Tango Chirimen Kimono Experience

expert: workshop weavers and local guide professional, Tangonian

Why kimono?

            Iconic. Beautiful. Elegant. Japanese kimono is a deep heritage art that has also influenced global fashion. Coming to Japan without at least seeing kimono is to simultaneously miss out on Japanese cultural identity and one of the country’s most exquisite artforms. Excluding the mass-produced cotton pieces that are often promoted in cities, kimono are poignant, dimensional, intricately detailed, and possibly the highest form of functional art when produced by weaving masters.

Why kimono in Kyoto by the Sea?

            There is no other place more synonymous with weaving that Kyoto by the Sea. The region is responsible for the production of 70% of Japan’s high-quality kimono silk, the crème de la crème being Tango chirimen, a textured silk of the highest quality that was destined to thrive in the region. The region has a unique weather pattern that only strengthens the tensile demands of producing chirimen silk. This along with the thousand-plus-year history of weaving in the area has allowed the artisans of this region to not only preserve the Japan Heritage art, but to push it to new heights. The weavers in this area have been featured during Paris Fashion Week and Hollywood movies, and collaborations include a slew of world-class designers. This experience will take people to the heritage area called Chirimen Street, a time portal back into history replete with preserved historic buildings connected to the chirimen silk industry. Visitors can tour a silk merchant’s house, feel and even try on authentic chirimen silk kimono, then walk the historic streets. The experience also includes a visit to one or two of the area’s top weavers, for an inside peek into their trade, private gallery, and perhaps some shopping. Options can include a tea ceremony in the historic merchant’s house, or a barazushi (local delicacy) lunch on the house’s antique lacquerware.

About our weavers and local guide

            This tour will take visitors to one or two of the country’s top weavers for a chance to see inside their workshops, learn about their techniques, and maybe even shop a little at their private gallery. These are experts of the highest order, who have been involved in this industry since birth. The guide accompanying this experience is from a local tour group call the Tangonian. They are dedicated to bringing visitors to the intersection of where the everyday meets the extraordinary. Deeply knowledgeable about both the silk and chirimen industry in the area, these guides know the weavers personally and can bring out their most interesting stories.

Where is this experience?

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