(Patent Pending)

 

For nearly 30 years, I've worked in the world of kimono 
— as a kimono-dressing instructor, a kimono stylist, 
a kimono consultant, a Japanese dress advisor, 
and a wedding-day dressing assistant.
 
Along the way, I came to a firm belief.

Japanese clothing is "beautiful from behind"

 

The patterns woven and dyed into kimono and obi are often described, especially overseas, as "like a painting." 

But rather than focus on pattern alone, my work is devoted to obi-musubi — the art of tying the obi — as its own form of sculptural beauty, one that expresses the rich individuality of the person wearing it. 

I've also made it my mission to design these knots so that anyone can wear them with ease, and to share that knowledge through kitsuke classes.

 

Obi-musubi has a long history of reinvention. 

In earlier eras, new ways of tying the obi were devised by kabuki actors and geisha, spread by word of mouth, and became fashion trends.

Even the otaiko-musubi — today's most common obi knot, resembling a drum shape on the back — is said to have originated in the late Edo period (1817), when geisha in the Fukagawa district devised a knot resembling the newly rebuilt drum bridge (taiko-bashi) at Kameido Tenjin Shrine. 

Some trace it back even further, to a knot called Rokō-musubi (named after a haiku pen name), devised by the onnagata kabuki actor Segawa Kikunojō II (1741–1773).

I believe that obi-musubi has always been a physical expression of something deeper: the creativity and spirit of people, across every era, finding ways to live with a little more richness and joy.

These days, when I walk through cities abroad wearing kimono, I'm often stopped for compliments or photographs — and more often than not, people specifically ask, "Can I take a photo of the back?"

Thinking about it, there may be no other traditional dress in the world whose back view is quite this beautiful.

Our ancestors entrusted the spirit of living richly to the obi knot, and passed it down to us — and I believe that's exactly why people around the world today can look at it and still feel that same spirit.

Just as knots like the otaiko-musubi and bunko-musubi have been passed down and still live on today, perhaps it's our turn — each of us becoming a fashion leader in our own right — to shape today's spirit of living richly into a new obi knot, and pass it on to the generations after us.

Pre-tied-Obi "WANOHA" is one answer to that idea.

The knot of WANOHA is designed to evoke a wing soaring into the sky. 

The word "hane" carries images of moving forward — freedom, flight, independence.

 

 ▶▶▶View the pre-tied obi "Wano-Ha"

 

May your life, too, be bright, forward-looking, and rich in spirit. Why not step out confidently in an obi that embodies exactly that feeling — one that makes everyone turn to look?

That, perhaps, is what it truly means to live a life where "even your back view is beautiful."

How to Put On Pre-tied Obi "WANOHA"

1 Put on your kimono and attach the obi-ita.

2 Bring the WANOHA piece around to your back and hold it against your back.

3 Fasten the velcro at the center, in front of your stomach.

4 Tie the triple elastic cord at the top in front.

5 Overlap the lower cords in front of your body (either side can go on top).

6 Cross the lower cords behind your back, bring them back around to the front, and tie them.

7 Tuck the tied cords up and inside the obi from underneath so they stay out of sight.

※You can also fold the front of the obi down to reveal the reverse side for a different look.

※This obi has a 7cm and 8cm tuck on the left and right sides respectively. Releasing these tucks allows you to adjust the waist size by up to 15cm.

 

A version for men's kaku-obi is also available, using nearly the same method to put on.

WANOHA is designed so that anyone can enjoy wearing kimono with ease. 

We hope you'll give it a try.