Preamble
For your convenience I have listed other posts on Japanese textiles on this blogspot:
Discharge Thundercloud
The Basic Kimono Pattern
The Kimono and Japanese Textile Designs
Traditional Japanese Arabesque Patterns (Part I)
Textile Dyeing Patterns of Japan
Traditional Japanese Arabesque Patterns (Part II)
Sarasa Arabesque Patterns (Part III)
Contemporary Japanese Textile Creations
Shibori (Tie-Dying)
History of the Kimono
A Textile Tour of Japan - Part I
A Textile Tour of Japan - Part II
The History of the Obi
Japanese Embroidery (Shishu)
Japanese Dyed Textiles
Aizome (Japanese Indigo Dyeing)
Stencil-Dyed Indigo Arabesque Patterns (Part V)
Japanese Paintings on Silk
Tsutsugaki - Freehand Paste-Resist Dyeing
Street Play in Tokyo
Birds and Flowers in Japanese Textile Designs
Japanese Colors and Inks on Paper From the Idemitsu Collection
Yuzen: Multicolored Past-Resist Dyeing - Part 1
Yuzen: Multi-colored Paste-Resist Dyeing - Part II
The History of the Obi [1]
From modest beginnings the obi has become the focal point of the kimono ensemble of today. Starting as a narrow sash that held up the culotte-like pants called hakama it has evolved into an expensive and elaborate work of art. Whether woven of rich silk brocade, embroidered or dyed it is an essential part of the kimono, not only decoratively but functionally: since the kimono has no buttons or fasteners of any kind, it relies entirely on the obi to keep it closed.
Semi formal yuzen kimono. Note: the waist sash - obi - holds a buttonless kimono closed.
In the Kamakura period (1185 - 1333) the obi was a back-tied bast fiber sash two or three inches wide, but during the Muromachi period (1333 - 1573) it was sometimes made from silk. This slightly wider sash was decorated with plaids and checks in the Momoyama period (1568 - 1600), and its tail ends were tucked in. It was during this time that the so-called Nagoya obi was created, when courtesans in the city of Nagoya copied the manner in which the Chinese artisans working in that city tied a cord around their waist several times.
Woman's obi with woven grass and flower motifs and gold-leaf imprints on hemp.
Momoyama period (1568 - 1600).
Courtesy of Tokyo National Museum.
It was not until the Edo period (1603 – 1868), when the obi's variety reached its height, that it became important in its own right and new ways of tying it were developed. Before that time, the kimono was the center of attention, but as fewer innovations developed in its decoration, the weavers and dyers turned their attention to the obi and began making more elaborate, wider, and longer fabrics for it.
Left: Woman's obi. All-over embroidery of butterflies, iris and anchor motifs on white donsu.
Right: Woman's obi. Embroidery of grass, flower, and puppies on red velvet. Edo period (1603 – 1868).
Courtesy of Tokyo National Museum.
In the 1670s it was six to seven inches in width. The bow was variously placed on the side and at the front, but it moved to its permanent position in the back after an actor, imitating a young girl's fashion, wore an obi tied in the back on stage and so started a new style.
Today, formal and semi-informal kimono are worn with specific types of obi. The double-width, fully pattern maru obi is the most formal and is made of heavy fabrics such as the multi-coloured patterned weave called nishiki, tapestry weave (tsuzure ori) or gold brocade (kinran).
Tsuzure ori obi with motifs of cards used in an aristocratic pastime of the Heian-period (794 - 1185), a contest in which participants tried to guess the contents of different kinds of incense that were burned. The auspicious motifs of pine, bamboo, and plum are woven designs.
The formal double-fold fukuro obi, with its plain underside, is decorated over sixty percent of its front surface. The versatile, lightweight Nagoya obi, which can be used for a variety of occasions, is made of silk gauze damask or dyed gauze.
Nishiki obi with many small, intricate motifs within a large wave design.
Casual kimono and underlined cotton kimono called yukata are worn with the underlined hitoe obi or the half-width (hanhaba) obi. Men's informal obi are usually soft silk, tied in a bow, while their formal obi are stiffer and narrower than a woman's obi.
For men, Kainokuchi (shell-shape style). Hakata obi.
For men. Katabasami (one-end fold style) Hakata obi.
While married women limit themselves to plain, flat bows, such as the drum bow (taiko musubi). young girls may choose from a vast array of intricate tying styles.
Everyday. Otaiko (drum style). Pale pink peonies in nishiki ori.
For a young woman's yukata. Bunko musubi (ribbon style) in half-width obi.
The tying of any obi bow is a complex manoeuvre. A brief summary of the steps involved may shed a little light on the process. The kimono is closed with the left side on top. Since the kimono is longer than the person wearing it, a tuck is made at the waist and secured unobtrusively with a silk sash (koshi himo). The obi is then tied around the wearer, with the kimono such in place and visible below it. At the back, two ends of the obi are left, one two feet long, the other four feet long. These ends are tied into a bow which is puffed out by a small pillow, all held together by a narrow silk cord obijime that is tied or fastened with the small obidome clasp. In the end, the obi becomes a functional ornament for not only does it look lovely but layers combine to form a pocket along its top rim in which to carry small objects.
Semi-formal Seigaiha (ocean-wave style). This obi is a combination of kara ori and shush ori.
The formal obi is a work of art that is kept, treasured and handed down from mother to daughter. It compares with expensive jewels in its monetary as well as sentimental value.
Formal. For young women. Tateya (slanted arrow style). The scrolling plant motif called karakusa is executed in nishiki ori.
Formal. Matsuba niju daiko (pine-needle double drum style). The Western-style flower and scrolling plant design is executed in nishiki ori.
Formal. For young women. Fukurasuzume (puffed sparrow style). The auspicious motif noshi - originally strips of dried abalone, but often artistically rendered, as here, as strips of fabric - depicted in nishiki ori.
Typically obi designs reflect seasonal variations. Below features the spring, summer, autumn and winter palettes.
Spring: This spring obi is the style worn by women of the samurai class in the Edo period (1603 – 1868). Crêpe with cherry blossoms dyed by the yuzen method and gold-leaf imprint.
Summer: Sailboats float on a rippling stream weaving between summer grasses, all depicted by the yuzen process against the pale background color of this light ro fabric, which contributes to the cool feeling appropriate to the season. Again, an obi for women of the samurai class.
Autumn: Pale blue-grey crêpe fabric with yellow and white chrysanthemums dyed in the yuzen process.
Winter: Deep pink crêpe dyed with red and white camellias in the yuzen process.
Reference:
[1] S. Yang, and R.M. Narasin, Textile Art of Japan, Shufunotomo, Tokyo (1989).
For your convenience I have listed other posts on Japanese textiles on this blogspot:
Discharge Thundercloud
The Basic Kimono Pattern
The Kimono and Japanese Textile Designs
Traditional Japanese Arabesque Patterns (Part I)
Textile Dyeing Patterns of Japan
Traditional Japanese Arabesque Patterns (Part II)
Sarasa Arabesque Patterns (Part III)
Contemporary Japanese Textile Creations
Shibori (Tie-Dying)
History of the Kimono
A Textile Tour of Japan - Part I
A Textile Tour of Japan - Part II
The History of the Obi
Japanese Embroidery (Shishu)
Japanese Dyed Textiles
Aizome (Japanese Indigo Dyeing)
Stencil-Dyed Indigo Arabesque Patterns (Part V)
Japanese Paintings on Silk
Tsutsugaki - Freehand Paste-Resist Dyeing
Street Play in Tokyo
Birds and Flowers in Japanese Textile Designs
Japanese Colors and Inks on Paper From the Idemitsu Collection
Yuzen: Multicolored Past-Resist Dyeing - Part 1
Yuzen: Multi-colored Paste-Resist Dyeing - Part II
The History of the Obi [1]
From modest beginnings the obi has become the focal point of the kimono ensemble of today. Starting as a narrow sash that held up the culotte-like pants called hakama it has evolved into an expensive and elaborate work of art. Whether woven of rich silk brocade, embroidered or dyed it is an essential part of the kimono, not only decoratively but functionally: since the kimono has no buttons or fasteners of any kind, it relies entirely on the obi to keep it closed.
In the Kamakura period (1185 - 1333) the obi was a back-tied bast fiber sash two or three inches wide, but during the Muromachi period (1333 - 1573) it was sometimes made from silk. This slightly wider sash was decorated with plaids and checks in the Momoyama period (1568 - 1600), and its tail ends were tucked in. It was during this time that the so-called Nagoya obi was created, when courtesans in the city of Nagoya copied the manner in which the Chinese artisans working in that city tied a cord around their waist several times.
Momoyama period (1568 - 1600).
Courtesy of Tokyo National Museum.
It was not until the Edo period (1603 – 1868), when the obi's variety reached its height, that it became important in its own right and new ways of tying it were developed. Before that time, the kimono was the center of attention, but as fewer innovations developed in its decoration, the weavers and dyers turned their attention to the obi and began making more elaborate, wider, and longer fabrics for it.
Right: Woman's obi. Embroidery of grass, flower, and puppies on red velvet. Edo period (1603 – 1868).
Courtesy of Tokyo National Museum.
In the 1670s it was six to seven inches in width. The bow was variously placed on the side and at the front, but it moved to its permanent position in the back after an actor, imitating a young girl's fashion, wore an obi tied in the back on stage and so started a new style.
Today, formal and semi-informal kimono are worn with specific types of obi. The double-width, fully pattern maru obi is the most formal and is made of heavy fabrics such as the multi-coloured patterned weave called nishiki, tapestry weave (tsuzure ori) or gold brocade (kinran).
Tsuzure ori obi with motifs of cards used in an aristocratic pastime of the Heian-period (794 - 1185), a contest in which participants tried to guess the contents of different kinds of incense that were burned. The auspicious motifs of pine, bamboo, and plum are woven designs.
The formal double-fold fukuro obi, with its plain underside, is decorated over sixty percent of its front surface. The versatile, lightweight Nagoya obi, which can be used for a variety of occasions, is made of silk gauze damask or dyed gauze.
Casual kimono and underlined cotton kimono called yukata are worn with the underlined hitoe obi or the half-width (hanhaba) obi. Men's informal obi are usually soft silk, tied in a bow, while their formal obi are stiffer and narrower than a woman's obi.
While married women limit themselves to plain, flat bows, such as the drum bow (taiko musubi). young girls may choose from a vast array of intricate tying styles.
The tying of any obi bow is a complex manoeuvre. A brief summary of the steps involved may shed a little light on the process. The kimono is closed with the left side on top. Since the kimono is longer than the person wearing it, a tuck is made at the waist and secured unobtrusively with a silk sash (koshi himo). The obi is then tied around the wearer, with the kimono such in place and visible below it. At the back, two ends of the obi are left, one two feet long, the other four feet long. These ends are tied into a bow which is puffed out by a small pillow, all held together by a narrow silk cord obijime that is tied or fastened with the small obidome clasp. In the end, the obi becomes a functional ornament for not only does it look lovely but layers combine to form a pocket along its top rim in which to carry small objects.
The formal obi is a work of art that is kept, treasured and handed down from mother to daughter. It compares with expensive jewels in its monetary as well as sentimental value.
Typically obi designs reflect seasonal variations. Below features the spring, summer, autumn and winter palettes.
Reference:
[1] S. Yang, and R.M. Narasin, Textile Art of Japan, Shufunotomo, Tokyo (1989).
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