About Kijoka Bashofu
Kijoka bashofu is a textile produced in Kijoka, Ogimi Village, Okinawa Prefecture, woven from the fibers of the itabashō (fiber banana plant) — a type of textile found nowhere else in the world. Fibers are extracted from the leaf sheaths of the fiber banana, split into fine threads, and woven by hand, making it an entirely handcrafted rare cloth. Used by royalty and samurai as traditional Okinawan attire, Living National Treasure Taira Toshiko (1921-2022) dedicated her life to preserving the technique, and it continues to be passed down today by the women of Kijoka.
Techniques & Materials
Craft terms are shown in the original Japanese — these are proper names with no standard English equivalents.
Techniques
芭蕉繊維の抽出手績み（てうみ）手機織り泥染め・植物染め
Materials
糸芭蕉（イトバショウ）の葉鞘繊維
Where to see & buy
Workshop names are in Japanese; links go to their official sites.
- 喜如嘉の芭蕉布保存会