J-cultural question: Stomach wrap?

[Kempis Curious]

I've seen in a couple of animes men wearing what looks like a long, thin white band of cloth wrapped around their stomach like a bandage.

These men are usually juvenile delinquents wanting to look tough. What's the meaning of this? Back support for lifting things?

-k

curious

[whatever123]

i've also been wondering about this coz i saw it in a bruce lee movie once (in uk its called fist of fury) which takes place during the japanese invasion to china where bruce lee i dentified a japanese spy in his school by the stomach wrap

[kamij0]

all i know they love to cut their belly aka seppuku ! maybe its their custom wear during that time.. or they really hate to show their wobbly belly

[kj1980]

Originally Posted by Kempis Curious

I've seen in a couple of animes men wearing what looks like a long, thin white band of cloth wrapped around their stomach like a bandage.

These men are usually juvenile delinquents wanting to look tough. What's the meaning of this? Back support for lifting things?

-k

curious

I assume you are talking about "sarashi." It is a 10 meter long piece of cloth that you use it to wrap around your stomach and up to your chest tightly. Think of it as a corset for men.

It is basically a cheap-but-useful protection used by men who gets into constant fights. It is used to reduce the power of another person's blow and punches. A better idea is to try hitting a wall with your bare knuckles. Then try it with hitting the wall with something like a necktie wrapped tightly around your fist. Now imagine how much shock would a punch from another person would asorb if your wrap a 10 meter long piece of cloth around your stomach and chest.

As an added plus, it also works as a bandage if someone stabs you in the stomach or chest.

[Kempis Curious]

Originally Posted by kj1980

I assume you are talking about "sarashi." It is a 10 meter long piece of cloth that you use it to wrap around your stomach and up to your chest tightly. Think of it as a corset for men.

It is basically a cheap-but-useful protection used by men who gets into constant fights. It is used to reduce the power of another person's blow and punches. A better idea is to try hitting a wall with your bare knuckles. Then try it with hitting the wall with something like a necktie wrapped tightly around your fist. Now imagine how much shock would a punch from another person would asorb if your wrap a 10 meter long piece of cloth around your stomach and chest.

As an added plus, it also works as a bandage if someone stabs you in the stomach or chest.

That's interesting. Sort of a cheap, easily adjusted cloth padding to keep you tight. With the added bonus of hiding a sake gut. I wonder if they put it on by tying one end to a doorknob and then doing a pirouette?

I was also thinking about seppuku, but I don't think it would work to hold the guts in if it wasn't glued down. yuck.

Thanks kj1980, it's great to have someone here living in Japan to answer the obscure questions.

-k

[Fronzel]

What about the "stomach band" that Shiina and her father wear while sleeping in Narutaru? It's not very wide, and probably isn't 10m long.

[kj1980]

Originally Posted by Fronzel

What about the "stomach band" that Shiina and her father wear while sleeping in Narutaru? It's not very wide, and probably isn't 10m long.

That's a totally different thing. That's called a "haramaki" (stomach band), which is basically a piece of clothing to protect your stomach from the cold weather, so you don't get a stomach ache, cold, and/or diarrhea (I don't know about non-Japanese places, but in our country, they say that if you keep your stomach cold, you'll get a stomach ache, cold, and/or diarrhea).

[juna]

wow that was really interesting. if u learn something new everyday, thats what i learned this xmas =D lol i would have never thought that letting ur tummy get cold would make u sick! japanese culture is so different sometimes

[thirdwheel]

Useful for when you go to a public restroom and they're out of toilet paper.
Very handy, this sarashi.