Owari-ori

Owari-ori (尾張織) refers to the regional textile traditions of the former Owari Province, corresponding to modern-day western Aichi Prefecture. Centered historically around the castle town of Nagoya and nearby weaving districts such as Arimatsu and Narumi, Owari-ori became a major hub for cotton weaving, kasuri (ikat) production, and later tie-dyeing traditions (notably Arimatsu-Narumi shibori). The term encompasses a broad range of woven cotton and bast-fiber textiles suited for everyday clothing during the Edo period.

History

Cotton cultivation expanded in Owari during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. As the castle town of Nagoya grew under the Tokugawa clan, merchant guilds and organized craft communities emerged. Weaving districts developed systems for:

• Fiber supply
• Thread preparation
• Dyeing
• Weaving and finishing
• Domestic and regional distribution

By the mid-Edo period, Owari-ori ranked among the major cotton textile production centers of Japan, alongside Kurume and Awa. The region also became renowned for shibori tie-dyeing, which integrated well with its cotton-weaving infrastructure.

Materials

Historically, Owari-ori used:

• Cotton as the primary fiber
• Occasionally hemp or ramie in earlier rural weaving

Cotton from the Chita Peninsula and surrounding plains provided a stable local supply base. Yarn was spun manually until the introduction of mechanized spinning in the Meiji era.

Technique

Owari-ori includes several weaving and dyeing methods:

• Plain-weave cotton cloth for everyday garments
• Striped and checked fabrics created through warp and/or weft color arrangement
• Kasuri (ikat) using resist-dyed threads to produce geometric motifs
• Shibori tie-dyeing (especially in Arimatsu and Narumi) to create soft-edged, pictorial, or repeating patterns

The textiles were widely used for:

• Kimono
• Yukata
• Work clothing
• Obi and accessories

The region’s emphasis was on producing practical, wearable, versatile textiles rather than exclusively ceremonial fabrics.

Cultural Significance

Owari-ori reflects:

• The merchant-based craft economy of Nagoya
• The integration of weaving and dyeing guilds
• The cultural identity of castle-town craftspeople

It contributed to the rise of Arimatsu-Narumi shibori, one of Japan’s most famous textile traditions.

Modern Status

Today, Owari-ori survives mainly through:

• Independent weaving studios
• Shibori artisans' cooperatives in Arimatsu and Narumi
• Cultural heritage preservation programs
• Museums and textile education workshops

Contemporary applications include:

• High-quality yukata cotton
• Fashion textiles
• Hand-dyed accessories and textile art

See also

• Arimatsu-Narumi shibori
• Kasuri
• Kurume Kasuri
• Japanese folk textiles

References

• 名古屋市文化財調査委員会『尾張の織物と染色』名古屋, 2008.
• 竹内美智子（M. Takeuchi）『日本の伝統織物事典』平凡社, 2014.
• 日本民藝館 編『民藝の布』日本民藝協会, 2006.