Yuki (in Ibaraki Prefecture) and neighboring Oyama (Tochigi Prefecture) are famous throughout Japan as the home of traditional hand-made textiles known as yuki-tsumugi. The techniques for producing the yarn, dyeing it and weaving the fabric date back to ancient times and are unique in Japan. That is why yuki-tsumugi was registered by UNESCO in 2010 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. In the old days, Yuki flourished as a castle town, and many stores and warehouses that were used by the textile wholesalers remain to this day. Some of these historic buildings have been converted into shops and cafes. Meanwhile, Oyama was known for culturing the silkworms that produce the raw silk used for yuki-tsumugi. Leina Bambino meets with some of the artisans in Yuki who produce textiles. In Oyama, she also visits farmers who grow the local specialty, bottle gourds (kanpyo), which are in peak season from late June through August. On this edition of Journeys in Japan: meeting the families - the artisans and food producers - who are working to pass down their skills for future generations.
