Wearing the hakama - tying the himo.

[sakuramaru]

Hi there,

Thanks so much for all of those great links regarding setting the dye on my kendogi. You guys are really great! :)

I hope you could spread your expertise to my second question. I've been checking around the net for the properway to tie the himo on the hakama and there seems to be more ways than one. Is there a Kendo standard? I know there's specific ways to tie knots and bows for other martial art obi.


The most descriptive one was as follows:
1. Step into hakama. Wrap front sashes behind you and then cross (???) in front. Tie in a bow behind you.
2. Slip the peg attached to the koshiita into the sashes.
3. Tie the back sashes in front of you and then into a knot.
4. Tuck the extra length of the sashes around the ties ones.

The problem I'm having is with the knots and crossing sashes. Right-sash over the left or vice versa? etc). A specific way to loop the knots? The bow in back, etc.

I would like for my hakama himo to look as clean as possible. If anyone could offer some advice, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks again for helping out the newbie. :) sorry this post is bit long.

[bullet08]

so far.. most beginners will come in with hakama on in rather strange ways.. then one of sempai will go over and fix them.

you should really ask your sempai at your dojo. not to blow you off, but it's rather hard to put in the words how it's done. i think some book on kendo has picture on how it's done, but can't remember which one.

i usually put himo coming around from the right over the left one, then i fold the whole in over. then tie them in the back. see? maybe someone can explain this better. then i tie the himo from the back panel in the front in typical martial art belt tying thing. then tuck in the remaining in the back also. it's rather hard to describe it in words.. i think hai hai might be able to do it.

pete

[Kanly]

i basicaly do the same thing but i heard the bow tie in the back is more for iaido so i just do a square knot like i do in the front and tuck all the extra stuff in on both front and back.

[joekc6nlx]

At the AUSKF Summer Camp last July, our visiting hachidan from Japan stated that you always step into the hakama with your left foot first.

Himo are tied right over left, with a bow in the back, the shorter himo are tied in a square knot in front, right over left, then left over right.

[sakuramaru]

At the AUSKF Summer Camp last July, our visiting hachidan from Japan stated that you always step into the hakama with your left foot first.

Himo are tied right over left, with a bow in the back, the shorter himo are tied in a square knot in front, right over left, then left over right.

Thank you! The right over left and so on was what was confusing me greatly!
Much appreciated. Thanks for the reply. :)