RYUKOBO

Sophisticated from Edo’s culture of iki, challenging to update iki

A rare studio that does everything from
spinning raw silk threads to creating designs

Kumihimo is a densely braided cord made by weaving together several hundred threads based on a design called ayagaki. It consists from threads that are about 230cm that ends up around 150cm long after braiding. The threads are looped around a braiding stand (kumidai), and each thread is lifted up under “braiding set rules”, and cross weaved to create a certain pattern. There are supposedly over 350 of these “set rules”, and when combining different rules into single design, the possible patterns are infinite.

Ryukobo was found as a company in 1963 in Nihombashi by the late Mannosuke Fukuda. Counting from their ancestors who were already running their studio, it holds more than 120 years of history. The studio is currently headed by Ryuta Fukuda’s father Takashi Fukuda, who is a prominent figure in Edo kumihimo and selected as a “Tokyo Meister”, given only to those with outstanding techniques. Ryukobo uses several types of kumidai used to braid obijime (cord for holding a kimono sash in place), including maru-dai, ayatake-dai kaku-dai, taka-dai, naiki-dai and kagouchi-dai. The craftsmen make use of the particular features of each stand to create various kumihimo.

Moreover, the 50 craftsmen working there spin the silk threads themselves and then dye them in different colors; they even come up with designs for the kumihimo. It’s a collective effort, making Ryukobo a relatively rare studio even throughout Japan. Supported by a strong base of ardent customers spanning those working in kabuki and for the Imperial household to people who love wearing traditional Japanese clothes or need a kumihimo, Ryukobo sells almost 300,000 kumihimo each year at retail outlets and department stores alone. In the recent blockbuster Japanese animation film “Your Name” (Kimi no Na wa), there’s a scene in which one of the lead characters uses a kumihimo to tie up her hair. Ryukobo has also created and commercialized an actual kumihimo based on that scene.

Making parachute cords
has supported the studio’s uninterrupted history

The history of kumihimo itself dates back to quite ancient times. Its origin in Japan is said to be the Jomon pottery, with its impressed-rope and flame patterns, is the world's oldest earthenware. The roots of modern-day kumihimo is generally considered to be around the 5th to 6th century, when Buddhism was introduced to Japan from the Eurasian continent. Kumihimo was initially used as an accessory item for the Shosoin Buddhist altar articles, scriptures and scrolls. Then in the Nara period men and women started to use kumihimo with their ceremonial clothes, with the archetypal image being a kumihimo wrapped around the waist of Prince Shotoku. However, during the 14th century, kumihimo wasn’t always used as a decorative accessory for everyday clothes as it is today. Naturally, as people’s lifestyles have changed over time, so has the usage of kumihimo.

One major shift in the way kumihimo was used is deeply connected to when the tea culture began to flourish in Japan from the 11th or 12th century onwards. Using kumihimo to tie together tea ceremony tools gave birth to the musubi culture of tying up objects. Each household developed their own way of tying objects together for a particular purpose, such as tying an object in such a way that it would close immediately after opening to ensure no poison would leak out.

Then the samurai class emerged in Japan, and they started using kumihimo as a sword strap and on their armour and helmets. During the late Edo period, geisha used kumihimo as obijime during a ceremony to mark the first crossing of the arched bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine; this is said to have started the trend among common women of using obijime. It is also when the kumidai braiding stands were developed – it seems that until then, craftsmen braided the kumihimo using their fingers.

The predecessor to Ryukobo was founded a short time late, in the latter half of the 19th century during the Meiji period. It goes without saying that Ryukobo has experienced major disasters, wars and other such turning points during its history.

“We’ve traditionally been a manufacturer of kumihimo used as obijime. When Japan prohibited the manufacture of luxury items during the war, stores selling kimonos and the fabrics used to make them had to shut down temporarily. Ryukobo managed to remain in business by applying the techniques for braiding kumihimo to make cords for parachutes used to rescue people. So when the war ended, we could return to making obijime. But by then, there was a huge change in the everyday clothes worn by Japanese people. The trend had shifted from traditional Japanese clothing to Western-style outfits, and obijime were replaced by belts; this resulted in a decline in producers of Japanese clothing.

Traditional Japanese culture such as sumo and kabuki has remained in society, and it’s thanks to specializing in producing kumihimo for those particular fields that we’ve been able to continue Ryukobo as our family business. We make kumihimo for the haori (formal coats worn with kimono) of kabuki actors from the Nakamura and Ichikawa lineage, but when someone passes away, we need to make many kumihimo in a hurry. Even if the demand for kumihimo declines, we still need to keep making them so we have a ready supply on hand. If we just give up and stop making kumihimo, that’s when it will be the end of our business.”

The current Ryukobo was founded in 1963 in Nihombashi by the late Mannosuke Fukuda. The studio is currently headed by Takashi Fukuda, who is a prominent figure in Edo kumihimo and selected as a traditional craftsman of Tokyo. Kumihimo are mostly made from silk threads. These days kimonos can be made using imported materials from China and Brazil, but Ryukobo has fastidiously kept using only domestically produced materials. The craftsmen working there spin the silk threads themselves and then dye them in different colors; they even come up with designs for the kumihimo. It’s a collective effort, making Ryukobo a relatively rare studio even throughout Japan.

Based in traditions, but with a spirit of continual innovation

Ryukobo has a strong base of ardent customers include those working in the theatrical world, rakugo comic story tellers, grand tea masters, members of the Imperial household, and people who love wearing traditional Japanese clothes or just need a kumihimo for a particular reason. While its main business is rooted in Japan’s indigenous and traditional culture, recently the studio has been applying the techniques used to braid kumihimo to create a variety of non-traditional items. Leading this new direction forward is the young craftsman Ryuta Fukuda.

“While it’s important to remain the same, it’s even more important to keep changing.” This is something Ryuta’s father, Takashi, often says. Ryukobo has continued to evolve with the times, and its strong foundation – namely, its acquired techniques in skilfully manipulating threads - has and enabled the studio to keep up with the changing times. Naturally it’s quite rare these days for people to wear traditional Japan clothes daily. So every day, Ryuta has been devising and creating new kumihimo items that people today can wear or use daily.

It takes around eight hours of work a day for about one week to 10 days to create a basic kumihimo. It’s extremely monotonous, time-consuming and laborious work that requires considerable perseverance. So the craftsmen need to remain calm at all times in order to not make any mistakes in the braiding; the key to creating kumihimo is have presence of mind and always keeping good control of one’s self. The braiding stand’s countertop is also called a “mirror”, in reference to the emotional state of the craftsmen being reflected in the quality of the braiding. It’s easy to understand the concentration required when watching the craftsmen at work and while talking to them; but according to Ryuta, one of the current issues the industry is facing is how the labor-intensive process of braiding a kumihimo is not fully reflected in the finished product.

“When I display our kumihimo at overseas exhibitions, I’m often asked ‘What’s this?’ and ‘Is it a rope?’. Once you actually touch the kumihimo, you can feel and sense the high quality and other elements that differentiate kumihimo from rope; but even then, it’s difficult to know what kumihimo is used for simply by touching it. Of course it’s also because there is no kimono culture overseas, and so it’s an unfortunate reality that most people outside of Japan don’t know what kumihimo is. That’s why recently I’ve been actively working on creating completely new and surprising items using kumihimo – I feel I have to do this to make it more well known.

The term “traditional culture” tends to be used too easily and freely. It seems Japanese people themselves are apt to extol “traditional culture”, but at the same time refer to it with a sense of detachment. Put simply, “traditional culture” is sublime and therefore to change it is taboo. As stated at the start though, the usage of kumihimo and the item itself have evolved through the course of history. So this current initiative to change the form of kumihimo is not turning one’s back on its tradition, but rather something that must be done to evolve its history.

New material usage drawn from collaboration
with worldwide brand

“We were approached by renowned fashion brand which was looking kumihimo studio. We ended up collaborating with the designer to create earrings, belts and necklaces made with acrylic resin and sealed and shaped using our kumihimo. We pride ourselves on being one of the top brands in traditional Japanese clothing, but conversely we are also very much aware that Ryukobo is unknown in Western clothing. So we believed that even if we created our own line of accessories, it would have no impact in any market or with anyone. But we’ve been able to clear that barrier thanks to collaborating with the brand; it was a huge step forward for us.”

The techniques used to create kumihimo work well with fine threads. When collaborating with the brand, Ryukobo used acrylic threads with good quality colors.

“Recently I’ve been using braiding techniques with different materials, such as nickel conducting wire and geneticallymodified thread that glows in black light. I’ve also come up with some original items other than obijime. For example, I’ve used the same acrylic item that is sealed and shaped using kumihimo – just like in the fashion brand collaboration – and added a USB to it, and I’ve also made bracelets, camera straps, ball pens, chopsticks and glasses using kumihimo. I often have the chance to assist at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, and I’ve been recycling the fallen leaves from there by using them in vegetable-based dyes and creating kumihimos. I’m definitely not making these new items recklessly; I just don’t know where or what I’ll be absorbed in next. I’m simply on a quest to discover new possibilities for kumihimo.”

Tradition and innovation; these are two exceedingly trite words that Ryukobo is striving to embody in its creations. Rather than taking on the challenge of adopting completely new techniques, the studio is preserving its traditional techniques while using them with different materials and forms to create new items. “This approach makes the most sense to me”, comments Ryuta.

“Sometimes we use as many as 24 kumihimo balls (of thread) of various materials at one time. It believe there is still so much potential in how we can use kumihimo – I’m positive about the future of this traditional craft.”

Creating products as new marketing tools
to make kumihimo more well known

Despite Ryuta’s positive mindset, Ryukobo is also no exception when it comes to the issue of how to carry on the traditions and expand the potential of this craft.

“One of the major issues we’re facing is the lack of successors. There are currently over 50 craftsmen working at Ryukobo, but there are only a handful in their 30s to 40s. Recently I have made a flag made from kumihim, which I believe could be a new possibility for this craft. I strongly believe this is how we can prevent people from misunderstanding what kumihimo is and mistaking it for just a piece of rope.”

If we just look back at what’s been happening so far, it is difficult to see what lies ahead. Recently, traditional arts such as kabuki, noh and rakugo are adding easy-to-understand explanations to make them more accessible to a wider audience; this initiative is developing these traditional arts into high-class entertainment that is also aligned with the value and interests of contemporary society. There are probably not a few people who view this with some scepticism though.

However, again this is no doubt based on the preconception of traditional culture is sublime and therefore to change it is taboo. Yet it’s possible others may perceive these changes with fascination. Ryukobo and kumihimo will most likely continue to change and evolve; and as these changes awaken someone to the appeal of this traditional craft, its 1400 years history will always challenge itself to update.