OBI is just one long, thin piece of cloth, but it can be coordinated in many ways
depending on how it is tied.
Now we’ll introduce ‘CHOUGAESHI Musubi’, the W-Butterflies knot, which is tied
with a Hanhaba Obi (a half-width Obi).
About CHOU-GAESGI Musubi
‘CHOU’ means butterfly in Japanese. ‘CHOU-GAESHI Musubi’ is an Obi knot that gives
the image of two butterflies fluttering in the air. Using an obi with different colors or patterns
on the front and back will create a glamorous atmosphere, while using an obi with the same color
on the front and back will create a refined look. The appearance also changes depending on
how hard or soft the Obi is.
What to Prepare
Hanhaba Obi (a half-width Obi)
How to Tie
1.Take 3 times the width of the Obi from the end and place it in the center of the body.
Wrap the Obi around the body twice.
2. Fold the ‘Te’ (end of the Obi; short end) in half and tie it with the ‘Te’ on top.
3. Fold the ‘Tare’ (tail of the Obi) inward to create a wing the length of the width of the body.
The ‘Tare’ is angled downwards.
4. Make a pleat in the middle of the wing. Roll the ‘Te’ twice, leaving about 6″ of the end.
5. Open the end of ‘Te’ left in step 4 so that the back is facing out. Shape the wings and it’s voila!
In the End
For this ‘CHOU-GAESHI Musubi’, you can enjoy completely different looks depending on
the direction and size of the wings, and whether you hold the horizontal wings taut
or let them hang down.
Please try out different arrangements and have fun!
At Japanese Dance School MIYA, we also offer the ‘Kimono Course’, where you can learn
how to wear a Kimono, including how to tie an Obi.
If you are interested, please contact us HERE.
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