Chibana Hana-ori

Chibana hana-ori, a type of jacquard weave that used to be produced in the historical settlement of Misato Village (present day Okinawa City), was primarily featured in ritual garments worn by ladies participating in the all-female usudaiko festival held each lunar year on the 15th of August, as well as the umaharashi, a horse racing festival for men that occurs on the 14th of August on the lunar calendar. The textile uses mainly cotton thread, although wild banana fibers, silk and goat hair have also been incorporated. Deep royal blue indigo-hued fabric dressed with three-dimensional patterns of white and red that appear to be floating above the textile’s surface are created by weaving patterned thread on the weft (tate-uki hana-ori), unlike most other types of hana-ori where floating patterns are weaving using warp thread. Historically, the cloth was weaved for daily use and was not an object of tributary payment, thus allowing its designs to be more expressive and diverse than other weaved textiles. Although little is known about its origins, it is generally regarded that techniques in weaving Chinaba hana-ori were established and widely practised by the late 19th century. The textile was officially recognized as a prefecturally designated traditional craft on March 12th, 2010, and as a nationally designated traditional craft two years later on July 25th, 2012.

Chibana hana-ori continues to be manufactured solely in Okinawa City. In 2000, the “Chibana Hana-ori Revival Production Center” was established in Okinawa City, and quickly become the hub for research and revitalization, as well as the training of new artisans to succeed skills of weaving. In 2008 the Chibana Hana-ori Business Cooperative Association was established, which commanded active efforts to revive the industry while promoting further development. The  association is currently committed to strengthening recognition of Chibana hana-ori as a regional brand of Okinawa City while expanding possibilities for its functionality.