Tracing the journey toward cloth by hand.
Workshops at yamamayu
Opening cocoons, touching mawata silk floss, making thread, dyeing, and weaving.
yamamayu workshops are small gatherings, not only for making a finished piece,
but for tracing the beginning of the material and the time it takes to become cloth.
The time in which materials change
Silk does not begin as thread or cloth.
There is the opening of the cocoon, the spreading of mawata silk floss, and the making of thread.
There is color received from plants, the preparation of warp threads, and the weaving of each line by hand.
From seasonal one-day workshops to an eight-month program leading toward one piece of cloth, you may choose the time and depth that feel right for you.
In Yamanashi, we spend time close to nature, the seasons, and the beginning of the material.
In Hachioji, we offer a more accessible way to touch mawata, thread, and color.
Each workshop is held in a small group.
Touching cocoons
Touching thread and color
Carrying it into cloth
Currently Open
For those who would like to touch yamamayu’s materials and handwork for the first time.
We hold monthly workshops in Yamanashi and Hachioji, with themes that change with the seasons.
Yamanashi｜From Cocoon to Cloth
— A small day at the Yamanashi studio —
Usually held on the third Friday and Saturday of each month
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. / Lunch included
2–5 participants / ¥14,300 tax included
Hachioji｜A Day with Mawata, Thread, and Color
— Tracing handwork from cocoon to cloth in Hachioji —
Usually held on the fourth Friday and Saturday of each month
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. / Lunch included
2–5 participants / ¥14,300 tax included
Workshop dates and the number of sessions may change depending on exhibitions, studio work, and the condition of seasonal materials. Please check each detail page for the latest schedule.
Types of Workshops
From one-day workshops to seasonal gatherings, an eight-month program, and a summer retreat in the mountains.
Please visit each detail page for the full program description and current availability.
YAMANASHI MONTHLY WORKSHOP
From Cocoon to Cloth
— A small day at the Yamanashi studio —
Mountain scenery, seasonal plants, cocoons, mawata silk floss, and traditional tools.
Each month, we focus on one handwork process, or two closely connected processes, and spend time close to the beginning of the material.
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. / Lunch included
2–5 participants / ¥14,300 tax included
HACHIOJI MONTHLY WORKSHOP
A Day with Mawata, Thread, and Color
— Tracing handwork from cocoon to cloth in Hachioji —
Spreading mawata silk floss, choosing plant-dyed colors, making thread, and weaving.
With seasonal themes, this one-day workshop offers a gentle way to touch mawata and handwork more closely.
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. / Lunch included
2–5 participants / ¥14,300 tax included
EIGHT-MONTH PROGRAM
From Cocoon to One Piece of Cloth
— Eight months of making mawata, dyeing, spinning, and weaving —
Over eight months, we slowly trace changes in the material that are difficult to see in a single workshop.
Opening cocoons, making mawata silk floss, plant dyeing, spinning thread, preparing the warp, and weaving all lead toward one small piece of cloth, approximately 10 cm wide and 70–80 cm long.
8 sessions / 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. / Lunch included each time
Yamanashi studio and Hachioji atelier
¥14,300 tax included per session
Seasonal Gatherings
Silkworms, Tensan wild silk, mulberry, oak trees, and the summer mountains.
These small gatherings open in response to materials and moments that can only be met in that season.
noasobi
Setting Tensan eggs, observing larvae, harvesting cocoons, and comparing domestic silkworms with wild silk moths.
We enter the oak grove and follow the year of Tensan wild silk and sericulture through the seasons.
4 sessions per year / mainly 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
2–5 participants / ¥6,600 tax included, light meal included
From Cocoon to a Small Cloth
— A time to make mawata, spin, and weave —
For anyone who would like to know what
can come after the cocoon, regardless of age or family structure.
Participants weave a small cloth on a simple wooden frame and take the frame home together with their work.
Yamanashi / Hachioji / 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Held during summer holidays and by request
Summer Workshop
— Three days immersed in mountain time —
Mawata, plant dyeing, thread-making, and weaving.
Rather than rushing toward completion, we spend time in the mountains at each person’s pace, including meals, walks, and rest.
Yamanashi / 3 days and 2 nights / 2–6 participants
¥77,000 tax included, including accommodation, meals, and basic materials
The growth of silkworms, the making of cocoons, and the condition of plants change with temperature and weather. Dates and contents may be adjusted according to the state of the materials and the season.
How to Apply
Please apply through the common application form.
After checking the content of your request and seat availability, we will contact you by email within three days.
Your reservation is not confirmed by submitting the form alone.
Your place will be confirmed when you receive a confirmation email from yamamayu.
For regular workshops and the eight-month program, the fee is paid in cash on the day of the workshop. Around one week before the workshop, we will send a confirmation email with the date, time, what to bring, and transportation details. For the summer workshop with accommodation, advance payment is required.
For cancellations, date changes, and substitute participants, please see our workshop cancellation policy.
If you are unsure which workshop is right for you, please contact us through LINE or the contact form.