Kaizawa Yukiko()
Attus Weaver (1962- )
Born in 1941 in Hidaka Village, Hokkaido. From a young age, she helped with the family business by making threads for attus. In 1960, she married the late woodcarver Kaizawa Moriyuki, and from 1962 she began making folk crafts such as woodcarving and embroidery in Nibutani. Particularly in attus weaving, she studied under her mother-in-law, the late Kaizawa Hagi, who was the deputy head of the Nibutani attus Weaving Production Cooperative. Since then, she has preserved traditional techniques for over 60 years and has been actively training successors.
She mainly produces attus. She is involved in all processes, starting with making thread from the bark of the Ohyo tree and continuing through to producing the woven cloth. Although she often spends more than 10 hours a day, she finds weaving enjoyable and not burdensome. She spares no effort or time in dyeing, using threads dyed with familiar flowers and plants. By carefully determining the optimal timing for each plant, she still gathers plants used as dyes today.
Her work extends beyond traditional Ainu clothing to various items such as Japanese kimono sashes and business card holders, aiming to bring attus weaving closer to everyday life. Fans attracted to the soft colors of natural dyeing and the beauty of weaving are spread throughout the country.
She belongs to the Nibutani Mingei Association, is one of the makers of the traditional craft “Nibutani attus,” and holds the title of Traditional Crafts Master.
Career Highlights
2011 – Certified as an Excellent Craftsperson by the Public Interest Incorporated Association Hokkaido Ainu Association
2021 – Certified as a Traditional Craftsperson of Traditional Craft Products
2011 – Ainu Culture Encouragement Award by the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Ainu Culture Foundation
2018 – Regional Award of the Pola Traditional Culture Award by the Pola Foundation for the Promotion of Traditional Culture
Hokkaido Ainu Traditional Craft Exhibition (Public Interest Incorporated Association Hokkaido Ainu Association)
2002 – Excellence Award in Traditional Craft Division (Governor of Hokkaido Award) (awarded also in 2009, 2011)
Note: The current Public Interest Incorporated Association Hokkaido Ainu Association was called the Incorporated Association Hokkaido Utari Association until 2008, then Incorporated Association Hokkaido Ainu Association from 2009, and adopted its current name in 2014.
Ainu Craftwork Contest (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Ainu Culture Foundation)
2005 – Excellence Award (Traditional Craft Division)
2011 – Excellence Award (General Works Related to Ainu Category) for attus weaving
2016 – Selected Work (General Works Related to Ainu Category) for Nibutani attus obi
Note: The current Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Ainu Culture Foundation succeeded the Foundation for the Promotion and Research of Ainu Culture in 2013 and was reorganized under its current name in 2018.
2007 – Grand Prix at the Japan Tsumugi Textile Summit
2008 – Prize Winner at the Japan Traditional Craft Dyeing Exhibition for the attus obi “Furepu – Dyed Red”
2019 – Numerous awards including Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Commendation and Hokkaido Culture Prize
2023 – Awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays
Yukiko no Mise (Yukiko’s Shop)
76-7 Nibutani, Biratori-cho, Saru-gun, Hokkaido 055-0101, Japan
TEL (Domestic): 090-6217-8449(katak×bee)
TEL (International): +81-90-6217-8449(katak×bee)