Kimono is the general name for Japanese clothing that is worn by both men and women.
This term refers to the traditional clothes of the Japanese, as well as a special uniform used in martial arts. Clothes must be tied with a belt. It has various modifications and differs in gender and type of activity.
Kimono belt: what is it called?
An obi is a cloth sash used to tie a kimono.
Exists There are several varieties of this accessory:
- men's martial arts (represents an ordinary fabric strip of fabric, stitched and very dense, a kind of sash is tied to a kimono);
- men's casual (also not distinguished by decorative trim, a fabric belt tied to a casual robe);
- female (a wide fabric sash, fastened at the waist, usually has rich decoration, embroidery and various stripes, and is attached to a special board to keep its shape).
The obi is not only used for tying kimonos in martial arts, it is used by men and women in everyday life, as well as by geisha and maiko who undergo appropriate training.
In modern Japan, the popularity of the accessory has faded somewhat. It is worn exclusively with traditional costume during various stylized events. In the form of representatives of various martial arts, the belt still remains an important part of the costume.
Origin
The obi belt appeared in ancient times, it was also used to tie up the clothes of men and women. For women, it had a large width and length, and was tied with complex knots that denoted their occupation and position in society.
There were many varieties of this accessory. The following types are used today:
- maru (an ancient belt made of brocade fabric, used for tying suits and traditional clothes on special occasions);
- fukuro (a modern festive belt, a lightweight version of the ancient maru-obi, brocade fabric is now used only on the front side of the product);
- Nagoya (a narrow belt that widens only in the part where patterns and decorative elements are located);
- hankhaba (narrow belt of modern Japanese);
- haka (narrow belt made of soft fabric).
In distant centuries, the obi was an obligatory part of everyday costume, and women spent a lot of time tying the sash according to all the rules. In the modern world, this is not required due to the use of simple clothing that is accepted throughout the world. However, during holidays, themed celebrations and public events, the Japanese dress according to long-established traditions. That is why the history of the kimono and its belt is still alive and honored.
Interesting Facts
It is noteworthy that the women's obi is a special category of applied art. Rich embroideries, stripes made of precious stones, ornaments and designs decorate the women's accessory.
The more noble the person, the more richly embroidered her obi. In ancient Japan, the type of activity of a lady could be determined by the sash.
There are several ways to tie:
- tied at the front with a special knot (this method was used by yujo and courtesans, as well as married women, this paradox is due to the fact that in the country courtesans were considered a wife for one day);
- a beautiful lush bow with an intricate knot at the lower back (this type of knot was used by geishas);
- the ends of the obi hang freely at the back (this way of tying a belt indicated a maiko, a geisha student).
A large number of additional accessories were used to tie the obi. Several types of laces, a special board to prevent wrinkles and a pad to ensure rigidity. The design of the costume was very intricate and sometimes it was difficult for a woman to get rid of such draperies on her own. For men, everything is much simpler. They wore narrow cloth obi, which were tied with special knots exactly in the middle of the stomach.
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