Obi-ita

Our international orders are shipped via USPS with a flat rate box. We ship out of NW Ohio in the USA.

This is a quick guide to kimono and obi accessories. This is not a complete listing, and if you need more advanced help please contact us or check out the reference materials we suggest in the book review section of our online kimono store. These are just quick reference lists tailored for beginners.

 

• Kimono Kitsuke Accessory List (feminine):
  • 1 juban (kimono underwear)
  • 2 eri shin (collar stiffeners)
  • 1 obi ita (obi stiffener)
  • 1 obi with its cordinating accessories (hanhaba/nagoya/fukuro/maru).
  • Optional accessories include haori, and hakama.

 

• Kimono Kitsuke Accessory List (masculine): 
  • 1 Koshihimo
  • 1 Juban
  • 1 Obi
  • Optional accessories include: netsuke, inro, hakama, and haori.

 

• Obi Kitsuke Accessory List (Nagoya/Fukuro/Maru):
  • 1 makura
  • 1 obijime
  • 1 obiage
  • 1 obidome (Hanhana obi do not require any accessories to wear)

 

We encourage our customers to explore our online kimono store and refer to sections like our book review page to further education themselves about authentic traditional Japanese kimono.

The act of putting on a kimono can be compared to art, a dance, or even a sort of ritual. One of the most common misconceptions about Japanese kimono that a complete outfit is composed of only a kimono and obi. In truth, to wear a kimono in a culturally respectful manner there are a variety of accessories that are hidden within the kimono and obi that give the kimono their elegant presentation and form.

The most universal kimono accessories are koshihimo. Koshihimo are the long cords that are used to physically tie a kimono onto a persons body. As a quick rule of thumb the more formal the type of kimono, the more accessories and parts for wearing it.