Detail, Maru Obi featuring Genji-guruma (noble's carriage wheels)

A long narrow stiff obi composed of one width folded in half of complex-woven nishiki fabric (polychrome figured silk with wefts of silk, metallic-leafed paper strips and metal-leafed paper strips wrapped around a silk or cotton thread core). The pattern consists of elaborately decorated wheels of Heian era aristocrats' carriages (Genji-guruma). Symbols found as decorative motifs on the wheels include auspicious motifs, such as rhinoceros horns, waves, ingots, pine, Chinese flowers (karabana), etc. These patterns are created by wefts of dark green, grey-green, purple, lavender, dark and light blue, red, pink, and orange with metallic-leafed paper strips and metal-leafed paper strips wrapped around a silk or cotton thread core.
The obi has been opened along one long and one short edge. The lining, which would have stiffened the obi even more, has been removed.