Uetsu Shinafu

In Japan, ever since the Jomon and Yayoi periods, people have made thread from fiber derived from plants and trees that grow naturally in the mountains such as Japanese linden, mulberry, elm, wisteria, kudzu, and ramie, and used this thread to weave fabric and make clothing and ornaments for private home use. Thanks to developments in spinning technology during the Meiji period, cotton products became more common and many regions ceased producing these traditional textiles, but in this locale, it was still used for casual wear and clothing for doing agricultural work. It was also in circulation as fishing nets, filtering fabric, sheets, and storage bags. Afterwards, the development of Japan's economy and the modernization of lifestyles resulted in a sudden drop in demand, and while it barely remained in production for personal use, but since the late-Showa (1970s-80s) period, there has been an increased use of traditional crafts for regional revitalization activities as well as heightened demand for simple crafts, which has resulted in gradual expansion of production activities.

Yamagata