""Tafu"" is said to be one of the oldest textiles in Japan. People used the threads made of bark of paper mulberry (plant used as the raw material of Japanese paper) to weave the fabric. Nowadays, the technique is only handled down within the Kito area in Naga-cho.
They steam branches to peel the bark, boil it and beat it with a mallet to remove the epidermis. After that, the materials will be exposed to river water then dried. The softened material will be torn, spun into yarn and then being woven on a jibata (traditional loom). Naturally, everything is done by hand. Tafu is made through a process taking an overwhelming amount of time.
In March 2017, ""Awa Tafu-ori Mulberry Cloth Production Technique"" was designated as an important intangible folk cultural property of the country.
You can visit and experience woving cloth at the purpose-built workshop ""Tafuan” only on Tuesdays. (Advance notice required)"