1. What are Oriental Carpets?

・Carpets woven with traditional Chinese techniques and Japanese sensibilities

In 1935, a challenge began in a corner of Yamabe Town.

Cold damage, poor harvests, and financial instability.

In the harsh times that hit the Tohoku region at the time,

“I want to create a clean workplace where women in areas with few jobs can work with peace of mind.”

Oriental Carpet Co., Ltd. was established with this heartfelt desire of its founder.

The Sugawa River that flows near the workshop is an acidic river, making it a “blessed river” suitable for dyeing.

The company’s founder, Junnosuke Watanabe, who ran a cotton weaving business in the area, invited carpet craftsmen from China to teach him their techniques for two years and two months.

Compared to Persian carpets, Oriental carpets are characterized by the addition of the characteristics of the heavy Chinese dantsu (※) and the delicate handiwork and aesthetic sensibility unique to the Japanese .

*Dantu: A hand-woven carpet. Along with Persian carpets, it is said to be one of the finest carpets in the world.

・A timeless Nordic-style building

Oriental Carpet is located a 10-minute walk from Uzen-Yamabe Station on the JR Aterazawa Line, or a 20-minute drive from Yamagata Station.

As you step onto the premises, the first thing that catches your eye are the warm, retro buildings.

The wooden company building was built in the 1940s based on the image of a Nordic mountain hut.

The white and pink exterior paintwork reflects the founder’s desire for the building to be a “workplace for women.”

The design, with its many windows, was made with consideration given to allowing the craftsmen to work comfortably with fresh air and plenty of light.

[Natural light is also ideal for checking the color of the carpet]

It is located on a small hill and has a great view! You can see the Zao mountain range in front .

[The company building was designed by the founder himself. It also won the Yamagata Prefecture Landscape Design Award (construction, 1949).]

2. A tour of the workshop

Now, let’s begin our tour of the workshop!

・Hand weaving workshop | Craftsmanship condensed into just a few centimetres per day

First, we will take a sneak peek into the production site of hand-woven carpets that fascinate people all over the world.

[Currently, seven craftsmen are carefully carrying on the traditional manufacturing methods]

While looking at the production blueprint through the warp threads, each knot is woven in one by one, and the density is adjusted to a uniform level using special tools.

Even a veteran craftsman can only progress about 7 or 8 centimeters in a day to weave a hand-woven carpet the size of a doormat.

It takes about a month for a doormat to be woven, and after that it undergoes various processes before it is released to the world as a finished product.

Next, the pattern is carved into a three-dimensional shape, breathing life into the woven carpet.

[Slight pruning can affect the overall impression]

The skill of the craftsmen who trim the ends of the hair without hesitation is so captivating that even visitors can’t help but hold their breath.

Currently, there are only two companies in the country that can produce handwoven wool carpets.

One of them is the Oriental Carpets here in Yamagata.

As the delicate work continues, in a way that makes it difficult to even speak, the only sound that echoes through the workshop is the steady clatter of threads being pulled together .

The pleasant sound carried the weight of the history that has been woven in this area.

・Hand-stitching workshop | Techniques that shine with precision and strength

The pleasant sound of a hook gun echoes through the bright, sunlight-filled embroidery workshop.

The sight of the craftsmen beating the wool in a straight line with consistent force and spacing is captivating, as it is full of beauty and dignity .

Although tools are used, the quality is close to that of hand-woven fabric, and production requires a skilled sense and high concentration.

There are also carpets that feature wavy lines that look as if they were hand-drawn or brushed.

happy ocean (designed by minä perhonen)

In addition, materials other than wool, such as silk and washi paper, can be woven together to create a variety of designs and a glossy feel.

[KOKE made of wool and silk (designed by Kengo Kuma)]

・Dyeing studio | Colors that never fade over time

As I approached the dyeing workshop, I could faintly smell the distinctive scent of dyeing and hear the hissing of steam.

Oriental Carpets has been dyeing its own carpets ever since it was founded, and has a stock of over 20,000 colors !

The fact that the drawing room carpet, woven 80 years ago, is still as vibrant in colour today is a testament to the quality of the material.

・Marcerization Workshop｜For 100 years of use

The mercerization workshop is a workshop where mercerization processing and cleaning are carried out.

Mercerizing is the process of soaking a new carpet in an alkaline liquid and then brushing it to increase the shine and density of the fibers, making it smoother to walk on.

Unless the carpet is of high quality, this treatment may actually reduce its durability.

Additionally, carpets that have been used all over the country are brought back here for a “homecoming.”

Once the carpets are returned to the workshop, they are carefully cleaned and maintained, and ready to begin another new life.

[In Japan, only Oriental Carpets can perform mercerization.]

They are particular about quality and are thorough in considering the “satisfaction of the user” right down to the final finishing touches.

I cannot help but feel that this attitude is the pride of Oriental Carpets and the foundation of the trust that has been built up over the past 90 years .

・Reference Room | Learn about the colorful history of carpets

” Quality is design. “

For 90 years, our manufacturing spirit of strict quality management has quietly accompanied us at historical moments both in Japan and abroad, and continued to support us.

In the reference room,
・Battleship Yamato’s Commander’s Office
・The room used by General MacArthur, Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers after the war
・Vatican Palace Papal Audience Hall
・New Imperial Palace
・Kabukiza Theatre

Valuable materials such as samples and stories about carpets that have been delivered to famous spaces such as these are on display.

Oriental Carpet also produced the stage curtains for Yamagin Kenmin Hall (Yamagata Prefectural Cultural Arts Center), the largest art hall in the Tohoku region.

*Photo taken at the stage curtain viewing event on December 28, 2019

Inspired by Yamagata’s past, present, and future, the design features safflower and the natural scenery of the mountains meticulously expressed using thread in an astounding 182 colors .

Part of the stage curtain is made using thread dyed with safflower, the prefectural flower .

The warm red color adds depth to the stage curtain.

[Uses “deep red” which only makes up 3% of safflower pigment]

3. Showroom | Discover a piece that fits your lifestyle

We were guided to a showroom where we could leisurely look at the products of Oriental Carpet’s own brand, Yamagata Dantsu.

[A space that makes the most of the beams and high windows from the early Showa period]

Stroke it with the palm of your hand and feel it with the soles of your feet.

The soft, fluffy yet dense and resilient nature of this carpet is a luxury that can only be found in oriental carpets.

Here you can fully experience the difference in quality that cannot be conveyed by appearance alone.

When you visit our showroom, be sure to check out the backs of our hand-woven carpets! Hand-woven carpets are stunningly beautiful even on the back.

[The pattern on the back is unique to handwoven carpets]

Oriental Carpet’s rugs have passed the baton from the Chinese patterns used at the time of the company’s founding, through the Western-style era after the war, to the Yamagata Dantsu designs that are familiar to modern life.

[Modern Line with beautiful vibrant color gradations]

You can choose from a wide range of carpets, from plain ones that will blend in with your home to carpets that will become the centerpiece of your interior.


[The popular product “UMI” was designed by world-renowned industrial designer Kiyoyuki Okuyama, who is known for his designs for Ferrari and other cars.]

Cushions made from leftover carpet threads were also on display.

It has high elasticity and a smooth texture that feels like it sticks to your hands, making you addicted to it.

Cushions made from leftover yarn can only be purchased at exhibitions or during workshop tours, which are held only a few times a year, so if you come across one you like, we recommend getting it straight away!

4. Message

“You might think of carpets as something to lay down in the cold winter, but they can actually be used comfortably in the summer as well.”

These were the words of Akihiko Kaneko, a director and general affairs manager at Oriental Carpet.

Wool has excellent insulating properties and contains plenty of air, which absorbs moisture and makes it comfortable to wear even with bare feet without it feeling sticky.

It also has excellent soundproofing properties and is said to be effective in absorbing dust, helping to keep your living environment clean all year round.

Finally, he gave a message to everyone reading VISIT YAMAGATA.

“We hope that visitors will be able to experience the entire story , from the view of Yamabe from our building, to the handiwork of our craftsmen, all the way through to the finished carpet.

Please come and visit our workshop to experience the difference in texture and feel.”

5. Basic Information

Oriental Carpet Co., Ltd.
Hours
9:00~17:00
Closed Days
Designated Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays

* Advance reservations are required for both the workshop tour and Yamagata showroom
Available reservation dates
Thursday and Friday, every other Saturday

How to make a reservation
Apply from the official website

Parking Lot
Please use the gravel area to the right after entering the main gate or in front of the bicycle parking area.