Ramie

This angin sodenashi is fashioned from ramie, a bast fiber valued for its strength and durability. Angin textiles represent one of Japan’s oldest surviving textile traditions, with roots extending back to the Jōmon period (ca. 1000 BCE), when similar fiber garments were already being produced. In more recent centuries, angin weaving was practiced primarily in what is now Niigata Prefecture, where ramie and, in some cases, nettle fibers were transformed into remarkably resilient clothing suited to daily life and labor.

Today, authentic angin textiles are exceedingly rare. Although they are often described as “knitted,” their construction differs significantly from knitting. Rather than being formed with needles, angin cloth is created on a structured frame through the interlacing movement of numerous bobbins. The process shares similarities with the making of braided cords such as kumihimo and, in some respects, lace-making. This labor-intensive technique produces a dense, textured surface distinguished by its strength and flexibility.

The garment’s coarse texture and visible handwork reflect a textile tradition that preserves techniques developed over centuries, offering a rare example of one of Japan’s most ancient forms of fiber craftsmanship.