382 ART INDUSTRY AND RELATED OCCUPATIONS. 



weavers in Kioto and vicinity, and about 6,000 looms with a pro- 

 duct in raw silk of 6,000 bales of 50 kilogrammes each. The value 

 of the fabric manufactured from this is placed at 20,000,000 

 yen, or over ;^3,92 1,568. The silk weavers form free corporations, 

 according to their special employments, for improvement of their 

 common concerns. There is for example a Moyo-sha, or picture- 

 weaving guild, from which have branched off the Kin-ran-sha, or 

 silk-brocade guild, and the Tsuzure-sha for inlaid brocade work. 

 Kioto has also a Chirimen-sha, or crape guild ; and from it have 

 separated the Kanoko-sha, also a Habutai-sha,* a Shaori-sha or 

 gauze-weavers' guild, a Natsu-gi-sha or guild for manufacturers of 

 summer goods, a Birodo-sha or velvet-weavers' guild, and several 

 more. Besides the old domestic dye-stuffs (see pages 175-182) the 

 European aniline dyes are used more and more, also other pro- 

 ducts of our chemical colour industry, and so successfully too that 

 it is thought in Japan that Kioto water (of the Kamo-gawa) 

 assimilates them as no others, therefore the Kioto dyers cannot 

 be equalled. 



The sale of Kioto silk wares and those of other cities is carried 

 on principally at Osaka, although in this as in trade generally 

 Tokio competes with it very strongly. The most extensive silk 

 warehouses are, however, in Osaka, old well-known houses that 

 employ from 80-100 Bantos (clerks), and carry on a very large 

 business. 



Kiriu, a little city in the province of Joshiu (Kodzuke) east of 

 Mayebashi, near the boundary of Shimotzuke, has next to Kioto 

 the most important silk manufacture. Like many other places in 

 the province, particularly Mayebashi, Takasaki, and Isesaki, 

 Kiriu, is distinguished mainly for its Shusu (satin), and other simple, 

 light silk fabrics and half-silk materials, of which it manufactures 

 more than Kioto. It has also an important crape manufacture, and 

 furnishes besides several sorts of Obi, or ladies' sashes. Chirimen 

 or crape silk is made principally, besides here and at Kioto, — 



At Tanabe and Miatsu in the province of Tango. 



„ Nagahama on the Biwa Lake „ „ „ Omi. 



„ Kano and Gifu ., „ „ Mino. 



The broad Obi, or sashes for women and girls, are woven in 

 specially fine qualities — 



At Hakata in the province of Chikuzen on Kiushiu. 

 „ Yonezawa „ „ „ Uzen. 



and in the before-mentioned Kiriu. Besides these, Fukushima in 

 Iwashiro, Sendai in Rikuzen, Akita in Ugo, Kofu in Koshiu, Kana- 

 zawa in Kaga, Hachioji in Musashi, and even Tokio the capital, 

 carry on silk industries of a particular kind ; Akita for instance, 

 a many-striped Tsumugi, a strong fabric from spun silk waste, 

 whose full name is Kudzu-ito-tsumugi. 



