Shirataka Omeshi is a silk textile woven with the highly refined Itajime Kasuri (board-resist ikat) technique, known for its intricate small-pattern motifs. Thin boards of Itaya (Itaya-kaede maple wood) are carved with grooves, and threads are wound around them. Another flat board is tightly fastened on top, and multiple boards are stacked and pressed with wooden bolts. The assembly is placed on a Somebune (dyeing stand), and boiling dye is poured over it. When the boards are removed, only the grooved sections are dyed, creating kasuri threads. Although the craft once faced decline due to the loss of skilled board carvers, traditional board-making was revived in 1966, and new carving methods have since been established. As every piece is handwoven, only a few bolts can be produced each month, making Shirataka Omeshi an exceptionally rare textile.

Photo courtesy of Yamagata Prefecture