Over time, helpful souls have recorded videos or drawn step-by-step diagrams. Since there are dozens of regional variations in tying fundoshi, it takes a little experimentation to find which method works best for you. I'm including several different diagrams and drawings from fundoshi packages and elsewhere to give you a leg up on tying the perfect fundoshi.
Etchu fundoshi is no doubt the easiest to figure out and master. It is the boxer shorts to rokushaku fundoshi's briefs -- breezy, light, comfortable in a featherweight, not-even-really-there way. Simply let the apron portion fall behind you, draw the tapes around and tie them in a bow. Then pull the apron forward between your legs and tuck it under the belt you've formed.(After the jump, there's about a dozen different diagrams, most of which can be clicked on for a larger version)
Pretty straightforward, right? Well don't worry, if you prefer a challenge, perfecting the rokushaku fundoshi is for you! This is the older, more traditional style; and as such it is infused with centuries of refinement of it's elegantly simple design. Three meters of cloth, roughly handled in thirds: one meter is tossed over your shoulder (or held in your mouth), the other two meters are drawn back between your legs, wrapped around your waist, looped under itself, and wound around. Then the front third follows the first two between your legs, around the "T"-shape you formed with the first two, then wound around in the opposite direction.
"What?" you say. Well, here -- a picture is worth 1,000 words:
(keep in mind that, for most of these pictures, you are reading them from right-to-left)
As you have no doubt noticed, most of these instructions are in Japanese. Rather than being discouraging, this makes me take heart -- even the Japanese need instructions for their own traditional undercloth!
5 comments:
Hi! This is the first time I've visited your blog. Its really great. I made five fundoshis today itself. Its gonna take some getting used to though.
Also, I just can't tie it properly at the back. When I do it becomes really thick and I have trouble sitting.
Thank you! Try a thinner, lighter cloth. Manufactured fundoshi are almost gauzy-thin. That fabric isn't that easy to come by in the states. One option is ordering fundoshi from a site like xzytes.com (at about $13 a piece). Another option is take a trip to the fabric store and look around for a breathable, thin fabric. A 3-yard piece can be torn lengthwise into 6-8 fundoshi. Pretty cost effective, and you can have fun choosing the color.
Also, experiment with different ways of tying. This is one of the few things where practice is actually fun! You may find one way that results in a more comfortable back. I do a lot less winding of the cloth that passes around the waist/between the legs than is customary, and things lay much flatter.
Love The site Always thought there where cool Even attractive for the women ones even being black may have to try it.
Thank you! I really encourage trying fundoshi out. Comfortable, flattering, and I have no doubt it would look stunning on you.
Very few, even among Japanese who love fundoshi, know that rokushaku fundoshi were worn with an apron, when they were regular underwear for most Japanese men. Doubling the front pouch was rather a way of wearing them for the occasions such as festivals, physical labors etc. Nowadays rokushaku became mainly worn during festivals; that's why I guess that only doubling the pouches survived.
I like rokushaku both with an apron and without.
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