Minsā-ori is a cotton textile woven across Okinawa, particularly in Ishigaki City and Taketomi Town of the Yaeyama Islands. Using hand-throw shuttles and high looms specially adapted for Minsā weaving, all processes are carried out entirely by hand. The textiles are dyed with 100% natural plant dyes derived from local seasonal vegetation, creating soft, gentle color tones. The name “Minsā” comes from min (cotton) and sā (a narrow sash). The representative style is “Yaeyama Minsā,” woven for generations across the islands, characterized by its ridged, thick texture and the combination of checkered motifs of four and five squares with stripes. The four-and-five-square motif carries the message: “I will be with you forever”—with women traditionally weaving and gifting a narrow sash as a response to marriage proposals. Another motif, resembling centipede legs, conveys the wish “please come often.” Minsā weaving is believed to have spread from Afghanistan through China to Okinawa. Records from the early 16th century Ryukyu Kingdom already mention cotton cloth (minsā), suggesting the craft was established in the Yaeyama region by then. Today, Minsā-ori continues to be woven not only into women’s obi but also into wallets, card cases, and a wide variety of modern items.