children who often fished in rivers by twisting threads together, and this method spread to Kokura.[1]
- Shinano-origin theory – Another account suggests that one of the many retainers who came with the Ogasawara from Shinano to Kokura invented the technique.[2]
- Other theories – Records suggest that Tokugawa Ieyasu owned garments made of Kokura-ori. In Jireki Gokō (mid-18th century), Ieyasu is said to have worn a Kokura-ori haori during a hunting trip. In addition, the inventory Sunpu Gobunmotsu Gudōguchō lists "Kokura cotton," indicating that Kokura-ori may have existed before 1632, when the Ogasawara moved to Kokura. This view is supported by Shohoku Zeida, curator of the Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History & Human History.
History
[edit]During the late Edo period, Kokura-ori gained a reputation for its strength. One popular anecdote recounts that during the "Ogasawara disturbance" around 1800, a retainer named Shibuta Kenjūzen survived a spear attack unharmed because the spearhead slid off the hem of his Kokura-ori hakama. This contributed to Kokura-ori hakama being regarded as protective garments, especially among samurai. The fabric’s tight weave and resistance to fading also made it popular for obi belts and general clothing among commoners, since cotton was permitted under class restrictions of the time.
Kokura-ori reached its peak production during the late Edo period, particularly around the Kaei era (1848–1854). Production was extensive, with an estimated annual value exceeding 120,000 ryō. It was woven in over 3,000 households in Kokura and surrounding areas, while more than 10,000 households were engaged in producing koito cotton yarn.
In 1850s, the Kokura domain made Kokura-ori a monopoly, but this disrupted the production system, lowered quality, and raised prices, contributing to decline. By the Bakumatsu era, political unrest and the Chōshū expedition (1866) further disrupted production. After the fall of Kokura Castle, many weavers dispersed, and the industry nearly disappeared during the Meiji Restoration.
In 1893, the Kokura Orimono Company was founded to revive the tradition. However, modern mechanized factories in Okayama and Ehime had already begun producing similar striped cotton fabrics at lower cost, leaving handwoven Kokura-ori at a disadvantage. Around this time, Kokura-ori became known as a material for student uniforms. After the 1901 financial crisis, the company dissolved. By the early Shōwa period, Kokura-ori production ceased completely.
In 1984, textile artist Noriko Tsuiki (築城則子) successfully revived Kokura-ori. In 2007, Kokura Creation Co., Ltd. (based in Kitakyushu) won the Fukuoka Industrial Design Award Grand Prize for its Kokura-ori products. The fabric has since been designated as a regional industrial resource of Kitakyushu under Japanese law and is registered as a regional collective trademark.
References
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