In the days of honor, valor and the Samurai warrior, there was a special garment called “haramaki” that was worn around the waist. It kept the entrails warm and provided an extra measure of protection for the stomach and kidneys. It wasn’t widely recognized for its sword parrying ability, but it did wonders in circulation.

Over time, it was used almost exclusively by Japanese grandmothers and children of neurotic Japanese mothers. Those who used them did so in secret, fearing social ostracism. Now, however, haramaki is emerging from the shadows and carving a fashionable path in the fashion world.

The man responsible for the latest trend coming out of Japan is Itoi Shigesato, who wore haramaki in the closet for years. When a Niigata knitting company approached him with an offer to work on “something sometime,” he saw it as the ideal opportunity to change the public’s perception of his beloved belly warmers and make them cool.

The risk paid off and now almost everyone in Japan owns at least one fashionable haramaki. The craze has reached the European markets and is crossing the Atlantic to the trend-hungry United States.

Haramakis can be made from just about any fabric, as long as it has a bit of stretch so you can take it on and off. They can be as simple as a plain black knit tube. You can get jeweled varieties, which look like the leather belts worn by wrestlers or weightlifters, except they’re shinier.

For those looking to make a dressier statement, there are haramakis made from stretchy satin, which look a bit like sashes, but aren’t quite as form-fitting. Itoi-san contributes to the diversity of the haramaki market by inviting a high-profile public figure to be a guest designer for a season. One of the most successful guest designers to date has been Yukiko Harada, an illustrator and graphic designer who designed haramaki outfits that included a matching blanket.

Unfortunately, supply has yet to keep up with demand, and truly fashionable haramakis are hard to find outside of Japan. Most vendors cater to the maternity market as they are ideal for wrapping growing bellies and keeping the womb conditions safe, warm and comfortable.

Belly warmers work on the principle that when your body is cold, it uses its energy to keep your internal organs warm while your arms and legs are left to fend for themselves. The reasoning is that if you keep your core warm, your body will have more reserves to spend on heating your extremities. Haramakis help your body use its heat more efficiently.

If you want to experience the physical benefits of a haramaki, but don’t have the patience to wait for supplies to become widely available, you can always do what one San Francisco haramaki fan did and simply accessorize an old fitted top. There’s no rule that DIY haramakis are any less cool than their designer counterparts.

Recommended Websites:

http://www.metafilter.com/69440/haramaki-waist-warmer

http://www.pingmag.jp/2007/01/15/haramaki-a-granny-item-made-fashionable/

http://www.squidoo.com/haramaki

http://blue_moon.typepad.com/blue_lotus/2006/02/post_3.html