Karate Gi Belt Knot Tying

The earliest obi was more functional than ornate. In the Heian period (794-1185), the first obi consisted of a narrow sash used to hold up culotte-like pants called hakama. This undergarment was covered by layers of unlined kimono, so that the obi was not visible.

Later, after the Muromachi period, (1392-1573), women of the samurai class began tying their obi on the outside of their garments, usually knotted in the front or on the side. During this time the uchikake, or long outer coat, became popular, and, although the obi was visible, it was overshadowed by the decorative uchikake.

By the Momoyama period, (1573-1615), the obi was slightly wider and sometimes made of silk, with plaids and checks being popular patterns. An optional obi style consisted of a braided fabric with tassels added to each end. This narrow braided obi was then wrapped around the waist and tied with dangling knots. Largely ornamental, the braided, tasseled obi never really caught on.

Traditional clothing of the Edo period, (1600-1868), included the kimono and obi as we know them today. Then, as now, the obi was necessary to keep the kimono securely closed in front (over other fasteners that hold the garment together). By the middle of the Edo period, obi measurements were standardized to 360 cm by 26.8 cm (142 in. by 11 in.)

Edo fashion was influenced by courtesans and entertainers of the age. Women of the samurai class continued to wear the simpler kosode kimono tied together with an obi made of braided cords. Outside the samurai class women experimented with more elaborate kimono, the furisode style, often seen on the Kabuki stage. Characterized by long, flowing sleeves, the furisode kimono was accented by a large, loosely-tied obi.

For many years all styles of obi were usually tied at the front or on the side, but the back position became the more accepted form by the mid-Edo period. It is said that this rear style originated in the mid-1700s when a Kabuki actor, imitating a young girl, came on stage with his obi tied in the back. Another reason for the change may have been that the sheer bulk of the wider obi became too cumbersome for tying in the front.

Even though the obi was becoming an important part of a woman's ensemble, it was not until the middle of the Edo period that it became as prominent as the kimono. It was then that designers, weavers, and dyers all focused their talents on creating longer, wider, and more elaborate obi.

The Meiji era, (1868-1912), witnessed a revolution in the textile industry with the advent of electric weaving looms and chemical dyeing techniques from the West. During this time women's kimono ceased to be worn in the free-flowing style of earlier days. The new fashion was to tuck them at the waist so that the length of the kimono could be adjusted in accordance with the woman's height. These tucks and folds were visible and became part of the art of tying the obi. Obi were sometimes made shorter than before, with the most popular bow being the simple taiko musubi, or drum bow.