Experiencing Tradition and Innovation – Textile Tour in Kyotango

In early September 2025, a team formed through the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2024—a cultural initiative connecting Japanese traditional artisans with Dutch creators—visited Kyotango, a scenic region in northern Kyoto Prefecture. Facing the Sea of Japan, Kyotango is roughly twice the size of Amsterdam and is a land rich in fisheries, agriculture, and natural beauty. It is also renowned as the birthplace of Tango Chirimen, a traditional silk crepe fabric.

The travelers were Tsuyoshi Kato, the successor of kiten., a Kyoto-based noren (Japanese shop curtain) maker founded in 1950, and Laura Luchtman, a Dutch textile designer. Their visit was part of their creative research for an upcoming project at the EU Pavilion during the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

Left: Tsuyoshi Kato / Right: Laura Luchtman

Day 1: Encountering Tradition in Motion

The two-day tour began with visits to workshops that blend deep-rooted craftsmanship with avant-garde ideas.

At the TANGO OPEN CENTER, they observed the delicate seiren (refining) process of Tango Chirimen. At TAMIYA RADEN, they discovered textiles woven with mother-of-pearl—a mesmerizing fusion of natural material and weaving technology.

(At KUSKA: Laura receives an explanation of Japan’s unique “karami-ori” weave. Left: Harada, tour coordinator)

Day 2: Innovation through Craftsmanship

The second day continued with visits to workshops that pursue singular visions.

KUSKA, where artisans not only weave but also tailor their fabrics into products such as ties. DESIGN Tochi (橡), a studio creating metal-thread textiles used for luxury façades and interiors. Ito Asobi Creative Workshop, known for weaving silk, linen, and even Japanese paper into high-quality fabrics for designers. And PARANOMAD, which approaches textiles as sculptural art—treating cloth itself as a medium of form and expression.A common thread among these studios is their reimagining of traditional production and distribution systems. Each integrates design, manufacturing, and delivery within its own practice—spinning a new kind of ecosystem from the serene fields of Kyotango to the global stage. Through this, they embody a steadfast balance between tradition and individuality.

(From PARANOMAD’s studio: an adapted Nishijin-ori loom still in use today)

(At KUSKA: a craftsman who embodies both the weaver and the designer)

(At DESIGN Tochi: stretching silk floss made from silkworm cocoons—every process was inspiring.)

Voices from the Journey

Laura Luchtman:

“This trip made me realize that the tools themselves are a form of craftsmanship. When toolmaking is endangered, the craft itself becomes vulnerable. The artisans who maintain and replace these tools are aging, yet their knowledge and philosophy—so unique to Japan and Asia—do not exist in Europe. It’s a profound ecosystem of making.”

Tsuyoshi Kato:

“My mother’s hometown is Kyotango. As a child, I thought of it as an isolated place—but now I see how connected it is to the world. I’ve come to realize that putting into words who we are and what our craft stands for is the very starting point of creation. Encounters with people—those connections—are what truly move us forward.”

The Kyotango Textile Tour was filled with inspiration and learning, offering the team a wealth of new ideas and a renewed appreciation for the true spirit of monozukuri—the Japanese philosophy of craftsmanship.

Their collaborative creation was unveiled at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, at the EU Pavilion, from October 2 to 12.

What kind of work will these two creators—bridging Japanese tradition and the wider world—ultimately bring to life? The answer, surely, will weave together heritage, innovation, and the shared language of making.

伝統と革新に触れる　
京丹後テキスタイルツアーレポート

2025年9月初旬、日本の伝統産業の職人とオランダのクリエーターを結ぶMONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2024から生まれたチームが、京都府北部の「京丹後」を訪れた。日本海に面した京丹後は、アムステルダムの約2倍の広さを持ち、水産業や農業が息づく自然豊かな町だ。絹織物「丹後ちりめん」の産地としても知られる。

旅をしたのは、1950年創業、京都でのれん製造を受け継ぐ「kiten.」の加藤剛史氏と、オランダのテキスタイルデザイナーであるローラ・ルフトマン氏。2人は2025年大阪・関西万博EUパビリオンのプロジェクトに向けて、新たな発想を求めこの地を訪ねた。

(左/加藤剛史氏　右/ローラ・ルフトマン氏)

二日間に渡るツアー。1日目は丹後ちりめんの精錬工程を見ることができる「TANGO OPEN CENTER」、貝殻を織物にする「TAMIYA RADEN」など、伝統を守りながら前衛的な取り組みを行う工房を訪ねた。

(KUSKAにて　日本独自の“絡み織”の説明を受けるローラ氏　左/ツアーをコーディネートした原田氏 )

2日目も唯一無二の取り組みを行う工房が続く。織物職人が仕立ても行う「KUSKA」のネクタイ、ハイブランドのファザードや内装を手がける「DESIGN 橡」の金属糸織物。シルクや麻、和紙など多彩な素材を織り上げ、高品質な織物でデザイナーに応える「創作工房糸あそび」。布そのものを彫刻のように捉え織物に仕立てる「PARANOMAD」。

どの工房も共通するのは、従来の流通や販路を見直し、生産体制とともに新たな仕組みを築いているという点だ。アイデアから製造、そして届けるまでを自らの手で紡ぐ。京丹後の穏やかな田園風景から世界市場へ。伝統と個性を徹底的に融合させながら、その姿勢を貫いている。

(PARANOMADステジオから　京都の伝統織物”西陣織”の織機を改造し現在も使い続けている)

(KUSKAにて　織物職人とデザイナーの両方をこなす職人)

(DESIGN 橡にて　蚕でできた真綿を伸ばす　何もかも刺激的) 

ローラ氏
「今回の旅を通して、道具そのものが一つの工芸だと気づかされた。道具づくりが危機にさらされると工芸自体も危うくなるため、部品は高齢化する職人たちが交換・維持している。これらの技術や思想は日本やアジア特有で、欧州には存在しないものだ」

一方、母の故郷が京丹後にある加藤氏は
「子どもの頃は陸の孤島と思っていた土地が、こんなにも世界とつながっていたことに驚いた。自分や家業が何者なのかを言葉で表現することが全てを動かす起点で、人との出会いと繋がりが前進する力になると改めて実感した」と話す。

(PARANOMADのストールはローラ氏の日々を彩っていく)

(加藤氏　KUSAKにて)
刺激と学びに満ちた京丹後テキスタイルツアーは、チームにたくさんのアイデアと”ものづくり”の心を届けてくれた。大阪・関西万博でのお披露目は10月2日～12日で行われた。
日本の伝統と世界を結ぶ2人の協業は、一体どんなものを世界に届けてくれるのだろうか。