man’s stiff sash(Kakuobi)
A formal obi worn by men. It is about 10 cm wide and about 4 m long. It is made by inserting a core into the woven fabric and folding it in half, but in recent years, soft ones without a core are preferred. Various materials are used, including silk, cotton, and synthetic fibers. Silk is considered the official material, while other materials are used for everyday wear. Patterns are often plain or striped, and colors include navy blue and brown. It is often tied in a bunko, but for kiyoroshi, it is tied in a kai-no-kuchi knot (named after the overlapping folds that resemble a shell’s mouth).
