"Enshu" refers to the region that corresponds to the western part of the current Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan. It consists of eight cities and towns: Kosai City, Hamamatsu City, Iwata City, Fukuroi City, Mori Town, Kakegawa City, Kikugawa City, and Omaezaki City. This area has a long history of prosperity in cotton cultivation and textile industries. Particularly in Hamamatsu City, besides textiles, it is known for the three major industries of musical instruments and motorcycles, housing numerous world-renowned companies and products. Automakers Toyota and Suzuki, in particular, have their origins and growth tied to the development of weaving machines in the Enshu textile industry.
One prominent local dialect in the vicinity of Hamamatsu is known as "Yaramaika." It conveys the meaning of "Let's just do it" or "Why not give it a try." With this "Yaramaika spirit," Enshu's enormous industries have been shaped and developed. This article will introduce the history and current initiatives of Enshu Textiles.
While cotton is said to have first arrived in Japan in the late 8th century, it didn't establish itself and disappeared for a while. Domestic cotton production is believed to have started in the late 15th to mid-16th century, with records indicating earlier imports from Korea and China. The specific region where cotton cultivation began in Japan remains unclear, but domestic production of cotton and cotton textiles quickly spread across the country in a relatively short period.
During the Edo period, the Enshu region became one of Japan's leading cotton-producing areas. The climate and soil of Enshu were suitable for cotton cultivation, and as farmers honed their weaving skills, a unique textile culture developed. With the establishment of spinning factories during the Meiji period, the textile industry (Enshu textiles) flourished as a regional industry, alongside Mikawa (Aichi Prefecture) and Senshu (Osaka Prefecture), becoming one of the three major cotton textile production areas. The leap of Enshu textiles can be attributed to the inventions of two pioneers: Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the current Toyota Group, who invented a narrow-width power loom capable of weaving approximately 36 cm wide fabric (the width of traditional Japanese kimono fabric); and Michio Suzuki, the founder of Suzuki, who invented a broad-width power loom capable of weaving fabrics wider than 45 cm. These looms marked the starting point of Enshu textile machine development and it's not an exaggeration to say that Enshu's manufacturing spirit was born from Enshu textiles.
In modern times, Enshu textiles actively embrace new endeavors. They conduct research not only on cotton but also on silk, hemp, and synthetic fibers. They put great effort into developing new designs that cater to contemporary demands, and many young artisans directly engage with the region to create appealing products. Additionally, Enshu has a long-standing tradition of dyeing techniques, with "Chusen" dyeing being a representative example. This allows them to produce a wide range of textiles, even within Enshu alone.
Through the passion and dedication of Enshu's craftsmen, new stories will continue to be woven in the future.