[Kaya Weaving, a Traditional Technique of Nara Prefecture]

The summer heat is gradually easing off but beware of mosquitoes, which can be a bit of a nuisance, even in the cooler months of the year ahead. Mosquitoes become less active when the temperature exceeds 35°C, and are most active at temperatures between 25°C and 30°C. Therefore, mosquito control measures are necessary even in early autumn. In today's modern living environment, air conditioning has become widespread, and people are more likely to close their windows and use air conditioning to control the temperature rather than letting the breeze in through the window. This has reduced the number of mosquitoes entering the house and the unpleasant sound of them buzzing in your ears when you are sleeping at night. Windows are fitted with screens to prevent mosquitoes and other insects from entering, but these screens became widespread around 1955.

Before that time, mosquito repellent coils and kaya (mosquito nets) were used. Mosquito coils are still used today, but I doubt that many people use kaya anymore. kaya is a large cloth product that is hung from the ceiling with a string to keep mosquitoes and other insects out and is woven with a moderately coarse texture to allow air to pass through it. At bedtime, people would lay out their futons inside this hanging kaya and sleep with their bedding tightly covered to the floor to prevent mosquitoes at night.

This weaving technique called kaya ori (mosquito net weaving), is a traditional technique of Nara Prefecture that has been handed down from generation to generation. kaya were introduced from China, and there is an old record of Emperor Ojin (said to have been around 270-310 during his reign) using kaya. In the Kofun period, it was a special item used by emperors, and in the Nara period, it was used by aristocrats and other upper-class people. The technique of making mosquito net fabric spread in hemp-producing areas such as Nara, Shiga, and Fukui prefectures, but Nara's kaya in particular were used as gifts for aristocrats and warriors as "Nara mosquito nets." During the Edo period (1603-1867), kaya made of cotton became popular among the general public instead of the luxury hemp nets, and by the Taisho period (1912-1926), when the Industrial Revolution was affecting Japan, kaya weaving was mechanized and mass-produced. Until the first half of the Showa period (1926-1989), they were so common that every household had one, but they gradually fell out of use as people began to use screen doors, and water and sewage systems were improved to reduce mosquito infestation.

However, the technique of weaving kaya has been inherited in fields other than mosquito net making, and continues to be used in unexpectedly familiar places, such as "cold gauze" to protect crops from wind and cold, reinforcing materials for car seats, wrapping materials, and construction materials. Mosquito net-weave kitchen cloths are one of the most frequently seen products. The 1mm mesh, which is designed to allow air to pass through, allows wet dishcloths to dry well, and because it is woven in a plain weave method using thick threads, it is strong, durable, and long-lasting. The cloth is woven with glue to prevent the weave from shifting while making gaps, so it has a crisp finish. However, if the cloth is washed in warm water to remove the glue before use, it will become soft and comfortable to the touch.

Okai Mafu Shoten's Linen Fukin, which we carry in our store, is made of 100% linen mosquito net fabric, which is excellent in terms of water absorbency, dry ability, and strength. You can tell that each stitch of the weave is evenly and beautifully woven with great care. The hemp dishcloths are very useful in our home, but I think it is time to replace the kitchen cloth with a dustcloth, the dishcloth with a kitchen cloth, and the new one on standby with a dishcloth. Although it is only one kitchen cloth, it is a product that I want to use with care until the very end when it finishes its role.

Okai Mafu Shoten's Linen Fukin
https://www.shokunin.com/en/okai/fukin.html
Otaru Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/otaru.html

References
https://www.apparel-nara.com/orimono/naranokayaori/
https://iebisou.com/amido-history-features-trend/