Kikuo Morimoto, 59, is a passionate man who radiates an aura of serenity. He has almost single-handedly saved the silk-weaving industry of Cambodia, a tradition that was nearly lost during three decades of war and neglect.
Morimoto started as an apprentice kimono painter in Kyoto, and later opened his own studio. But then, as he began volunteering in refugee camps along the Thai border, he began studying traditional silk-weaving in villages in northern Thailand and began some pilot projects. He shut up shop in Japan in 1982 and has never looked back since.
Morimoto first went to Cambodia in 1994, and in 1995 he established the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles. Since then he has trained around 400 women to weave in the traditional style. When he first arrived, middlemen controlled distribution, and talented weavers were made to churn out inferior products to serve the market. This offended Morimoto's sensibilities as a kimono-maker and self-described "silk fanatic." Now he markets his high-quality products directly to tourists and commands both respect and high prices for truly exquisite fabrics.