Kumihimo Silk Bracelet
Braiding Workshops

Kumihimo (braided cords), or Japanese traditional silk braiding, has been practiced in Japan for over 1,400 years but has been little known outside Japan. This changed in 2017 when the hugely popular animated film Kimi no Na wa (Your Name) was released in the United States. One of the central objects in the story was a beautiful braided bracelet.

In conjunction with the KUMIHIMO: The Art of Japanese Silk Braiding by DOMYO, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles will present a series of kumihimo braiding workshops. The workshops will be taught by Michael Hattori, a Northern California-based kumihimo practitioner and instructor, who trained with Domyo in Tokyo in 1979 and has several decades of experience teaching kumihimo.

In three separate 90-minute workshops at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, Mr. Hattori will teach three different bracelet designs — two for beginners, one intermediate class. He will explain the basic principles behind kumihimo braiding and the history and technique used for the pattern for each class and help the students master that one design and complete a bracelet. The silk will be provided by Domyo, a company that has been hand-braiding silk cords in Tokyo since 1652. The silk is also hand-dyed by Domyo's artisans. 

Please Note: If you are late for more than 10 minutes of the starting time, your seat may be given to a walk-in participant with no refund. Guests must be 12 or over.

COVID-19 Policies: In accordance with Ordinance No. 187219 issued by the City of Los Angeles, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. At the time of your check-in, please have your vaccination proof and ID ready. All guests (adults and children 2 years of age or older) must wear a mask at all times while visiting.

Instructor Profile

Michael Hattori
Michael Hattori began his study of kumihimo during a year abroad in 1979 at the Domyo School in Tokyo. In 2000, he met and began studies with the Japanese Master Makiko Tada, as well as Andean and Japanese-braiding master Rodrick Owen. He has since studied and gained proficiency in all forms of kumihimo, in particular using the marudai and takadai.

Read more.

He teaches privately, as well as conferences; he also served as the U. S. Liaison for the 2007 International Kumihimo Conference in Kyoto, Japan and taught at the International Braids conference in Iga, Japan, 2019. Currently, his passion is braid reconstruction and researching historical braids.