Fujiyoshida, the "town of weaving,": Past and Present

Located at the foot of Mount Fuji, Fujiyoshida City has long been known as a textile production area. This is attributed to the availability of abundant and clean spring water and the emphasis on sericulture due to the unsuitable environment for agriculture. Even today, it remains one of Japan's leading textile production areas. In recent years, each factory has launched its own original brand and is developing direct sales. A new wind is blowing through this long-established weaving town. Regular events are held, such as "Open Factory" on the third Saturday of every month, where companies open factory tours and direct sales stores, the "Hataori-machi Festival," a weaving festival held every October, and "FUJI TEXTILE WEEK," a textile arts festival.

During the Edo period, Gun'nai textiles established themselves as a producer of high-quality textiles due to their superior techniques and craftsmanship. Among them, "Kaiki" silk, which was created by studying pre-dyed textiles called "Chikawatari-gire" brought by the Dutch, became a focal point of attention. With laws repeatedly enacted prohibiting extravagance, the people of Edo, unable to wear the clothes they liked, enjoyed fashion by decorating the inside of their textiles. This is where "Kaiki" silk became highly valued. With its beautiful colors and patterns, Kaiki silk became extremely popular as a lining for haori jackets, and it even appeared as Gun'nai-jima (a striped textile) in Ihara Saikaku's "The Life of an Amorous Man."

Fujiyoshida had flourished as a center for high-quality textile production since the Edo period, but the situation changed drastically when World War II began. Metal was gathered from all over Japan to make military supplies, and looms were requisitioned from Fujiyoshida. The number of looms confiscated reached a staggering 9,300, and for a time, production became impossible.

After the war, Fujiyoshida, having regained its looms, entered a golden age known as the "Gachaman" era. It was such a prosperous time that it was said, "You can make 1 yen with just one weave," and there was such a shortage of weavers that there was a fierce competition for women, known as "Orihime," to work in the weaving factories. Having completely recovered from the hardships of the wartime era, a market was held on the 1st and 6th of every month in Kinuyamachi, where silk textile wholesalers were concentrated, attracting merchants from all over the country. The entire town became lively, and Nishiura, the shopping district of Shimoyoshida, was said to be bustling with customers every day. It was also during this period that the local dish "Yoshida Udon" became famous, and it is said that the firm udon was born when men kneaded the dough with all their might to make a filling udon in place of the women who weaved.

Fujiyoshida, once a thriving center known as "Gachaman," saw its situation drastically change when cheap textiles began flooding in from abroad. Despite having modern equipment, high-quality textiles, including Kai silk, were inevitably costly and labor-intensive to produce. As consumers began buying cheaper textiles from overseas, weaving mills suffered a major blow, and one after another, they went out of business. Adding insult to injury was a movement to destroy looms, known as the "Joint Loom Disposal Project." Due to declining sales and production adjustments caused by trade friction, many weaving mills closed down, and a staggering 7,200 looms and 740 twisting machines were destroyed. This amounted to about 4% of the looms at the time, marking a major turning point for the weaving town.

While the industry was in decline, some people rose to the occasion. These were the second and third-generation artisans who inherited the weaving mills. Utilizing the advanced techniques honed over more than 1,000 years, they not only supplied fabrics to other brands but also entered the market with their own original brands. With the cooperation of many people, including designers from within and outside the prefecture, the Yamanashi Prefectural Fuji Industrial Technology Center (commonly known as Shikenjo), and Tokyo Zokei University, new products are being created one after another. 

Furthermore, on the third Saturday of every month, they hold an "Open Factory" event where visitors can tour the factories and directly see and touch the original products of each company. Various events are also held to promote the charm of Hataori-machi, such as the "Hataori-machi Festival (commonly known as Hatafes)," where fabric products from all over Japan gather in one place, and the textile arts festival "FUJI TEXTILE WEEK." Through these efforts, Fujiyoshida's textile industry is moving forward into a new era while preserving its traditions.