博多織 (Hakata-Ori)
Hakata-Ori (博多織) is the silk weaving tradition of Fukuoka City — the oldest surviving textile tradition in Japan with documented continuous production from 1241 CE (when Mitsuda Yazaemon returned from Song Dynasty China with weaving knowledge). The defining characteristic of Hakata-Ori is its warp-dominant structure — the warp thread count is extremely high (3,000–5,000 warp threads per 37cm width) and the warp is so dense that the weft is barely visible: the fabric surface is defined almost entirely by the warp threads arranged in a specific undulating ribbed pattern. The result is a firm, dense, self-patterning fabric with a characteristic 'squeak' when touched — the high warp-to-weft ratio produces a sound when the silk yarns move against each other. The kenjo (献上 — tribute) pattern — traditional designs sent as tribute to the Fukuoka feudal lord — is the classical pattern vocabulary with five specific motifs that have been woven continuously for 400 years.
Risk level: Endangered · Japan national Important Traditional Craft Product
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