page_title: Obi (sash)
section_title: In martial arts
hierarchical_section_title: Obi (sash) / In martial arts
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Budo Gürtel in den Farben der Gokyū (fünf Schüler-Stufen); (Kyu, Judogürtel, Obi, Budogürtel, etc.) English: Budō belts (obi) in the colours of Gokyū (five student grades); (Kyu, Judo belt, Obi, Budo belt, etc.) Français&#160;: Ceinture Gokyū, Budo, Obi, Judo
context_page_description: An obi is a belt worn with both traditional Japanese clothing and uniforms for Japanese martial arts styles. Originating as a simple thin belt in Heian period Japan, the obi developed over time into a belt with a variety of different sizes, lengths and methods of tying, with a greater variety of women's types of obi than men's.
  Despite kimono appearing to be held shut with an obi, many obi – mostly women's – are too stiff and wide to actually function in this way, with a series of ties known as koshihimo, worn underneath the obi, used to keep the kimono closed instead.
  Obi are categorised by their design, formality, material, and use, and can be made of a number of fabrics weaves, with heavy brocade weaves worn for formal occasions, and some lightweight silk obi worn for informal occasions. Obi are also made from a variety of fibres, such as cotton, hemp and polyester; for formal occasions, however, only silk obi are worn. In the modern day, pre-tied obi, known as tsuke or tsukiri obi, are also worn, and do not appear any different to a regular obi when worn.
context_section_description: Many Japanese martial arts feature an obi as part of their uniform. These obi are often made of thick cotton and are about 5 centimetres (2.0 in) wide. The martial arts obi are most often worn in the koma musubi style; in practice where the hakama is worn, the obi is tied in other ways.
  In many martial arts the colour of the obi signifies the wearer's skill level. Usually the colours start from the beginner's white and end in the advanced black, or masters' red and white. When the exercise outfit includes a hakama, the colour of the obi has no significance.
caption: Obi for budō. The colours shown range from yellow to brown, corresponding to judo kyū (levels) from 9th to 1st.
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