When the feeling of the mountain changes, the air in the studio changes a little too.
When I touch mawata in the clear air of early morning, something inside gently loosens.
Mawata is part of the rhythm of our life.
Mountain and Mawata
As the seasons shift, the movement of the hands changes too.
In winter, more slowly. In spring, more lightly.
Each time mawata is opened and a thread is drawn out with the fingertips, it feels as if the breathing of the mountain and my own breathing begin to overlap.
Memory in the Hands
What I was taught was not “skill,” but to trust the feeling of the hands.
Rather than making everything perfectly even, leaving a little unevenness allows a textile to hold a story.
Thick parts, thin parts—just as they come that day, in that moment.
When thread is allowed to follow the rhythm of nature instead of our own convenience, it somehow takes on a gentler expression.
“When I leave mawata on my desk, even a busy day becomes a little calmer.”
Seasonal Colors, Colors of Living
The colors we receive from the plants growing near the studio never dye exactly the same way twice.
And we think that is all right.
The color of a rainy day, the color of a sunny day, the color of a branch after pruning.
Natural colors feel close to the scenery of everyday life.
For Children
There are times when we touch mawata together with children in schools and forest kindergartens.
The moment it begins to turn into thread, their faces brighten.
There is no single correct result—only touching, trying, and laughing.
I believe such moments are what carry handwork into the future.
Tensan and Friends
Cocoons raised by friends in Iwate, and cocoons raised in our studio in Yamanashi.
Thread is born where human life and the cycles of nature meet.
The pupae return to the soil, and the plants used in dyeing return to the soil as well.
Within this cycle of receiving life and giving it back to nature, our textiles continue to grow.
Time for “Doing Nothing”
In our workshops, we sometimes create moments in which we intentionally do nothing.
Just sitting, touching the mawata in our hands, listening to the sounds outside.
Some days, that alone is enough.
There is no need to hurry. No need to decide.
Mawata seems to belong especially well to quiet time.
Mawata, born from living beings, is soft and warm, and seems to hold a quiet power to soften the human heart.
The Beauty of Mawata (A Note)
One of the great qualities of mawata is its beautiful luster, unlike that of other fibers.
It absorbs light well and reflects it softly, creating a quiet glow that changes depending on the angle.
Because of this, yarn and cloth made from mawata carry a depth and gentleness that feel calm and alive.
At Yamamayu Textile Studio, we hope to continue sharing the beauty of mawata—a gift from nature that has grown distant from everyday life—through textile works, objects, and workshops, and to carry its quiet charm into the next generation.
For Those Who Would Like to Know More
This page tells a story of mawata and daily life at yamamayu.
For more detailed information about the material and the making process, please see the pages below.
山まゆの里染織工房 