=Handmade products passed down through the generations=
Rice farmers began weaving in the winter, the off season, in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture during the Edo Period (1603-1867). There are many procedures utilized in weaving, such as making threads from cotton and thread dyeing. Each family took responsibility for the skills they were most adept at, and this led to a division of labor. Blessed with rich natural surroundings and mild temperatures, the Enshu Region was suitable for growing cotton. It was one of the third largest cotton producing areas together with the Mikawa and Senshu Regions.
During the Meiji Period (around the year 1900), Toyoda Automatic Loom Works (part of it is currently known as Toyota Motor Corporation) was established in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture and Suzuki Loom Works (now Suzuki Motor Corporation) in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. Both companies began manufacturing power looms. Weaving gained popularity in 1955 and reached its prime after that. However, when the Heisei Period began in 1989, the production of Japanese textiles decreased significantly due to cheap imports from overseas. Their product “Enshu Tsumugi” is still made by hand by their craftsmen and is a valuable textile that bears the name of the region. They place importance on tradition which has been handed down through multiple generations.
Craftsmanship with love
In order to create one Enshu Tsumugi cloth, each craftsman carefully works by hand on each piece, proudly using traditional methods. These nostalgic fabrics are solely created by hand.