Textiles

Nagahama Chirimen

長浜ちりめん

RegionShiga — 長浜市
Originsc. 1670
StatusMETI-designated Traditional Craft

About Nagahama Chirimen

Nagahama chirimen is a silk crêpe textile produced in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture. One of Japan's two major chirimen production areas alongside Tango chirimen, this white fabric industry has been rooted in Nagahama on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa since the early Edo period. Developed within the trade culture nurtured by abundant water resources and the Hokkoku Kaido highway, it is supplied nationwide as the dyeing base for Kyo-yuzen, Kaga-yuzen, and other fabrics. Characterized by its distinctive texture and elegant luster, it continues to play an important role as a white fabric production area for kimono and obi.

Techniques & Materials

Craft terms are shown in the original Japanese — these are proper names with no standard English equivalents.

Techniques

強撚糸使い平織り(ちりめん)白生地精練シボ出し

Materials

生糸(強撚糸)

Where to see & buy

Workshop names are in Japanese; links go to their official sites.

Where it is made

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