The Joy of Seeing What Colors Emerge Only After You’ve Woven. Kōhō Nishiki Weaving Studio Tour and Weaving Experience Starting from “Choosing Silk Threads”

First, at the Kōhō Nishiki Weaving Studio in the quiet Shichiku area of Kyoto, the craftsman couple who have inherited this studio through generations will personally guide you.

You will see up close what photos can never convey: Nishiki woven art pieces that shine three-dimensionally in the light, the "Takahata" (tall looms) where artisans actually work, and more—a true "living art scene," all explained by the creators themselves.

After encountering authentic beauty and honing your sensibilities during the studio tour, it's finally time for creation.

In this experience, you will not just weave fabric, but perform every step yourself, starting from "thread preparation," the first step in textile production. Before you are rows of colorful silk threads in about 30 different colors. Creation begins with the creativity-stimulating moment of "choosing your 5 colors." You will wind your chosen threads onto a tool called a "kuda" (spool/bobbin) used in the loom, preparing your own original threads.

Then, using a loom, you will weave those threads to create a one-of-a-kind silk fabric. What kind of brilliance and pattern will your chosen color combination produce? That remains a delightful mystery until the moment it's finished.

An approximately 2 to 2.5-hour experience that fuses art appreciation with "authentic" creation, satisfying your intellectual curiosity. This is a program we especially want adults with a preference for the genuine to experience. You can take your completed work home as a souvenir of your trip.

Kōhō Nishiki Weaving Studio (Tatsumura Kōhō Co., Ltd.) is a studio spanning four generations. Starting with the first generation, Heizō Tatsumura (go: Kōha), its outstanding techniques and spirit have been passed down to the second generation, Heizō Tatsumura (go: Kōshō), the third generation, Kōhō Tatsumura (textile artist), and the fourth generation, Shū Tatsumura (Nishiki weaving artist).

What the studio values is not merely protecting tradition, but an attitude of craftsmanship that constantly pursues the "beauty of Nishiki" and strives to transcend it.

On this tour, you can touch upon the profound world of Nishiki weaving, which changes its expression infinitely with light and angle, and experience an "authentic place of craftsmanship" that carries its tradition into the present.

"Nishiki weaving," which you will encounter on this tour, is a traditional Japanese silk textile woven with various colored threads, creating diverse patterns with silk threads that emit a complex brilliance when they catch the light. Its origins lie on the continent, but it underwent a unique evolution in Japan, elevated to an art form by the delicate sensibilities of the Japanese people. Historically regarded as extremely valuable, the word "Nishiki" itself has been used in Japanese as a special term to describe "the most beautiful things." Nishiki weaving is still highly valued today as one of the supreme art forms among silk textiles.

1. Studio Tour (Approx. 1 hour ) You will be guided through the Tatsumura Kōhō studio with explanations from the artisan couple. You will get a thorough look inside the normally private studio, seeing exquisite Nishiki art pieces, recreated ancient textiles of historical value, traditional "Takahata" hand looms, and precious textile materials.

2. Thread Making Experience (Approx. 30 minutes) You will prepare the threads used in the weaving experience yourself. Please choose your 5 favorite colors from about 30 types of colorful silk threads to use in your work. You will wind the chosen threads onto a tool called a "kuda" (spool/bobbin) used for weaving.

3. Plain Weaving Experience (Approx. 30 minutes) Finally, you will use a loom to weave your own piece. You will thread the threads you just selected and wound, and weave an approximately 10cm square silk fabric. The completed work will be carefully finished by staff (approx. 10 minutes), and you can take it home on the spot.

◎ English-speaking local guide
◎ Workshop tour
◎ Weaving experience
× Transportation costs

Meet the guide in front of Tatsumura Kōhō

Studio tour

Thread making experience

Weaving experience

Tour ends

・Your reservation will be confirmed upon a reply from Sharing Kyoto.
・Please book at least 1 days in advance so that we can build the best experience for you.
・Applicants must be at least 18 years old to apply. Minors must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian before applying. Elementary school children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
・The experience may be canceled or postponed at short notice, or the content may be changed due to traffic conditions, etc.
・We may share your responses to surveys and reviews on our social networking sites and media.

・Free of charge for cancellations up to 3 days prior to the tour date, 100% for cancellations 2 days or less prior to the tour date.
・Special Cases (Natural disaster, virus, etc.): Full refund.
・Transaction fees for refunds in the event of cancellation will be borne by the customer.
・Please contact us if you will be more than 5 minutes late. If you are late without notice, we may have to treat your booking as a cancellation. Please be aware of this policy.