Tomobako or Japanese Wood box
供箱
How to tie-up a Kumihimo on a Tomobako
A Tomobako is tied-up using a Kumihimo. A Kumihimo is a very old way of braiding silk threads together for making ribbons. Therefore it is also a very traditional way of securing the tomobako and as the traditon requires there is a very special way to do it. I hope that using these few photos you will be able to complete the process. Normally tomobako which are tight with a Kumihimo have small notches on the 4 bottom sides of the box to pass the ribbon, but it can be done also on a standard tomobako. |
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Set-up the Tomobako in front of you, The left top corner has the ribbon center part. Hold in your right hand the 2 free ends of the ribbon. Adjust in order that the 2 ends have the same lenght.
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Pass over the ribbon with the 2 free ends, Taking care of crossing them over.
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Then pull on both sides and adjust in order to have the cross in the middle of the Tomobako.
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With your left hand make
a loop with the left free end. Keep pulling on the right free end to
maintain the ribbon tight. |
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Then pass the right free
end behind the loop with your right hand |
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Make the second loop over passing under the first one, Then pull both loops. Adjust the length of each free end. |
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and that's it! |
| Photos:
Georges Bouvier |
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