Morphological analysis of Musa balbisiana var. liukiuensis fibers for Kimono-grade Bashofu in Japan

Bashofu is an Okinawan traditional Banana textile made from Musa balbisiana var. liukiuensis (Itobashou banana) leaf sheaths. Bashofu kimono fibers are in chronic shortage because limited leaf sheaths, which the artisans carefully select, can be used. However, neither the Bashofu kimono fiber nor the traditional material separation method has been investigated from a plant science perspective. Bashofu threads are composed of Itobashou plant fibers, the majority of which consist of plant secondary cell walls. The purpose of this study is to investigate both raw and processed Bashofu kimono fibers through microscopic observation of their cell walls. As a result, thin cell wall and smooth, white fiber surfaces were identified as important characteristics of Bashofu kimono fibers. Furthermore, the traditional material separation method based on artisans' sensory perception in making Bashofu is scientifically reasonable, as supported by various morphological analyses of Musa balbisiana, a species for which a morphological analysis has not been reported.