Ashikaga Orimono Densho-kan

Ashikaga Orimono Densho-kan is a small museum touching upon the history of Ashikaga through its textile industry. With the Ashikaga Orihime Shrine nearby, this is a spot you’ll want to include on any sightseeing tour of Ashikaga, a city in Tochigi.

Ashikaga is famous for its long history of textile production. A description of its textiles is mentioned in “Tsurezuregusa” (Essays in Idleness), one of the most famous essays in Japan. It was written by Yoshida Kenko, an official, monk, poet and essayist who lived from 1238 to about 1352.
From the Taisho (1912-1926) to the early Showa (1926-1989) periods of Japanese history, it flourished in its production of Meisen, a plain-woven silk fabric, to the point of being named as one of its 5 major production centers of Japan. Even today, Ashikaga Meisen silk’s high quality and vivid coloring looks fresh and attractive.

Located on the 2nd floor of the Ashikaga Orimono Kaikan, the Ashikaga Orimono Densho-kan displays materials related to modern Ashikaga textile production, including Meisen silks, from the Meiji (1868-1912) to the Taisho and Showa periods. Textiles currently manufactured in Ashikaga and small items made from Meisen silks are also sold here.

For memories that can only be made here, hands-on experiences involving cloth are recommended. The lineup of things to try include hand-dyeing a stole or snowflake tie-dyeing, a stenciling class, or making a corsage using old Meisen silks. Such experiences can get crowded, so it is better to make a reservation beforehand.