Chichibu Meisen: The Modern Silk Fabric that Defined the Taisho and Showa Eras

Could you tell us how Arakei Textile was founded?

Arakei Textile was founded in 1970. After finishing elementary school, my father began working at a weaving mill, known as a *hataya*, and later became independent to produce his own textiles.

Chichibu Meisen was once a major industry and a source of pride for Chichibu. Back then, it was a true textile town, where about 70% of the local population made a living in the weaving industry, a world referred to as *ito-hen* (literally 'thread radical'). My father often told me that as you walked from Seibu-Chichibu Station to our workshop, the sound of the looms was constant and never faded.

How did Chichibu Meisen come to be?

Originally, Chichibu was a thriving sericulture region where nearly every farmhouse raised silkworms. The best cocoons were shipped off to be sold for cash, but the farmers would take the leftover, unsellable cocoons and spin them into thread during the agricultural off-season. They used this to weave a thick fabric called *futori*, which was the origin of Chichibu Meisen. Its popularity grew from the mid-Edo period onward, fueling the boom in the textile industry.

The pioneering technique for *hogushi-ori* (a resist-dyeing weave), the signature of Chichibu Meisen, was invented in 1908. Technological innovation advanced as Mr. Sotaro Sakamoto, who lives in a town adjacent to Chichibu, obtained a patent. Further developments made it possible to move beyond simple solid colors and plaids to create Chichibu Meisen with the bold, yarn-dyed patterns it's known for today.