Amami Oshima Tsumugi Mura

Amami Oshima Tsumugi Mura (Oshima Tsumugi Village) is a facility where visitors can tour a factory of Oshima Tsumugi (dyed silk weaving) which is Amami Island's specialty product. Visitors can also experience mud dying, hand weaving and wearing a kimono. Oshima Tsumugi is often counted as one of world's three most beautiful woven fabrics. The weaving process involves many steps and expert skills of the artisans. They use Amami Oshima's mud that contains a large amount of iron to dye threads, resulting in a deep black color. You can purchase Oshima Tsumugi kimono and clothing as well as small items like purses and wallets in the village.

(Source: 気まぐれ旅日記)

A Tour of the Factory

There is a factory of Oshima Tsumugi in the village, and you can learn the process of crafting Oshima Tsumugi. You will witness the artisan's eminent skills by observing the steps of tying silk threads, Amami's unique mud dying and hand weaving the silk threads.

(Source: リフォームのマキノ社長ブログ)

Experiencing Oshima Tsumugi Crafting

The mud dying is said to be practiced only in Amami and nowhere else in the world. You will have interesting experiences in the village, such as dying fabric in the mud, weaving the delicate patterns of Oshima Tsumugi and wearing Oshima Tsumugi kimono. Some classes are limited to only a few people, so we recommend that you make a reservation in advance.

(Source: リフォームのマキノ社長ブログ)

Subtropical Botanical Garden

The village has a subtropical botanical garden in its large 50,000-square-meter property. The garden presents valuable indigenous plants of Amami as well as red-beaked ruddy kingfishers and Lidth's jays that are some of Japan's natural treasures.