I first became acquainted with Saganishiki during my senior year at Keio University. My introduction began when a cousin invited me to join her for Saganishiki lessons. After I graduated from university, I married and was too busy raising my children to continue Saganishiki. In my mid-30s, an opportunity presented itself for me to resume Saganishiki lessons and to pursue weaving seriously.
However, the more I studied Saganishiki, the more I found myself wanting to incorporate more unique materials and designs. This led me to Kyoto, Japan’s historical capitol, where I consulted with local artisans and craftsmen. Although I initially received a cool reception, after repeated visits they began to feel my passion and understand my vision and they graciously accommodated many difficult and complicated requests.
The owner of a bamboo shop in Kamakura sold me a piece of an eighty-year-old bamboo that, with the use of a machete, plane and knives, I crafted into good bamboo paddles. Shaping the paddles made my hands very sore and rough at the time but now I look back on such memories foundly. I am also indebted to the husband of one of my students who made wonderful looms for me. Since he passed away, I have asked professionals and specialized companies to replicate his looms, but to no avail.
To refine my sense of artistic design, I visited many art museums, temples and churches both within and outside of Japan. Conventional Saganishiki patterns are small-scaled and it was not easy to leap from such conventional patterns to design larger-scaled patterns and to draw them out before I could start weaving. Kiriyo Ori is the result of my quest for a form of weaving with which I could satisfy this objective. Looking back, I am surprised that I have continued searching and weaving for thirty years despite facing many challenges.
At the end of 2009, I began experiencing a pain in my abdomen and was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. While undergoing treatment, I contemplated what I could do with my weaving so that it would be appreciated by many people. I admit I also wanted to feel a sense of satisfaction and achievement for having produced these pieces of woven art. I decided that the best way to share my works was to publish a portfolio book. This website is a spin-off of the portfolio book and I am very grateful that you have come to visit this website and are turning the pages to look at my works.
Through my works, I hope to express the preciousness of life and compassion in a way that I had not been able to express before my lymphoma diagnosis and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my friends and family for all their help and support. Without them, Kiriyo Ori and the portfolio book or this website would never have come to fruition.