In Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture—a sacred place for textiles that, along with Tomioka Silk Mill, supported Japan's modernization—technology is now disappearing silently.

With 98% of production shifting overseas, some individuals are striving to redefine "the meaning of silk" once again, using looms manufactured in 1978.

Born from the desire to make silk more casual, "SILKKI" is a lifestyle brand specializing in silk.

What can we preserve today from the 1300-year history and techniques of Kiryu textiles? We interviewed Tetsuya Abe and Yuki Kawakami of Kiryu Sensei Shoji about the past, present, and future of this silk town.

#1 The Story of Kiryu and Silk, Connected by Tomioka Silk Mill

The origin of the textile industry, born from Japan's Meiji-era national strategy

──Could you tell us about the history of Gunma becoming a silk production area?

Kawakami-san:
Originally, it started in the Meiji era as a movement to prevent Japan from being colonized.

At that time, seeing that Qing China had been colonized, people thought, "This is unacceptable." So, Japan decided to build a wealthy nation with a strong military by exporting its own products. And the exportable product was silk, or raw silk. There was also tea, minerals, and coal.

In fact, sericulture was quite widespread throughout Japan, even in Hokkaido at that time.

Since Gunma already had a strong foundation for it, the government decided to make it the central location. They invited a French instructor named Paul Brunat, who taught them how to start mechanical silk reeling. That's how Tomioka Silk Mill began.

──So, Tomioka Silk Mill supported Japan's modernization.

Kawakami-san:
That's right. They gathered more and more people, brought in female factory workers, and built a massive silk reeling factory.

It was done in Gunma, and thanks to its success, Japan was able to export. It's said that this prevented Japan from being colonized.

After that, wars also started, and Japan was apparently mainly selling raw silk to America.

However, just before World War II ended, America invented nylon.

With the advent of nylon, silk rapidly declined. Everyone's stockings, and even parachute fabric, which used to be made of silk, were all replaced by nylon.

Until then, silk was apparently Japan's number one export.

──How was sericulture carried out in Kiryu?

Abe-san:
I think most were farmers. Many likely engaged in sericulture alongside farming vegetables.

There used to be many mulberry fields, too. You can't do sericulture without mulberry fields, so they were absolutely essential. There are still people doing it in Tomioka today.

Sericulture was from spring to autumn, and it couldn't be done in winter. So, many people farmed in winter and did sericulture during the rest of the year. That was the case during its peak.

It was like today's side jobs, in a way. Mothers did piecework to support their families. That's why the term "kakaa denka" (literally "wife rules the roost") in Gunma probably comes from that.

In the past, all the men were out. There were associations, and I often hear stories that they used to brag, "My wife is amazing." It was a region where it was normal for women to work.

Kawakami-san:
Even now, there's imperial sericulture. Do you know that the empress practices sericulture in May? She still does it.

It's said that imperial sericulture began to show the public, "If the royal family does it, you should too," so that the entire nation would engage in sericulture.

There was a time when the whole country was involved in sericulture to that extent.

You probably can't imagine it now, as there's almost no trace of it left, but there was indeed such a history, and a time when sericulture was thriving throughout Japan, producing silk thread.

#2 Kiryu's Technology Disappearing at an Incredible Speed

Tradition sustained only by the will to endure

──Could you tell us about the current state of Kiryu as a textile production area?

Abe-san:
The production area is shrinking at an incredibly rapid pace right now. If you go to Ashikaga, a neighboring town that once flourished as a textile town, techniques like Ashikaga Meisen and buran-ori now only have one company remaining each.

Ashikaga Meisen, for example, once completely disappeared, but then a junior colleague of mine decided to revive it. He interviewed many retired people, got subsidies, and started it himself.

Nevertheless, there are many such techniques that are vanishing before our eyes. We're in a situation where we can't produce even if we want to.

There's also the aging population problem, and a lack of successors... Many people quit during COVID, didn't they?

──What about manufacturers who still want to continue making clothes?

Abe-san:
While some companies will completely fade out, there are also those who find various ways to adapt and keep going.

About 98% of it is now from overseas, so it's just not needed anymore.

Kawakami-san:
I feel that only those with a strong will to remain will survive.

──Given the shrinking production area, what motivated you to continue weaving silk?

Abe-san:
Well, there were many requests from customers, and since we're a silk production area, we had a foundation, you could say.

There are still quite a few companies involved in the process of making silk, and they still exist today. Because such places exist, in a way, we're lucky.

Being able to produce after learning various things is a huge advantage, and compared to other production areas, there aren't many places doing this.

In that sense, it means that customers naturally request us, and there is demand.

──Isn't Gunma a dry region, making it unsuitable for weaving silk?

Abe-san:
Indeed, Gunma is a dry region. In terms of dryness, it's a difficult production area for weaving, not just for silk.

However, our predecessors accumulated various techniques and innovations to make weaving easier.

So, thanks to that, including our own techniques, we're able to weave beautifully even now.