Kyo Kumihimo

A braid for every purpose

Kumihimo have been used in Japan for more than a thousand years, on shrines and temples, clothing, armour and the cords of sword scabbards. Each use has its own braid, and there are about 3,500 braid types in all. Since the Meiji period they have mostly been made as obijime, the cord tied over an obi. Kyo Kumihimo is made in Kyoto city and Uji in Kyoto.

Braided by hand on wooden stands

After the threads are split, combined and measured, they are braided by hand on one of six kinds of wooden stand: the round marudai, square kakudai, tall takadai, kago-uchi-dai, ayatakedai and naikidai. Tassels are then added and the cord is steamed to finish.

From Heian court to samurai armour

People in the Jomon era already used twisted cords and simple braids. Kyo Kumihimo itself is said to begin in the Heian period. In the Kamakura period, braids were used more and more on armour, and practical braiding skills grew. In the Edo period, haori jacket cords were made in large numbers. For a sister craft, see Iga Kumihimo.