About US
Greetings
Since opening in 1973, Kawashima Textile School has maintained a policy of accepting students without having to take an entrance exam, or undergoing a previous experience assessment, and without a points per unit system of study. We have continuously educated with focus on the individual student learning weaving, so that each person can have the opportunity to use the techniques and gain the ability to express themself through weaving. Esteemed adult education for Japanese and foreigners.
In this modern world, if one uses cutting edge scientific technology, anything is possible, but everyone admits that the goodness of handwork gives movement to the heart and mind.
At KTS there are substantial facilities for dyeing and weaving, including a variety of looms. It is possible to learn a good balance of traditional techniques and culture, alongside modern textile practices. Very experienced teachers instruct students to enable them to continue independently after graduation.
SUZUMI NODA Advisor
野田 凉美
| 2001 - 2005 | Part-time Graduate Course Lecturer, Okayama Prefectural University |
| 2006 - 2017 | Director, Kawashima Textile School |
| 2012 - 2017 | Specially Appointed Professor, Kyoto University of Art and Design |
| 2017 - 2022 | Specially Appointed Professor, Kyoto City University of Arts |
| Exhibitions | |
| 1997 | Fine Art Award, “International Textile Competition,” Kyoto |
| 1999 | “International Textile Competition,” Kyoto |
| 2001 | Artist in Residence, Melville, Australia “Contemporary Lace Exhibition,” traveling exhibition, Australia |
| 2002 | “Constructed Fabric,” Kobe Fashion Museum |
| 2005 | “International Textile Art Biennale,” Lithuania “International Tapestry and Textile Art Triennale," Belgium |
| 2006 | “Milano Salone Satellite,” Italy Artist in Residence, Curtin University, Australia |
| 2007 | “(ex)Changing Traditions,” Kyoto Art Center |
| 2010 | "International Triennial of Tapestry," Central Museum of Textiles in Łódż, Poland |
| 2011 | "Lost in Lace," Birmingham Museum, UK "Bite Size Exhibition," Daiwa Foundation Japan House, UK |
| 2015 | "KAWAII: crafting the Japanese culture of cute," UCA James Hockey and Foyer Galleries, UK Solo Exhibition, Fiberspace, Sweden |
| 2019 | "Japanese and Ltihuanian Contemporary Textile Exhibition," M.K.Čiurlionis National Art Museum, Lithuania "Hangzhou Triennial of Fiber Art," Zhejiang Art Museum, China |
| 2020-2021 | "Fabric: Touch and Identity," Compton Verney Art Gallery, UK |
| 2024 | "KOBAYASHI Masakazu and His Contemporaries-Beyond Fiber Art," The National Museum of Modern Art,Kyoto |
KOZUE YAMAMOTO Director Full-time Instructor山本 梢恵
1st year Weaving Fabric, Foundation Kasuri, 2nd year Kimono, International Students’ Applied Kasuri Course II
| 2000 | B.A. Fine Arts (Textiles), Kyoto Seika University |
| 2002 | Foreign exchange student at Kuopio Academy of Design, Finland Completed 2-year Technical Study Course (Kimono), Kawashima Textile School |
| Exhibitions | |
| 2000 - 2006 | “16th ~ 19th Textile Exhibitions,” Silk Museum, Yokohama |
| 2000 | “39th Contemporary Arts and Crafts Exhibition,” Japan |
| 2001 | “56th Kyoten Exhibition,” Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art |
| 2007 | “Selected New and Powerful Artists of Kyoto,” The Museum of Kyoto |
| 2008 | Invited to exhibit at “Kyoto Crafts Biennale,” The Museum of Kyoto |
| 2007 - | Kimonos for calendar shoots, Kyoto Tea Cooperative Association |
TOMOKI FUJIKAWA Full-time Instructor
藤川 具樹
Synthetic Dyeing, Natural Dyeing
| Coming soon. |
YOSHIKO NAKAJIMA Full-time Instructor
中嶋 芳子
Spinning, Fancy Yarn, Homespun
Interview with Spinning Teacher Yoshiko Nakajima 2020
| B.A. Design, Kyoto City University of Arts. After 2 years of training at a weaving studio, she discovered homespun fabric, and has since been creating them on her own. She participates in Lifestyle Crafts Exhibitions with other craftspeople in Kyoto, Tokyo, and Okinawa. |
EMMA OMOTE Full-time Instructor
表 江麻
International Exchange Student Coordinator
1st year Foundations of Weaving, International Students’ Beginners Course, Foundation Kasuri Course, Applied Kasuri Course I
Interview with International Students Course Teacher Emma Omote 2020
A Look Into Our Classes 2 "Design Exercise I" 2020
| 2005 | Foreign exchange student, University of Art and Design, Helsinki (now Aalto University) |
| 2007 | B.A. Fine Arts (Painting), Kyoto Seika University |
| 2009 | Completed 2-year Graduate Course (Kimono), Kawashima Textile School |
| 2010 | Invited to exhibit at “Kyoto Crafts Biennale,” The Museum of Kyoto |
| 2011 | "New Stars in the Firmament," Kyoto Industrial Hall |
| 2019 | "Dyeing of Kyoto Draw Apart, Draw Near," Somé Seiryukan |
HIROKAZU KONDO Full-time Instructor
近藤 裕八
Tsuzure (Tapestry)
Interview with Tsuzure-Ori Teacher Hirokazu Kondo 2021
| 2006 | Graduated from Koh High School |
| 2009 | Internship at the Tsuzure (Tapestry) Office, Production Department, Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co., Ltd. |
| 2011 | Completed 2nd year of the Creative Course after 2-year Graduate Course (Tsuzure Obi), Kawashima Textile School |
| 2011 | Kawashima Textiles Spring Exhibition Exhibition in Naha, Okinawa |
| 2012 | Invited to exhibit at “Kyoto Crafts Biennale,” The Museum of Kyoto Wove fabric used for the restoration of Important Cultural Property |
FUMIKA NIHO Full-time Instructor
仁保 文佳
1st year Counterbalance Loom
Interview with Teacher Fumika Niho 2021| 2008 | B.A. Design (Furniture, Interior & Architecture), Tokyo Zokei University |
| 2008 - 2011 | Worked as an Interior Coordinator at a home building company |
| 2015 | Completed the 2-year Graduate Course (Kimono) at Kawashima Textile School |
| 2016 | Selected for the 24th Textile Exhibition at the Silk Museum, Yokohama |
| 2015 - 2017 | Product planner and weaver, workshop instructor at Johana Oriyakata |