Miyako jōfu (宮古上布) is a fine ramie cloth from Miyakojima, woven from thread split and joined by hand, dyed a deep navy with fermented Ryukyu indigo and patterned with tiny cross-shaped kasuri. Finished by beating with wooden mallets, it takes on a sheen that the city’s crafts centre likens to wax. Long counted among Japan’s finest summer kimono fabrics, it is a national Traditional Craft and an Important Intangible Cultural Property. You can see it, and watch weavers in training on weekdays, at the Miyakojima City Traditional Crafts Center.
This page is part of our guide to Ryukyuan textiles, which compares all of Okinawa’s woven and dyed crafts.
Miyako Jōfu at a Glance
| Japanese | 宮古上布 (Miyako jōfu); jōfu means fine, high-grade hemp-type cloth |
| Fibre | Ramie (苧麻, choma) thread, hand-spliced (手績み) |
| Dye | Ryukyu indigo, fermented (発酵建て), plus island plant dyes |
| Pattern | Very fine cross-shaped kasuri (十字絣), made by hand-tying or by hata-ori-jime (機織締), in which the kasuri thread is bound on a loom |
| Made in | Miyakojima City and Tarama Village |
| Designations | Okinawa Prefecture traditional craft product (1974); national Traditional Craft, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (17 February 1975); Important Intangible Cultural Property, Miyako Jōfu Holding Group (26 April 1978) |
| Cooperative | Miyako Textile Business Cooperative (宮古織物事業協同組合), founded 1958 |
History
According to the prefecture, Miyako jōfu is said to have been created in 1583 by a woman known as Inaishi Toji (稲石刀自). From 1610 it became tribute cloth under the head tax (人頭税), passed on to Satsuma, and for almost three centuries it was produced as forced labour under the supervision of the island’s tribute weaving office. Production was freed only when the head tax was abolished in 1903.
After that, Miyako jōfu became a sought-after product in its own right. Around 1923 about 17,000 bolts a year were being made. Before the war it was known as one of Japan’s four great jōfu, with Echigo, Noto and Ōmi jōfu, and people paired the two leaders with the phrase “Echigo in the east, Miyako in the west” (東の越後、西の宮古上布).
The upheavals after the war hit both the supply of hand-spliced ramie thread and weaving itself. The prefecture says today’s production is only a few percent of prewar levels, and that around 20 people work in the craft. The cooperative was founded in 1958, and a research centre for Miyako’s traditional crafts opened in 1977. The cooperative registered “Miyako jōfu” as a regional brand trademark in fiscal 2008.
How Miyako Jōfu Is Made
The prefectural craft centre says every stage, from growing the ramie to splicing the thread and tying the kasuri, is done on Miyakojima. The main steps are:
- Ramie and thread: ramie is grown on the island, and its fibre is split and joined by hand into a long, very fine thread. This hand-splicing (苧麻糸手績み) is a recognised Selected Conservation Technique, held since 2003 by the Miyako Ramie Thread-Making Preservation Society (宮古苧麻績み保存会).
- Kasuri: the pattern is planned and the threads are bound, by hand or with the loom-binding method, so that tiny crosses form in the finished cloth.
- Indigo: the thread is dyed in Ryukyu indigo prepared by fermentation, giving the classic deep navy (kon). See our Ryukyu indigo guide.
- Weaving: the prefecture says one bolt takes about two months to weave.
- Mallet finishing: the cloth is beaten with a wooden mallet (砧, kinuta), which gives Miyako jōfu its glossy surface.
Did you know? Miyako jōfu is said to be a sandai-mono (三代物), a cloth that lasts three generations. The city’s crafts centre says it breathes well and is so strong and long-lasting that it earned this name.
Holding Group and Thread Makers
Miyako jōfu was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property on 26 April 1978, with the Miyako Jōfu Holding Group (宮古上布保持団体) recognised as its holder. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database and the prefecture’s list as of June 2024 give the representative as Shinzato Reiko (新里玲子); the prefecture lists 16 members.
Because the craft depends on hand-spliced thread, the prefecture says ramie thread is in short supply as spinners age, even when there is demand for cloth. The Miyako Ramie Thread-Making Preservation Society (representative 漢那明美; 82 members, according to the prefecture) and an incentive scheme run with Miyakojima City are working to train new spinners.
Related Cloths: Miyako-ori and Miyako Asa-ori
The crafts centre also sells two more affordable hand-woven cloths made on the island. Miyako-ori (宮古織) has a cotton warp and a weft of spun ramie, and is used for clothing, bags and small items. Miyako asa-ori (宮古麻織) is 100% spun ramie and is often used for kimono. Both use factory-spun thread, so they are not Miyako jōfu.
Where to See and Buy Miyako Jōfu
The Miyakojima City Traditional Crafts Center (宮古島市伝統工芸品センター) in Ueno displays and sells Miyako jōfu kimono and bolts, as well as small goods in Miyako jōfu, Miyako asa-ori and Miyako-ori. Exhibits cover the history, the process, materials and tools, and there is a video of about 15 minutes. The cooperative’s weaver-training room is attached, and you can watch the weaving, except on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
- Address: 1190-188 Aza Nobaru, Ueno, Miyakojima City (宮古島市上野字野原1190-188). The centre warns that searching its phone number in a car navigation system may take you to its old site, so enter the address instead.
- Hours: April–September 9:00–17:00; October–March 9:00–16:30.
- Closed: Sundays (for the time being) and over the New Year.
- Admission: free. Phone: 0980-74-7480. Groups of more than about 40 should contact the centre in advance.
- Getting there: about 15 minutes by car from Miyako Airport, according to the prefectural craft centre.
The centre itself offers no hands-on experiences at the moment. For weaving and other crafts, it refers visitors to the workshops of the Miyakojima City Craft Experience Village (宮古島市体験工芸村). For more on the island, see our Miyako Islands guide.
Practical details in this section last checked: Oct 2026.
How to Tell Authentic Miyako Jōfu
The crafts centre lists four marks used on Miyako jōfu:
- the Miyako Textile Business Cooperative’s registered trademark;
- the Okinawa Prefecture textile inspection certificate (織物検査済の証);
- the national Traditional Craft mark (伝統マーク) of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry;
- the Okinawa Prefecture traditional craft mark.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Miyako jōfu?
Miyako jōfu is a fine ramie cloth from Miyakojima, hand-spliced, dyed with fermented Ryukyu indigo, patterned with tiny cross-shaped kasuri and finished by mallet beating. It is an Important Intangible Cultural Property.
Why is Miyako jōfu so expensive?
Every stage is done by hand on the island, from growing ramie and splicing thread to tying kasuri, dyeing and weaving. The prefecture says one bolt takes about two months to weave, and thread is scarce.
Where can I see Miyako jōfu on Miyakojima?
At the Miyakojima City Traditional Crafts Center in Ueno, which has exhibits, a short video and a shop. Weaving can be watched on weekdays. Admission is free and it is closed on Sundays for now.
Can I try weaving on Miyakojima?
Not at the crafts centre, which has no experiences at present. It recommends the workshops at the Miyakojima City Craft Experience Village.
What is the difference between Miyako jōfu and Miyako-ori?
Miyako jōfu uses hand-spliced ramie thread. Miyako-ori has a cotton warp and a weft of factory-spun ramie, and Miyako asa-ori is all factory-spun ramie.
Sources & Further Reading
Facts on this page were checked against these sources. Most are official Japanese-language pages from the prefecture, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, producers’ cooperatives and museums.
Official and cooperative sources
- Okinawa Kōgei no Mori: Miyako Jōfu (prefectural craft centre, Japanese)
- Okinawa Kōgei no Mori: Miyako Textile Business Cooperative (history, access) (prefectural craft centre, Japanese)
- Miyakojima City Traditional Crafts Center (hours, products, labels) (Japanese)
- Miyako Textile Business Cooperative (Japanese)
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Miyako Jōfu (official, Japanese)
- Okinawa Prefecture: Overview of craft industry policy, FY2024 (production-area profiles and holder lists as of June 2024) (official, Japanese)
Image credits
No photos are used on this page yet. We only use photos with a clear, commercially usable licence, and found none we could verify for this textile.