January 6, 2026 (3d ago)
In Japan, musubi is the idea that everything is connected. It comes from the simple act of tying knots, but symbolically, it represents the invisible force that binds people, spirits, and the universe. Rooted in Shinto belief, musubi comes from musu (to give birth or emerge) and hi (spirit), pointing to creation, connection, and harmony.
Rather than being loud or dramatic, musubi is subtle—something felt, not shown.
Musubi appears in Japan’s creation myths through the deities Takamimusubi and Kamimusubi, gods of generative power. Their presence established tying as a sacred act—one that invites the divine without needing statues or images.
This belief lives on in shimenawa ropes at shrines, which mark sacred boundaries and signal where kami (spirits) may descend.
Musubi isn’t abstract—it’s everywhere in Japanese culture:
Even language reflects this idea—children are called musu-ko (son) or musu-me (daughter), linking birth itself to musubi.
Today, musubi continues through small, everyday gestures: tying wishing knots at festivals, binding cords in crafts, or practicing martial arts like aikido, where harmony and connection matter more than force.
Artisans still make mizuhiki by hand, turning a simple knot into an act of care and intention.
P.S. The red string in Kimi no Na wa (Your Name) is the most famous modern example of Musubi. The entire movie is basically a 2-hour lesson on that concept. There is a specific scene where the grandmother (Hitoha) explains it perfectly while they are braiding the cords (Kumihimo).
The movie is playing on an old Japanese/East Asian legend called the Red String of Fate. The legend says that the gods tie an invisible red string around the fingers of two people who are destined to meet. The string might stretch or tangle, but it will never break.