Iga Kumihimo

Braids from the ninja hills

Kumihimo are braided cords of dyed silk, where each strand crosses the others to create a texture all their own. Today they are mostly obijime, the cord that holds an obi in place, plus haori cords and even neckties. Iga and Nabari in Mie make about 90% of Japan's hand-braided obijime.

Weigh, dye, twist, braid

• Thread is weighed and divided into the number of strands the cord needs.
• It is dyed to match the colour sample for the design.
• It is wound on a measuring frame about 150 cm round; one obijime takes about 250 cm.
• A twisting wheel called hatcho twists the strands.
• It is braided by hand on stands such as the square kakudai, round marudai, ayatakedai for flat cords and the tall takadai for the finest work.

From armour to obi

Braiding in Iga is said to date back before the Nara period. In the Heian period, braids decorated Buddhist and Shinto objects, and in the samurai era they laced armour and sword fittings. When samurai lost the right to carry swords in the Meiji era, braiders turned to kimono cords. Iga's braiding grew into a real local industry around 1902, when Hirosawa Tokusaburo, who had learned Edo braiding, opened a factory in his home town of Ueno, close to the kimono market of Kyoto.