The Sound of Looms, Echoing Through Johana for 148 Years

The story of Matsui Kigyo began when its founder, Bunjirō Matsui, first set up his looms in this town. Each successive generation has adapted to the changing times, passing the baton to the next.

However, the journey was far from easy. The company endured trying times when the demand for silk plummeted, forcing many weavers to close their doors. So, what allowed Matsui Kigyo to persevere with its conviction to "never let the looms fall silent"? Sixth-generation owner Noriko describes the driving force in one word: "a sense of crisis."

"If the looms stop, so do the artisans' skills, our culture, and our town's pride. If we had simply quit when silk stopped selling, everything we've spent hundreds of years weaving would have come to an end. That sense of crisis was immense."

It was this powerful conviction that drove them to pioneer new applications, such as "shike-kinu-gami" (Shike silk paper) for wallpaper and other interior design materials, ensuring the sound of their looms would echo into the next generation.

Surprisingly, Noriko once had a negative view of the family business, dismissing it as a "declining industry" and "something old-fashioned." Her perspective did a complete 180 in the autumn of 2009 during a business visit with her father. He and the client's president suddenly dove into a passionate conversation about silkworms. What she heard revealed a profound world of silk she never knew existed.

She learned that silkworms are counted with the respectful Japanese counters "ittō, nitō," a sign of reverence. She discovered that the amino acid structure of silk thread is remarkably similar to human skin and is even used for absorbable surgical sutures. She also found out that it absorbs odors and has excellent moisture-regulating properties.

The moment she realized this was far from a declining industry but rather a material with limitless potential, "the world in front of me began to sparkle, and for the first time, I genuinely wanted to be involved," Noriko recalls.

Her newfound passion quickly turned into action. During the New Year's holiday back home, she told her father, "I want to come back." And so, armed with a fresh appreciation for the potential of silk she had discovered on her own, her journey began.