The Current Status of Oshima Tsumugi Production as a Regional Resource and Efforts toward its Survival

A Case of Amami Oshima Island, Japan

Abstract

Efforts to conserve regional resources were examined using Oshima Tsumugi produced on Amami Oshima and its dye, Rhaphiolepis umbellata, as examples. Although the production of Oshima tsumugi was prosperous until the 1980s, the production volume has been declining due to sluggish demand for Japanese-style clothing and the lack of an entity to control the production area. The survey also revealed that the planting of Rhaphiolepis umbellata has not been successful due to a lack of uniformity. In response to the decline in production in recent years, the council established by pongee operators and local government officials to train the craftspeople.