Kihachijo
Kihachijo (黄八丈) is a silk textile produced on Hachijojima island, Tokyo, designated as a Traditional Craft (Dento-teki Kogeihin) by the national government of Japan. The fabric is distinguished by its use of plant-based dyeing (kusakizome) employing native island flora to produce yellow, reddish-brown, and black threads, which are then woven into striped or checkered patterns.
History
The origins of silk weaving on Hachijojima are linked, by local legend, to Minamoto no Tametomo, who is said to have been the first to present tribute from the island to the imperial court. According to historical records, Hachijojima received silk weaving techniques from exiles sent from the capital in ancient times. From the Muromachi period onward, the island submitted white pongee silk (shiro-tsumugi) as tribute. During the Kan'ei era, textiles dyed reddish-brown using the bark of Tabunoki — known locally as Madami — began to be woven. The dyeing techniques characteristic of modern Kihachijo were completed around the Kansei era.
The textile gained widespread popularity in the late Edo period when it was featured as a costume in the joruri (puppet theater) play Koi Musume Mukashi Hachijo, which was based on a dramatization of the murder-attempt incident involving Shirakoya Okuma's adopted son-in-law. Scholar Motoori Norinaga wrote in Tamakatsuma that the name of Hachijojima itself likely derived from the island's production of this silk. Before World War II, the fabric was commonly referred to as Hachijo-kinu or Tango; the name Kihachijo came into common use only after the war.
Techniques & Production Process
Kihachijo threads are dyed in three principal colors — yellow, reddish-brown (tobiiро), and black — using boiled extracts of plants native to Hachijojima. The yellow color is derived from Cobunagusa (Arthraxon hispidus), an annual grass of the Poaceae family, which is called Hachijo-kariyasu on the island and is carefully cultivated there. Dyeing with Cobunagusa begins in early autumn. Following the dye bath, mordanting is performed using ash lye from camellia (tsubaki) and similar plants.
The reddish-brown (tobi) color is derived from the bark of Tabunoki (Machilus thunbergii). This hue is achieved by repeatedly immersing the thread in dye solution and drying it. Black is obtained through mud dyeing (kurosome), an iron-mordanting process in which thread previously dyed with the bark of Sudajii (Castanopsis sieboldii) is immersed in natural swamp mud, causing iron to bond with the tannins in the fiber. Mud dyeing tends to weaken the thread, which is why black-dyed old textiles rarely survive to the present day.
Once dyed, threads are woven using either plain weave (hiraori) or twill weave (ayaori) to create striped or checkered patterns. Kihachijo textiles are part of the broader tradition of Japanese Woven Textiles, which encompasses numerous regional silk and plant-fiber weaving traditions across the country.
How to Identify Kihachijo
Kihachijo is identified by the combination of its characteristic plant-dyed color palette and its woven patterning. Pieces in which yellow predominates are referred to simply as Kihachijo; those with a predominantly reddish-brown (tobi) ground are called Cha-hachijo, and those with a predominantly black ground are called Kuro-hachijo. Fabric produced on Hachijojima itself is distinguished from regional variants by the designation Honba Kihachijo. The yellow of Cobunagusa-dyed threads is noted for producing a distinctly golden yellow, setting it apart from other plant-dyed yellows.
The Craft Today
Kihachijo continues to be produced on Hachijojima island as a nationally designated Traditional Craft. The term Honba Kihachijo distinguishes island-produced fabric from a variant made in Akita Prefecture, where dyes are sourced from hamanasu (Rosa rugosa) rather than the native Hachijojima plants. Among the Izu Islands, Miyakejima also produces its own unique silk textile known as Miyake-Tango. Kihachijo items are available through Aoyama Square, a traditional craft retail venue operated by the General Foundation for Traditional Craft Industries Promotion Association, located at 8-1-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Related woven silk traditions from the Tokyo region include Tama-ori, another METI-designated textile craft produced within the metropolitan area. Other comparable silk pongee textiles can be found in traditions such as Yuki-tsumugi from Ibaraki and Tochigi, and Oshima-tsumugi from Kagoshima.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name "Kihachijo" mean?
The name Kihachijo came into common use after World War II. Before that, the textile was called Hachijo-kinu or Tango. Scholar Motoori Norinaga suggested in Tamakatsuma that the name of Hachijojima island itself may derive from its production of this silk.
What plants are used to dye Kihachijo?
Three plant sources are used. Yellow is obtained from Cobunagusa (Arthraxon hispidus), called Hachijo-kariyasu on the island. Reddish-brown is derived from the bark of Tabunoki (Machilus thunbergii). Black is produced by first dyeing with Sudajii (Castanopsis sieboldii) bark and then immersing the thread in natural swamp mud in an iron-mordanting process.
What is the difference between Kihachijo, Cha-hachijo, and Kuro-hachijo?
These names refer to the predominant color of the finished textile. Kihachijo features a predominantly yellow ground, Cha-hachijo has a predominantly reddish-brown (tobi) ground, and Kuro-hachijo has a predominantly black ground. All three varieties share the same island dyeing and weaving tradition.
What is the difference between Honba Kihachijo and Akita Kihachijo?
Honba Kihachijo is produced on Hachijojima island using dyes derived from plants native to the island. Akita Kihachijo is a variant produced in Akita Prefecture using dyes made from hamanasu (Rosa rugosa). The term Honba (meaning "genuine place of origin") is used to distinguish the island-produced fabric from the Akita variant.
How is black achieved in Kihachijo, and why are old black-dyed pieces rare?
Black is produced through mud dyeing (kurosome), in which thread dyed with Sudajii bark is immersed in natural swamp mud, causing iron in the mud to bond with the tannins in the fiber. This process tends to weaken the thread structurally, which is why black-dyed Kihachijo textiles from earlier periods rarely survive to the present day.
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