In the small village of Sekikawa, not far from the frontier that separates Niigata prefecture from Tsuruoka, linden tree bark weaving's tradition has been ongoing for many centuries.
This ancient weaving technique: the Shinaori しな織 (shina しな: linden tree, ori 織り: weave), is one of the three oldest Japanese textiles (nihon sandai kodaifu 日本三大古代布). It follows a long and arduous process before becoming weavable yarns. It takes one year between the moment the men peel the bark out of the linden trees until the grandmas transform it into a thread after boiling it and drying it several times.
The textile that results from the weaving of the shinaori threads is rustic, robust, and waterproof. Hence, it is mostly used to craft bags, hats, shoes, but also delicate items like kimono and umbrellas.
Every year, on the 4th weekend of October, the people of Sekikawa invite visitors to the Shinaori Center しな織センター for the annual Shinaori Festival, where they organize weaving classes and expositions of their newest creations.