Kumihimo

Braided cords from Tokyo and Kyoto used for kimono obi ties and accessories.

Kumihimo is the traditional Japanese art of braiding silk and other threads into decorative cords using a marudai (round stand) or takadai (square stand). With roots in the Nara period (8th century), kumihimo cords were historically used to lace samurai armor, bind sword hilts, and fasten court garments. Today they are most commonly seen as obijime — the decorative cord tied around a kimono obi sash — with each braid pattern carrying specific cultural meanings. The rhythmic, meditative process of interlacing dozens of weighted thread bundles produces over 40 traditional braid structures.