Thread: obi

**Kapplow** · 5th January 2007, 09:19 PM

I finally got an obi but the instructions on how to put it on are confusing. Does anyone know a site that has good instructions on how to tie your obi for Naginata?

**Kapplow** · 7th January 2007, 12:25 AM

Anybody out there?

**a.hong** · 7th January 2007, 04:57 AM

This way works quite well for me:
http://www.hyoho.com/Obi1.html

Then there are these:
http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/~tomasan/yukata-m-obi.html

Of course, you could always ask Leslee sensei.

**lucy** · 7th January 2007, 05:45 AM

I'm just wondering whether there is any special way to tie an obi for naginata? Why do you wear one anyway?

Apologies for my ignorant questions in advance, I have (obviously) no idea about naginata.

**Kapplow** · 7th January 2007, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by Hi No Bushi

This way works quite well for me:
http://www.hyoho.com/Obi1.html

Then there are these:
http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/~tomasan/yukata-m-obi.html

Of course, you could always ask Leslee sensei.

Thanks for the links. She just gave me the obi as a gift. But the instructions that came with it were too confusing. Me and her are good friends but not good enough for me to be hakama-less in fornt of her.

I'd also like to be able to practice tying it.

To Lucy, I dont know if the naginata way is different from other methods. But you are supposed to wear one and I dont know why. Wearing the hakama alone fixes your posture but the obi and hakama really does the job. Thanks for your question. I wish I could give you a better answer.

**Bruce Mitchell** · 7th January 2007, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by lucy

I'm just wondering whether there is any special way to tie an obi for naginata? Why do you wear one anyway?

Apologies for my ignorant questions in advance, I have (obviously) no idea about naginata.

For my part I've always wondered why kendoka don't wear one. From what little I know, not wearing obi is the anomaly with Japanese dress.

**a.hong** · 7th January 2007, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Kapplow

Me and her are good friends but not good enough for me to be hakama-less in fornt of her.

Haha of course, how ignorant of me.

Originally Posted by Bruce Mitchell

For my part I've always wondered why kendoka don't wear one. From what little I know, not wearing obi is the anomaly with Japanese dress.

Proper attire and tradition aside, I am somewhat relieved to not have to wear an obi in kendo. My obi has a tendency to give me lower back problems
after extended periods of time (say, a seminar).

**Jakob Ryngen** · 8th January 2007, 12:09 AM

Ahem... are we in Europe the only ones who tie our obi in the back and not in the front (as pictured)?

**Kapplow** · 8th January 2007, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by Jakob Ryngen

Ahem... are we in Europe the only ones who tie our obi in the back and not in the front (as pictured)?

I think its understood that you spin it around to the back after its tied.

**lucy** · 8th January 2007, 01:18 AM

Ah, I see. Thanks for the explanation. I for one wear an obi for both kendo and iaido practice. It's just the way we do it at our dojo.

Oh, and Kapplow, during one iai class our sensei asked one of my (male) senpai to demonstrate how the hakama has to be tied.

I think I was more embarrassed then he was.

Helped a lot though, as I had some trouble tying it the way our sensei wanted me to...