The Summer Fabric Born from Snow

Aug 29, 2025

「EP.67」越後上布

ECHIGO JŌFU
Niigata Prefecture

「transcript」

Echigo Jōfu (越後上布), the finest summer kimono fabric in Japan, has a history of over 1,000 years. By the Edo period, it was prized by samurai and even sent as tribute to the shogunate. This delicate cloth is born in Uonuma (魚沼), Niigata, where deep winter snow gives life to the craft.

Harvested ramie fiber is hand-split and twisted into threads thinner than a human hair. This o-umi (苧績み) process can take months, with a single kimono requiring nearly a year’s worth of thread-making. The threads are breathable yet fragile, so weaving must be done in rooms without air conditioning, as artificial heating would dry the air and cause the threads to break.

The most magical stage is yukizarashi (雪ざらし), or “snow bleaching.” In early spring, cloth is spread across snowy fields under the sun. The snow releases natural ozone when evaporated through sunlight, whitening and purifying the fabric. Even old kimono regain brilliance through this process.

Today, Echigo Jōfu is recognized as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan, and since 2009 has been protected by UNESCO as a heritage of humanity.

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