NISHIJIN TRAVEL COLLECTION GUIDE

What is travel?

It is not merely a journey to a destination.

It is about encountering new landscapes,

meeting new people,

and discovering new perspectives.

Kyoto, Nishijin

In this town with over a thousand years of history,

people have continued to weave fabrics,

infusing them with their heartfelt sentiments.

That tradition lives on today

We have transformed

these beautiful textiles

into items you can carry with you on your travels.

Passport Case

It is not merely a storage item.

It is a small vessel

to hold your travel memories

and carry your encounters with the world.

Carry your journey, woven in Japan

Embark on a new journey

with a story woven in Japan

Why has Kyoto become a ‘city of textiles’—a rarity even on a global scale?

The defining feature of Nishijin-ori lies in its ‘division of labour’

A single piece of fabric cannot be completed by a single craftsman alone

The craftsman who designs the pattern

The craftsman who dyes the yarn

The craftsman who prepares the yarn

The craftsman who adjusts the loom

And the craftsman who actually weaves the fabric

Many specialist craftsmen

bring their respective skills together to create a single piece

In Nishijin, Kyoto,

this system of division of labour has developed over a long history.

By having specialists handle each stage of the process,

it has been possible to produce textiles of extraordinary precision and beauty.

Nishijin-ori is not the work of a single person.

It is a textile that is only truly complete when the skills and passion of many artisans come together.

One might even say that it is a craft woven by the city of Kyoto as a whole.

Why has Kyoto remained the capital of culture for over a thousand years?

In 794, the capital of Japan was moved to Kyoto.

For roughly 1,000 years since then,

Kyoto has flourished as the centre of Japan’s politics, culture and arts.

Outstanding artisans and techniques gathered from across the country, and many traditional arts and crafts—such as dyeing, pottery, lacquerware, washi paper and Nishijin textiles—

were nurtured here.

Kyoto was home not only to those who created these items, but also to people who understood their value and supported them.

Court nobles, samurai, temples and shrines, merchants, and the townspeople

It was because so many people supported the culture that the artisans’ skills were passed down through the generations

The city of Kyoto was not created by a single genius.

It is a city where many people have protected, nurtured and passed on its culture.

Nishijin-ori, too, was born from this very culture of Kyoto.

Created through the division of labour among artisans, Nishijin-ori can be said to be a craft that reflects the city of Kyoto itself.

Kyoto is not merely a tourist destination; it is a city where culture continues to thrive to this day.

Why a passport holder?

We didn’t set out to make passport holders from the start

We wanted to share Kyoto’s traditional crafts with the world

When we thought about this, we realised there was one item that everyone uses, regardless of nationality or language

And that is the passport

A journey never truly ends

The sights of the cities you visit, the people you meet, the words you hear for the first time…

Each and every one of these remains as a memory in your life

Your passport bears the record of your travels

And your passport case holds the stories of your journeys

Nishijin-ori, born in Kyoto, accompanies those who travel the world

It is not merely a craft item, but a vessel for carrying the memories of your travels

Crafted by Many Hands

Nishijin-ori cannot be created by a single artisan alone

The designer, the dyer, the loom setter, the weaver, and the finisher

Many artisans bring their respective skills together to create a single piece

Our passport cases are no different

Those who weave the Nishijin-ori fabric, those who sew, those who make washi paper, and those who craft the paulownia boxes

Each craft overlaps with the others to form a single product

It is not merely a product

It is the crystallisation of the skills passed down through the artisan culture of Kyoto and Japan

We wish to share that story along with the product

Beyond Kyoto’s famous temples and streets lies another story —

One told through the hands of artisans.

The Nishijin textile in your hands is wrapped in another tradition of Kyoto: Kurotani Washi.

For over 800 years, craftsmen in the mountains of Ayabe have continued to make washi by hand, preserving techniques that have been passed down through generations.

Before you discover the passport case itself, you first touch this handmade paper.

It is not simply packaging.

It is the first chapter of your journey.

▶︎ Continue your journey with Kurotani Washi.

Your journey begins here

Travelling is not merely about going far away

It is about encountering new cultures and new values

And discovering a side of yourself you have yet to know

Nishijin-ori, a tradition passed down through the generations in Kyoto

The craftsmanship woven by countless artisans continues to be passed on, inspiring new journeys

Our passport cases are more than just travel accessories

They are your little companions, travelling alongside you through Japanese culture

In the next city you visit

With the next person you meet

And alongside the stories you are yet to weave

Carry your journey, woven in Japan.

Your journey begins here