Noto-jofu refers to the high-quality hemp fabric from the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture.  It is an Ishikawa Intangible Cultural Asset.
    Hakui City and Rokusei Town in the Noto Peninsula are often associated with hemp.  According to legend, the daughter of  Emperor Sujin spun wild hemp into thread and taught women in the area to weave. There are some sources that say that the hemp thread was dedicated at Todaiji-temple in Nara.
    Until the early days of the Edo period, local high-quality hemp leaves were used to make what is called Omi-jofu.  During the Edo Period, the production of original jofu gained momentum. People from Noto invited craftsmen from Omi to learn  their famed dyeing techniques and the two combined to create a new type of jofu.  Jofu is used to refer to hemp fabric of the highest quality.
    In the first year of the Bunsei period (1818), this new type of fabric was given a special name, Noto.  Since then weaving technique has improved, and starting from the end of the Meiji Period, Noto-Jofu has become the term used to refer to this type of cloth.
    Noto-jofu is often likened to a cicada's wing for its lightness. It is a clever way to stay cool during the summer.