Beginnings: roots in Asia
The techniques that are the direct precursors of modern kumihimo find their principle origins outside Japan, in the cultural exchange enabled by the trade routes known as the Silk Roads. The centrally located imperial capital of Nara, in particular, emerged as a centre for cultural and artistic exchange, and the silk braiding techniques brought from Korea and China adopted during this period (538-794 CE) became the foundation for a continuing tradition in Japan. Early Japanese kumihimo modelled on continental Asian cords remain in the temple of Hōryū-ji and the imperial Shōsōin Repository in Nara. These remaining articles provide an insight into both techniques and uses of kumihimo, which would have included hanging pendants, tying bags and the decoration of religious banners and garments.