Preparing the Threads (itokuri) and Warping, Tango chirimen. Photo: Kuwajima Kaoru

Production Process of Tango Chirimen: Preparing the Threads (itokuri) and Warping
The preparation of the silk to weave Tango chirimen starts by winding the raw silk that comes from the spinning factory in a form of a skein (kase) on to a frame bobbin (itowaku). From 2,000 up to 4,000 warp threads are needed for one width of Tango chirimen fabric. Before setting the warp on the loom, the warp must be measured and the tension adjusted by winding the threads from the bobbins onto a warp beam This warping process is called ‘seikei’ in Japanese.