A Kurume cotton-filled hanten is a winter garment made in the Chikugo region by placing cotton wadding between an outer fabric and a lining. Despite the name “Kurume,” production is not confined to Kurume City. The craft is practiced across Chikugo City, Kurume City, and Oki Town in Mizuma District.
The word hanten is used for several garments with different forms and purposes, including unpadded coats worn at festivals or as traditional workwear. Kurume cotton-filled hanten are different: they are padded garments intended to provide warmth during the colder months.
Cotton-filled hanten have been worn by ordinary people as winter clothing since the Edo period (1603–1868).
Textile businesses in the Chikugo region are believed to have begun producing cotton-filled hanten on a larger scale around 1947. Drawing on weaving and sewing skills already established in the area, local makers continued producing them as practical winter garments for the home.
By the late 1980s, annual production was reportedly around three million garments. These hanten were not craft objects made primarily for display. They were winter clothing worn in homes throughout Japan, and their widespread use supported production across the region.
Hanten later became a less common sight as fleece and other newer forms of cold-weather clothing became widespread. In the early 2020s, however, they began attracting renewed attention. As people spent more time at home, the practicality of an indoor layer that could be slipped on easily was reconsidered. Makers now retain the familiar form while adapting materials, colors, patterns, and sleeve shapes to contemporary ways of living.
In December 2025, Kurume cotton-filled hanten were designated a Specialty Craft Product by the Governor of Fukuoka Prefecture.
The defining features of Kurume cotton-filled hanten are their layered construction and the distinctive warmth provided by cotton wadding placed between the outer fabric and lining.
Their production includes a process known as wata-ire, or filling insertion. After the outer fabric and lining have been sewn together, two people work simultaneously from opposite sides to spread the filling evenly through the garment. The finished result depends not only on the amount of filling used, but also on how it is distributed from one area to another.
Another important process is tojiri, a form of hand tacking. Once the filling has been placed evenly inside the garment, it is secured at key points to help prevent it from shifting during wear. Keeping the filling distributed through the body and sleeves allows the garment to cover the wearer more broadly rather than letting the padding collect in one place.
Kurume cotton-filled hanten are now made in different lengths and sleeve shapes. The names and measurements used for these forms vary by maker and do not constitute a single classification shared throughout the region. Some manufacturers also produce sleeveless, poncho-style hanten and versions with elbow-length sleeves for contemporary use.
Long Sleeves
This is the familiar form that covers the arms. It offers broader coverage when spending time indoors during cold weather.
Yakko
A yakko is a form with shorter sleeves than a standard long-sleeved hanten. With less fabric around the arms, it can be easier to wear while doing housework, cooking, or working with the hands.
1. Preparing and Cutting the Fabrics
The outer fabric and lining are prepared and cut to the required pattern pieces. The fabrics used vary by product.
2. Sewing the Outer Fabric and Lining
The cut pieces are sewn to form the body, sleeves, and other parts of the jacket. The outer fabric and lining are assembled in a way that leaves room for the filling to be inserted later.
3. Inserting the Filling in Pairs
Cotton wadding is placed between the sewn outer fabric and lining. Two people work from opposite sides, spreading the filling throughout the garment so that it does not become uneven.
Some makers add extra filling to particular areas, such as the hem, while considering how the garment will sit when worn. These small adjustments form part of the production knowledge developed by each maker.
4. Securing the Filling with Tojiri
After the filling has been inserted, key areas are stitched by hand to keep it from shifting during wear.
As one maker’s approach, Miyata Orimono adjusts its stitches according to how the filling lies and where strain is likely to fall. This helps preserve the loft of the padding while maintaining the necessary strength. Although the stitching is not especially noticeable from the outside, it is an important part of keeping the filling stable inside the garment.
5. Finishing and Inspection
Loose threads are trimmed, the garment’s shape is checked, and the finished hanten is inspected.
The way a Kurume cotton-filled hanten is used depends on its fabrics, filling, length, and sleeve shape. A cold morning or evening, a long period of seated work, and time spent moving around the home place different demands on a garment. Thinking about when it will be worn draws attention not only to the fabric, but also to the amount of padding and the freedom of movement provided by the sleeves.
