The
history of Hakata-ori is quite long. As you can see on the
map of Japan, Fukuoka (Hakata) is close to mainland China
and has been actively engaged in exchanges with other countries
since ancient times. The weaving technology was brought in
from China. Such technology was refined and improved to yield
the current Hakata-ori.
In
1202 during the period of Kamakura, Mitsuda Yazaemon was
born of a Hakata merchant. In 1235, he went to China (in
those days, called Sung) with Shoichi Kokushi, a great Buddhist
priest. They studied ardently for 6 years. Shoichi Kokushi
studied about Buddhism, while Mitsuda Yazaemon studied about
how to make steamed bean-jam buns, medicine, wheat noodle
and buckwheat noodle, pottery skills, and weaving technique.
They returned to Japan in 1241.
Shoichi
Kokushi built Jotenji temple in Hakata. Yazaemon imparted
the skills of steamed buns, noodles and pottery to people,
but he kept the weaving technique within his family and
further refined and improved it. Thus the finished textile
was named after the place as "Hakata-ori."
When did they start making Hakata-ori?
The
history of Hakata-ori is quite long. As you can see on the
map of Japan, Fukuoka (Hakata) is close to mainland China
and has been actively engaged in exchanges with other countries
since ancient times. The weaving technology was brought in
from China. Such technology was refined and improved to yield
the current Hakata-ori.
