Craft · No. 34
No. 34織物
Kijoka Bashofu
喜如嘉の芭蕉布
kijoka bashofu · 沖縄県
Kijoka Bashofu is a traditional textile from the Kijoka district of Ogimi Village, Okinawa, woven from the fibers of the ito-basho (fiber banana plant). Celebrated for its exceptionally light, crisp, and cool hand-feel, it has been treasured as a summer garment throughout Okinawa's history.
- Origin
- 沖縄県
- Category
- 織物
- Materials
- 芭蕉 · Indigo
- Designation
- Nat'l Traditional Craft
No. IHistory
Bashofu has been woven across Okinawa since the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom, serving as tribute fabric for the royal court as well as everyday clothing…
No. IIMaterials
The primary raw material is fiber extracted from the leaf sheaths of the ito-basho, a cultivated variety of banana plant (related to Musa balbisiana)…
No. IIITechniques
Production involves every step performed by hand: cultivating and harvesting ito-basho, peeling and selecting leaf sheaths, scouring the raw fibers, s…
No. IVClimate
Kijoka sits within Okinawa's subtropical climate zone, where high temperatures and humidity create ideal growing conditions for the ito-basho plant. T…
