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Simply put, obijime are braided cords that are tied in order to keep the (sometimes intricately tied) knots of the obi-belt in place. They’re also a decorative accessory that can add a pop of colour to the outfit.

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Obijime are braided via a technique that has the umbrella-term of “KUMIHIMO”. Through the use of a stand and a varying number of weighted bobbins, the weaver is able to create the obijime. By using different stands, several distinct shapes can be created to give the obijime its look characteristic look.
One special feature of this braiding is that it produces a cord with a certain elasticity yet it is very durable. It can also widthstand a lot of pulling force over longer periods of time. An obijime is longlasting, even with regular use.

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What different shapes of obijime are most commonly worn with kimono?
Commonly found obijime are flat, round & square in shape. Each is also braided differently in order to produce this particular shape.
The most common stands for braiding obijime are the following:
Takadai = big standing stand, usually only for flat obijime with intricate designs
Marudai = round stand, for obijime that require a larger amount of bobbins
Kakudai = square stand, for obijime that require a lesser amount of bobbins.

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Within each of these basic shapes, the way one braids the obijime and the amount of different bobbins, will ultimately decide the final look. The weaver knows exactly how to manipulate the bobbins in order to create the exact pattern that they are looking for.
Sometimes additional patterns are braided in, like leaves or flowers besides geometric patterns, this leads to the obijime having a certain seasonality in which it is to be worn.

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