To learn more and book at place on the FEB 2027 Textile Treasures of Okinawa Tour +click here
By guest blogger and Okan Arts tour alumna Sue Brown
Who isn’t looking for less screen time and more “real” time. For me, “real” time involves making stuff. Fiber is my favorite medium. I knit. I quilt. I just acquired a loom. But going offline doesn’t mean going it alone. I love hanging out with creative people and exploring traditions of making. 
That’s one reason why I’m a fan of Okan Arts’ textile tours: they match small groups of like-minded travelers with rich traditions in textile-making. Okinawa hadn’t been on my bucket list, but the itinerary made me so curious about banana fiber textiles. And so I committed to the 2026 Textile Treasures of Okinawa tour.
And it was a blast!
Patricia and Victoria designed this inaugural tour to include many studio intensives, each celebrating an Okinawan cultural tradition. Using traditional tools, materials, techniques, and motifs is a special way to connect to an art practice. At each studio, I wove or molded or painted or dyed sample projects to bring home with me. 
It’s also special to be invited into an artist’s studio. These sacred spaces brought up a lot for me: admiration of the craftsmanship, gratitude for the community of makers, and, especially, a deeper connection to the island’s culture.
I am an absolute beginner, yet my teachers were as energized by my curiosity as I was with their expertise. These makers truly enjoyed sharing their knowledge. Mutual love for craft cut through our language barriers — we all had fun. I treasure the mementos I made as a reminder of those personal connections.
In the evenings, I explored Naha’s markets and cafes. On my ambles, I noticed modern takes on bingata and weaving design. Time in the studios taught me how to see Okinawa’s history in its lively present.
One favorite experience was at the Ogimi Village Bashofu Museum, a center devoted to the national treasure of banana fiber cloth production. Basho-making involves cultivation, harvest, fiber prep (boiling, scraping, and softening), dyeing, and weaving; all done in synchronicity with the seasons.
Imagine the commitment!! How incredible is it that humans engineered fabric from the banana plant??!! I saw it; it still blows my mind. I tried (and mostly failed!) to strip the raw materials from the Japanese fiber banana plant. Harvesting materials is as much a skill as is dyeing and weaving the fiber.
This trip inspired: I left Okinawa with a deeper appreciation for its textile history and renewed energy for my own creative practice.
To learn more and book at place on the FEB 2027 Textile Treasures of Okinawa Tour +click here
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ABOUT US: Okan Arts, a petite family business, is co-owned by mother-daughter duo Patricia Belyea and Victoria Stone. Patricia and Victoria import vintage Japanese textiles, host in-person and online creative quilting experiences, and lead textile tours to Japan.
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