About Mihoko

Mihoko Yoshida has been designing and weaving Kimono and Obi for over 28 years, and founded her own atelier “SOMEORI YOSHIDA” in 2003.

Most Japanese Kimono artists tend to follow the traditions of kimono culture, however Mihoko works differently.
She has freed herself from its traditions and gets her inspiration from poetry, music, nature and modern art.

Dyeing Technique

“Warp brush-painting” is a dyeing technique. Mihoko is probably one of the first Japanese Kimono and Obi artist to use this method. In her sunlight rich studio, she paints directly onto the warp threads which are tightly stretched on a loom and then weaves the textile with hand dyed weft yarns.
The interlace of the painted warp and dyed weft yarn creates beautiful unique patterns and designs.

Yarns

Gowa-Gowa Boso-Boso means course, stiff and rugged. These are characteristics of a fiber called Kibiso which is from the protective outer surface of silk cocoons and typically discarded as too tough to loom.
Kibiso is only one of the various unique fibers used to produce beautiful textured fabric for her Kimonos, Obis and accessories.

Mihoko Yoshida

1968
Born in Kumamoto, Japan
1993
Started Textile production
2003
Founded SOMEORI YOSHIDA

Selected Exhibitions

2019
“Oriwa” at Itonosaki Gallery
2016
“Jinbaori of Kato-Kiyomasa” at Wanokuni Kimono Gallery
2015
“Triangle Yoshida” at Itonosaki Gallery
2010
“The Autumn of the Middle Ages” at Ginza Motoji Kimono Gallery
2009
“Spring-Spring-Spring” at Ginza Motoji Kimono Gallery

Education, Training and Textile Works

2009
The Open University of Japan, Department of liberal Arts
Graduation thesis -The study of “Concept of Kamigamo-ori” by Goro Aota.
A full reproduction of a Kimono from dyeing to weaving based on the book.
1986-1988
Tokyo Zokei Art University, Department of Fine Arts
1993-1995
Textile training under Kuniko Takano
1996-2002
Curator for Yudo Textile Gallery
Assistant curator under Toshihiro Imai (from Yudo gallery) for UNESCO sponsored event “Textile Masters from South East Asia”.
1990-1996
Various positions at
Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Arts
Art Gallery Bon
Saori Institute of Contemporary Hand Weave