Craft · No. 13
No. 13織物
Ojiya Chijimi
小千谷縮
ojiya chijimi · 新潟県
Ojiya Chijimi is a finely handwoven ramie textile produced in Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture. Celebrated for its distinctive crinkled texture, cool hand-feel, and snow-bleached whiteness, it is prized as one of Japan's most refined summer fabrics.
- Origin
- 新潟県
- Category
- 織物
- Materials
- Hemp
- Designation
- Nat'l Traditional Craft
No. IHistory
The origins of Ojiya Chijimi date to the early Edo period. While the Echigo region had long produced plain ramie cloth, the characteristic crinkled te…
No. IIMaterials
The primary raw material is ramie (karamushi), a bast fiber plant sourced mainly from domestic growing areas such as Showa Village in Fukushima Prefec…
No. IIITechniques
The production of Ojiya Chijimi involves a series of meticulous hand processes. First, ramie fibers are split and hand-joined with moistened fingertip…
No. IVClimate
Ojiya lies in one of Japan's heaviest snowfall regions, and the long, harsh winters played a defining role in the craft's development. Confined indoor…
