#28 The reason why they have a small pop-up store near the Great Buddha of Hase, Kamakura!?!?

Of course, that

I want to draw even one person into the silk swamp! Lol

Because I want to increase the number of people who love Silk!

We are conducting grassroots activities all over Japan.

But that’s not all…

Charamari, an antique flower and cafe, is located near the Great Buddha of Hase, Kamakura.

As some of you may have seen on Instagram, the store is filled with antique flowers, making it a popular Instagram spot.

It's a wonderful cafe that has been featured in the media.

If you are in the area, please try the delicious lunch they offer.

We rent a corner of this store to sell ar* silk products.

The president of this company runs a famous wedding venue and restaurant in Kamakura called Yorozuya Honten, and just recently opened a select shop for bridal wear called "Gofuku."

Yorozuya is a venue with a Japanese-Western fusion worldview, but it produces wedding ceremonies that are more Japanese-style, and when it comes to Japanese weddings, it's definitely kimonos.

As you probably know, kimonos have long been made from natural materials such as silk and cotton.

Silk has been a familiar material to Japanese people for a long time.

Nowadays, kimonos made from synthetic fibers such as polyester, which are easy to care for, are becoming popular.

We are living in a civilized age, and technology has advanced, so I can understand why people make kimonos out of synthetic fibers, but I find such kimonos rather dull.

Yes, today we are going to talk about kimonos.

To summarize what I read in a book, it seems that Japan was a silk importing country during the Edo period! Isn't that surprising?

Japanese people were attracted to silk and continued to buy it from China, and silk was the largest item of import.

So it's the largest item???

Did our ancient Japanese ancestors really love silk that much?

Was it really that popular?

Can't you get it without importing it?

I had this image of Japan being self-sufficient in silk, but when you think about it, it's obvious that silk was so popular in China that there was a Silk Road, and when I heard that Japan imported a lot of silk from there, I just thought "Oh, I see."

Long story short !

This was when we were importing a lot of silk.

One day, the shogunate's top officials ordered the use of domestically produced thread instead of imported thread, and issued orders to various feudal domains to raise silkworms and produce domestic thread.

From this point on, sericulture flourished in each feudal domain, and the production of high-quality raw silk and tsumugi fabric made from the by-product spun yarn became popular throughout Japan.

By the way, high-quality raw silk was transported to the capital at a high price, and ultra-luxury textiles were created.

Going back a little in history, it seems that the sericulture, silk-reeling, and weaving techniques of each feudal domain (region) helped to greatly transform Japan after the Meiji Restoration.

Before starting work with silk, I really wanted to go and see the Tomioka Silk Mill, so I invited Azusa and Rieko and we decided to go to Tomioka City in Gunma on the best day possible.

It was a very meaningful trip.

There, I was impressed by the beauty of silk and reaffirmed its value as a precious material.

I want to pass on to future generations, however small my contribution may be, the industries that contributed to the development of the Japanese economy! I want to preserve them!

We want to let the world know about Japanese history and technology

With that in mind, I started Silk! I'm still doing it!

Are you trying to be cool? LOL

Yes, that's right. What's the problem?

Although my efforts are very small, I will continue to work hard and forge ahead.

Silk is the best! Love Silk

Silk maniac

R