The deep-rooted traditional culture of Amami Oshima

The process of creating an Oshima Tsumugi is a work of art. Unfortunately, the number of craftsmen capable of creating the Tsumugi have decreased along with the lack of demand. The Oshima Tsumugimura in Tatsugo Town is where the Oshima Tsumugi was born, and visitors can learn the ins and outs of the clothing.

The process of making an Oshima Tsumugi is completely done by hand. To begin, the strings are tied into sections in order to limit the areas that are dyed on the string, and are immersed in a special liquid made from boiling indian hawthorns (commonly found in the mountains). Then the strings are put into the muddy rice fields, where the liquid helps the iron and tannins to bond which dyes the strings brown.
In order to create black strings, the strings need to be immersed in the hawthorn liquid 80 times, and mud dyed an additional 5 times. This process takes a month to complete.
This tedious and lengthy process is what creates the pitch black color that the Oshima Tsumugi is known for, and the color cannot be reproduced using commercial dye. Although the color slightly fades after some usage, it eventually stabilizes and does not fade beyond that point.

The dyed strings are then weaved by a professional weaver. The strings are woven both vertically and horizontally using a weaving machine to create the specific design. Creating a complex pattern requires advanced skills, and even an experienced weaver can take up to 40~50 days in order to create one roll (width: 35cm, length: 12m, worth one kimono)
Unlike the orthodox kimono, the Oshima Tsumugi can be worn inside out. This means even if one side wears out, it can be worn on the other side as long as it gets retailored. Due to its high durability, the Oshima Tsumugi can be worn for more than 100 years, and is usually passed down multiple generations.

The Oshima Tsumugimura has a total area of 50,000㎡, which consists of factories to manufacture the Oshima Tsumugi, and gardens filled with various subtropical plants. Visitors can be accompanied by a tour guide, where they can learn and experience the manufacturing process of the Tsumugi. These hands-on experiences can be really fulfilling, and can show the visitor how precise and complicated the procedure actually is.
The gift shop has a variety of products that incorporate the Oshima Tsumugi. Besides kimonos, there are bags, hats, and hair ties that are fashionable and suited for daily use.
The Oshima Tsumugi is a masterpiece that has been passed on for more than 1300 years, and is a fundamental part of the culture in Amami Oshima.

Nowadays, manufacturers have incorporated new designs and variations to the Oshima Tsumugi. Tsumugi Leather Kasuri, which is one of the long-established dry goods stores in Naze, creates a variety of colorful products that are made using Oshima Tsumugi and leather. These products are all handmade by Hironori Kawabata.
Kawabata’s father owned a dry goods store, but at first he was never interested in the Oshima Tsumugi. He moved to Tokyo, and then went overseas to find his passion. In Australia, he was deeply moved by a musical performance that he watched, which was a mix of traditional instruments and modern music.

A mix between the old and the new. Kawabata built his workshop to bring this idea to life. Despite the initial difficulties, his continuous hard work has gained him fans all over Japan. He also creates custom-made products for his customers, each one of them being special and unique. These custom items are often sent back to the workshop for repair, and Kawabata mentions how it gives him motivation to see that his customers are taking care of his products.
Kawabata talked about how one of the happiest moments for him was when one of the islanders bought a wallet that he made, instead of a foreign high brand product for their 20th birthday. Those individuals are the ones that pass on the traditional cultures, and he felt as though his work contributed to that.

There is a traditional folk song in Amami that has been passed down through generations. It is sung in events and ceremonies, it includes improvised duets that are believed to help the singers communicate their emotions to each other. The lyrics talk about the nature and daily lives of the people in Amami, and the emotions that surface from them. The authenticity of the lyrics, the unique falsetto, and soothing melody evoke the listener’s feelings.

The sanshin (shamisen) and chijin (island drum) made using python skin, are two essential instruments needed to perform the island folk songs. The songs are sung by Utasha who are folk singers that sing along to the instruments. In Amami, singing was never considered a professional job and the folk songs were sung by people of various occupations. They could be an Oshima Tsumugi weaver, a shipwright, a chef, and perhaps the lyrics and melody feel more relatable because they were made by a variety of islanders.

Amami park is the best location to go to listen to the island folk songs. Inside the vast property, there are various exhibits of the nature and culture of Amami, displayed using panels and videos. There is a section dedicated to folk songs, where visitors can listen to the traditional Amami folk song.