Sarashi - Binding With A... Bandage?! Not Quite!

Sarashi - Binding with a... bandage?! Not quite!

One factor why so many people use ACE bandages besides availability is simple: bandages look cool.

A lot of characters in anime and manga seem to use them, so that message seems to come through to western audiences, that bandages are okay to bind with. But here is the problem: what japanese characters are using is most often a very different garment, a sarashi.

Here is a very simple guide to one style of sarashi wrapping, and as you can see, it is slightly wider than ace bandages usually are.

The key difference is that a sarashi is made of 100% cotton, and is not elastic. This way it won’t tighten around the ribcage on its own. Sarashis have been used in historical Japan by men and women alike. Samurai and onna-bugeisha wore it as an undergarment to protect their stomachs and chests, and geisha used it to bind their breasts. Today the sarashi is strongly associated with cool characters, seen in bancho and tough guys and girls in anime.

Here is an already good post on sarashi in general by tanuki-kimono.

Here is a guide with photos by kiratsukai on a cosplay forum. Also a tip to avoid underboob!

Sarashi-binding.net has several guides for different uses of sarashi, including 3 styles of chest binding, stomach binding, and a maternity support! The site also recommends sarashi for plus-sized guys, since it is entirely adjustable.

You can buy sarashi from here, here and here. Of course, there are many more stores, especially on ebay and etsy, so try googling around with keyword “sarashi”!

I wish everyone a happy time to bind with the method they like most. If you are really in a pinch, you can try to look for other non-elastic wraps like the sarashi to use. Just please, don’t use ACE bandages.