JCC E-Magazine April 2022

There is much to admire about traditional Japanese wear: the elaborately embroidered swishing sleeves of furisode, and the elegant pleats of hakama; these indeed draw the viewer’s eye, but there is something else that ties the entire outfit together. This article of clothing is the obi.

The obi (帯) is a type of sash that is worn with traditional Japanese clothing. It originated as a functional piece; early obi came in the form of cords or thin, ribbon-like sashes that were used by men and women alike to keep their robes closed. Over time, obi developed into a piece of clothing that was more ornamental than functional — they were made using more elaborate material and increasingly wider — and other sorts of ties were created to hold the kimono in place and keep the front closed instead. Though obi styles for men and women started out similar, more styles have since been developed for women rather than men.

This change was prompted mainly by the emergence of new fashion trends during the Edo period. Early cord- and ribbon-like obi were worn with short-sleeved garments known as kosode — precursors to the kimono — but as the kosode’s sleeves grew longer and wider, so did the obi. The growing length and width of the obi also had affected the placement of the knot. Long, wide obi result in large knots that would get in the way when worn in front. While obi were originally always knotted in the front, by the start of the 20th century, it became customary for obi to be knotted in the back. Many also credit the taiko-musubi as the catalyst for the development of many fashionable styles — this knot was, known as the ‘drum knot’, finishes off with a bow round the back and puffs out like a pillow, making it beautiful to look at. It was popular amongst young women, and sparked a number of other knot styles that made obi look beautiful instead of just simply functional!

In the Edo period, obi also became a way to identify people. Depending on one’s social class, one would have to knot their obi a certain way. As such, with one glance at the way an obi is tied, you can tell if someone was a samurai or a craftsman, their age, and even their marital status! For example, samurai often used tied their obi in a style known as kata-basami. Simple and secure, it serves multiple purposes: swords can be held in the obi, and it also helps improve posture and provides support around the wearer’s abdominal area. Women from samurai families often used a bunko-musubi, which looked dignified and yet, stayed secure around the wearer’s waist.

Though the rules were rigid, people devised many ways to express their own style with new creative knots. Today, there are more than a hundred ways to knot obi, but many of these are variants of styles that originated in the Edo period; that these styles were able to remain popular and even inspire derivative styles is a testament to the innovative and fashion-conscious minds of people during the Edo period!

The type of obi used and the knot style chosen can also differ based on the formality of the occasion. The most formal obi is the maru-obi, which is worn primarily by brides, geishaand maiko. It is long — 30cm in width, and 4-4.5m long — and made of stiff silk brocade. It features the same woven design on the face and reverse sides. The elaborate design and luxurious materials used, these sorts of formal obi can sometimes cost a lot more than the kimono itself! Also, because of how long and heavy it is, it requires the help of another person to put on and knot.

Informal occasions allow for obi made from different materials such as lightweight silk, cotton, hemp, and polyester. For example, there is the hanhaba-obi, which is an unlined obi that can be paired with an informal everyday kimono or a yukata. This obi derives its name from the fact that its width is half that of standard textiles! It is about 12cm width-wise and has a standard length of 3.6m, though longer ones are available if the wearer wants to create more elaborate knots.

There are several places that are well known for the gorgeous obi that they produce. The first place that comes to mind is Kyoto. The Nishijin area in Kyoto boasts centuries of history of textile-making; not only are their silk textiles dyed vibrant and beautiful colours, they also feature complex patterns that require the skills of the most talented weavers. These patterns are oftentimes interwoven with gold and silver threads, making them extremely luxurious. It used to be a very laborious task to make these textiles for obi; in the olden days, producing, weaving, designing these silk textiles was all done by hand, but with advances in technology, some of the more time-consuming processes are now done by computers. This however, does not affect the high quality and beauty of the textiles, and obi and kimono made with Nishijin textiles are still extremely coveted.

The Hakata area in Fukuoka is also well known for silk textiles that are interwoven with thick weft threads made of reeds. Hakata textiles feature a distinct pattern that is a combination of several traditional motifs in a sort of striped pattern. These textiles are also thinner than the silk brocade of Nishijin textiles, making it cool and comfortable to wear, and features a “waffle” texture that helps keep the obi knot from slipping. This texture is both beautiful and functional, which makes it suitable for both formal and informal occasions. The durability of Hakata textiles also meant that it was favoured as the obi material of choice for many samurai.

Although we cannot introduce all the materials and knot styles that exist, we hope this article gave you an informative introduction to the world of obi! If you ever get the opportunity to don traditional Japanese wear, we hope that you take the time to admire the beauty and history of not only the kimono, but the obi that ties the entire outfit together.

Resources

"Kimono Types And Designs (2)". 2022. Kids Web Japan. Accessed March 25. https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/kimono/kimono03.html.

Montald, Ilse. 2020. "5 Types Of Japanese Kimono Obi Knots". Wattention. https://wattention.com/japanese-kimono-obi-knots/.

"The Ties Binding The Heart Of Japan". 2020. Web Japan. https://web-japan.org/niponica/niponica29/en/feature/feature03.html.

Yamamoto, Masako. 2022. "Nishijin Woven Textiles". Google Arts & Culture. Accessed March 25. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/nishijin-woven-textiles-art-research-center-ritsumeikan-university/bwXhyKJQOVlWJA?hl=en.

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