Sericulture is believed to have been practiced on Kumejima by around the fifteenth century.

According to local tradition, a figure known as Donohiya traveled to China, learned techniques of sericulture, and introduced them to the island. Sources from Kumejima and Okinawa Prefecture preserve this account as one of the traditional origins of the island’s textile culture.

During the early seventeenth century, specialists sent by the Ryukyu royal government, including Sakamoto Fuki and Tomoyose Keiyu, are said to have provided instruction in sericulture, silk-floss preparation, dyeing, and weaving, helping establish the technical foundations of present-day Kumejima Tsumugi.

Kumejima textiles were subsequently designated as tribute cloth for the Ryukyu royal government. Designs and colors were prescribed through official Miezu design books, and weaving took place under strict supervision. Although this system imposed a heavy burden on the island’s weavers, it also contributed to the refinement of kasuri, dyeing, and weaving techniques.

The tribute-cloth system continued until 1903. After its abolition, producers were able to manufacture and sell textiles more freely, and Kumejima Tsumugi developed as a commercial industry. Production expanded considerably during the Taisho period.

The industry declined sharply in the period surrounding World War II but was later rebuilt through the establishment of craft organizations, communal dyeing facilities, and programs for training future generations.

On February 17, 1975, Kumejima Tsumugi was designated as a Traditional Craft by the Japanese government. On September 2, 2004, its traditional production techniques—including sericulture, yarn preparation, hand-tied kasuri, natural dyeing, and hand weaving—were designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan.

Today, Kumejima artisans continue to preserve a textile tradition deeply connected to the island’s natural materials and generations of hand craftsmanship.

1. Step 1: Preparing the Yarn
   Under the nationally designated traditional techniques for Kumejima Tsumugi, raw silk is used for the warp, while hand-spun silk-floss yarn is used for the weft.
   
   The warp yarn is prepared from silk reeled from cocoons and adjusted to the required thickness. For the weft, cocoons are opened into silk floss, and the fibers are gradually drawn out and spun by hand.
   
   The thickness and condition of the yarn are adjusted according to its intended use so that it is suitable for kasuri tying, dyeing, and weaving.
2. Step 2: Designing the Pattern
   The artisan determines the motifs and color scheme and plans the placement of the kasuri patterns.
   
   Traditional Kumejima Tsumugi designs include motifs derived from historical Miezu pattern books as well as birds, plants, tools, and other forms inspired by the natural environment and everyday life of Kumejima.
   
   The kasuri positions on both the warp and weft are carefully planned so that the design appears correctly when the cloth is woven.
3. Step 3: Warping and Preparing the Guide Yarn
   The warp yarns are measured and arranged to the required length and number in a process known as warping.
   
   A guide yarn is then prepared to mark the exact positions of the kasuri pattern. Based on the design, the areas to be resist-dyed are marked on the guide yarn, and these positions are transferred to the actual warp and weft yarns.
   
   Accurate marking at this stage is essential to ensure that the motifs align correctly during weaving.
4. Step 4: Hand-Tying the Kasuri Yarn
   Following the pattern plan, sections of yarn that are to remain undyed are tightly bound with thread.
   
   In Kumejima Tsumugi, this resist-dyeing process is carried out by hand using a traditional technique known as tekukuri, or hand tying.
   
   The bound sections resist the dye, and when the ties are removed after dyeing, the original yarn color remains, forming the basis of the kasuri design.
5. Step 5: Plant Dyeing and Mud Mordanting
   The tied yarns are dyed using color extracted from plants growing on Kumejima.
   
   Nationally designated traditional techniques include plant dyes such as smilax and sharinbai, with local mud or alum used as mordants.
   
   Traditional dye plants include guru, the local name for smilax; tekachi, or sharinbai; as well as fukugi, yuna, and bayberry.
   
   Dyeing, mordanting, and drying are repeated as necessary until the desired color is achieved. When mud mordanting is used, components in the plant dyes react with minerals such as iron in the mud, creating characteristic deep brown and black tones.
6. Step 6: Removing the Ties and Preparing the Dyed Yarn
   After dyeing, the bindings are removed to reveal the resist-dyed sections that will form the kasuri pattern.
   
   The yarn is washed to remove excess dye, dried, and carefully untangled and arranged.
   
   The warp and weft yarns are then prepared separately so that they can be handled accurately during loom setup and weaving.
7. Step 7: Temporary Reed Threading and Winding the Warp
   The warp yarns are passed through a temporary reed to arrange them in the correct order and at even intervals.
   
   A reed is a comb-like loom component that keeps the warp yarns evenly spaced and is used to beat the weft into place during weaving. After the yarns have been arranged using the temporary reed, the warp is carefully wound onto the warp beam while ensuring that the kasuri pattern positions remain correctly aligned.
   
   The tension of the entire warp is adjusted evenly while carefully checking the reference points of the pattern.
8. Step 8: Threading the Heddles and Reed
   The warp yarns are passed individually through the heddles.
   
   The heddles raise and lower selected warp yarns to create the shed through which the weft is inserted. The warp is then passed through the final reed to establish the correct spacing and order.
   
   Because even a single threading error can affect the weave structure and kasuri alignment, this process is carried out with great precision.
9. Step 9: Weaving with a Hand-Thrown Shuttle
   Kumejima Tsumugi is woven in a plain weave using yarns that have been dyed before weaving, in accordance with the nationally designated traditional techniques.
   
   A traditional hand-thrown shuttle known as a tenage-hi carries the weft across the warp. After each pass, the weft is beaten into place with the reed.
   
   While weaving kasuri designs, the artisan continuously adjusts the warp and weft so that the resist-dyed sections align precisely to form the intended motifs.
10. Step 10: Washing, Kinuta Pounding, and Finishing
    After weaving, the finished cloth is washed to remove excess dye and other residues from the yarn and fabric.
    
    Once partially dried, the cloth undergoes kinuta pounding. The fabric is folded and carefully beaten with a wooden mallet or similar tool, helping to settle the weave and bring out the characteristic luster and supple texture of Kumejima Tsumugi.
    
    Finally, the width, length, kasuri alignment, and overall consistency of the weave are inspected before the textile is completed.