Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture
Discover Unique Seasonal Creations and Local Connections Woven by Silk
Experience Japan’s traditional sericulture (silkworm farming) in Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture, once renowned for a prosperous silk industry. Through exchanges with local farmers and artisans, you can enjoy a variety of hands-on activities related to silkworms and silk.
In spring, tour silk farms; in summer and autumn, visit active silkworm farms; and in winter, try weaving. Throughout the year, you can also take part in silk-related workshops such as traditional thread making. One of the highlights is the unique Silk Washi Papermaking, where you create handmade washi paper infused with silk—a rare experience available only in Marumori.
For those who wish, mulberry-based food experiences are also available, offering the chance to savor local flavors of Marumori, where mulberry has long been essential for silk farming.
Discover Japan’s silkworm culture in Marumori, one of the few places where the tradition is still carefully preserved today.
Example Seasonal Schedules
April–October: Silk Farming Site Tour + Silk Experience
- Silk Farming Site Tour: Guided by an experienced former silkworm farmer, visit the site where silkworms are raised. Learn about the history of Silk farming and traditional tools while engaging with local farmers.
*When silkworms are actively being raised, hands-on Silk farming experiences may also be available. - Silk Experiences: Options include thread making, cocoon crafts, silk washi papermaking, and mulberry-dyeing (available May–October).
- Optional Experience (May–October): Mulberry Cuisine – enjoy dishes made with mulberry, an essential plant for Silk farming.
November–March: Weaving Experience + Silk Experience
- Weaving Experience: Learn traditional weaving techniques from the Ouchi Sano Jiori Preservation Society while working on a traditional loom.
- Silk Experiences: Options include thread making, cocoon crafts, silk washi papermaking, and mulberry-dyeing (available May–October).
- Cat Monument Visit (optional): Upon request, you may visit one of the region’s unique “Cat Monuments,” built to honor cats that protected silkworms and cocoons from mice. Known locally as “Neko-gami-sama” (Cat Deities), there are over 80 such monuments in Marumori—the largest number in Japan.
Examples of Silk Experiences
①②③ Thread Making (Approx. 1–2 hours)
Use traditional tools to reel silk directly from cocoons or spin silk fibers (“cocoon floss”) into thread, creating your own hand-crafted silk souvenir.
④ Cocoon Crafts (Approx. 1 hour)
Using local cocoons, make charming items such as straps or ornaments inspired by “Neko-gami-sama,” the guardian cats of Silk farming.
⑤ Silk Washi Papermaking (Approx. 30 minutes)
Unlike standard papermaking, this experience uses precious Marumori silk to create a truly special washi paper.
⑥ Mulberry-Dyeing (May–October, Approx. 2 hours)
Create beautiful patterns by binding silk cloth with rubber bands and dyeing it in mulberry-leaf dye. Enjoy the unique natural colors produced by mulberry.
*As the dyeing process involves simmering the fabric in dye liquid for about 1 hour, the schedule may be adjusted accordingly. Combined with other Silk farming activities, this course typically takes about 3 hours in total.
Optional Experience (May–October): Mulberry Cuisine (Approx. 1 hour)
Enjoy traditional dishes made with mulberry—essential to Silk farming—such as mulberry simmered dishes, mulberry tempura, and other specialties that showcase the local food culture of Marumori
Experience Snapshot
What's Included
- Silkworm-related facility tour fee
- Silk experience fee
- Material costs
- Handling fee
*For plans with optional activities, meal costs will be charged separately.
*You may take home the items you create during the experience.
Cost
Please inquire below.
Experience Availability
Year-round (activities vary by season):
April–October: Silk farming site tour (with hands-on silkworm care experience when in season) + Silk craft experience
November–March: Weaving experience + Silk craft experience
Average Duration
3 hours
Participants
From 2-10 guests.
Meeting Location
Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture
Important notes
Reservation availability may vary. Reserve to confirm availability.
Please notify us at least 3 days before if you must cancel or modify your reservation.
Requests for reservations for this experience must be made at least three weeks in advance.
Inquire today
You can send a booking inquiry below. After we receive your inquiry, we will confirm the booking with our partners and send you a booking confirmation email at least two weeks before your desired date.
Please note this form does not confirm the availability of the experience.
Cancelation policy
Our cancelation policy for this experience is below. Percentages represent the non-refundable portion of your experience fee.
1 day before date of experience
50% of total price
Same Day
No refund
