Basic lacing technique

 

Lacing cord is braided and has a front and back.

 

Front: The side where the base of the twisted strand curls outward is the front. ↓

 

 

 

 

Back: The side where the base of the twisted strand curls inward is the back. ↓

 

 

Pass the lacing cord through the lacing holes in the kozane scales.

As an example, we will thread it in the direction of the arrows. The images show the front of the kozane scale.

First, pass the cord through the first hole. ↓

 

 

Once the cord is through, press the cord at the exit of the hole with the pad of your finger to flatten it.

This is important because the cord may slip back through the hole if it remains curled. ↓

 

 

Twist the cord so that it runs straight toward the next hole.

(With the front of the cord facing up.) ↓

 

 

Pass the cord through the next hole.

Pull the cord through until it is about 80–90% of the way to the desired finished length. ↓

 

 

Hold down the cord on the front while pulling the excess cord through from the back. ↓

 

 

Adjust the tension carefully—neither too tight nor too loose—and the lacing will come out neatly. ↓

 

 

 

Lacing the Kazari Koyoroi®

Diamond lacing

Lacing sequence

 

 (A)

Pass the cord through hole ① from the back.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

(B)

 Pull the cord through, leaving about 3 cm at the end. Apply glue and spread it with a spatula or similar tool.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 

 (C)

Cut the cord, leaving a little of the glued section intact.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 

 (D)

Pull the excess cord and stick the glued section to the kozane scale.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 (E)

Pass the cord from ① through hole ❷.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 

 (F)

The cord has been threaded through hole ❻.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 

 (G)

Turn back and thread the cord from ⑦ to ❿ so that it overlaps the existing cord.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 (H)

Pass the cord through hole ⑪. At this point, hold a toothpick against the cord and pull it so that a small gap forms between the cords.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 

 

 (I)

Leaving the toothpick in place, pass the cord through hole ⓬, then thread the cord emerging from the back through the gap beside the toothpick.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 

 (J)

Remove the toothpick, pull the cord tight, and apply a small amount of glue at the base. ↓

 

 (K)

Pull the cord tight and cut off the excess. ↓

 

 

 (L)

The diamond lacing is complete. Lace the other kozane scale in the same way.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 (Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 

Once the diamond lacing is complete on the upper and lower rows, it is time to lace the vertical cords.

 

Vertical lacing

 

Lacing sequence

 

 (M)

First, overlap the upper and lower rows and check the dimensions. (The lower row is the one with a hole in the center.)

As a guide, the dotted section of the lower row should overlap the upper row.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 (N)

Pass the cord through hole ❶. Apply glue to the end and attach it to the kozane scale as you did for the diamond lacing.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 (O)

After threading the cord through ❷, adjust the dimensions (cord length).

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 (P)

The cord is being threaded from ❷ through ➂.

Fold the threaded cord in half. Pinch the cord between your fingers and fold the upper section inward.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 (Q)

Once folded in half, pull the cord to shape it.

(Image shows the back.) ↓

 

 (R)

The cord has been passed through ④.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 (S)

Twist the cord and pass it from ④ through ❺.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 (T)

The cord has been threaded through ⑫. At the end, pass it underneath the cord running through holes ⑩ and ⓫.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 

 (U)

As with the diamond lacing, apply a small amount of glue to the excess cord and cut it with scissors. ↓

 

 (V)

Push any protruding cord inside using the tip of a toothpick or similar. ↓

 

 (W)

The vertical lacing of the upper and lower rows is complete.

(Image shows the front.) ↓

 

 

Next, thread the vertical cords through the crown plate.

Lacing sequence

(X) 

Check the dimensions. As a guide, the dotted section (half of the topmost hole in the upper row) should overlap the crown plate. ↓

 

 (Y)

Once the cord is through ❷, adjust the dimensions (cord length). ↓

 

 (Z)

As before, pinch the cord on the back halfway and fold it inward. Apply glue to the remaining excess cord at the end and cut it with scissors. ↓

 

 

Finally, thread the ear cords.

 

 Ear-cord lacing

Lacing sequence

 (AA)

Pass the cord through hole ①, leaving about 5 cm at the end. ↓

 

 (AB)

The cord has been passed through hole ❷. Shape it into a diamond for a neat finish. ↓

 

 (AC)

The cord has been passed through hole ➂. Pass it straight through without twisting, with the back of the ear cord visible. ↓

 

 (AD)

After threading through ⑥, twist the cord toward hole ⑦. ↓

 

 (AE)

After threading through ⓫, twist the cord toward hole ⑫ in the same way. ↓

 

 (AF)

The cord has been passed through ⓰. ↓

 

(AG) 

Cut off the excess cord with scissors. ↓

 

 (AH)

Glue it to the crown plate. This completes the lacing. ↓

 

 

Attaching the decorative plate to the hassō

 (AI)

Prepare the decorative plate and apply glue to the back. ↓

 

 (AJ)

Attach it to the stepped section of the crown plate so that it covers the cord.

Press it firmly into place. ↓

 

 

Attaching the skirt fittings

(AK)

The fitting features a peony design. It has a top and bottom, so check the direction of the central peony flower. ↓

 

 (AL)

Insert the split prongs of the fitting into the center hole of the lower-row kozane scale.

Be careful not to catch the cord. ↓

 

 (AM)

Bend the split prongs on the back. ↓

 

 (AN)

Use wire cutters to trim off the excess. ↓

 

 (AO)

Tap the cut prongs with a hammer to secure them. ↓

 

 (Re)

Glue a diamond-shaped piece of leather onto the tightened split sole. ↓

 

 

The Kome-Kozokoro® is complete. ↓