Traditional craft
Yuntanza Minsa
読谷山ミンサー
A narrow cotton sash from Yomitan in Okinawa, patterned with raised flowers and stripes, brought back to life by village elders who remembered how it was made.
Key facts
- Officially recognised
- 2 June 1976
- Type
- Woven textiles
- Region
- Kyushu & Okinawa
- Official name in Japanese
- 読谷山ミンサー
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 中頭郡読谷村
A slim sash full of colour
Min means cotton and sa means narrow: a minsa is a slim cotton obi, traditionally about 10 cm wide and dyed in indigo. Yomitan's version has flowers and stripes raised on a navy ground, using a technique called gushibana, where the weaver lifts warp threads with a bamboo stick. It is made in Yomitan village in Okinawa.
Same hands as hanaui
The techniques are almost the same as for Yuntanza Hanaui: a hand-thrown shuttle, flower heddles or pattern sticks for the motifs, and hand-tied ikat threads.
Revived from memory
Minsa began around the same time as hanaui and shows the same southern influence. Production once stopped completely, and it was revived thanks to elders who still knew the old ways.
Good to know
- A minsa sash, bookmark or strap is a light, colourful gift that fits in any suitcase.
- Minsa is also woven in Shuri, Yaeyama and Yonaguni, each with its own patterns, so compare if you visit more than one island.
Questions travellers ask
What does minsa mean?
Min means cotton and sa means narrow: a narrow cotton sash.
Where is Yuntanza Minsa made?
In Yomitan village, Okinawa.
Where it comes from
More crafts from the same area
Local foods from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.