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Modern Japan Crafts
Nibutani Attus（二風谷アツトウシ）
Ainu woven textile made from inner tree bark fibers
Origin
Nibutani, Biratori Town（二風谷・平取町）, Hokkaido, Japan
Description
History
The origins of Attus weaving trace back centuries within Ainu culture, long before the introduction of cotton fabrics to northern Japan.
Bark-fiber cloth served as essential everyday material for clothing, footwear, bags, and ceremonial attire, reflecting the Ainu’s deep relationship with forest resources.
Attus was especially important in regions like Nibutani along the Saru River, where suitable trees and fiber-processing knowledge flourished.
During the Meiji era, as commercial textiles spread across Hokkaido, production of Attus declined sharply; however, Nibutani artisans continued preserving the craft.
By the late 20th century, cultural revitalization efforts renewed interest in Ainu crafts, and in 2013 Nibutani Attus was officially recognized as one of Hokkaido’s first nationally designated Traditional Crafts of Japan.
Production Process
1. Harvesting Inner Bark
Inner bark is carefully stripped from suitable trees and dried.
2. Softening the Bark
The bark is soaked in water and pounded until fibers separate into fine strands.
3. Thread Making
The softened fibers are twisted by hand into thread of the desired thickness.
4. Weaving
The threads are woven on a traditional loom to form the Attus cloth.
5. Finishing
The fabric is washed, slowly dried, and softened to achieve its characteristic texture.
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