EIGHT-MONTH TEXTILE PROGRAM
From Cocoon to One Piece of Cloth
Eight months of making mawata, dyeing, spinning, and weaving
Month by month,
slowly toward cloth.
Opening cocoons and making mawata silk floss.
Dyeing with plants and spinning thread.
Preparing the warp, weaving, and carrying it into one piece of cloth.
The work that passes by too quickly in a single day
is traced by hand, one step at a time,
over the course of eight months.
Rather than rushing toward completion,
we value learning how materials change,
and slowly cultivating one’s own senses through repeated handwork.
The Time of Eight Months
The cocoons touched in the first month become mawata, take on color, and slowly turn into thread.
By the time you hold that thread in your hands, the way you see the material, and the feeling of touching it, may have changed a little from the beginning.
The cloth made at the end of the eight months is born from the thread shaped through that time.
FROM COCOON TO CLOTH
The Journey Toward Cloth Over Eight Months
Depending on the condition of the materials and the season,
the order of dyeing and thread-making may change slightly.
01
Opening Cocoons
We begin by learning about cocoons and silk, then remove the pupae from simmered cocoons. We also gradually begin dyeing with seasonal plants.
02
Mawata and Plant Colors
We open cocoons into mawata silk floss and layer colors born from plants. Once dry, the mawata is softened and prepared again by hand.
03
From Mawata to Thread
Taking dyed mawata in our hands, we make thread little by little. Dyeing work may also continue as needed.
04
Learning to Weave
While learning the basics of weaving with threads prepared at the studio, we continue making the thread that will be used in each person’s own cloth.
05
Preparing the Warp
Imagining the cloth to be made, we prepare the necessary length and number of warp threads.
06
Beginning to Weave
Using the thread you have made by hand, you begin weaving one piece of cloth.
07
Continuing the Weaving
Looking at the thickness and colors of the threads, and the expression of the cloth as it appears that day, each person weaves forward at their own pace.
08
Into One Piece of Cloth
The woven cloth is removed from the loom and the fringes are arranged. We will explain how to wash and finish the cloth, and the final washing will be done at home.
The Cloth at the End of Eight Months
The cloth will be approximately 10 cm wide and 70–80 cm long.
It may be used as a small neck cloth, or as a textile to hang in daily life.
Everyone will not make the same piece. Looking at the colors of the mawata you have touched, the thickness of the thread you have made, and the traces of your own hands, you will carry them into your own cloth.
In Two Places
The basic flow of the eight sessions is shared at both locations.
Some processes and weaving methods differ according to the tools and environment of each place.
YAMANASHI
Yamanashi Studio
The program moves forward while touching the seasons of the mountains and the work of the studio. You will see the process of simmering cocoons and remove the pupae from the simmered cocoons.
We use traditional tools that have long been used in the studio, as well as full-sized looms, to carry the work into cloth.
HACHIOJI
Hachioji Atelier
Using cocoons and mawata prepared in Yamanashi, we continue the work month by month in a small atelier in the city.
The process of simmering cocoons is not done in Hachioji. Instead, we make mawata from cocoons that have been simmered in advance, and use tabletop looms to carry the work into one piece of cloth.
SCHEDULE
Schedule
At each location, this is a program to be taken through all eight sessions.
Yamanashi
October 2026 – May 2027
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Saturday, December 12, 2026
Saturday, January 9, 2027
Saturday, February 13, 2027
Saturday, March 13, 2027
Saturday, April 10, 2027
Saturday, May 8, 2027
Hachioji
February 2027 – September 2027
Saturday, February 6, 2027
Saturday, March 6, 2027
Saturday, April 3, 2027
Saturday, May 1, 2027
Saturday, June 5, 2027
Saturday, July 3, 2027
Saturday, August 7, 2027
Saturday, September 4, 2027
The schedule may change due to unavoidable circumstances.
Lunchtime
A handmade lunch is prepared for each session.
Gathering in the same place each month, pausing our hands and sharing a table together is also part of the time we spend through this eight-month program.
Please let us know about any food allergies when you apply.
INFORMATION
Participation Information
Number of Sessions
8 sessions in total, once a month
Time
Each session: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location
Yamanashi｜Yamamayu Studio
Hachioji｜yamamayu Hachioji Atelier
Capacity
4 participants per location
Minimum number of participants: 2
Fee
¥14,300 tax included per session
¥114,400 tax included for all 8 sessions
Included
Basic materials, 40 g of mawata silk floss, use of tools, and lunch for each session
Additional Materials
Mawata silk floss: ¥1,100 per 5 g
Payment
Please pay in cash on the day of each session.
Additional Production Days and Absences
For those who need extra time, additional paid production days can be arranged separately.
If you are absent, we will discuss each case and arrange either a make-up date or a transfer to a one-day workshop. The content and date will be decided according to your progress and the availability of seats.
Access
Yamanashi
For those coming by train, we can pick you up at Ichikawa-Daimon Station on the JR Minobu Line.
Parking is available for those coming by car.
Hachioji
The atelier is about a 15-minute walk from JR Hachioji Station and Keio Hachioji Station.
Detailed location, transportation, what to bring, and suitable clothing will be shared after your participation is confirmed.
How to Apply
Please apply through the common application form and select your preferred location. After checking your application and seat availability, yamamayu will send you a confirmation email.
Your reservation is not confirmed when you submit the form.
Your place is confirmed when you receive a confirmation email from yamamayu.
Please apply after confirming that this program is intended to be taken through all eight sessions.
The application deadline is three days before the first session. Applications may close earlier if the program reaches capacity.
For cancellations, date changes, and substitute participants, please see our Workshop Cancellation Policy .