Echigo Jofu , one of Japan’s famous dyeing and weaving, is a linen fabric with a deep tradition that has been handed down from ancient times. Many of them are used as kimonos, and there are still many people who are obsessed with their charm.
Therefore, in this article, we will focus on Echigo joufu and introduce recommended kimonos, including an overview.
What is Echigo Jofu ?
Echigo Jofu is, as you can guess from the name, a textile made from ramie that has been handed down mainly in Minamiuonuma City and Ojiya City in what is now Niigata Prefecture.
Its history dates back 1,200 years and is known as Japan’s oldest textile. In 1955, it was also designated as an important intangible cultural property by the country.
By the way, Echigo Jofu can only be called Echigo Jofu if it satisfies all the detailed conditions below.
- Ramie threads that are all hand-woven
- Kasuri patterns are tied by hand
- weave with a base machine
- Yumomi is used to remove the grains.
- White things are exposed to snow
In this way, Echigo Jofu is woven with a lot of time and effort, so the absolute number of craftsmen who can handle thread making continues to decrease, making it a rare item.
Recommended kimonos from Echigo Jofu
In this item, we will introduce the recommended kimono of Echigo Jofu.
8-sun Nagoya obi made of Echigo-jofu fabric with a subdued color and elegance
Echigo Jofu 8-sun Nagoya obi woven with flax, black brown, and Iwai brown striped warp threads and black brown weft threads. The colors are subdued and create a deliberately withered atmosphere. Although it is a used item, it is in good condition and can be worn coolly as a summer belt.
| Product name | Aoki [Obi 4393] Nationally Designated Important Intangible Cultural Property Echigo Jofu 8sun Nagoya Obi (with certificate stamp and bookmark) |
| Price (tax included) | 220,000 yen |
| Product page URL | https://aoki-aoki.shop-pro.jp/?pid=169373339 |
| Store name | Ginza Kimono Aoki |
| Store homepage URL | https://aoki-aoki.shop-pro.jp |
8-inch Nagoya obi made of Echigo joufu with a light color and deep taste
Echigo-jofu 8-sun Nagoya obi is woven with tasteful steamed chestnut-colored narrow stripes on a plain base made of light flax-colored weft and brown warp. Although it has a calm atmosphere, it is possible to tighten the whole with the reddish brown color.
| Product name | Aoki [Obi 4370] Nationally Designated Important Intangible Cultural Property Echigo Jofu 8sun Nagoya Obi (Tan-end, with certificate stamp) |
| Price (tax included) | 209,000 yen |
| Product page URL | https://aoki-aoki.shop-pro.jp/?pid=169141932 |
| Store name | Ginza Kimono Aoki |
| Store homepage URL | https://aoki-aoki.shop-pro.jp |
Echigo Jofu 8-sun Nagoya obi with simple and modern geometric patterns.
An 8-inch Nagoya obi made of Echigo-jofu fabric with a geometric pattern made of black weft threads, based on a light flax color. It has a pattern that even young people can wear without hesitation. Please note that this is a second-hand item, so there may be traces of wear, loose threads near the handle, and a smell of storage.
| Product name | Aoki [Obi 4325] Nationally Designated Important Intangible Cultural Property Echigo Jofu Eight-inch Nagoya Obi |
| Price (tax included) | 198,000 yen |
| Product page URL | https://aoki-aoki.shop-pro.jp/?pid=168445166 |
| Store name | Ginza Kimono Aoki |
| Store homepage URL | https://aoki-aoki.shop-pro.jp |
A kimono made of Echigo jōfu with a tasteful indigo color and kasuri pattern
A kimono that allows you to fully enjoy the good old Echigo joufu with its indigo color and kasuri pattern. Even during the hot and humid summer months, it is soft and cool to wear, and you can wear it without stress. As it is a second-hand product, there may be yellowing, dullness, flying threads, and weakness in the cloth, but they are not noticeable.
| Product name | Aoki [Obi 3528] Echigo Jofu Kimono Indigo Kasuri pattern |
| Price (tax included) | 165,000 yen |
| Product page URL | https://aoki-aoki.shop-pro.jp/?pid=169142584 |
| Store name | Ginza Kimono Aoki |
| Store homepage URL | https://aoki-aoki.shop-pro.jp |
Echigo joufu kimono with irresistible light colors and patterns
A coordinating set suitable for summer, combining a kimono luxuriously made of Echigo joufu and a sash of the same cloth. The kimono, in particular, has a very beautiful finish, with a pale snowflake pattern woven from the wavy pattern and tortoiseshell pattern, while the base color is white. The compatibility with the obi is also excellent.
| Product name | [Ancient Echigo Jofu] Luxury hand-woven kasuri genuine hemp kimono Ojiya chirimenagajuban Specially selected Kafu 8 inch Nagoya obi ≪Customized set≫ Length 163 Sleeve 67 |
| Price (tax included) | 598,000 yen |
| Product page URL | https://www.kimonoichiba.com/products/detail.php?k_pid=1409303 |
| Store name | Kyoto Kimono Market |
| Store homepage URL | https://www.kimonoichiba.com |
summary
In this article, we have introduced an overview of Echigo Jofu, a famous Japanese dyeing and weaving fabric , as well as picking up recommended kimonos.
Echigo joufu has become a very rare item as the number of craftsmen has decreased dramatically. For this reason, many people may find new kimono to be expensive and difficult to afford.
As we introduced, many used items are cheaper than new ones, so if you find one you like, we recommend that you don’t miss it.