In 2013 the following workshops will be open to international students.


Shifu 1: Yarn Making (Keiko Yoshida) April 27-28 (closed)


Shifu 2: Indigo Leaf Dyeing (Keiko Yoshida) July 6-7


Shifu 3: Weaving an Obi (Keiko Yoshida) August 19-22


Day Trip to Miyama July 16 (full)


Natural Dyeing "Colors of the Heian Period" (Masaru Hori) September 4-6

Please click on the titles for more information.

April 27-28 (2 days) 10:00-16:00
Tuition Fee: 21000yen (materials fee included)
Capacity: 6-10 students
Held in Japanese and English
Application Deadline: April 10

For information about the application process, please click here.
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In some parts of the world people call Japanese paper "Rice Paper" but actually there is no trace of rice or rice straw in Japanese "Washi". You probably have heard of Washi and know that it is the traditionally produced paper made from bast fiber in combination with the unique techniques that have been developed in Japan since the beginning of the 7th century, but have you ever heard of "Shifu?"

Shifu is a woven cloth produced using paper yarn made from Washi. The Washi paper is precut into thin strips, rolled into a kind of thick uniform bundle, then every other cut is torn to create a single long strip. Finally this is spun into a single long line.

Not only can Washi paper yarn be woven, but it can be dyed, knitted, crocheted and braided.

There will be three Shifu workshops this year by Keiko Yoshida. If you join all three, you will be able to take home a beautiful indigo leaf dyed Shifu obi, but you are more than welcome to join only Shifu 1 and learn the process of Washi paper yarn making!

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Day 1: Cutting and rolling the washi
Day 2: Spinning

*In this workshop we will be making 3 washi papers worth of yarn. Applicants for Shifu3: Weaving an Obi in August will need 8 washi papers worth of yarn. Students who wish to stay and make the necessary amount may use facilities on April 29, 30, May 1 with an additional fee. Please inquire.

>Shifu 2: Indigo Leaf Dyeing
>Shifu 3: Weaving an Obi

Keiko Yoshida

In 1985 Keiko Yoshida completed the Advanced Textile Research Course at Seian Women's College in Kyoto Japan. After working for a period of time at HINAYA Inc., a traditional weaving company in Kyoto, she became a studio weaving artist. While researching paper weaving she learned how to make washi paper yarn from Ms. Takiyo Hattori and Ms. Hiroko Karuno. Currently she is producing handwoven textiles and is an Adjunct Instructor at Kyoto University of Art and Design.

July 6-7 (2 days) 10:00-16:00
Tuition Fee: 18900yen (materials fee included)
Capacity: 6-10 students
Held in Japanese and English
For: Experienced weavers

For information about the application process, please click here.
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This is a unique method of dyeing with only the raw indigo plant leaf rather than the normally used fermented brew process. We will use silk thread because the silk is very receptive to this technique and the color comes out well.

Before the flowers of the plant bloom the indigo content of the leaves is highest. When we dye the thread with these leaves on a fine sunny, dry day the thread will dry quickly resulting in color that ranges from sharp sky blue to a greenish light blue.

Applicants for Shifu3: Weaving an Obi in August will use this dyed thread as the warp of an obi.

Day 1: Dyeing
Day 2: Winding the thread, designing the obi, warping

>Shifu 3: Weaving an Obi

Keiko Yoshida

In 1985 Keiko Yoshida completed the Advanced Textile Research Course at Seian Women's College in Kyoto Japan. After working for a period of time at HINAYA Inc., a traditional weaving company in Kyoto, she became a studio weaving artist. While researching paper weaving she learned how to make washi paper yarn from Ms. Takiyo Hattori and Ms. Hiroko Karuno. Currently she is producing handwoven textiles and is an Adjunct Instructor at Kyoto University of Art and Design.

August 19-22 (4 days) 10:00-16:00
Tuition Fee: 31500yen (materials fee included)
Capacity: 6-10 students
Held in Japanese and English
For: Experienced weavers
Prerequisite: Shifu 1, Shifu 2
Application Deadline: July 22

For information about the application process, please click here.
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Shifu is a woven cloth produced using paper yarn made from "Washi". Usually silk, cotton and ramie are used for the warp, and washi paper yarn as the weft. Beautiful cloths using washi paper yarn for both the warp and weft exist as well.

For the warp we will use the silk thread dyed in Shifu 2: Indigo Leaf Dyeing, and for the weft we will use washi paper yarn made in the Shifu 1: Paper Yarn Making Workshop to weave a fresh, summery hanhaba-obi (half-width obi).

*Applicants must prepare 8 washi papers (kozo, 3monme, 5mm strips) worth of yarn by the beginning of the course.

Day 1: Setting up the loom
Day 2: Weaving
Day 3: Weaving
Day 4: Weaving, finishing

Keiko Yoshida

In 1985 Keiko Yoshida completed the Advanced Textile Research Course at Seian Women's College in Kyoto Japan. After working for a period of time at HINAYA Inc., a traditional weaving company in Kyoto, she became a studio weaving artist. While researching paper weaving she learned how to make washi paper yarn from Ms. Takiyo Hattori and Ms. Hiroko Karuno. Currently she is producing handwoven textiles and is an Adjunct Instructor at Kyoto University of Art and Design.

July 16 (2 days) 9:00-18:00
Fee: 3675yen
Capacity: 5 students
Held in Japanese and English
Application Deadline: June 29

For information about the application process, please click here.
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A day trip to the village of Miyama to see indigo artist Hiroyuki Shindo's studio and "Little Indigo Museum."

September 4-6 (3 days) 9:00-16:00
Tuition Fee: 31500yen (materials fee included)
Capacity: 3-8 students
Held in Japanese + English speaking staff member
Application Deadline: August 19

For information about the application process, please click here.
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Make color samples using 6 natural dyes (safflower, gromwell root, sumac, Japanese green alder, bayberry) and mordants such as camillia ashes, straw ashes, ohaguro (teeth blackening) iron.

Day 1 Preparing the mordants, dyeing
Day 2 Dyeing
Day 3 Dyeing with indigo (fresh leaves, dead leaves, fermented leaves)

Masaru Hori

Masaru Hori has worked on restoration of fabrics from Fujinoki Kofun (late 6th Century burial mound), and on fabrics etc. for The State Guesthouse in Akasaka at Kawashima Selkon Textiles. He has been teaching dyeing at Kawashima Textile School from 1996.

1. Please fill in the application form and send it back to us by post or e-mail (kts"at"kawashima-textile-school.jp) by each application deadline.

Download pdf file: KTS Application Form for Workshops

If required, please express your interest in staying at the dormitory on your application form.

Check in dates:
Shifu 1: April 26
Shifu 2: July 5
Natural Dyeing: September 3
for other courses please inquire.

2. If accepted, you will receive an estimate for your stay (tuition fee, accommodation etc). The full amount must be paid in cash at the office at 9AM on the first day of the course.

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Important:

Workshops may be cancelled if a minimum number of participants have not registered two weeks prior to the date of the course.

Please do not cancel. We may charge you a cancellation service fee.

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Please contact us if you have any questions. Thank you!

Hello! We hope your new year is going well.

Both of the Foundation Kasuri Courses in 2013 are full now, but please contact us if you would like to be on the waiting list. We will let you know if there is an opening. We are truly thankful for the number of people who have shown interest in studying at KTS and hope to be able to increase the maximum number of students in the future. Thank you so much.

Dates and details for workshops (1-4 days) are coming soon. Like last year, we plan to have Shifu 1, 2, 3, Day Trip to Miyama and Natural Dyeing.

We have been updating the FAQ page with information on courses and weather etc. Please take a look if you haven't been there for a while!

1. Dyeing

2. 2nd year students' shifu class (Japanese blog post with photos here).

3. The cloth woven in the backstrap weaving class is now a book cover! -Rei Shibata (Japanese blog post here)

4. 1st year students warping to weave a cloth 7 meters long, which will become a furoshiki (wrapping cloth).

5. Natural dyeing workshop. Our indigo plants beside the dyeing room have been thriving, and we were able to pick over 1kg of fresh leaves. Our last batch this year!

The school will be closed for summer vacation from July 28 to August 26.
We hope you have a wonderful summer!

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photo: From a day trip to Miyama to visit Hiroyuki Shindo's studio and "Little Indigo Museum" last week. Please click here to see the Japanese blog post.

*updated on Feb. 8 with links to Shifu 1: Paper Yarn Making, Shifu 2: Indigo Leaf Dyeing, Shifu 3: Weaving an Obi, and Waffle Scarf Workshop.

In 2012 the following workshops will be open to international students. We look forward to meeting you at KTS!








Day Trip to Miyama
Hiroyuki Shindo

July 23

May 3 (Thu.) to May 4 (Fri.) 10:00-16:00

Tuition Fee: 21,000yen
Materials Fee: included
Capacity: 6-10 students
Held in Japanese and English

Application Deadline: Apr. 12 (Thu.)

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You can make paper yarn from Japanese “Washi” paper. We will precut the "Washi" paper into thin strips, roll it into a kind of thick uniform bundle and then tear every other cut to create a single long strip. Finally we will spin this into a single long line somewhat smaller than yarn but larger than thread. Not only can “Washi” paper yarn be woven, but it can be dyed, knitted, crocheted and braided.

*In this workshop we will be making 3 washi papers worth of yarn. Applicants for the “Shifu” Program of August will need 8 washi papers worth of yarn. Students who wish to stay and make the necessary amount may use facilities on May 5 (Sat.) and 6 (Sun.) with an additional fee. Please inquire.

Day 1: Cutting and rolling the washi

July 21 (Sat.) to July 22 (Sun.)          10:00-16:00

Tuition Fee: 17,750 yen
Materials Fee: included
Capacity: 6-10 students
Held in Japanese and English
*This workshop is intended for experienced weavers.

Application Deadline: June 30 (Sat.)

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This is a unique method of dyeing with only the raw indigo plant leaf rather than the normally used fermented brew process. We will use silk thread because the silk is very receptive to this technique and the color comes out well.

Before the flowers of the plant bloom the indigo content of the leaves is highest. When we dye the thread with these leaves on a fine sunny, dry day the thread will dry quickly resulting in color that ranges from sharp sky blue to a greenish light blue.

Applicants for the “Shifu” Program of August will use this dyed thread as the warp of an obi.

Day 1: Dyeing
Day 2: Winding the thread, designing the obi, warping


Keiko Yoshida
In 1985 Keiko Yoshida completed the Advanced Textile Research Course at Seian Women's College in Kyoto Japan. After working for a period of time at HINAYA Inc., a traditional weaving company in Kyoto, she became a studio weaving artist. While researching paper weaving she learned how to make washi paper yarn from Ms. Takiyo Hattori and Ms. Hiroko Karuno. Currently she is producing handwoven textiles and is an Adjunct Instructor at Kyoto University of Art and Design.


To apply, please contact us using our inquiry form or by email (kts(at)kawashima-textile-school.jp), and we will send you the application form. Please fill it in and send it back to us by June 30(Sat.).

Please let us know if you would like to stay at our dormitory during the course.
Check-in: July 20(Fri.)

Please do not cancel. We may charge you a cancellation service fee.

Shifu is a woven cloth produced using paper yarn made from "Washi". Usually silk, cotton and ramie are used for the warp, and washi paper yarn as the weft. Beautiful cloths using washi paper yarn for both the warp and weft exist as well.

In this workshop, we will use the silk thread dyed in the Shifu 2: Indigo Leaf Dyeing Workshop for the warp and washi paper yarn made in the Shifu 1: Paper Yarn Making Workshop for the weft to weave a fresh, summery hanhaba-obi (half-width obi).

*Applicants must prepare 8 washi papers (kozo, 3monme, 5mm strips) worth of yarn by the beginning of the course.

July 23 (Mon.)     9:00-18:00

Fee: 3,500yen
Held in Japanese
Capacity: 5 students

Application Deadline: July 2 (Mon.)

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A day trip to the village of Miyama to see indigo artist Hiroyuki Shindo's studio and "Little Indigo Museum."

Please see here for photos from 2010.

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To apply, please contact us using our inquiry form or by email (kts(at)kawashima-textile-school.jp), and we will send you the application form. Please fill it in and send it back to us by July 2 (Mon.).

Please let us know if you would like to stay at our dormitory during the course.

Please do not cancel. We may charge you a cancellation service fee.

Sept. 3 (Mon.) to Sept. 5 (Wed.) 10:00-16:00

Day 1: orientation, designing a small piece, preparing a paper model, setting up the frame loom, warping up, beginning to weave
Hillu Liebelt

(part 1 here)

Kawashima Textile School, an amazing one-kind school.

In June, I visited the Kawashima Industry Museum. I was marveled with the quality and the persistence to achieve perfection on textiles.

Three months ago I had come to Japan and I already had had an approach to Japanese traditional crafts, but seeing a place in the industrial process which had maintained high quality standards was impressive!

Indeed, Japanese people have genes for liking textile's excellence.
In this visit, I discovered that Kawashima Company has a Textile School. My wish to attend to this school came true with the support of Kyoto Institute of Technology.

Between August to September, I had the opportunity to attend the Chuya Ori Workshop with Keiko Yoshida Sensei; the Natural Dye Workshop with Masaru Hori Sensei; and finally, the Nassen Gasuri Workshop with Kozue Yamamoto Sensei.


In the Chuya Ori Workshop I learnt the importance of small details. For example, tying a proper knot is an action that usually goes unnoticed, but is very important. Keiko Yoshida helped me a lot to introduce me to the school and teachers with her fluent English.


With Hori-Sensei, I discovered the beautiful natural dyeing colors that the Japanese people have produced for centuries. Hori-Sensei's dyeing technique with two rods or metal 'hashi" was new for me.

As a Spanish speaker this was the most difficult class, because of its many vocabularies in Japanese. But Hori-Sensei and my team encouraged me in doing the exercises and supported me with the translation of concepts in English.


Yamamoto Sensei's Workshop was interesting. It was my first time I dyed on the loom with the stencil technique. This course taught me the importance of concentration and to know your own rhythm for working.

In these three workshops, the teachers and students showed me a part of Japanese culture: the significance of small details, the importance teamwork, to be patience and perseverant to achieve your own goals.

Kawashima Textile School is different from others. It doesn’t matter how old are you or what your profession is, only if you are really interested in learning about textiles.

Not only the workshops are high quality programs, all the teachers and people that I met in KTS were high qualified. I’m so grateful with their advise, otherwise I couldn’t have approached other textile artists, artisans and designers to complete my JICA's research.

Thank you so much to KTS for everything! I hope the School continues supporting textile lovers!

Hi, my name is Ivonne Sigler. I’m a young textile designer in Mexico.
At the beginning of this year, I traveled to Japan because I made a training course in “Modern Design and Traditional Culture & Craftsmanship” held by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

This eight-month’s training course consisted in two parts. The first period was formed of master course’s classes in Kyoto Institute of Technology; related on Japanese traditional culture and aesthetics.

For example, I attended lectures given by Mr. Kitayama the gardener of Kodaiji's Temple; by Mr. Keimei a famous Buddha Sculptor; and by Mr. Morito an Architectural decorator. I also visited Watabun Company (brocades from Nishijin), Zuikogama Company (Ceramics), Shoeidou Company (Incense), and others. This was my first deep approach to Japanese traditional culture trough their artists and artisans.

The second part of the program began on September. It consisted in making my personal project. Because I am a textile designer I decided to research about traditional weaving and dyeing techniques, as well as interviewing textile and fashion designers: to learn how they apply the traditional techniques in the contemporary clothes or interior design.

My research consisted of eight interviews, eight weaving and dyeing workshops, stays in other cities, like: Tokyo, Okinawa and Nagoya; and visits to remarkable temples or buildings, museum’s exhibitions and design stores.

The design process that I learnt in Japan was unexpected. The Japanese Design is so close to philosophy and also to humans. I could notice a strong relationship with human’s fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason and language.
As designers we are focus on the aesthetic or the functional of the product for follow the market constants demands. But when we rediscover the past techniques and we stay in contact with the artisan's work, we remind the importance of pursuing bring a better service to humankind using wisely the natural resources and knowledge.

The designer’s main goal should be to build a bridge between these artisans and the common people. Always reminding that before products are the human beings.

Above all, we have to preserve things that remind us of our humanity.

Aug. 29(Mon.) to Aug. 31(Wed.) 10:00-16:00

Tuition Fee: 25,200yen
Materials Fee: 5,250yen
Capacity: 6-10 students
Held in Japanese and English

Application Deadline: July 25 (Mon.)

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Happy New Year!

This year the following workshops will be open to international students:



May 3-4
Paper Yarn Making Workshop
Keiko Yoshida


July 19-22
Handwoven Indigo Dyed Scarf Workshop Kazuyo Yamakoshi


July 25-28
Shifu Workshop
Keiko Yoshida


Aug. 29-31
Chuya Ori Workshop (*added Feb. 7)
Keiko Yoshida


Sep. 2-3
Natural Dyeing Workshop "Colors of the Heian Period"
Masaru Hori


Please click on the images for more information.
We look forward to meeting you at KTS!

May 3(Tue.) to May 4(Wed.) 10:00-16:00

Tuition Fee: 15,750yen
Materials Fee: 5,250yen
Capacity: 6-10 students
Held in Japanese and English

Application Deadline: Apr. 12 (Tue.)

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July 19(Tue.) to July 21(Thu.) 10:00-16:00
July 22(Fri.) 9:00-18:00

Tuition Fee: 33,000yen
Materials fee and bus trip fee included
Capacity: 5-10 students
Held in Japanese
*This workshop is intended for experienced weavers.

Application deadline: June 28(Tue.)

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July 25(Mon.) to July 28(Thu.) 10:00-16:00

Tuition Fee: 29,400yen
Materials Fee: 5,250yen
Capacity: 6-10 students
Held in Japanese and English
*This workshop is intended for experienced weavers (of at least one year).

Application Deadline: July 4(Mon.)

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Day 1 Lecture, cutting and rolling the washi, spinning
Day 2 Designing the shifu, warping, preparing the loom
Day 3 Weaving
Day 4 Weaving, finishing, critique

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Keiko Yoshida

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Sept. 2(Fri.) to Sept. 3(Sat.) 10:00-16:00

Tuition Fee: 10,500yen
Materials fee: 4,200
Capacity: 2-5 students
Held in Japanese
Application Deadline: July 25(Mon.)

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Photos from our workshop in July:
Dyeing handwoven silk scarves using natural indigo leaves freshly picked from the school's garden.




The last day of the workshop was a one day bus trip to Mr. Hiroyuki Shindo's studio and his Little Indigo Museum in Miyama, Kyoto, a historic village of thatched roof dwellings.




    

Shifu Workshop by Keiko Yoshida
Aug. 28 -Aug. 31     10:00-16:00
Tuition Fee: 29,400yen
Material Fee: 5,250yen
Capacity: 10 students
Held in Japanese and English
*This workshop is intended for experienced weavers (of at least one year).

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