Recruitment starts at 10:00 on November 1st!

Held once a year.

While experiencing the local lifestyle of Itoshiro
Learn about clothing,
Of the straight-line cutting technique passed down through local regional tradition
2-Night 3-Day Experience Making Your Own Echizen Shirt

Held March 6–8, 2027

Target audience: Beginners to experienced users
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Method: Hand sewing or machine sewing

You'll be surprised to find the build quality is identical to Tatsuke products.
I'll share the craftsmanship and backstory of the Echizen Shirt, a treasured piece inherited from my grandmother who was born in the 2nd year of the Showa era.

It's almost a miracle that this front-button shirt can be constructed using almost entirely straight cuts. With no wasted fabric and great ease of movement, this design is a modern rework of a shirt that was originally men's workwear, adjusted to fit contemporary lifestyles.

While this shirt features straight-line cutting, it includes many separate small parts and requires a great deal of meticulous work, so it is by no means easy to craft. It also takes a considerable amount of time to complete. That said, the defining joy of an Echizen shirt is the huge sense of satisfaction you feel the moment you finish making it.

You will be part of an environment where you can ask any question right away, surrounded by peers who work side-by-side with you. Things you would rarely be able to pull off on your own become possible precisely because you spend this two-night, three-day stay here.

And the opportunity to learn extensively about the rich historical background of Echizen shirts is a special, one-of-a-kind experience you can only get by attending the in-person event in Itoshiro.

You will also improve your sewing skills. We welcome any and all questions you may have, from basic foundational topics all the way to advanced application techniques.
A 2-night, 3-day trip in Itoshiro focused on clothing making, hands-on learning, and building connections with like-minded peers. Won't you join us for this experience?

>About Echizen Shirts

Schedule

Starts at 13:30 on Saturday, March 6, 2027, and ends at 17:00 on Monday, March 8
*This will be the only time this event is held in 2027.
　　　

Schedule    

 * The time is scheduled so that you can easily arrive using public transportation.

〈Day 1〉
13:30 Arrive at Itoshiro (greetings, self-introductions)
14:00 Taking measurements and cutting fabric / Overlock stitching
18:00 Check-in & dinner social gathering (at the guesthouse)

〈Day 2〉
9:00 Shrine visit, tour of the antique artifacts museum
10:00 Stitching Time (at the clothing store)
12:00 Lunch (hors d'oeuvres), shop tour
13:00 Stitching Time
16:00 Talk about historical clothing culture
17:00 Completed

〈Day 3〉
9:00 　 Hand Stitching Time
12:00 　Curry Lunch
13:00 　Stitching Time
17:00   Wrap-up and final photo session (bus departs at 18:36)

* Evenings are generally free time. Recommended ways to spend your time include visiting the nearby local hot spring (Manten no Yu), and stargazing is also highly recommended.

■ Items to bring

Sewing tools (fabric scissors, thread snips, measuring tape, fabric chalk pen, sewing thread (50-weight cotton thread matching your fabric or 60-weight Schappe spun thread), 10 sewing pins, pincushion), fabric and 8 buttons (we will provide fabric if you do not bring your own), and an overnight stay set.

* Please prepare lightweight fabrics such as linen, cotton, and cotton-linen blends. Have 8 buttons sized 1.2-1.5cm on hand.
* The 2 fabric types we are offering are listed below. Please refer to this information as you consider your selection.
・Organic cotton / flannel fabric
・White linen fabric

■ Participation Fee

45,000Yen (Lunch is included in the price. A separate accommodation fee of approximately 10,000 yen per night (with breakfast and dinner included) must be paid on site at the property.

* Depending on your level of prior experience, you may not be able to finish the project within the allocated time. If this happens, we will continue guiding you through the remaining steps of the creation process.
*We will book your accommodation on your behalf. There are only a small number of operating lodges left in the village, and we can only finalize booking arrangements once your travel date is relatively close, so we will contact you separately to share the accommodation cost details.
* If you wish to book an additional overnight stay following your visit, please contact us to discuss arrangements.
* Regarding lodging matters including shared rooms and other accommodation arrangementsWe will ask for your preferences in a pre-event survey, but please note that we may not be able to accommodate your exact request due to coordination with other participants, so we appreciate your understanding.

■ Venue & Access

Itoshiro Yohinten
65-18 Itoshiro, Shirotori Town, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture
tel : 0575-86-3808

*Please use a private car or public transportation as your means of travel.- For customers arriving by public transportation

· Outbound route (morning departure)Nagoya 8:45 ⇒ (JR)⇒ Mino-Ota 9:56 ⇒ (Nagaragawa Railway) ⇒ 11:53 Mino-Shirotori 12:20 ⇒ (Shirotori Transit) ⇒ Shimo-Zaisho 12:59

・Return trip (evening departure) Shimo-Zaisho 18:36 ⇒ (Shiratori Kotsu) ⇒ 19:15 Mino-Shiratori 19:38 ⇒ (Nagaragawa Railway) ⇒ 21:33 Mino-Ota 21:55 ⇒ (JR) ⇒ Nagoya 22:56

■ Cancellation Policy

*Effective April 10, 2025, we will be updating our cancellation policy as outlined below. The following cancellation policy will apply to all bookings submitted on or after April 10.

・Cancellations made after booking is confirmed and up to 1 week prior to the event date: 5%
・Cancellations made 6 to 3 days prior to the event date: 50% charge
・Cancellations made after that point: Full charge

Q&A Regarding Participation

Q1. I am a complete beginner when it comes to garment making — am I still able to participate?

A. Yes, even beginners have participated in this in past sessions as well.

Because Echizen shirts are constructed using straight-line cutting,
Both the cutting and sewing processes use almost exclusively straight lines only.

In this course,
- Approach to determining and specifying product dimensions
• Fabric handling instructions • Cutting method
・ Sewing order
• How to finish seam allowances
I will carefully explain each one individually, one by one.

Rather than making it well
We place great importance on fostering first-hand experience with the core philosophy behind Japanese apparel craftsmanship, so
Please feel free to join, no prior experience is required.

Q2. I'm not very handy, and I'm worried I won't be able to finish putting this together all the way to the end.

A. Rest assured, we will provide thorough, reliable support all the way through to completion.

We operate with a small-group format, and progress through sessions while monitoring each individual's pace and progress.
If there is anything you do not understand, please feel free to ask as many times as you like right on the spot.

Also, this is not a course designed to pursue a perfectly polished final result.
We value taking a hands-on approach to crafting a one-of-a-kind, personalized garment that feels uniquely true to your personal style.

Q3. I'm worried I won't be able to keep up with the physical demands.

A. We will proceed at a comfortable, sustainable pace.

This is a 2-night, 3-day itinerary, and we prioritize maintaining a healthy balance between work hours and rest breaks.
You will not have to stay standing or sew nonstop without breaks.

Time for focused hands-on work and time dedicated to learning about local culture
We'll make steady progress by alternating between working and taking short breaks, such as pausing for a tea break to rest along the way.

Q4. What kind of people are participating?

A. Participants come from a wide range of age groups and diverse backgrounds.

Up until now
・ Anyone who loves making clothing (especially those who feel conflicted about leftover fabric scraps generated from their sewing projects!)
・For anyone interested in Japanese daily life and culture
・ For those who want to spend time enjoying hands-on activities surrounded by nature
A wide, diverse range of people from all different backgrounds take part, alongside many other attendees.

Even between people meeting for the first time,
By sharing the time spent creating the same thing together,
This is an atmosphere where natural conversation flows easily.
Please join us with excitement, and consider this a great space to meet and build friendships with new peers!

Q5. Itoshiro is quite far away, but is it okay to participate alone?

A. Nearly all attendees join on their own, so there are no issues with participating alone.

Many participants in this course travel from far away to attend, and a large portion of attendees join on their own.
Rest assured, we will also provide you with advance information regarding accommodation and transportation arrangements.

Virtually 100% of all attendees say, "It was absolutely worth coming all this way — the long distance only makes the trip that much more rewarding."
We have set up our customer reception and support systems to ensure your time with us leaves you feeling that way.

Q6. What items do I need to bring?

A. We will provide all large sewing tools required for sewing work, including sewing machines and irons, on site.

Details of required items are listed at the top of this page, so please review that section.
If there are any items that are difficult for you to obtain or transport, we have those items prepped and available for you here.
There's no need to worry, please feel free to come by.