About the Silk Museum

Welcome

In the latter half of the 19th century, the people of Okaya developed the Suwa-type silk reeling machine, which was based on Western-style silk reeling machines introduced from Italy and France. The technology spread across Japan, and much of the raw silk produced in Okaya was exported throughout the world as “Okaya Silk.” Okaya developed into a major silk production center and greatly contributed to the modernization of Japan. In October 1964, the Okaya Silk Museum was opened with the cooperation of the Suwa Silk Society and those involved in the silk industry nationwide with the aim of passing on the great achievements of our predecessors to future generations and to aid in future industrial development. The museum currently houses and exhibits about 30,000 items, including silk reeling machinery, documents, and historical materials on silk business management. Some of these items were designated as tangible folk cultural properties of Nagano Prefecture in 1966, and the materials in the museum’s collection were designated as a Heritage of Industrial Modernization by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2007. In 2011, eight reeling machines were designated as mechanical engineering heritage by the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. Among these, there are numerous invaluable artifacts that can only be seen in this museum, such as French-style and Suwa-style reeling machines. On August 1, 2014, half a century after it opened, the Okaya Silk Museum moved to the site of sericultural Experriment station of the ministry of agriculture and forestry (later the Living Materials Development Unit of the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences). Miyasaka Silk Reeling Co. was also established within the museum, and the museum was nicknamed “Silk Fact Okaya,” reflecting the image of a factory and its desire to convey the truth about silk. As such, the museum was reborn as a unique museum where the world of silk can be experienced with all five senses. As well as learning from past accomplishments, the Okaya Silk Museum promotes a spirit of craftsmanship and a new culture surrounding silk.

Our Collection

In addition to having its own type of silk reeling machine, the Okaya Silk Museum houses about 30,000 items, such as machines and equipment related to silkworm breeding, sericulture and silk reeling, historical materials on silk reeling from the Meiji period to the early Showa period, and documents and photographs that tell the history of Okaya City.

① Machinery and Equipment

The museum houses machinery and equipment related to silkworm eggs, sericulture, and silk-reeling, and has the following designations and certifications:

  • Tangible Folk Cultural Property of Nagano Prefecture (1966)
  • Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Heritage of Industrial Modernization (2007)
  • Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Certified Mechanical Engineering Heritage (2011)

French-style reeling mashine

Suwa-style reeling mashine

◆ Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Silk Archives (Silk Industry)

2018 marked 150 years since the Meiji period began in Japan in 1868, and the Japanese government carried out a variety of projects to commemorate this.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) reviewed the development of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries since the Meiji period, and worked to compile related materials to provide wisdom that might pave the way to a better future.
As part of this project, the museum cooperated in the digital archiving of silkworm-related materials, and 179 photographs and explanations of these materials held by the museum are now available on the Ministry’s website.
Photos of some of the materials can be enlarged and viewed in detail, so feel free to take a look.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website, Silk Industry

② Documents

The museum houses historical materials on silk business management from the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century and documents that tell the history of Okaya City.

③ Photographs and Paintings

The museum houses photographs, paintings such as Hatsuzaburo Yoshida’s Bird’s Eye View of Okaya City (1936), and colored prints of the silk industry in Okaya from the Meiji period to the early Showa period.

Silk industry in Okaya,late of Meiji period

Printmaking of Tomioka Silk Mill,early of Meiji period

④ Reconstruction of Ancient Chinese Silk Fabrics

Under an academic exchange agreement with Suzhou Silk Museum in China, Okaya received and houses a total of 51 items, including eight original silk textiles from the Shang and Qing dynasties and ornaments from the Qing dynasty and later.

Restored Silk garment for Emperor in China(1700s)