Shinafu weaving, woven delicately while having a coarse-looking style, is one of the oldest Japanese fabrics and remains in Sekigawa in Tsuruoka City of Yamagata Prefecture. It is a fabric made of woven fibres that were sourced from skins of native Japanese linden. There are twenty-two steps in the production process – from boiling the skins of cut trees with charcoal in water, soaking them in rice bran paste, and tearing and twisting them until they become a single string.

In this mountain village with deep snowfall, making farmer’s working wear and storage bags has been a crucial source of income. However, the production volume has become significantly less due to the growth of cotton products, the burdensome production process, and the decrease of Japanese linden trees. But today, the younger generation has taken over the rich nature and skills, and has been making daily-use products such as bags, hats, and Kimono belts.

Shinafu weaving with a native feeling is gradually becoming softer and fits in our hands with use over time. The rhythmical sound of weaving is heard in the wind of Sekigawa today, too

Photography: Naomi Muto