Kyo embroidery (Kyo-nui) is a form of Japanese embroidery with a long history in Kyoto.  This delicate and graceful art of silk-thread embroidery dates back 1,200 years to the  Asuka period and had    been treated as an  intellectual and cultural activity for aristocrats.  Now, because of its skill and artistry, it has been designated a Traditional Handiwork by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The origin of kyo-embroidery is an embroidered scroll of the Buddha, made in the Asuka period.  When the capital was moved to Heian-kyo, a Nuibe (Embroidery) Department was established in  Kyoto. The department included many embroidery artisans whose skill and expressiveness bloomed as embroidery on clothing.  Later, this form of embroidery was applied to luxurious kimonos, weaponry and No-play costumes. (No is a traditional masked dance-drama of Japan.)  After Yuzen dyeing was established in the Edo period,  Kyo embroidery developed as a further decoration technique for Yuzen dyeing.  The colorfulness of silver, gold and silk threads and the beautiful patterns featuring themes from the four seasons make Kyo embroidery a crystal of beauty produced in Kyoto.