Manufacturers of Oshima tsumugi, a traditional silk kimono fabric woven in Kagoshima Prefecture, are seeking to breathe new life into their industry amid a shrinking market for what is now seen as a ceremonial material.
Mainly produced on the prefecture's Amami Oshima Island, Oshima tsumugi has a history dating back 1,300 years. Praised for its delicate patterns, it is entirely handmade and involves as many as 30 separate processes to complete.
Production has plunged to one-thirtieth of the volume 40 years ago, however, as few people now wear kimono on a day-to-day basis.