(silk) crepe(chirimen)
A plain-weave silk fabric with a fine crinkle (a three-dimensional bulging wrinkle pattern) on the surface. The warp threads, which have almost no twist, and the weft threads, which have right- and left-handed twists, are alternately woven and then subjected to refining (removing the paste by wringing them in hot water). This gives the surface of the fabric a unique texture and deepens its color. Well-known examples are Hama crepe (Nagahama area, Shiga Prefecture), which is made of white fabric, and Tango crepe (Tango area, Kyoto Prefecture), which is decorated with gorgeous patterns.
