“Velvet” is a woven fabric that combines the luster and texture of swan (white bird) feathers. In Japanese “天鵞絨(birodo)”.

The cloth that wrapped the guns brought to Tanegashima by the Portuguese was velvet. Over a hundred years have passed since then, and after trial and error, Nishijin craftsmen succeeded in domestic production.

Somacho is the only velvet specialist weaver located in Nishijin, the birthplace of Japanese velvet.