Expansion and transformation of export-oriented silk weaving district: the case of Fukui in Japan from 1890 to 1919

The Fukui silk weaving district developed at an astonishing pace. It became the largest industrial district of habutae, or plain silk, production, in Japan the decade after it started the production in the mid-1880s. The production of habutae initially spread from the capital city to other areas in the same prefecture. The district was the also first in Japan to use power looms for silk weavings, which were introduced in the mid-1910s. Production was initially dominated by family firms but later by factories. Interestingly, the product composition in Fukui changed from mostly habutae to a variety of more sophisticated products. This study attempts to explore the transformation of the Fukui silk weaving district and the causes of such a rapid expansion. We also investigate how the size, location, and structure of weaving firms and affected their labor productivity.