DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN

Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture

Shibata visits the city of Fujiyoshida.

Good morning. Great to see you.

It's cold. But it feels like home.

Shibata Fumie was born here in Fujiyoshida.

Her parents ran a textile factory.

Fuji Industrial Technology Support Center

A textile that almost ceased to exist is said to be preserved here.

The blue lining is called "Kaiki."

It's so stylish!

I've got goosebumps.

Kaiki: A silk fabric produced locally from the mid-17th to early 20th centuries.

Outwardly colorful garments were banned in centuries past.

A Kaiki lining was a subtle way to enjoy fashionable outfits.

It's so beautiful.

Hold out your hand.

You can see how thin it is.

Kaiki is woven from fine thread. It's perfect for a thin, light lining.

Look carefully at the color.

Ah, amazing! It changes.

As the angle changes, the color appears to change.

It's a whole galaxy in itself.

So pretty.

The overlapped patterns create a 3D effect.

It looks like computer graphics.

It has layers, like a digital image.

It's old, but it feels new.

This one made the biggest impact.

It's created by applying multiple colors to individual threads.

You don't often see this type of symmetry in classic Japanese designs.

It was truly innovative for its time.

Records show that talented youngsters from across Japan trained here.

In modern terms, it was like collaboration between young designers.

Ah, like a big design project.

If it was still made today, I'd want it myself.

Why does Kaiki feature these unusual designs?

It was made in the mountains, far from Edo, where it would be sold and used.

That distance to market made it especially tough to compete.

The fabric had to be light, and it had to fetch a high price.

To justify the price, a unique design was needed.

Various techniques were used to make that happen.

Kaiki silk flourished until the early 1900s.

It declined during WWII, and the necessary skills weren't passed on.

However, the spirit of deft craftsmanship persists today.

Here, fabric is finished by hand, leading to innovative results.

Simplicity and convenience alone lead to a constrained future.

Innovation will come from the past; from things made only in one place.

We should treasure the old and the new.

I want to be involved in advancing them both.