About yamamayu Spinning, dyeing & Weaving Studio
Founded in 1894 in Hachioji, Tokyo, our family workshop began as Nikaido Orimono, weaving kimono fabrics through the Taisho and Showa eras. As times changed, we shifted from kimono to textiles, developing fabrics for designers in Japan and overseas from the 1980s onward.
Today the 4th and 5th generations continue the craft. We moved our base to the mountain village of Ichikawamisato, Yamanashi, returning to the very beginning of the thread—raising silkworms, spinning, dyeing, and weaving by hand.
We raise both wild Tensan and domesticated silkworms, spin from cocoons, dye with plants, and weave—one pick at a time. This is not only production; it is a way of living with nature. The time of life within each cocoon and the hands that shape the yarn are reflected in every cloth.
While textiles change with the times, their roots remain. The path that sprouted in Hachioji in 1894 now breathes in our mountain workshop, woven into the rhythm of daily life.
History & Background
Our second chapter in Yamanashi began in 1998. Captivated by Tensan (wild silk), the 4th generation, Tetsuji Nakagawara, pursued a return to natural materials—plant dyeing, hand weaving, and even sericulture itself.
With family and local support, we raise Tensan, preserve eggs (seed), and weave. Living closely with a delicate life and the mountain climate has shaped yamamayu as it is today.
The name “yamamayu” holds our intent: to work with cocoons within the gifts of the mountains, and to let life inhabit cloth. We avoid haste, follow nature, and craft with care.
A Family Craft
Our story began with our ancestor’s weaving business in Hachioji in 1894. Nearly 130 years later, the workshop is run by the 4th generation, Tetsuji & Keiko Nakagawara, and the 5th generation, Lisa Nakagawara.
Surrounded by mountains, we take care of every step—raising silkworms, making yarn, dyeing, weaving, and finishing—entirely in-house. Each piece embodies our family’s rhythm and pride.
Members
- Tetsuji Nakagawara — Creator / Weaver ➔ Facebook
- Keiko Nakagawara — Creator / Dyeing & Spinning
- Risa Nakagawara — Creator / Web & Social
- Shoichiro Nikaido — Support
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Continue the story
Read more on Farm to Fabric, explore the Collection, join a Workshop, or visit our Online Shop.
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山まゆの里染織工房 