NIO M O UN IM D R T IA A L P • • W L O A I R L D D N H O E M R I E T IN AG O E • PATRIM United Nations Tomioka Silk Mill Educational, Scientific and and Related Sites Cultural Organization inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014 Uniting the world through silk Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites 富岡製糸場と絹産業遺産群 Publication:February 2019 Publisher: World Heritage Division, Silk Heritage of Gunma Gunma Prefectural Government Kinumeguri : Navigating Gunma’ s silk heritage sites 1-1-1 Ote-machi, Maebashi City, This app is designed to help you have fun while visiting Gunma’ s silk heritage sites, Gunma Prefecture some of which include World Heritage sites TEL: +81（0）27-226-2328 and Japan Heritage sites. http://worldheritage.pref.gunma.jp/ Image courtesy: p4 bottom left, p9 East cocoon warehouse , Tomioka City / p10 middle, Gunma prefectural Library p13 above left, Fujioka City Board of Education / p15 above right, Shimonita Town. Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites G Located in the center of Japan’ s sericultural region “Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites” is located in Gunma eography Uniting the world through silk Prefecture, which is in the center of the main island of Japan, Honshu. In times past, the sericultural region was spread throughout central Honshu, and sericulture, silk reeling, and textile manufacturing “Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites” is an ensemble of heritage related to the modern flourished in Gunma Prefecture from the Edo Period. Tomioka Silk Mill silk industry, which contributed technological innovation that achieved mass production of was constructed in a location where a large supply of cocoons could high-quality raw silk and technological interchange between Japan and the world. Silk was be procured. considered a rare fiber that was produced in limited amounts and only available to the privileged classes. The mass-production technology developed by Japan brought silk to Niigata Pref. Fukushina Pref. the ordinary people of the world, further enriching lifestyles and culture. Tomioka Silk Mill and 3 sites related to sericulture (Tajima Yahei Sericulture Farm, Takayama-sha Sericulture School, and Arafune Cold Storage) are important testimonies to that story. Gunma Pref. Tokyo Nagano Pref. 1 Tomioka Silk Mill 2 Tajima Yahei Sericulture Farm 3 Takayama-sha Sericulture School 4 Arafune Cold Storage Tochigi Pref. Maebashi Takasaki 4 1 2 3 Saitama Pref. 02 03 Chronology of Silk The sericulture and silk-reeling technologies developed H Period Globally In Japan Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites Silk was first produced in China before the in Japan still support the global silk industry today. Christian era and in time reached Japan and 3000 BC Silk production begins in China istory of Silk Industry Silk of istory Raw silk and silk fabrics are introduced Europe. Machine reeling started in the 19th 3rd century BC century in Europe where the Industrial to the Roman Empire Sericulture/silk-reeling technology are Around AD Revolution had a head start, but a shortage introduced from China Sericulture/silk-reeling technology are in raw materials arose due to the diffusion of 6th century silkworm diseases. Around that time, Japan introduced to the Byzantine Empire Late: Cocoons/raw silk/silk production Sericulture/Silk Reeling had opened its doors to the world and was 8th century extends from Kyushu to Southern Tohoku importing machine-reeling technology. 13th century Sericulture/silk-reeling technology are Tomioka Silk Mill was built in 1872 as a 14th century introduced to Northern Italy High-grade silk goods are primarily Raw silk is produced from cocoons made by silkworms (silkworm moth larvae) imported from China. that feed on mulberry leaves. A series of activities that includes growing mulberry, model factory, and the technology used 15th century Sericulture/silk-reeling technology are raising silkworms and harvesting cocoons is called sericulture. Silk reeling spread throughout Japan. Moreover, introduced to France Raw silk imports increase due to trade technological innovation in sericulture 16th century with European trading vessels produces raw silk from these cocoons. A single thread of raw silk is created from Sericultural/silk-reeling regions are 1685: Raw silk imports from China are several to dozens of cocoon filaments. This raw silk is further processed, dyed occurred domestically, resulting in the 17th century successful mass production of the raw formed mainly in Italy/France restricted and woven to create silk goods. 1713: Sericultural regions are formed in materials, cocoons. Continual innovation in Central Honshu due to the shogunate 18th century government's promotion of domestic raw silk reeling also took place, and in the early silk, and raw silk production flourishes 20th century Japan became the world’ s top Sericulture Silk reeling Textiles Early: Silk reeling factories using steam exporter of raw silk, making the luxury fiber boilers are built in France of silk more accessible. Furthermore, after 18 4 0s：Pebrine disease spreads in Rearing silkworms on Reeling out raw silk Dying and weaving to WWII, Japan succeeded in the automation Europe, and silkworm eggs and raw silk mulberry leaves until from dried cocoons. create silk fabrics. are sought after in Asia they produce cocoons. of raw silk production, and automatic reeling 1859: Ports are opened to foreign trade and raw silk exports begin (mainly to Europe). 1863: The farmhouse at Tajima Farm is built machines were exported all over the world. 19th century 1860： A machine-reeling factory is The sericulture and silk-reeling technologies built in Shanghai, China developed in Japan still support the global 1872: The government establishes Tomioka silk industry today. Silk Mill as a modern model factory; machine 1872: Tomioka Silk Mill is built reeling spreads in Japanes Automatic reeling 1884: America becomes the no. 1 destination 1884: Takayama-sha company is established machines for raw silk exports Silkworm Eggs 1891: The farmhouse at Takayama-sha is built Early: Commercialization of sericulture in summer and fall 1906: The F1 hybrid silkworm is developed 1905: Arafune Cold Storage No.1 is built 1909： Japan becomes the world's top exporter of raw silk From 1912: Tomioka Silk Mill, Tajima Farm, Takayama-sha, and Arafune Cold Storage work 1914: Distribution of F1 hybrids to farms together to outsource raising of foreign-bred Rawsilk begins silkworms and hybrids; later, they also undertake F1 hybrid silkworm egg production 1920s: The automatic cocoon dryer, 19 2 4 : Tomioka Silk Mill adopts the 192 0 s : Demand for raw silk for Silkworms eating Minorikawa-style multi-ends reeling Minorikawa-style multi-ends reeling machine 20th century stockings increases sharply in America mulberry leaves machine are put into practical use 1927: Takayama-sha is closed Technical term 1930s: Raw silk from Japan comprises 1935: Operation of Arafune Cold Storage 80% of the global market ceases F1 hybrid: A cross-breed silkworm born from a parent that 1952: Automatic reeling machines are 1952: Tomioka Silk Mill adopts the K8 produces a cocoon of superior quality and a parent that successfully put into practical use automatic reeling machine produces a cocoon superior in volume will make a cocoon of 1960: Tajima Farm/Takayama Farm engage both good quality and volume. It was the Japanese scientist, in sericulture until around this time Kametaro Toyama who proved that F1 hybrid silkworms Late: Raw silk production flourishes in Late: Automatic reeling machines are China and Brazil due to technology 1987: Operations at Tomioka Silk Mill cease inherit the superior characteristics of their parents. The transfer from Japan exported to other countries Cocoons spun by practical application of this principle dramatically increased silkworms raw silk production volume in Japan. 04 05 About World Heritage World heritage sites are natural and/or cultural Technological interchange and technological innovation properties that have been registered on the World Heritage List compiled by the United Nations brought about developments in the global silk industry Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization resulting in popularization of silk. (UNESCO). They are properties belonging to humanity that possess outstanding universal value exceeding Proposed value as a World Heritage national and ethnic boundaries that should be shared. “Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites” is an excellent example of the mutual Takayama-sha Sericulture School Cultural heritage is prescribed in evaluation criteria (i)– exchange of industrial technology between Japan and other countries that (vi). A world heritage site must fulfill at least one of those resulted in the growth of the silk industry through the realization of mass criteria. production of high-quality raw silk. Japan developed machine-reeling technology adopted from Western Europe and promoted technological innovation in sericulture, and those technologies spread to other countries around the world. Tomioka Silk Mill, Tajima Yahei Sericulture Farm, Takayama-sha Sericulture School, and Arafune Cold Storage became center stage for technological innovation in the various processes involved in raw silk production, and these innovations significantly impacted all of Japan through education, publication, and trade. Based on this, “Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites” is believed to be a property with outstanding universal value required in a world heritage that fulfills evaluation criteria (ii) to exhibit an important interchange of human values