Raw silk produced from cocoons harvested through imperial sericulture. (Courtesy of the Imperial Household Agency)
このページを で読む
Japan's silk-making tradition stretches back centuries, with traces of sericulture found at archaeological sites from the Yayoi period (300BC–300AD). At its height in the early Showa era (1926–1989), around 40% of farming households in Japan raised silkworms.
Today, that industry, long a foundation of Japan's traditional culture, is on the brink of disappearing.
The number of sericulture farms has collapsed as farmers age and leave the trade. In 1989, Japan had about 57,000 such farms nationwide. By 2025, only 113 remained.
Last Threads of Domestic Silk
Raw silk, produced through silkworm cultivation and silk reeling, is used in many traditional crafts, from silk textiles to other handmade goods. Japanese raw silk is prized for its suppleness, fine threads, and overall quality, and is widely regarded as superior to imported silk from countries such as China.
The government must work with related industries to keep sericulture—an industry deeply intertwined with Japan's history—from disappearing.
According to the Dainippon Silk Foundation, the number of sericulture farms in 2025 fell by 21 from the previous year to a record low. The aging of farmers is especially alarming. More than 60% of those still in the industry are aged 70 or older, while around 90% have no successor. The total number of farms could fall below 100 before the end of the year.
Cheap Imports and a Shrinking Market
Sericulture has ancient roots in Japan, with traces found at Yayoi-period archaeological sites. It grew rapidly under national policy during the Meiji era, when raw silk became Japan's largest export. At its peak in the early Showa era, around 40% of farming households nationwide raised silkworms.
However, as Japan's postwar economy recovered, cheaper imported raw silk, including from China, began to flow into the country from the late 1960s onward. Japan's sericulture industry then declined rapidly. The country had more than 1,800 silk-reeling mills in the mid-1950s, but by 2024, only seven were still in operation.
As a result, most demand for silk products in Japan is now met by imported raw silk. Japanese raw silk accounted for just 0.13% of the market in 2024.
More Than an Agricultural Industry
To increase that share, Japan must brand its domestic raw silk and raise its added value. It is also essential to promote its appeal more widely, both at home and overseas.
The government should also support new entrants into sericulture and help existing producers scale up. At the same time, it should promote efforts to ensure that producers can secure stable, long-term profits that properly reflect production costs.
Sericulture is also practiced at the Imperial Palace. Empress Shoken, the wife of Emperor Meiji, began raising silkworms there in 1871. Since then, the tradition has been passed down by successive empresses. Today, Empress Masako continues to participate each year.
Large quantities of Japanese raw silk are also used in the Shikinen Sengu, the rebuilding of Ise Jingu's shrine buildings and the renewal of its sacred apparel and treasures, which occur once every 20 years.
The survival of sericulture is not merely an agricultural issue. It touches the very foundations of Japanese culture.
RELATED:
Predictions 2023: Japan's Tiny Treasures for Kimono – Silkworm Eggs – Find New Life
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
このページを で読む
