Gallery Kojima: Midsummer Old Basho-fu Exhibition
Opening on 3 August at Gallery Kojima, Okinawa, Japan, Midsummer Old Basho-fu exhibition will feature 40 pieces of Basho-fu kimono and fragments from pre-war Okinawa. Basho-fu is a unique Okinawan textile made from fibers of the "Ito-basho," a Japanese banana plant.
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.
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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.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*