Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost prefecture, is an archipelago of 146 islands stretching between Kyushu and Taiwan. Its rich culture is shaped by its topography and regional influences. Basho-fu, or 'banana-fiber cloth,' embodies a distinct local and national identity, evolving through the many social, economic, and cultural transformations of Okinawan and Japanese society. As the name implies, Basho-fu is made from a tree-like plantain in the banana family (Musa balbisiana). Although characteristic of the subtropical landscape, research indicates that 'thread-banana,' known as Ito-basho in modern Japanese, is not indigenous to the islands. Both the plant and the textile were introduced from Southern China.
Basho-fu represents an intriguing aspect of Okinawa's rich history, marked by periods of tributary state relations, especially with neighbouring China, and full colonisation.
The traditional banana-fibre textile culture of Okinawa in issue 70, Delicate:www.selvedge.org/products/selvedge-magazine-issue-70-delicate