Takihyo Co., Ltd., a textile trading company founded in 1751 (Headquarters: Nishi-ku, Nagoya; Representative Director, President and CEO: Kazuo Taki), will hold an open factory event at its Ichinomiya Factory, the company’s manufacturing hub, during the “Hitsuji Summit Bishu,” held from October 23 to 25 in “Bishu,” one of the world’s top three wool-textile producing regions.
This year marks the sixth open factory at the Ichinomiya Factory. The event will showcase the spinning process using the rare “Bradford System,” an English-style spinning machine capable of spinning with the same methods as during the Industrial Revolution, as well as the “Schönherr loom,” a low-speed shuttle loom that has long been used in Bishu and has now become rare. Visitors can observe the process by which yarn is woven into fabric, and original products such as yarns, fabrics, and miscellaneous goods planned and developed at the Ichinomiya Factory will also be sold.
As a manufacturer rooted in the local community, we aim to contribute to regional revitalization through collaboration with various companies, while broadly promoting the sustainability of wool—a material with a low environmental impact during the manufacturing process and one that is biodegradable.

Scenes from last year’s Takihyo Ichinomiya Factory open factory

■ Event Overview
“Hitsuji Summit Bishu” Official Website: https://hitsuji.fun/
Dates: October 23 (Fri) – 25 (Sun), 2026
*Opening dates and times vary depending on each factory and restaurant.
Venue: Various business sites and event venues around Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, and Hashima City, Gifu Prefecture
Ichinomiya Factory Open Factory Application Page: https://hitsuji.fun/event/320/
*Our open factory is held only on October 24 (Sat) and 25 (Sun).

[Our Program]
■ “See how fiber turns into yarn, and yarn into fabric! A limited-time public showing of globally rare English-style spinning machines and Schönherr looms!”
Date & Time:
October 24 (Sat)
1st: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM,
2nd: 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM,
3rd: 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM,
4th: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
October 25 (Sun)
1st: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM,
2nd: 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM,
3rd: 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM,
4th: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM

Capacity: Up to 10 participants per session (reservation required).
*Target audience: Elementary school students and older.
*For safety during the tour, please wear comfortable clothing and shoes (such as sneakers).

Location: 100 Wakamiyamae Nishihagiwara, Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, Takihyo Co., Ltd. Ichinomiya Factory TEL: 0586-48-5250

Participation Fee: Free
Reservation Method: Please apply using the dedicated form from our introduction page on the Hitsuji Summit official website.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1enjiteXNryFQV_Bl_erCQ6H-m5ZaTXT3l3zq4hD_G4A/edit

■ “Hitsuji Summit Bishu Exclusive ‘Factory Shop’ Opens!! New Stoles Also on Sale!!”
We will offer yarns and fabrics produced by rare English-style worsted spinning, 100% wool stoles perfect for the coming season, and items not generally available for purchase, all exclusively at special prices.
Date & Time: October 24 (Sat) – October 25 (Sun), 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (No reservation required)

■ What is Hitsuji Summit Bishu?
With the catchphrase “An open factory where users and makers can connect loosely and casually in the town of textiles,” this event conveys the sustainability of wool through six ways to enjoy the event: factory tours, hands-on craft experiences, interacting with sheep, shopping, delicious gourmet food, and talk sessions & events. It connects users and makers, brings the region together to drive revitalization, and aims to improve the image of business succession and nurture the next generation of workers in the industry.
Launched in 2021, the event will be held this year under the theme “Five Senses” at more than 40 locations over three days, from October 23 (Fri) to 25 (Sun).

■ What is the manufacturing base “Ichinomiya Factory”?
Ichinomiya Factory is our new manufacturing base, which we established in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture in 2014. The main source for it, the “English-style spinning machines,” were manufactured around 70 years ago, and there are now very few of them left in Japan. Using rare spinning machines that retain memories of the Industrial Revolution’s transition from manual to mechanical industry, we produce yarn with a texture that cannot be achieved with the French-style spinning machines that are commonly used today. The highly original yarns and fabrics planned and developed at the Ichinomiya Factory are highly regarded by brands both in Japan and overseas.

■What is the Schönherr loom?
A traditional loom that has long been used in Bishu and became widely known by this name because it resembled looms made by the long-established German manufacturer Schönherr. It is characterized by a mechanism in which a wooden boat-shaped part called a “shuttle,” carrying wound yarn, is thrown from side to side to pass the weft thread, and because of this structure, it is also called a “shuttle loom.”
Because it is slower than the high-speed looms that are mainstream today, it places less strain on the yarn and allows it to be woven slowly and carefully. This makes it easy to bring out the fabric’s natural hand and three-dimensional feel, creating a unique texture across a wide range of materials, from heavy fabrics to those woven with fine-count yarns. In addition, a major feature of fabrics woven on the Schönherr loom is that the edges of the cloth are naturally folded back by the back-and-forth movement of the shuttle, forming a “selvage” with no seam allowance. While the number of operating looms is decreasing due to low production efficiency, as well as the aging of technicians and a shortage of successors, they have been attracting renewed attention in recent years as looms that produce highly rare and valuable fabrics.