Nagasaki Embroidery

Nagasaki has its own traditional embroidery called Nagasaki Embroidery.

It has long been used as decorations such as Kasaboko (an umbrella shaped float) and a dragon for the Dragon Dance originated from Chinese culture for Nagasaki Kunchi Festival. However, this culture had once been in jeopardy. There are two reasons. One is because there were no eligible people to pass down onto the next generation. Another is because these decorations are originally not shown to public but solely dedicated to gods of the shrine called “Suwa Shrine” and the works were therefore so sacrosanct and so steeped into tradition that they were rigidly prohibited to be open to public.

KASE Teruta is the only present craftsman of Nagasaki Embroidery, and his wife also established a school to teach the technique to local people. Had it not been for their tenacious efforts, no people would see the sophisticated art of work with naked eye.

The characteristics are that they are 3 dimensional as they are woven changing the thickness of the thread so as to made to look more real and seem to come into life. They sometimes amend the old works so that they can stay for more than a century.

His wife started to have a lecture and twisting yard practice in Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture. Nagasaki Embroidery Experience Program available on our website. There will be an English guide with you when you take the course.