First Session Held with Instructor from Japan
By TOMOKO NAGAI
Rafu Staff Writer
While many people have opportunities to wear kimono, not a few find obi-tying difficult and time-consuming, even in Japan. A workshop introducing tsukuri-obi — pre-formed obi that eliminate these challenges — has recently launched in Los Angeles, with its first session held under the guidance of a specialist instructor invited from Japan.
The initiative is drawing attention for both its practicality and its role in preserving traditional culture.
The workshop was organized by Rika Kaneko, who has operated the knit sewing studio Diamond Space Easy Knit Sewing in Gardena for over 15 years. Starting with Western-style sewing instruction, she has expanded her activities to include children’s classes and kimono-related instruction in response to the needs of the Japanese and Japanese American community.
The program was made possible through collaboration with Waraku-kai, an Osaka-based organization dedicated to promoting a unique method of making tsukuri-obi that does not damage the original obi. Kaneko completed an instructor training course in Japan last year and has recently become the first certified instructor in the U.S.
To mark this milestone, Toshiko Katayama of the Tokyo branch was invited to lead a two-day intensive workshop — the first of its kind in the U.S. Katayama, who was also involved in establishing the Tokyo branch, is an experienced instructor responsible for training new teachers.
While pre-formed or pre-tied obi are not unfamiliar to regular kimono wearers, most are of a two-piece type separating the waist and back sections. Cutting valuable or sentimental obi is irreversible and makes it difficult to adjust for changes in body shape or to pass them on in the future. As a result, important obi are often tied by hand. The “no-cut” method is innovative and gaining attention as a way to overcome these concerns.
Most participants at the Gardena workshop were women who regularly wear kimono for activities such as tea ceremony and traditional Japanese dance, and who are well acquainted with the challenges of tying obi. According to Katayama, one reason obi-tying can be difficult is that no two obi are exactly alike — they vary in length, thickness, and pattern, resulting in some that are easier to tie and others more difficult.
The obi brought by participants for this workshop also varied widely, including summer and winter types as well as those with single-point designs.
The workshop began by emphasizing the importance of mitate, the process of determining the optimal placement of the pattern when constructing the tsukuri-obi. Participants sought the most visually balanced arrangement. This step is especially important for obi with a single focal motif, where coordination with accessories such as the obijime (decorative braided cord tied around the center of an obi) requires aesthetic judgment.
Through this process, common problems in hand-tying — such as patterns not appearing correctly or mismatched lengths or size — can be resolved.
Under the guidance of the two instructors, participants completed their obi in about an hour and then moved on to dressing instruction, learning how to wrap and wear them. The construction process involved simple hand sewing, securing several points with thread. No advanced techniques were required, and the obi themselves were not cut.
Participants expressed surprise at the practicality of the method. Yukie Partos, who brought a pink, double-layered fukuro-obi, said she often wears kimono for tea gatherings but had struggled with the time required for obi-tying. “I was amazed that it could be completed so quickly. I’m looking forward to wearing it at my next tea gathering,” she said.
Another participant, Hiroko Horstmann, noted, “Sometimes it takes 10 minutes, but other times even an hour isn’t enough,” describing the unpredictability of tying obi. “What’s great is that it’s tailored to fit your body perfectly. When the obi doesn’t work out, it can make me not want to go out — but with this, I feel at ease,” she said with a smile.
Katayama emphasized the broader significance of the technique: “Tsukuri-obi is a practical solution to common challenges such as patterns not appearing properly or mismatched lengths. I hope to see it spread as one way of supporting and sustaining our culture.”
Instruction in English by Kaneko is also available. However, she said, “In my experience, for those raised in the United States, where home economics is not part of the school curriculum, we sometimes have to start from how to hold a needle.” While her primary focus as an instructor is to promote the technique, she also accepts custom orders for tailoring.
Looking ahead, Kaneko said, “I may eventually return to Japan to retire, so I would like to train successors here. I hope to increase the number of certified instructors and establish this properly.”
The workshop was filled to capacity, reflecting strong interest. Full-scale classes are expected to begin in May, with plans for private lessons and courses at different levels.
As a practical technique that lowers the barrier to wearing kimono, tsukuri-obi is poised to play a quiet yet meaningful role in sustaining kimono culture, making it more accessible for future generations.
For inquiries, contact Diamond Space Easy Knit Sewing by text at (310) 702-2586.