How to Fold a Hakama

A little history

The hakama — the wide, pleated trouser-skirt worn in aikido and several other Japanese arts — began as practical clothing. Originally it protected a mounted samurai’s legs from brush and weather. When warriors moved from horseback to foot it lost that purpose but was kept anyway, in part because it set the wearer apart and made rank easy to read. Today it is worn as a mark of tradition and, in many schools, of seniority.

The seven pleats and the seven virtues

A hakama has seven folds — five in front and two behind. Tradition holds that the seven pleats stand for the seven virtues of bushidō, the way of the warrior. Keeping the pleats sharp is therefore a quiet reminder of the values the garment represents:

• Yuki — courage, valor, bravery
• Jin — humanity, charity, benevolence
• Gi — justice, righteousness, integrity
• Rei — etiquette, courtesy, respect
• Makoto — sincerity, honesty, truthfulness
• Chugi — loyalty, fidelity, devotion
• Meiyo — honor, dignity, prestige

Folding the body of the hakama

Work on a clean, flat surface with room to spread the garment fully. Take your time; a rushed fold undoes itself in the bag by the next class.

1. Lay the hakama face-down and smooth it flat, aligning the side seams so the front panel sits squarely over the back.
2. Bring the seams together neatly — align the outer edge (“line A”) to its partner (“line B”) so the leg panels stack evenly.
3. Lift the hakama by both sides, give it a gentle shake or two so the pleats hang and settle, then set it down face-up again, keeping everything aligned.
4. Fold the lower portion up toward the center, bringing the bottom hem up so the panels meet in the middle; keep the pleats running straight as you do.
5. Reset the seams one more time and press each of the seven pleats flat and neat with your hands so none of them twist.
6. Fold both ends inward — roughly a hand’s width from each side — so the width matches your storage bag.
7. Fold the whole garment up from the bottom once, then again, into a tidy rectangle with the pleats still visible on top.

Binding the cords (himo)

The long straps, called himo, are what keep a folded hakama from coming apart. There are four — two long front cords and two shorter back ones. Bind them in a woven diamond so they hold the fold closed:

1. Fold each cord back and forth on itself into four gathered lengths so they are short and manageable.
2. Cross the two front cords (A and B) over one another across the top of the folded hakama, forming an X.
3. Lay the crossed front cords over the two back cords (C and D) so all four meet at the center.
4. Pass cord C parallel to B, then tuck C over A as if winding it through; do the same with D over B on the other side.
5. Fold the remaining tails of each cord and pass them through the loops you have formed, mirroring left and right.
6. Draw every cord snug and even. Pull the ends gently so the diamond tightens and lies flat — and you are done.

The same folding method is shared across aikido, kendō, iaidō, and kyūdō. Independent educational resource; not affiliated with any dojo, organization, or individual.

A folded hakama travels best alongside a well-tied belt — see how to tie your belt — and both are part of the everyday etiquette of caring for your practice.