Symbolic and cultural intertwinings of Japanese kumihimo 組み紐 braiding

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the symbolic aspects and intercultural dialogues that have consolidated the practice of kumihimo braiding in Japan. Firstly, we go through the history of braiding in the archipelago, analyzing the transformation of its uses over time, based on the materials published on the virtual platforms of Japan House in São Paulo and London, institutions that hosted an exhibition dedicated to kumihimo braiding in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Next, the meanings of art and craftsmanship contained in the word kōgei are examined based on the master's thesis by Japanese-Brazilian historian Keiko Nishie (2019), in dialogue with the statements made by the Japanese factory Domyo, which has been producing silk cords for over three hundred years in Japan. Finally, reflections on aspects of Shinto associated with textile braiding, such as those seen in the marudai instrument and in the Japanese animation Your Name. (Kimi no na wa . 君の名は。), directed by Makoto Shinkai (2016), conclude the discussion, bringing to light the symbolic richness of a practice that crosses the ages, whether in the narrative created by the film, or in the survival of the tradition for generations, persisting to the present day.