A Narrow Shed Built for Pattern Cards
The Morihide Textiles Former Shed (Hatcho Twisting Mill) (森秀織物旧物置（八丁撚糸場）, Morihide Orimono Kyū Monooki) is a single-story timber shed from around 1924, standing on the east side of the middle of the Morihide Textiles site in Higashi, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 3, 2006.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it was built almost at the founding of the works to store monshi, the punched pattern cards that drive a Jacquard loom. Every design needs its own stack of cards, so for a weaver of figured omeshi silk the cards were the designs themselves, and a valuable asset.
The bracketed name, Hatcho Twisting Mill, suggests that the shed was later used for hatcho-nenshi, hard-twisting yarn on a Hatcho twisting frame. That tightly twisted yarn gives omeshi its fine crinkled texture. The shed is registration number 10-0174.
Why the Former Shed Was Registered
The Morihide Textiles Former Shed was registered under the criterion for buildings that contribute to the historic landscape of the country. Alongside the factories, office and dormitories, it is one of the service buildings that kept the works running, and having them all survive is what gives the fifteen Morihide registrations their depth.
It is really two linked ranges: one 10.8 meters long and 3.3 meters deep, the other 6.6 meters long and 3.0 meters deep, joined with a slight bend. Both have gabled tile roofs on a traditional Japanese roof frame, and the east wall is reinforced concrete.
What to Look For
The striking thing is how narrow it is, barely more than 3 meters deep. With shelves along the walls, stacks of cards could be reached easily from a single aisle. Its long shape follows the eastern edge of the site, bending to fit the plot, which shows how carefully the works used every strip of land.
Notice too that only the east wall is concrete. A solid wall on the side facing beyond the site may have been meant to protect the contents, but the Agency's record does not give a reason.
Visiting the Former Shed
The Morihide Textiles Former Shed (Hatcho Twisting Mill) is not among the buildings opened as the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum, and no information confirms that visitors may enter it. Ask the museum if you wish to see it, and keep photographs to the areas open to visitors.
Q&A
- When was the Morihide Textiles Former Shed built and registered?
- It was built around 1924, almost at the founding of the works, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 3, 2006, under registration number 10-0174.
- What was stored in the Morihide Textiles Former Shed?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it was built to store the punched pattern cards used on Jacquard looms.
- What does Hatcho Twisting Mill mean for the Morihide Textiles Former Shed?
- It refers to hard-twisting yarn on a Hatcho twisting frame, work the shed appears to have housed later. The tightly twisted yarn gives omeshi silk its crinkled texture.
- What shape is the Morihide Textiles Former Shed?
- It consists of two narrow single-story ranges, 10.8 meters and 6.6 meters long and 3.3 and 3.0 meters deep, joined with a slight bend. The east wall is reinforced concrete.
- Can I go inside the Morihide Textiles Former Shed?
- It is not part of the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum, and no information confirms public access to the interior.
Basic Information
| Name | Morihide Textiles Former Shed (Hatcho Twisting Mill) (森秀織物旧物置（八丁撚糸場）) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4-2-24 Higashi, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2006 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-story timber, tile roof, building area 53 m² (two linked ranges, 10.8 m × 3.3 m and 6.6 m × 3.0 m) |
| Owner | Morihide Orimono Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Interior access not confirmed (not part of the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Morihide Textiles Former Shed (Hatcho Twisting Mill)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005568
- Kiryu City: Morihide Textiles Factory (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/kankou/bunkazai/1010700/kunitouroku/1002000.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06
