HISTORY150 - Kumihimo: Japanese Braiding

A few blogs ago, I wrote about (the history of) knitting, an artform that Pat is really good at.  Another artform that Pat excels at is kumihimo, Japanese braiding.  Here is another subject, as close as I’ve been to seeing Pat practice it, that I know very little about.  So, this blog will document “The History of Kumihimo.”

The History of Kumihimo

 

 

 

After an introduction, I will talk about kumihimo’s early roots, kumihimo’s evolution through Japanese history, the specialized looms required, how kumihimo today has turned into a popular craft activity (including some examples from Pat’s recent work), and finally, the future of kumihimo.

As usual, I will list my principal sources at the end.

 

Introduction

Kumihimo is the traditional Japanese art of braiding threads into structurally complex cords.  Spanning over 1,400 years of innovation, its development reflects the shifting political, religious, and martial landscape of Japanese history.

Kumihimo cords evolved in Japan in complexity, color, style and patterns as they were incorporated into increasing areas of Japanese life.  Initially used for religious purposes, the cords became integral elements of samurai armor, later decorative accessories for kimonos (the national dress of Japan), and finally, personal handcrafted items like bracelets, necklaces, and keychains.

The world of kumihimo - examples of cords and combinations.

 

Literally meaning "gathered threads," kumihimo cords are traditionally made from fine silk threads, though modern crafters also use cotton, synthetic fibers like nylon or rayon, and metallic threads - created on specialized looms.

The kumihimo technique interlaces at least three and often many more cords to form a single plaited cord. There are a number of different styles of kumihimo weaving, which variously create a braided cord ranging from very flat to almost entirely round.

 

Early Japanese Kumihimo: 6^th - 12^th Century

Japanese kumihimo is based on early finger-braiding techniques introduced to Japan from the Asian continent in the 6^th century.

The 6^th - 8^th century were foundational eras in early Japanese history marked by the introduction of Buddhism, deep cultural adoption from China, and the centralization of the imperial state.

From the 9^th - 12^th century, Japanese artisans refined the early simple finger-braiding methods to produce intricate, multi-layered cords.  Kumihimo evolved over this period to incorporate more complicated interlacing techniques and patterns.  More elegant color schemes were also adopted with the development of variegated dyeing techniques.  As the art evolved, specialized wooden stands were developed to manage complex structural patterns (see below).  

This was a period in Japanese history when the Chinese influences were in decline, and the national culture matured. This period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court, noted for its art, especially poetry and literature.

Kumihimo cords were initially used as decorative ties in the costumes and furnishings of the Imperial court and as detailing for religious shrines and equipment.  Some cords were worn around the neck to hold religious charms and protective pendants.

Early kumihimo cords.

 

During this era, kumihimo had both functional and decorative uses, for instance in tying religious texts such as Buddhist sutra scrolls, decorating religious banners, and embellishing clerical garments.  Kumihimo cords were also integrated into the elaborate clothing and formal wear of Japanese court nobles, and to hang such objects as scrolls, mirrors, and decorative objects.

Surviving kumihimo objects from this period have mainly been recovered from Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. 

 

Samurai Era: 12th  - 19th Century

With the rise of the warrior class in Japan in the late 12^th century, kumihimo transitioned from a spiritual art into an essential military utility.

For centuries kumihimo braids were used to secure swords and improve their grip.  The hilt often featured an unpatterned, flat but slightly ridged braid to ensure a firm grip, and another decorative braid held the scabbards of swords tightly to the bodies of samurai warriors. 

In addition, kumihimo cords were also widely employed to bind together armor plating.   Hundreds of feet of robust silk cord linked the small individual armor plates into flexible, protective rows and connected the major tiers of the armor suit.  Kumihimo fastenings played a key role in the extraordinary mobility of military armor, allowing multiple plates to protect the wearer with minimum impact on their agility.

Dо̄maru samurai armor (from the front), with kumihimo cords, from the 16^th century.  (Dōmaru armor is a lightweight, flexible type of Japanese chest armor that wraps around the body and fastens on the right side.)

 

During the 17^th to 19^th century, the aristocratic samurai class carried considerable status and wielded great influence in a period of relative peace.  Where previously the visual elements of kumihimo incorporated in armor played a practical role in distinguishing armies on the battlefield, its function in battle dress grew increasingly aesthetic, further encouraging the development of kumihimo techniques. 

A braiding technique known as ayadashi was developed in this era; it allowed for the addition of intricate patterns and even lettering to kumihimo design, which reached a new level of sophistication.  Craftspeople invented specialized braiding stands like the takadai to create the double-cloth braids required for ayadashi patterns.  Cords made with this method were used for sword straps, kimono belts, and decorative fastenings.

Ayadashi-braided belt.

 

During the peaceful 17^th to late 19^th century, specialized workshops advanced complex color patterns, expanding the craft to the general merchant public for tea ceremony pouches and haori jackets, a traditional hip- or thigh-length Japanese outerwear piece designed to be worn open over a kimono.

 

Kimono Era: Late 19^th Century - to Present

Following the establishment of the Meiji government in 1868, the existing Japanese class system was abolished, and sword-wearing was banned in 1876, ending one of the principal uses for kumihimo, in securing samurai swords.  Also at this time, changing fashions introduced a very wide obi, or sash, for tying a woman’s kimono, creating the opportunity for a new use for decorative kumihimo.  Cords, known as obijime, that were nearly exactly the same length as those that had previously been used to secure swords, came into use to secure the obi and draw attention to its fabric.  Though kimono cords are no longer as popular as everyday wear in Japan, obijime remains the principal use for this artform today.  These fine silk braids are highly diverse in color and pattern, and can range from plain to highly decorated, often reflecting the changing seasons.

Gold and silver obijime cord to tie a purple kimono.

 

Until the late 19^th century, kumihimo was practiced as a hand-braiding art by artisans using traditional specialized looms (see below).  Industrial kumihimo production began shifting from entirely hand-crafted artisan work to mechanized and semi-mechanized manufacturing during the Meiji period as Western textile machinery entered Japan and samurai-related demand collapsed.

Simultaneously, imported English weaving and braiding machinery began entering Japan's textile hubs.  Producers adapted traditional looms to supply mass-market kimono accessories, such as sash fasteners and jacket cords.  Today, approximately 95% of standard commercial cords are machine-made.  However, highly complex geometric patterns and high-end luxury pieces still require hand-braiding by specialized artisans because machines struggle to dynamically micro-adjust thread tension the way a human craftsman can. 

Moreover, the handmade tradition to create personalized, handcrafted items like jewelry, keychains, and lanyards is still alive (see below).

 

Traditional Specialized Looms

Specialized traditional Kumihimo looms include the Marudai (round wooden stand) and the Takadai (rectangular wooden stand).

Marudai: The Marudai’s stool-like wooden frame has a top hole through which the central weighted braid passes. Threads are held taut by weighted bobbins.  It is recognized as the most versatile equipment in the art of kumihimo.

A marudai specialized loom.

 

A Marudai can produce:

·        Smooth, cylindrical cords ideal for necklaces, drawstrings, and general ties.

·        Cords with four or more flat sides.

·        Simple flat bands or hollow tubes, though limited in width by the circular hole in the center.

·        Simpler stripes, spirals, and basic geometric rotations created by the starting layout of the bobbins.

Takadai: The Takadai’s vertical wooden frame features flat, sword-shaped wooden tools to firmly push and pack rows of thread into place.

A takadai specialized loom.

 

A Takadai can produce:

·        Large, substantial flat bands often used for traditional kimono sashes.

·        Complex multi-color graphic designs where one color/pattern appears on the front and a different one appears on the back, or where strands are actively swapped to form intricate imagery and diagonal twills.

·        Extremely strong, rigid, or textured structural bands.

 

Continuing Handmade Tradition

The kumihimo handmade tradition continues today with some people using the specialized looms described above.  Other modern braiders often replace the marudai with a round disk, typically made of firm, dense foam with (typically) 32 notches around the edge, that tightly grip the threads to maintain tension, so that weighted bobbins are not needed; instead; flexible plastic bobbins are sometimes used to prevent tangling of the threads.  Foam disks are typically 6 inches in diameter with a center hole.

The foam kumihimo disk was invented around 2001 by Japanese Kumihimo Master Makiko Tada in collaboration with the Hamanaka company, following the invention of the original slotted braiding disk in the 1980s.  At first, Tada used cardboard disks with her students, but the cardboard warped or got ruined when students' hands got sweaty during long braiding sessions.  She wanted a material that was sturdy, flexible, and moisture-resistant.  After testing various materials with Hamanaka, they developed the modern dense foam disk.

A foam kumihimo disc constrains the weaver to no more than 32 yarns that must not be thicker than the notch allows, and does not enable the creation of flat braids.  To make a flat braid, a separate rectangular or square "disc" must be made or purchased.  Foam disks are a more affordable and portable alternative to a traditional marudai, with many different sizes and shapes of disc available for purchase.

 

A foam kumihimo disk with plastic bobbins to keep threads untangled.

 

Japanese braiding has gained in popularity outside of Japan, with an increasing number of beginner books available in languages other than Japanese. There is also a Journal of the American Kumihimo Society.

Popular handcrafted kumihimo Items include:

·        Bracelets and Necklaces: Simple 8-strand or complex beaded spiral cords make colorful, custom everyday jewelry.  (Integrating beads into kumihimo is a modern modification that became common in the late 20^th and early 21^st centuries).

·        Keychains and Lanyards: Sturdy round or flat braids turn into functional, durable everyday accessories.

·        Amulets and Charms: Miniature braids or traditional designs serve as protection charms, zipper pulls, and phone straps.

Here are some examples of Pat’s Kumihimo work using a foam disk.  The piece on the left is round, has eight strands, and is beaded.   The piece in the middle is flat and has 16 strands.  The piece on the right contains both round and flat segments and has 8 strands.

Pat braided these three necklaces on a foam disk.

 

The Future of Kumihimo

The future of kumihimo lies in blending its 1,400-year-old Japanese hand-braiding traditions with modern high-tech engineering, sustainable materials, and contemporary global fashion.

Modern Materials and Daily Utility:

·        New fibers: Artisans are moving beyond pure silk to incorporate nickel copper wire, acrylics, reflective twisted yarns, and non-flammable fibers.

·        Everyday lifestyle products: Traditional techniques once reserved for samurai armor and kimono sashes are now shaping contemporary consumer goods like umbrellas, shoes, high-end pens, jewelry, and modern furniture.

Industrial and Technological Innovation:

·        Advanced engineering: The unique geometry and variable fiber orientation angles of kumihimo braids provide exceptional tensile strength and flexibility.

·        High-tech applications: Industrial sectors are applying these ancient braiding patterns to high-strength carbon fiber and fiber-reinforced plastics used in aerospace components, golf club shafts, and medical artificial limbs.

Global Fashion and Design:

·        Reinvented apparel: Contemporary designers and stylists are integrating structural kumihimo elements into modern Western-style garments and international fashion lines.

·        Global preservation: Heritage producers are increasing international awareness through major global exhibitions, introducing hand-dyed silk accessories and bow ties to worldwide audiences.

 

Sources

My principal sources include: “Kumihimo,” “Marudai,” and “Ta,” Wikipedia.com; “The History and Significance of Kumihimo in Japanese Culture,” japanhousela.com; “Kumihimo and the history of Domyo,” kdomyo.com; plus, numerous other online sources, including answers to many queries using Google in AI-Mode.