 Most viewed - Kyotango 京丹後市 |
Visited a Tango chirimen company called Tayuh Textile Co., Ltd. (Tayuh Kigyo 田勇機業株式会社). 2514 viewshttp://www.tayuh.jp/
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Tayuh Textile Co.'s chirimen textile factory in Kyotango.2514 views
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Lobby of Tayuh Textile Co.2382 views
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Kishima Shrine has koma-neko cat guardians because silk farmers in the 19th century kept cats to protect their precious silkworms and cocoons from rats. Rats were a major problem for the silk industry.193 viewsThey ate the silk cocoons and worms. So cats saved the local silk industry.
The left cat is the mother (holding a kitten), and right cat is the father. Also respectively "A" and "un."
These koma-neko cat guardian statues were donated in 1832 by silk merchants and wholesalers such as the Tonomura family (外村家一族、岩滝のちりめん問屋、山家屋の小室利七) who were textile merchants from Higashi-Omi (Gokasho), Shiga Prefecture.狛猫
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Garden of Hosenju (蓬仙寿の庭), Kyotango, Kyoto92 viewshttp://www.tayuh.jp/
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Within Tayuh Kigyo's factory grounds, there's also the Garden of Hosenju (蓬仙寿の庭) designed by Shigemori Mirei (1896–1975 重森三玲), a famous Japanese garden designer.89 views
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Tamiya Raden (民谷螺鈿) had this stunning silk kimono on display for us. "Raden" means inlay (using shell, ivory, etc.). 62 viewsTypically, we think of lacquerware, but they do it on fabrics. This kimono took 2.5 years to make and is worth more than a Lamborghini or Rolls Royce.
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A local fish delicacy called "heshiko." Heshiko is made in this coastal region of Kyoto and Fukui Prefectures. It uses mackerel (saba), sardines (iwashi), or Pacific saury (sanma) that are salted and then fermented in rice bran (nuka). 61 viewsFor heshiko, mackerel is most popular and the process takes two years. It is a traditional way to preserve fish for later consumption without refrigeration. It was a common (and cheap) food for the masses, but now it's a delicacy.
This restaurant believes too much salt is not so healthy, so they take only two weeks to salt and ferment the fish. This method is called asazuke (浅漬け) which means "lightly pickled." We sampled the mackerel prepared this way (and grilled), but I thought it was very salty already and hardly any taste of fermentation.
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Kotohira Shrine has this unique affiliate shrine named "Kishima Shrine" (木島神社) which is the left half of this building. (The right-half shrine is Sarutahiko Shrine [猿田彦神社] for the god of transportation and directions.)55 viewsKishima Shrine is unique in Japan for these two koma-neko cat guardians. Shrines usually have koma-inu lion-dog guardians (to ward off evil spirits), but only this shrine in all of Japan has cat guardians instead.
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Shorenkan Yoshinoya ryokan is probably more famous for its food, especially crab during crab season (Nov. to March). 54 viewsBut it wasn't crab season when we were there so we didn't have any crab. But the food was still excellent. Kyotango, Kyoto Prefecture.
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Tateiwa Rock on the Tango Peninsula, northern Kyoto. The swimming beach leading to Tateiwa is named Tateiwa Nochigahama (立岩後ヶ浜海水浴場).52 views
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Tango Peninsula in northern Kyoto Prefecture is scenic along the coast with a number of natural features and formations.51 viewsMuch of the coast is part of the San'in Kaigan Geopark (山陰海岸ジオパーク) that extends from the western half (Kyotango city) of Tango Peninsula to Tottori Prefecture. San'in Kaigan Geopark is also a UNESCO Global Geopark.
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The kimono was woven with pearly shell pieces from five species of oysters. 51 viewsMight be hard to see which parts of the kimono are the shell inlay, but the shiny parts are not the shell pieces. Very glittery.
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Company president Tamiya Kyoji answered our many questions about this amazing kimono. 50 viewsHis father Tamiya Katsuichiro took two years to develop and invent a method to inlay shell pieces in fabrics and showed their first example on a kimono obi sash in 1977.
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Tango Peninsula coast.49 views
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Tateiwa Rock on Tango Peninsula.49 viewsMap (Tateiwa): https://goo.gl/maps/QDHmG1qArez
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Yuzu sherbet. Yummy!49 views
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Tango Matsushima (pine islands).47 views
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These photos were taken while cycling along the Tango Peninsula.46 views
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The completed design on washi paper is then sliced into "threads" that will be woven into the fabric.46 views
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Pearly shells used in their fabrics.45 views
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Tango Matsushima (pine islands).44 views
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It's a painstaking, time-consuming process.43 views
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First they attach the thin shell/pearly layers on a design on washi paper.42 views
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Kotohira Shrine's head priest Wakisaka Takuji (宮司 脇坂卓爾) explained it to us.40 views
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Working on an obi sash. 40 views
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Tango chirimen silk fabric maker Tamiya Raden (民谷螺鈿).39 views
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Tamiya Raden also makes kimono obi sashes.39 viewsThey also supply fabrics to world-famous luxury brands, but they can't brag about it because of a non-disclosure agreement.
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Koma-neko ema prayer tablet.37 views
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This is 3,000 silk cocoons. That's how much silk is needed to make silk fabric for one kimono. One cocoon has 1200–1500 meters of silk thread. 37 viewsSince Japan produces very little silk, most are imported from China and Brazil. The Tango region consumes about one-third of Japan's raw silk imports. We were told the quality of silk from China and Brazil is very good.
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Working on an obi sash. 37 views
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First we saw Tayuh Textile Co.'s gift shop and showroom.36 views
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36 views
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36 views
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Another stop was a Tango chirimen wholesaler named Yoshimura Shouten (株式会社 吉村商店 峰山支店). 36 viewsFounded in 1830 and based in Kyoto city, this is their branch shop in in Mineyama, Kyotango.
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He showed us the finished product, a chirimen fabric with a woven design.35 views
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Chirimen fabric inspector uses a light box to carefully check for any defects and flaws in the material. Any defects in the material will reduce its value and the fabric (or kimono) will be sold for less.35 views
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Banner commemmorating the 300th anniversary of Tango chirimen in 2018.35 views
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This shrine in Mineyama, Kyotango greatly benefited from the patronage of rich, local Tango chirimen makers and it is unique for its koma-neko cat guardians.34 views
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Tayuh Kigyo's third-generation company president Tamoi Hayato (田茂井 勇人) first explained about their chirimen manufacturing process.34 viewsThese looping punch cards called "mon-gami" (紋紙) program the Jacquard loom to weave the design on the fabric. The holes in the punch cards tell the loom which threads are to be raised or not during the weaving process. These punch cards can be made by computer now.
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Tayuh Kigyo's company motto: "A company that boasts quality has a future."34 views
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This is a replica of an obi sash that was selected and worn by Empress Michiko recently for her birthday.34 viewsThe company is especially proud of this, but can't publicly brag about it. (The empress does not know who made the obi. She just liked the design.)
http://tamiya-raden.jp/
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Established in 1811, Kotohira Jinja Shrine (nicknamed Konpira-san 金刀比羅神社) in Kyotango, Kyoto mainly worships Konpira (aka Kompira), the god who protects sailors, fishermen, ocean transport, navy personnel, and other seafaring people. 33 viewsPeople also pray here for business prosperity, family safety, scholastic excellence, safe childbirth, recovery from illness, and more. There are at least 30 Kotohira/Konpira Shinto shrines in Japan and the headquarters shrine is Kotohira-gu Shrine in Kotohira, Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku.
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33 views
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Tayuh Kigyo's factory has 60 mechanized looms (50 of them are Jacquard looms).33 views
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Fascinating to watch. 33 views
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Seal of approval on chirimen fabric. 33 views
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32 views
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"Koma-neko Unique in Japan"32 views
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Back view of Koma-neko.32 views
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Inside Haiden prayer hall.32 views
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32 views
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They are in this distinctive, traditional building rebuilt in 1930 after the big 1927 Tango earthquake.32 views
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32 views
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Mineyama Branch Manager Yoshioka Hitoshi shows a PR poster of Bando Tamasaburo V posing with a Tango chirimen fabric in front of the shop's kura storehouse near where Yoshioka is standing.32 viewsTamasaburo V is one of the most famous and popular kabuki actors in Japan and Living National Treasure. He loves Tango chirimen fabrics and kabuki costumes also use Tango chirimen.
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Yoshimura Shouten also creates its own designs like this "Hollywood chirimen" prototype with the the likeness of Audrey Hepburn, Charlie Chaplin, and Marilyn Monroe.32 views
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Japan Heritage banner marking the 300th anniversary of Tango chirimen.31 views
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31 views
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Tayuh Textile Co. makes almost everything, from the silk threads to the fabrics. We toured their impressive factory. 31 viewsThese are spools of silk being made into threads.
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31 views
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31 views
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Inside Yoshimura Shouten. They have a small office space on the right, meeting room on the left, a fireproof kura storehouse in the back, and lots of floor space for textile merchandise.31 views
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He even waved goodbye to us!31 views
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Kotohira Shrine's Ema Hall (絵馬舎) used for prayers for safe seafaring. This hall had a large painting of the shrine’s grand float festival held about 100 years ago.30 views
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30 views
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Inside their kura storehouse.30 views
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The left koma-neko cat is the mother (holding a kitten).29 views
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Turtle pond.29 viewshttp://www.konpirasan.com/
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Very noisy and very fast-moving. One employee monitors several looms.29 views
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29 views
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Seal of approval on chirimen fabric. Although Yoshimura Shouten is mainly a wholesaler, they also sell fabrics to individuals.29 viewshttp://yoshimura-shouten.jp/
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28 views
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Tateiwa Rock28 views
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This is a thread twister to twist the horizontal silk threads (weft) 3,000 to 4,000 times. 28 viewsThis is a key step and how chirimen gets its crimped surface. After being woven into the fabric, the highly twisted weft threads try to untwist, creating the crimping.
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Nice Japanese-style room.28 views
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For Shoren-no-Yu, Alexander Wilds and his artist wife Yukiko Oka designed and built most everything including the garden. 28 viewsThe shelves in the dressing room were made by his friend. Stained glass was made by his mother. Ceramic tiles are Mexican, leftover from a previous project of his. The bathhouse was originally an abandoned house which he stripped.
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Since the ryokan celebrates the Showa Period (implied by the name "Shorenkan"), he aimed to make the bath have a Showa/Taisho Period feel. 28 viewsIt was a tough job because they had to haul everything in and out manually. No accessible road so they had to roll the wooden barrel tub to the building manually (it couldn’t be rectangular). This bath was built during June to Oct. 2003.
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Koma-inu lion dog also protects the shrine.27 views
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Sadly, most all of the 30 ornate festival floats were lost in the 1927 earthquake. Only this painting of the floats remains. 27 viewsSmall little town like this to have this many ornate floats was very unusual. Thanks to the chirimen merchants. Such glory days are long gone though, as chirimen sales peaked long ago.
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Kotohra Shrine's Haiden prayer hall.27 views
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Sorehouse for the shrine's festival float and mikoshi portable shrine.27 views
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About Tateiwa Rock.27 views
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San'in Kaigan Geopark (山陰海岸ジオパーク) from Kyoto to Tottori.27 views
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Lobby entrance.27 views
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View from my room.27 views
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This is the dressing room for the bath named "Shoren-no-Yu" (昭恋の湯). (“Shoren” means “Love of the Showa Period.” And “Yu” means hot spring water.)27 viewsThe ryokan had two hot spring baths, and both were designed by an American.
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Dressing room.27 views
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Entrance to the bath area.27 views
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Breakfast.27 views
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Tasted more local food here at Heshiko Kobo Hisami (へしこ工房 Hisami), a restaurant/shop in Kyotango.27 viewsMap: https://goo.gl/maps/Jq7NoojH59s
http://www.hisami-kasade.com/page/shop.php#heshiko
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How Tateiwa Rock formed. 26 viewsThis large mass of volcanic rock formed when the magma erupted and accumulated within the earthen strata below the surface. The magma didn't break the surface. However, the surrounding strata was soft and eventually eroded to expose only this hard volcanic rock called Tateiwa (Standing Rock).
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Tateiwa Rock26 views
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26 views
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This is Shorenkan Yoshinoya (昭恋館よ志のや), a hot spring ryokan on the Tango Peninsula (Kyotango). Founded in 1928, it has 11 guest rooms.26 views
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The "Shoren-no-Yu" (昭恋の湯) bath was originally an abandoned building that was renovated into a bath with a high ceiling and garden. 26 viewsMost everything was designed by Alexander Wilds and his artist wife Yukiko Oka. Wilds is an American sculptor from New Orleans living in Japan since 1985. He currently teaches art at Yamanashi Gakuin University in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture.
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The bath in a wooden barrel. They allowed men and women to use this bath on alternate days.26 viewshttp://alexanderwilds-japan.blogspot.com/2017/12/alexander-wilds-architecture-yoshinoya.html
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Facing the bath's garden area.26 views
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This is the other bath named “Vidro-no-Yu” (ビードロの湯) and also designed by Alexander Wilds and his artist wife Yukiko Oka. The indoor part. 26 viewsThe glass windows were a design highlight (hard to see because of the steam and dark night). The glass door opens to a balcony with a bath.
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Dining room.26 views
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26 views
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Heshiko for sale.26 views
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Byobu Iwa rock.25 views
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25 views
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San'in Kaigan Geopark (山陰海岸ジオパーク) area.25 views
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San'in Kaigan Geopark (山陰海岸ジオパーク) 25 views
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25 views
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View from my room.25 views
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Outdoor baths on the balcony. It was night so I couldn't see the scenery. But it was great that we could try these two different baths during our overnight stay.25 views
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Inside Heshiko Kobo Hisami.25 views
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Lobby24 views
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24 views
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Indoor bathing area.24 views
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Dinner started with this.24 views
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24 views
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Breakfast24 viewsShorenkan Yoshinoya Map: https://goo.gl/maps/hAHehEVDsft
http://taiza.jp/en/
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