Braided cord - Kumihimo

Japanese: 組紐 - くみひも

It refers to a string made of one or more threads, or several dozen, grouped together as a single unit (also called a ball or a string), and braided only with warp threads. When braiding flat strings, they are beaten with a spatula to tighten the braid, so they are also called uchihimo (struck strings).

[Harano Mitsuko]

kinds

Braided cords are narrow and string-like, but compared to woven or knitted cords, they are strong and flexible. Braided cords are divided into round braids, square braids, and flat braids depending on their cross section. Recently, braids have been mass-produced using braiding machines, but decorative braids are often braided on traditional braiding machines, as emphasis is placed on the braiding, color, flexibility, and texture.

[Harano Mitsuko]

Assembly

In addition to Takadai, Ayatakedai, Marudai, and Kakudai, there are also Karakumidai, Shigeuchidai, Kagouchidai, Naikidai, Ashiuchidai, and Yotsuuchidai.

The Takadai is a square platform made of wooden frames, and the braider sits on it. The bundle of threads fixed in the center of the braiding platform is divided into left and right halves, and the threads are moved alternately from left to right while intertwining, each time striking a joint with a spatula. A smaller version of this platform, the Ayatakedai, is used in the same way as the Takadai. This platform is suitable for braiding long items such as woven fabrics.

The Marudai is a versatile stand that can be used to make the same braids as those made with Takadai and other stands, depending on the size of the "mirror" (a circular board with the centre hollowed out). The thread is attached with a weight and hung on the outside of the "mirror", and by moving the thread, it is assembled down through the hole in the centre of the "mirror". This is called the "assembly down" method. The Kakudai is the opposite, where a large needle is placed in the centre of the square "mirror", the bundle of thread is secured here, and the thread is assembled around the needle, and pulled up as the braiding progresses. This is called the "assembly up" method. There are fewer ways to braid with this stand compared to the Marudai, but the braiding is neat, making it a convenient stand for creating patterns. With the exception of the Takadai, these braiding stands are assembled while sitting with the stand in front of you.

Although not a typical assembly stand, the Uchikidai is a unique one. It is a stand that transmits the rotation of a handle to gears to assemble the strings, and is said to have been invented at the end of the Edo period. It was the forerunner of the string-making machine. It is also called a gacha stand because of the loud noise it makes.

[Harano Mitsuko]

history

Rope, the origin of braided cords, has been excavated from ruins dating back about 10,000 years. Also, there are impressions of triple or quadruple braided ropes on Jomon-style pottery from 8,000 years ago, and the dignified threads of armor excavated from a burial mound from the 5th century were eight-strand braided cords. Furthermore, the obi and leg-binding cords of clay figurines have intricate braids engraved on them.

It is believed that technology and craftsmen from the continent were introduced during the Asuka and Nara periods. The 120 wide braids remaining in the Shosoin Repository must have been influenced by China, judging from their colors and techniques. The Heian period was the period when braids made a remarkable advance. The flat cord from which the sword is hung when wearing a formal attire is a belt-like braid called Karagumi, braided in a diamond pattern, and is over 10 centimeters wide and 4 meters long. It is said that it took over two years to braid this braid, with 400 cords. Other examples of flat braid include the cords used for the scrolls of sutras at Itsukushima Shrine and Jingo-ji Temple in Kyoto, and the square braids used for the amulets at Shitenno-ji Temple and Chuson-ji Temple in Osaka. Among the braiding techniques that have been passed down around the world, Japanese braids are by far the most highly skilled.

The armor's dojime (double-sided tortoise shell pattern), a treasure of Mitake Shrine (Tokyo), thought to have been made in the early Kamakura period, is said to be the pinnacle of braiding techniques in terms of its complexity. After this, due to the influence of wars, braids were made to meet the demand for larger quantities for military equipment. In the Muromachi period, braids gradually spread to everyday items such as decorative cords for clothing, cords for tea utensils, cords for door and shoji handles, and cords for tying topknots. The round-braided Nagoya obi, which became popular in the Momoyama period, is said to have spread throughout Japan.

Braids in the Edo period are typically used for the slings of samurai swords and the cords of haori coats, but they were also used everywhere, including decorative cords for gods and Buddhas, cords for sumo fans and costumes, cords for bags, chests of drawers and dressing tables, etc. In addition, technical books on braids, such as "Ito Kumi Zensho" and "Shikasuyo," were written and widely distributed to the general public.

With the collapse of the samurai class in the Meiji era, they found new sales channels for military use and obi-jime (belt fastenings). Demand rapidly expanded for items such as the chest decorations known as ribs on military uniforms, trumpet straps, and sabre thongs. In 1882 (Meiji 15), a 16-strand braiding machine was imported from America. Meanwhile, there was a demand for more high-quality obi-jime, and they began to pursue the path of craft braids. After losing their military use in 1945 (Showa 20), they shifted to new industrial uses. They developed machine belts, electric wire coverings, pull ropes, medical use, ropes, fishing lines, and more, and walked the path to greater mass production and automation.

[Harano Mitsuko]

Origin

Kyoto was the birthplace of braided cords in ancient times. This is because at the end of the Heian period, when the rise of the samurai led to the collapse of the imperial court workshops, the craftsmen settled in Kyoto and became independent. When the shogunate was established in Edo, the craftsmen also split off and moved to Edo, and in the Meiji period, the techniques were transferred from Edo to Iga in Mie Prefecture. Since then, these three places have been the center of braided cords. Currently, Kyoto and Iga braided cords are designated as traditional crafts by the country. In recent years, as Japanese braiding techniques have spread to Western Europe, they are being used in belts and necklaces and have become a part of fashion, but at the same time, they are opening the way for new crafts as sculptural braids.

[Harano Mitsuko]

"Kumihimo" by Harano Mitsuko (1977, Hoikusha)

Iga Braid
©Mie Prefecture Tourism Association ">

Iga Braid

Making Iga Braids
Assembly work using elevated ground © Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation, Public Interest Incorporated Association ">

Making Iga Braids

Assembling stand
A round stand. A string with a weight attached to it is hung on the outside of a "mirror" (a circular board), and by moving the string, the "mirror" is assembled down through the hole in the center. ©Shogakukan ">

Assembling stand

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

1本以上、数十本をまとめて一つの単位（玉、条ともいう）とし、経糸(たていと)のみで組んだ紐をいう。扁平な紐を組むとき、糸の組み目を締めるために篦(へら)で打つので打紐(うちひも)ともいう。

［原野光子］

種類

組紐は幅の狭い紐状のものをさすが、織紐や編紐に比べ、堅牢(けんろう)で伸縮性に富む。組紐は断面によって丸組、角組、平組に分けられる。最近は製紐(せいちゅう)機によって大量生産もされているが、装飾用の組紐は、組み目や色彩、さらに伸縮性や肌触りなどを重視するため、昔ながらの組台によって組まれるものが多い。

［原野光子］

組具

組台には高(たか)台、綾竹(あやたけ)台、丸台、角台のほかに、唐組(からくみ)台、重打(しげうち)台、籠打(かごうち)台、内記(ないき)台、足打台、四つ打台などがある。

　高台は、木枠によって四角に組み立てられた台で、台上に座って組む。組台中央に固定させた糸の束を左右に分け、この糸を左右交互に移動させながら絡ませ、そのつど篦(へら)で、組み目を打って組んでいく。この台を小型にしたような台が綾竹台。高台同様、篦を使う。この台は、織物のような長尺ものを組むのに適している。

　丸台は「鏡」（円形の板の中央をくりぬいたもの）の大小によって、高台をはじめ他の台による組みと同じものが組める、利用範囲の広い台である。糸は錘玉(おもりたま)をつけて「鏡」の外側に垂らし、糸を移動させることによって、「鏡」の中央の穴から組み下げていく。これを組み下げ式という。角台はこれと反対で、四角い「鏡」の中央に大針を立て、ここに糸束を止め、針を中心に組み、組み進むにしたがって上へたぐり上げていく。こちらは組み上げ式とよぶ。丸台に比べて組み方の種類は少ないが、組み目が整うので柄(がら)出しに便利な台である。高台を除き、これらの組台は台を前に置いて座って組む。

　一般的な組台ではないが、特異なものには内記台がある。ハンドル回転を歯車に伝えて組ませる台で、江戸時代末期に考案されたという。製紐機のはしりであった。音がうるさいのでガチャ台ともよばれている。

［原野光子］

歴史

組紐の原点である縄は、いまから1万年くらいも昔の遺跡から発掘されている。また、8000年前の縄文式土器に、三つ組や四つ組の縄の圧痕(あっこん)があるし、5世紀時代の古墳から出土した鎧(よろい)の威(おどし)糸は、8条の組紐であった。さらに、埴輪(はにわ)の帯や脚結(あゆい)の紐には、手のこんだ組み目が刻まれている。

　飛鳥(あすか)・奈良時代には、大陸の技術や技術者の渡来があったと思われる。正倉院に残る120条もの広幅の組紐は、色彩や技術からみて、その影響を受けているに違いない。組紐の著しい発展をみたのは平安時代であろう。衣冠束帯を着用するときの横刀(たち)を下げる平緒(ひらお)は、唐組とよばれる菱目(ひしめ)に組んだ帯状の組紐で、幅10センチメートル余、長さ4メートルに及ぶ。これを組むのに2年余、400条で組まれているという。ほかに、平組では厳島(いつくしま)神社や京都・神護(じんご)寺の経巻の紐、角組では大阪・四天王寺や中尊寺の懸守(かけもり)の紐などがあり、世界各国に伝わっている組紐技術のなかでも、日本の組紐はずばぬけて高い水準にある。

　鎌倉初期の作とされる御嶽(みたけ)神社（東京都）宝物の鎧の胴締(どうじめ)（両面亀甲(きっこう)）は、その複雑さでは組紐技術の頂点をなしているといわれる。そしてこれ以後、戦乱の影響もあり、じみな武具用として、量的な要求にこたえられるような組紐になっていった。室町時代になると、衣服の飾り紐や茶道具の紐、戸障子の取っ手の紐、髷(まげ)の結び紐など、しだいに日常生活用品として浸透していった。桃山時代に流行した丸組の名古屋帯は、日本国中に広まったという。

　江戸時代の組紐は、武士の刀の下げ緒と羽織の紐に代表されるが、ほかにも神仏の飾り紐、相撲の軍配や装束の紐、袋の括緒(くくりお)、箪笥(たんす)や鏡台など、至る所に用いられた。また、一般にも『糸組全書』『止戈枢要(しかすうよう)』など、組紐の技術書が書かれて広く流布した。

　明治になると武家そのものが崩壊したので、販路を新しく軍用と帯締にみいだした。軍服の肋骨とよばれた胸飾りや、らっぱの掛け紐、サーベルの刀緒など、需要は急速に拡大することになる。1882年（明治15）にはアメリカから16打（条）の製紐機が輸入された。一方、帯締はより高級化を求められ、工芸組紐としての道をたどることになる。1945年（昭和20）軍用を失ってからは、新たに産業用へ転進する。機械ベルト、電線の被覆、引き綱、医療用、ザイルや釣り糸などを開発、より量産化、自動化への道を歩んでいる。

［原野光子］

産地

組紐の産地は古くは京都であった。平安末、武士の台頭によって崩壊した宮廷工房の職人たちが、京都に住み着いて独立したからである。やがて江戸に幕府が開かれると、職人たちも分かれて江戸に移り、明治になって、江戸から三重県の伊賀にその技術が移された。以後、この3地が組紐の中心となっている。現在、京都と伊賀の組紐は、国から伝統的工芸品に指定されている。日本の組紐技法は、近年西欧への普及とともに、ベルトやネックレスなどにも用いられ、ファッション化していく反面、造型組物として、新しい工芸への道を開きつつある。

［原野光子］

『原野光子著『組みひも』（1977・保育社）』

伊賀組紐

伊賀組紐の製作

組台

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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