A power loom — a wooden automatic loom — came to Hitotsuya from Nepal. This “kikai” will become an important presence, perhaps even the heart of Hitotsuya’s future production work. Using naturally dyed yarns, we hope to weave cloth that can be used in daily life while still keeping the atmosphere of handwork. Watching the shafts and gears move together inside the wooden frame, weaving cloth little by little, is enough to make the heart beat faster.
▼ Test operation video from Nepal.
And now, it is here at Hitotsuya’s Traditional House Workshop in Iga, Mie Prefecture! However, it is currently disassembled into many parts.
One reason is the blue paint that had been applied to the metal parts. Although the loom is made with teak, a beautiful and valuable wood, the metal parts were painted in a vivid blue color. It simply did not match the atmosphere of Hitotsuya’s old traditional workshop or this wooden loom.
And the problem was not only its appearance. The painting had been done rather roughly, spilling over onto the wooden parts and getting into the gears and inside the bolts. Because of that, some bolts would not turn, and some gears felt sticky.
▼ Blue paint had spread heavily even onto the wooden parts. Removing it was the first step.
We removed each painted part one by one, stripped the paint by hand, brought out the original surface of the iron and wood, and applied rust-preventive oil and teak oil to bring back a more natural atmosphere. Before long, the loom had become quite thoroughly disassembled⋯😅
▼ Parts after the blue paint was removed, revealing the original iron surface.
Of course, we did not take it apart without a plan. Before removing anything, we made sure to take photos. Which part was attached where, and in what direction? We left many photos so we could check them later. From here, we will compare those photos with the cleaned parts and gradually return the loom to its original form.
This time, I decided not to rely only on my own memory, but also to ask AI to look at the photos with me as we move forward.
- Photos taken before removing the parts.
- The parts we have now.
- The video of the loom running in Nepal.
By comparing these one by one, we will confirm which parts should return to which places. Repairing it with human hands, and reducing oversights with the eyes of AI — through this process, we hope to bring a heartbeat back to this wooden automatic loom once again.
Tomorrow, the restoration work finally begins in earnest.
To be honest, I feel a lot of anxiety. Can we really put it back together? Will it actually move again? Will the day come when this kikai works as the heart of Hitotsuya’s production department?
But there is just as much excitement as anxiety. A new challenge is about to begin!
* At Hitotsuya, we intentionally use the word “kikai” for old mechanisms that move with a human-like quality, even when powered, and that do not over-standardize what they make.