Production Area／Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture
With its crisp surface texture and elegant translucence, Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi is a silk textile that naturally calls to be worn when the heat begins to rise. Often likened to "cicada wings" for its remarkable lightness, it offers exceptional comfort throughout early summer, midsummer, and even the lingering heat of late summer. While many garments—linen kimono, summer tsumugi, and yukata—grace the season, Akashi Chijimi stands apart with the lustrous sheen of silk and a silhouette that gently follows the contours of the body. Precisely because it is summer, one seeks to move with clarity and grace. Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi makes that possible—its refined presence shines all the more brightly under the summer sun.
Our journey takes us to Tokamachi City in Niigata Prefecture, the birthplace of Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi. This snow-rich region has long been a cradle of refined textile techniques. During the Edo period, Tokamachi thrived with the production of fine hemp fabrics, which eventually evolved into renowned weaves such as Echigo Jofu and Hon-Shiozawa. But this raises a curious question: Why does a textile woven in Niigata bear the name "Akashi"?
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The Origins of Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi
n the Meiji era, Tokamachi’s weaving industry began shifting from ramie to silk, and around 1887, the development of Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi entered full swing. After years of experimentation, it finally made its market debut around 1894. However, demand was initially low. To overcome the drawback of shrinkage when wet, artisans introduced steam-finishing techniques. The invention of waterproof processing followed, giving rise to the famous slogan: “Akashi that won’t shrink, even with beaded sweat.” With these innovations, Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi established itself as a high-end summer kimono textile. During the Taisho period, production soared from 30,000 to 150,000 bolts annually. In 1929, the release of the commercial song “Tokamachi Kouta” sparked nationwide popularity, making it one of the most desired summer silks among women throughout Japan.
However, due to the controlled economy during the war, production declined drastically in the postwar period. In response, Yoshizawa Orimono—the company that originally launched Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi in 1897—revived the textile in the late 1970s, sparking a renewed surge in popularity. Today, the company continues to produce many pieces each year, with Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi enjoying wide acclaim as a quintessential summer kimono.
Exquisite Silk Threads Twisted Over 4,000 Times
One of the defining characteristics of Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi lies in the highly twisted weft threads, which create its signature shibo—the wave-like texture unique to chijimi fabrics. Using a traditional “Hatcho” twisting machine, artisans apply approximately 4,000 twists per meter to a 27-denier silk thread, transforming it into a hair-thin yarn. To put this into perspective, general woven fabrics average around 3,000 twists per meter, and chirimen (crepe) around 3,500—underscoring the exceptional degree of twist used in Akashi Chijimi.
Because of the high twist, even the slightest impurity can cause irregularities in the weave. For this reason, only the finest portion of the silk thread—taken from the middle of the cocoon—is used, while the beginning and end are discarded. This makes Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi an exceptionally luxurious textile, requiring only the purest, highest-grade silk yarn to produce.
A Textile Woven with the Finest Artisanal Mastery
The production of Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi involves eight major stages: design, yarn twisting, hand stretching, marking and binding, stencil printing and dyeing, sizing and over-twisting, weaving, and finishing. Due to the delicate nature of this lightweight silk, each process—whether yarn dyeing, kasuri patterning, warping, or weaving—requires a higher level of skill, concentration, and responsibility than ordinary textiles.
After dyeing, the yarn—measuring several dozen meters—is carefully arranged in a process called tenobe (hand stretching). Based on a detailed design chart, each thread is aligned by length and quantity, without causing any twisting, and divided into warp and weft. The warp threads are then threaded by hand through the osa (a reed-like component of the loom). All of this is done manually, with the graceful precision of skilled artisans. Once all preparations are complete, the weaving begins, following the design plan with meticulous care.
One of the defining characteristics of Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi is the use of 2,246 warp threads—nearly double that of standard tsumugi, which typically uses around 1,200. The fabric is woven by alternating right- and left-twisted weft yarns, creating its signature texture. The patterns are richly varied, including classic motifs such as shaded stripes (dan-bokashi), arrow feathers (yabane), and ichimatsu (checkered) designs. At Yoshizawa Textiles, a specialized technique called osanami-ori is also used, in which the warp threads are intentionally woven in gentle waves, adding further depth and movement to the design. Because the yarns are dyed in advance to create specific patterns in the weave, the production process is extremely complex. It can take two to three months—or even up to six months, depending on the design—to complete a single pattern from raw threads to finished textile.
At the Yoshizawa Orimono workshop, the looms used to weave Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi have been in continuous operation for nearly 50 years. While the high humidity of the snowy region provides ideal conditions for spinning and twisting silk threads, it poses a serious challenge for the looms themselves. To strike a delicate balance between these opposing elements, the workshop maintains strict control over temperature and humidity, ensuring optimal conditions for both craftsmanship and machinery.
Summer Classic for Kimono Lovers
The final process, yumo-mi—a hot water treatment—brings out the distinctive wave-like creases known as shibo. This delicate texture is the signature of Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi. Light as air against the skin, it offers an elegant transparency and breathability that make it the perfect kimono for the summer season.
Designated as a Traditional Craft of Japan in 1982, Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi continues to evolve—preserving classic patterns while embracing modern design. As global temperatures rise and even spring days become noticeably warmer, this refined summer kimono is becoming more relevant than ever. Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi offers both elegance and comfort, adapting gracefully to the needs of contemporary kimono enthusiasts. Enjoy a breezy and refined kimono life, all through the warmer months.
→ See also: Dictionary of Japanese Dyeing and Weaving / Tokamachi Akashi Chijimi (Niigata)
→ See also: Following the Legacy of Yoshizawa Orimono
Yoshizawa Orimono Co., Ltd.
686-1 Honcho, Tokamachi-shi, Niigata, Japan
025-752-4131
Official Website＞＞
