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Discover the Beauty of Japan
The origins of Hakata-ori were believed to have been in 1241 during the Kamakura period (1185–1333). However, the recent discovery of a silk textile from around 200 BC excavated in the Fukuoka area (the oldest textile ever discovered in Japan), means that Hakata-ori has a heritage of over 2000 years.
Founded in 1897, Sennen Kobo is a manufacturer of Hakata-ori, a branch of which trades under the IZA name. The company has many achievements under its belt including the presentation of a gift to the current Imperial Household. In 1992, they were highly honored to receive a request to create the Saganishiki* obi that had been selected as an appropriate gift for the Emperor while he was visiting Fukuoka Prefecture. The company has also won the Prime Minister's Award every year since 2004 - the highest accolade a Hakata-ori manufacturer can receive.
*Saganishiki is a highly specialized weaving technique developed over a 25-year period.
IZA, a Hakata-ori manufacturer that combines traditional tech with modern design, has teamed up with another Fukuoka based company, ‘290KABAN’ (a canvas goods manufacturer), to create the stylish HAKATA Tote Bag.
Hakata-ori (fine woven silk) has a history of more 2000 years and is the oldest traditional silk textile in Japan. Artistic and very durable, Hakata-ori was treasured by Samurai and continues to be cherished by Geisha. The origin of its fame is that it enjoys the great honor of having been chosen as an offering to the Edo-Shogun in 1600. The company has also won the Prime Minister's Award every year since 2004 - the highest accolade a Hakata-ori manufacturer can receive.
Born in Hakata, Fukuoka, Yuko Okano was born into a family of famous Hakata-ori (silk weaving) manufacturers. Growing up surrounded by Japanese kimono culture, Okano inherited a great love of and respect for this traditional, practical art form from her parents. (She is a granddaughter of Buichiro Okano, the artisan who developed the ‘Saganishiki’ weaving technique mentioned previously.) With her family background and experiences working in the apparel field, Okano learned the concepts of form, design, materials and color, not to mention the cultural differences between Japan and the Western world. As Brand Manager for the newly launched ‘IZA’ brand (an offshoot of the family business), where she works on new concepts and designs, Okano is perfectly positioned to convey the sensibilities of Japanese culture and traditions through a combination IZA’s heritage weaving techniques and modern design.
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