Kumihimo (組み紐) is a traditional Japanese artform and craftwork for making braids and cords. In the past, kumihimo decorations were used as accessories for kimono as well as samurai armor. Japanese braiding, as is sometimes known in English, is also associated with Shinto rituals and religious services. Literally meaning "gathered threads", are made by interlacing reels of yarn, commonly silk, with the use of traditional, specialised looms – either a lit. 'round stand' (丸台) or a takadai (高台) (also known as a ). There are a number of different styles of weaving, which variously create a braided cord ranging from very flat to almost entirely rounded. cords are used as, cords worn belted around the front of some when wearing kimono.

History

was introduced to Japan from China via the Korean peninsula around 700 AD. When the art first arrived in Japan, it was used to decorate Buddhist scrolls and other votive items. The city of Nara emerged as a centre of cultural and artistic exchange and became the point of introductory of to Japan. braids were first created by using fingerloop braiding to weave different yarns together. Later, tools such as the and the were developed, allowing more complex braids to be woven in a shorter amount of time. In the present day, modern variations of weaving discs exist, typically made of firm, dense foam with (typically) 32 notches around the edge, creating the tension necessary for weaving. These discs are considered to be a more affordable and portable alternative to a traditional, with many different sizes and shapes of disc available for purchase. However, a modern foam disc is considered less versatile than a traditional. A traditional allows the weaver to use as many yarns of as many thicknesses as desired, and to create braids which are flat, four sided, or hollow. A foam 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. The most prominent historical use of was by samurai, as a functional and decorative way to lace their lamellar armour and their horses' armor (barding). cords are now used as ties on jackets and as, used to hold some knots in place or to decorate the when wearing kimono.

Modern kumihimo: 20th and 21st centuries

Japanese braiding is being used in other areas in addition to its traditional uses, and has been taken up by arts and craft communities outside of Japan. Kumihimo 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. In contrast to the interest in Japanese braiding as a craft for all, the city of Columbus, Georgia, USA, commissioned Junichi Arai (1932–2017) to create a permanent 12 × 9 metre metallic fibre artwork consisting of 200 stainless steel braidings that produced kinetic waves. Arai is considered an important innovator who raised textiles from craft to art. Akiko Moriyama describes him thus: "Arai embodies everything about Japanese textiles, from the challenges to the possibilities." Arai's installation opened at for the River Center for Performing Arts in 2003.

Types

The three prominent types of are kado-uchi himo (角打ち紐), hira-uchi himo (平打紐), and maru-uchi himo (丸打紐).

Related terms