53. Hemp kumihimo belt and kicho-musubi - blue grayMade of hemp threads. Kumihimo is a craft of braiding threads together to make cords. Kicho-musubi is a Japanese traditional tying technique. In the Nara period, braided kumihimo made from fine colored threads became popular as a decoration for formal dress. It was used on sleeves in the Kamakura period, and as a decorative cord for tea ceremonies in the Azuchi-momoyama period. By the early Edo period, kumihimo could be found in a wide range of beautiful colors and patterns.
