About Hakataori

The Obi Fabric
100% silk, heirloom quality and durability, handcrafted using techniques more than 700 years old. Produced only in Fukuoka, Japan by craftsmen based around Fukuoka’s Hakata Ward and known as Hakata-ori. Each square centimeter of your bow tie has 106 warp threads and 26 weft threads ensuring heirloom quality and durability.

The Pattern
Dating to the mid 1200’ s, this pattern is unique to the Hakata style of weaving. There are four repeating stripes, each inspired by Buddhist thought. The pattern is called Kenjogara in Japanese.

About the Kenjogara Pattern
“Kenjo” is a gift given to a superior, and “gara” means pattern. In samurai days the feudal lord who ruled over Hakata gave kimono sashes with this pattern to the Shogun every year. Each stripe in the pattern has a particular meaning.

A: This stripe is called “nakamochijima” and represents parents protecting their child. Thick lines represent parents, and thin lines represent Children.

B: This stripe is called “ryoukomochijima” and it represents grown children protecting elderly parents. Thick line represent parents, and thin lines represent chilldren.

C: This stripe is called “dokko”. Dokko is a weapon to crush resentment, expel enemies, and destroy evil.

D: This stripe is called “hanazara”” . Hanazara is a plate which holds flower petals or incense used for purification in Buddhist rituals.

Five Colors
You can express yourself through the five colors as they are each said to represent an attribute.
Purple – Righteousness
Green – Benevolence
Red – Propriety
Yellow – Trust
Blue – Wisdom

A History Of Quality Assurance

Quality standards were so strict that the number of authorized Hakata Ori manufacturers was limited to just twelve in 1700. In 1886, the Hakata Ori Association was founded and started issuing quality certification labels.

The government of Japan designated Hakata Ori a traditional handicraft in 1972 which requires the craft be handmade using techniques and technology more than 100 years old, traditionally used in daily life, produced only in a particular district, and be made of traditional materials.

Quality Certification
Hakata Ori Products carries the Certification the Hakata Ori Association bestows.