Ojiya Chijimi

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Ojiya Chijimi

Ojiya chijimi is a lightweight, ramie crepe fabric unique to the Ojiya region of Niigata Prefecture, the old province of Echigo. Snow and age-old artisanal lore are essential in producing this delicately crimped textile. From extracting plant fibers and turning them into thread to naturally bleaching and softening the woven fabric in the snow, the process involves multiple techniques that have been passed down for many generations.

Production begins with the harvest of ramie (Boehmeria nivea), a perennial plant of the nettle family that, like flax (the raw material for linen) and hemp, produces bast fibers suitable for weaving cloth. The bast fibers from the outer skin of the stalks are peeled off and painstakingly separated into fine strands, then hand-plied together end-to-end to create fine thread. The thread may be further tie-dyed before being woven into a soft, light textile. After weaving, the fabric is washed in hot water and spread across snow-covered fields for several days in the late winter sunshine to bleach the whites and soften the colors. The harmonious colors and patterns of these handwoven textiles laid out over snowy fields resemble works of art.

A lightweight, crepe fabric

Ojiya chijimi has a delicate crepe texture resulting from processes that take place both before and after weaving. The fabric is woven in the winter, but designed to be worn in the hot, humid summer—the soft crinkles prevent the fabric from clinging uncomfortably to the skin.

To produce the creped texture in the final product, artisans must first tightly twist and starch the wefts (horizontal threads) before weaving, and then later knead the woven fabric in water to remove the starch. Washing the fabric by hand causes the flattened starched wefts to release and shrink, pulling the warps (vertical threads) closer together, which creates a distinct wrinkled effect. The word chijimi in Japanese means “shrink,” referring to the subtle crinkles that make the fabric appear to have been shrunk. These ripples define Ojiya chijimi and distinguish it from other ramie fabrics such as Echigo jofu, a similar textile produced in Minami Uonuma, south of Ojiya.

A gift from snow and water

Ojiya’s climate and environment are essential in the production process. Ramie fiber breaks easily in arid environments but stays soft and pliable in the snowy, humid winters of Ojiya. The stems of the ramie plant are dampened in tepid water, traditionally from snowmelt, then split into fine, hairlike strands.

These threads are coated in a boiled funori seaweed starch, making them smooth and easier to weave. The weaving is done in the humid environment of winter, a season of frequent snows. Even then, the brittle threads are continually wetted down to prevent them from snapping.

After the textile is woven, it is once again soaked and kneaded in warm water in a process called yumomi. In the final step, the fabric is carefully laid out on snow-covered fields for several days. The sun and melting snow bleach the fabric and soften the woven fibers.

The heritage of Ojiya chijimi

Ojiya chijimi weaving techniques have been passed down through generations since before the seventeenth century. Kimono made of the fine fabric were in high demand during the Edo period (1603–1867), and provided both men and women of the samurai class with cool, lightweight attire for summer. Chijimi was traditionally used for kimono, but today artisans make other types of clothing with it as well, such as shirts, dresses, and scarves.

Ojiya chijimi is very closely related to Echigo jofu, a fabric produced in Minami Uonuma, located south of Ojiya, also in Niigata. The production techniques are almost identical, except that the texture of Echigo jofu is smoother. Together, these textiles are designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

**How Ojiya Chijimi Is Made**

Producing Ojiya chijimi fabric involves more than 70 different processes including exposure to snow, which falls heavily in Ojiya. The crinkled, breathable textile, with a texture similar to linen, is produced in winter, when the region’s relatively mild temperatures and high humidity allow for the thread to be made and woven without breaking.

Ojiya chijimi is made from ramie, a type of nettle plant, the fibers of which are painstakingly transformed into hairlike threads and twisted to produce smooth strands. Patterns are dyed onto the threads prior to weaving using refined tie-resist-dyeing techniques, and weavers then spend hours each day at the loom meticulously aligning the threads as they weave to create the patterns of the fabric. In the final stages, the cloth is hand-washed and laid out on Ojiya’s snow-covered fields, where sun and melting snow naturally bleach and soften the material.

Making the threads

The fine white bast fibers used for making thread are taken from the stalk of the ramie plant. After drying, thread makers split the fibers by fingernail into fine strands, which they then ply together into long strands. This labor-intensive process is called oumi. Ojiya’s relatively mild temperatures and high humidity in winter keep the ramie threads pliable enough to handle without breaking.

Adding a twist

Artisans twist the thread to help smooth over the joints connecting the strands. In the past, the thread was twisted by hand using a spinning wheel or other method, but now it is usually done on a specially designed machine. Threads to be used for the weft (the horizontal threads) are then given an additional, tighter twist, which is key to Ojiya chijimi’s characteristic crinkled texture. After weaving, the fabric is washed in hot water. This relaxes the tightly twisted and starched weft threads, creating subtle ripples in the fabric during the final stages of the process.

The dyeing process

Traditionally, patterned textiles in Ojiya are produced using the tie-resist-dyeing technique called kasuri (ikat). In this time-honored method, which involves careful planning, the warp and weft threads are hand-bound with cotton string and dyed before being woven. First the desired patterns are transferred onto a traditional stacked weft ruler, segments of which are used as a guide to mark off pattern areas on the actual threads. These marks indicate areas over which the weft threads are to be tightly bound before dyeing. The tied areas resist the dye and remain white. The patterns of these tie-dyed threads reveal themselves as the cloth is woven.

Ojiya chijimi fabrics come in a variety of colors and patterns, from solid colors to elaborate floral or geometric designs. Traditionally indigo was the dye of choice, but nowadays many different colors are used.

Treating the threads

After dyeing, the fine threads are coated with a starch made from funori seaweed, which smooths remaining snags and strengthens them to make the weaving easier. The starch is later removed by rinsing.

Weaving

Ojiya chijimi is traditionally woven on a semi-frame backstrap loom (izaribata) at a typical rate of 10 to 20 centimeters per day. The brittle ramie threads snap easily if they become too dry, so they must be carefully monitored and repaired by hand during the weaving process. For patterned kasuri textiles, the artisan must pay careful attention to the warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) threads on the loom. As a single unaligned or broken thread can lead to a flaw in the final pattern, weaving requires immense concentration and dexterity. Today, in addition to the chijimi made entirely by hand, the Ojiya weaving industry also produces ramie crepe textiles from machine-spun thread woven on power looms.

Finishing touches

Once the fabric is woven, it is soaked and massaged in warm water in a process called yumomi. This removes the funori starch, which in turn relaxes the tightly twisted weft threads, creating the distinctive creped texture. Finally, bolts of fabric are unrolled on snow-covered fields on sunny days from mid-February to March, a step called “snow bleaching” (yuki sarashi). The warm sunshine on the surface of the cloth evaporates the snow beneath and releases ozone, which naturally lightens and softens the fabric. One of the striking sights of Ojiya in late February, at the time of the Ojiya Hot Air Balloon Festival, is the ramie cloth laid out on the snow as colorful balloons float above.

The traditional production processes of Ojiya chijimi—hand-plied ramie threads with hand-tie-dyed kasuri (ikat) patterns, woven on a semi-frame backstrap loom—have been designated both a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan.

Ojiya Chijimi Exhibition Hall, Workshop, and Gallery

The linen-like Ojiya chijimi fabric has been woven in the Echigo region of Niigata for over 400 years. The production process involves multiple steps carried out in winter, when the area’s relatively mild temperatures and high humidity create the optimal conditions for working with the brittle ramie plant fiber. Two venues in Ojiya offer visitors the opportunity to learn about Ojiya chijimi, take part in the weaving process, and compare both traditional and modern representations of the textile.

Orinoza exhibition hall and workshop

Visitors can delve into the history of Ojiya chijimi at Orinoza, an exhibition hall and workshop located in the Sun Plaza Building in Ojiya’s city center. It exhibits traditional and modern looms, and Edo-period (1603–1867) kimono made from the fabric. Displays explain each step of the production process, from making the thread from plant fiber, to the resist-dyeing methods used, and natural bleaching through exposure to snow and sunlight. The works of local artists and craftspeople take center stage during the exhibitions of photography and textiles held periodically at Orinoza. Weavers regularly hold demonstrations at the venue, and visitors can try using a loom to make a coaster, ribbon, or fabric doll.

Takuminoza gallery and boutique

Chijimi fabric and kimono with striking patterns are displayed and sold at Takuminoza. Here, visitors can view finely crafted pieces, such as the kimono worn by performers at local festivals, and shop for one-of-a-kind Ojiya chijimi garments and accessories. A range of modern apparel and items such as wallets, card cases, and book covers are available. The gallery is located on the second floor of the Sun Plaza building, above Orinoza.