A Textile Tour
Where Craft Enthusiasts
from Japan and Abroad Meet
“FUKUI,” Their Second Home
This textile tour is designed for craft enthusiasts from both Japan and abroad to visit "FUKUI," a region that represents Japan's textile industry. The tour offers participants the opportunity to deepen their ties with local producers, manufacturers, and fellow participants while experiencing something truly special.
On this one-day monitoring tour, participants will use a chartered bus to visit textile production factories, allowing them to build a closer relationship with the local industry.
During the tour, participants will visit factories in Fukui, learn about actual manufacturing processes and techniques, and gain a deeper understanding of the textile industry. Additionally, participants will be invited to join an online community where they can share information and ideas even after the tour.
This tour is a monitor tour conducted by Television Osaka Inc., having been selected by the Japan Tourism Agency's "Regional Tourism New Discovery Project." It is being carried out to recruit participants to evaluate the potential for commercializing future tours.
Tour Highlights
There are currently six spots in total.
Participants can choose which spots to visit during each tour session.
The combination of three carefully selected spots will vary depending on the tour schedule.
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1
Warp Knitted Fabrics (Tateami, Knit Fabrics)
Hatta Tateami
Hatta Tateami specializes in "knitting" in the production process of knit fabric products. Warp knitted fabrics are widely used not only in sports and fashion apparel but also in industrial materials such as car seats and humidifier filters.
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2
Jacquard
Eight Ribbon Renovation Center
The last remaining factory in Japan capable of mass-producing Tyrolean ribbons, taken over and revived by Matsukawa Repiyan, has transformed into the “Eight Ribbon Renovation Center.”
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3
Woven Labels and Woven Patches
Matsukawa Repiyan
The main products include woven labels (brand tags), patches, charm pouches, and narrow woven straps. Using "Echizen Weaving" techniques, they are known for intricate and vivid expressions using up to 12 colors of thread, including "QR code weaving" that can be scanned by a camera.
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4
Lace
Morikawa Lace
Specializing in lace fabrics for apparel, their main products are "outer lace," which is used on the outside of clothing. They also offer their original brand, "an d an t e."
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5
Home Fashion Products
Kazuma
Kazuma specializes in the planning and manufacturing of home fashion products, particularly curtains, and operates the directly managed store "Curtain no KAZUMA." They also offer numerous original brands.
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6
Recycled Cellulose Fibers
Meirin Textile
A textile material manufacturer focusing on regenerated cellulose fibers (rayon, acetate, cupro) centered in the Hokuriku region. They also develop the nightwear brand [DREAMiN].
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7
Soba Restaurant
Omiya Tei
A dish that allows you to enjoy Fukui specialties in one serving: "Oroshi Soba," made with 100% locally sourced Maruoka soba flour, stone-milled in-house, and topped with "Taniguchiya's Fried Tofu." The crispiness of the fried tofu and the refreshing taste of grated radish create a perfect harmony. The set also includes Fukui's famous sauce katsudon.
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8
Charcoal-Grilled Fish Restaurant
Sumiuo Honda
Fresh, seasonal fish grilled to perfection, with fatty meat and the fragrant aroma of charcoal making it irresistible. The fish is salted the day before to lock in the flavor, and the cooking method is adjusted according to the type of fish, weather, season, size, and fat content. Please savor the traditional techniques.
Schedule & Course
Each tour features different spots and courses. The tour is a day trip that includes transportation by chartered bus departing from and returning to Fukui Station, with lunch included. For those who wish to stay overnight, please arrange accommodation on your own.
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The 1th
Thursday, December 5
Tour Overview
"FUKUI Textile Tour" – Discovering Japan's Textile Industry
2024:
・Thursday, December 5
An interpreter guide will accompany you.
Fukui Prefecture (Fukui City, Sakai City)
・Those who understand the purpose of this monitoring tour and agree to participate.
・Those who can cooperate with the survey conducted during the monitoring tour.
・Those who can join the Facebook community (if you don’t have an account, please create one before the tour).
Applications will close three weeks before each tour date. If the number of applications exceeds the capacity, participants will be selected by lottery. Applicants will be notified of the results two weeks before each tour.
15 participants per tour date (minimum: 1 participant)
Free (Participants are responsible for their transportation to and from the venue)
・Bus fare
・Bus guide fee
・Lunch
・Local guide fee
・One accompanying tour operator
・Facility experience fees
Participants will need to cover the cost of their own drinks during lunch and transportation.
Eiheiji Kanko Bus, Fukui Chuo Kanko, Keifuku Bus
Television Osaka Inc.
Tobu Top Tours Co., Ltd. Social Innovation Promotion Department, Nationwide Support Office
Important Notes
Some tour sites may be cold, so please dress in warm layers that allow for temperature adjustments. As there may be machine oil at the factory sites, we recommend wearing fitted clothing rather than wide-hemmed skirts. Additionally, for those with long hair, please tie or secure your hair to prevent it from spreading during factory visits.
If you have any allergies, please indicate them on the reservation form or contact Tobu Top Tours directly. (Contact details are at the top of the reservation form.)
At some factories and facilities, photography may be prohibited due to confidentiality or trade secrets. Please follow the instructions of your tour guide.
Please apply via the Tobu Top Tours reservation site.
If you wish to cancel, please inform us no later than the day before the tour. Unannounced cancellations may affect the execution of the tour, so please refrain from doing so. In some cases, we may charge for damages incurred due to cancellations.
For details, please refer to the separate PDF.
Tour Application
Please fill out the application form with your preferred tour date and the number of participants.
Make Your
Reservation Here