Guest Author - Teresa Greene

There are four main belts that are tied over the Japanese Kimono, and a variety of accessories used to enhance the look of the kimono. These belts and accessories are described below.

The first belt is the koshi-himo. This is a thin belt that is used to adjust the length of the kimono. To apply this belt you will probably need help from another person. Start by pulling the excess length of the kimono up above your waist so that the bottom of the kimono hangs at ankle length. While holding the excess fabric above your waist, making sure the length is even all the way around, wrap the koshi-himo across the front of the waist, around to the back and cross it, then bring the ends back around to the front and tie them. Smooth the excess kimono fabric down over the belt so that the back and front of the kimono are smooth, the fullness of the fabric gathered at the sides.

The next belt to apply is the date-jime belt. This belt is wrapped around the waist over the top of the kimono fabric that hangs over the koshi-himo and is tied in the front. The excess kimono fabric should hang down below the date-jime evenly all the way around.

Next, the obi sash is wrapped. The obi is a very long, wide piece of ornamental fabric that is wrapped around the body over the date-jime Tying the obi can be a complicated process, and takes practice. Pre-tied obis can be purchased, as the bow that is tied in the back can be difficult to get just right.

The fourth belt is the obi-jime. This is a thin braided cord made of silver or gold braided brocade that is tied over the obi as decoration. It is tied in a simple knot in the front.

One may wish to add an obimakura to the obi. This is a small pillow that is placed in the fold of the obi before the bow is tied to give the bow a lift and make it stand up nicely. Alternatively, the obi-makura can be secured using an obi-age, a belt usually made from crepe used to tie the obi-makura in place. It is tied in the front and is chosen to color-coordinate with the kimono robes. An obi-ita is a stiff piece of belting worn under the obi to help keep it’s shape and prevent wrinkling. Another optional accessory is the obi-dome, which is a brooch that is fastened to another cord-like belt and tied in the front, like the obi-jime. This piece is not necessary to achieve the authentic kimono look.

Other accessories include a variety of coats—the haori, a formal coat worn in different colors and lengths over formal kimonos, the michiyuki, which is a coat worn for traveling, or the dohchuch-gi which is worn for more casual wear, and acts as light protection against the cold and rain. Hair ornaments and small purses colored to match the sandals round out the accessories one may add to complete the kimono costume.