About SAORI

SAORI is a movement and integrated practice of creative and personal realization founded in 1969 by Misao Jo and still continued by her family in Osaka, Japan. It is rooted in the activity of free-flowing, uninhibited hand weaving and the core philosophy that we are all born with unique sensibilities and the power to create. SAORI is not only a practice of connecting deeply with one’s own creative and authentic self, but it is also a practice of connecting deeply with others. By discovering and nurturing our individuality yet shared humanity and ability to express ourselves, we cultivate awareness and compassion within ourselves and our global community.

A Brief History

When she began weaving at the age of 57, Misao Jo originally used the term SAORI to identify her own weaving, sao being a contraction of her name and ori meaning ‘weaving’ in Japanese. But later as she deepened her own practice of weaving and realized that it was much more than a personal hobby and had a profound capacity to impact the lives of other individuals, she extended the significance of the name SAORI beyond herself and connected it to the Japanese word sai (差異), which means ‘difference.’ There are many words that can mean ‘difference,’ but this word specifically does not mean difference between objects in comparison, but rather difference amongst objects, each with their own dignity.

Life is where we come in order to discover our true selves.
—Misao Jo

As she experienced personally and the experiences of countless others further illustrated, Misao found that the most accessible and impactful way for all individuals to awaken their hidden powers of creativity and cultivate their authentic selves was through a sustained practice of hand weaving. Not just any kind of hand weaving, but remarkably uncomplicated hand weaving that encourages a natural state of mindfulness and unrestrained possibilities to the question, what if? And so, Misao and her family worked together to build a tool as revolutionary and human-centered as the mindset it was designed to facilitate: the SAORI loom.

Through their carefully considered design, SAORI looms and accessories make an unparalleled flow of weaving possible for individuals of all ages, previous experiences, and physical and intellectual capabilities. Within a matter of minutes and lasting for a lifetime, one can sit down at a SAORI loom and feel the ease, joy and satisfaction of being able to express oneself. Paired with dedication to open, generous and inspired thinking, SAORI looms become more than simply tools for creative expression but also tools for self-discovery and self-innovation.

Plain weaving appeals to new weavers due to its simplicity
and to long-time weavers due to its sophistication.

In SAORI, practice does not make perfect—or imperfect. Practicing SAORI is a continual journey of being present to and learning deeply about who we are, genuinely and free from judgments and expectations that naturally develop from within ourselves and from our external world. By discovering and nurturing our individuality, we cultivate awareness and compassion within ourselves but also towards others. Through weaving, making and wearing our own one-of-a-kind clothes, and generously sharing together, we realize our uniqueness yet collective humanity and ability to express ourselves. We connect to the boundless, creative potential that lives within each and every human being and unites our global community.

Misao wove almost every day from the time she first learned at age 57 until she was 98. She devoted herself to helping others discover their authentic, creative selves and was commended by the Japanese government twice for her contribution to the public through SAORI, once in 1990 by the Minister of Health and Welfare and again in 1992 by the Prime Minister of Japan. In 2018, Misao passed away peacefully at the age of 104, but her spirit and legacy live on through her family and thousands of individuals and communities practicing SAORI all around the world. 

The Four Slogans of SAORI

The following slogans represent the core philosophy of SAORI. They guide those practicing SAORI not only while they weave but also in the ways they conduct their lives as a whole.        

1.  Consider the differences between a machine and human being.
2.  Be bold and adventurous.
3.  Look out through eyes that shine.
4.  Inspire one another and everyone in the community.

Thoughts on Each Slogan:

Consider the differences between a machine and human being.
SAORI inspires people to do what only a human being can but a machine cannot—to exist, think and express freely. It may seem obvious, but we tend to forget how unique we are as individuals, and consciously or subconsciously we accept learned notions of beauty and ‘perfection’ often valued and taught by society. However, as human beings, we have the ability to be truly spontaneous and original, not constrained by predetermined rules or expectations. In each moment we weave, in each moment we share together, we can realize and express the creative spirit that makes us human. Uneven fringe, skipped or missing threads, irregular cloth edges, seemingly ‘mismatched’ colors—we do not see these as ‘mistakes’ but rather markers of our humanness.

Be bold and adventurous.
It is one thing to talk about creating spontaneously and without inhibition and another to actually practice. SAORI encourages us to be brave and embark on a lifelong journey of challenging and expanding our ways of thinking and being. Perhaps you think you are not ‘artistic’ or that you must follow certain conventions in order to make something ‘beautiful,’ but SAORI insists that we are all born with the natural ability to create and that all individuals are inherently one-of-a-kind. What we must do is allow ourselves to explore and nurture this inner light within us by being courageous and venturing beyond the limits we typically define or allow others to define for ourselves.

Look out through eyes that shine.
When we practice SAORI, we awaken our sensitivity to and enthusiasm for the beauty that exists all around us, even (or especially in) unexpected places. Our shining eyes may find inspiration in the window display of a local café, the wood grain on a building’s exterior, the colored ribbon on a stranger’s shoe, a flower basking in the sun along the path home from work. Staying open and curious with our eyes not only inspires our creative work, but this way of thinking and relating to the world also helps us to be gentle and compassionate as individuals towards ourselves and those around us.

Inspire one another and everyone in the community.
Recognizing and nurturing the unique, creative sensibilities that exist within us does not encourage egotism but rather the opposite. Through SAORI, we realize that regardless of age, previous experience, or physical and intellectual capability, each individual and each woven piece has value and cannot be compared with any other. In sharing the same philosophy and respect for ourselves and others, we support one another in the courageous practice of challenging conventions and discovering our authentic selves. When we generously share ideas with everyone in the community without hiding and we maintain attitudes of humility and sincerity, we open and strengthen pathways for mutual understanding and connection. We inspire by learning and learn by inspiring. When we weave cloth together, we weave community together.

Continue to the History of SAORI to learn more about Misao Jo and SAORI’s origins.