What is a Haramaki?
There are some items of clothing that, when you try them on for the first time, make you wonder: How did I ever live without this? The haramaki is one of them.
The haramaki is a soft fabric band that retains your body’s warmth and helps prevent sudden temperature changes, providing a pleasant sensation of being gently embraced. It is a traditional Japanese abdominal wrap designed to protect and warm your core (abdomen and lower back), and its name literally means “to wrap the belly” in Japanese.
Here we tell you more about the Happy Belly haramaki, an essential element of well-being in Japan for centuries, now reinterpreted with our Mediterranean touch.
Where the Haramaki comes from
The word ‘Hara-Maki’ comes from Japanese: hara is the central part of the body, the torso, and maki means roll or to roll up. Haramaki = wrapping the centre of the body.
The hara isn't just the torso. In traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine, it's the area where the vital organs are and the source of the energy that sustains us. Looking after that area —keeping it warm and protected— is a form of prevention these traditions have practised for centuries.
The origin of the haramaki goes back to the Shinto rituals of the Japanese Empire. When a soldier went off to fight, he received a senninbari —the "belt of a thousand stitches"—: a band that the women of the family and the village sewed together, each adding one stitch, until there were a thousand. That senninbari gave the soldier warmth and served as a protective amulet against the dangers of war.
Today, wearing a haramaki also gives a sense of security and comfort, while providing many health benefits. At Happy Belly Barcelona we have adapted the Japanese pattern to turn it into an original fashion accessory you can wear 24 hours a day and combine with all kinds of clothes.
What the Haramaki is for
When you wear a haramaki, blood circulation increases throughout the waist area, right where the main organs are, helping them work and giving you an instant feeling of well-being.
HEAT
The haramaki regulates body temperature: it insulates against moisture and drafts, covering the kidneys, abdomen, and lower back without constricting them.
It doesn’t provide heat from the outside—like a hot water bottle—but rather retains the heat generated by your own body.
Our grandmothers used to nag us to cover our kidneys, and they knew what they were talking about: it is the organ most sensitive to the cold.
HEALTH
It promotes blood circulation and stimulates the function of the vital organs.
An ally for women's health: it relieves painful periods and keeps you company during fertility treatments, pregnancy and postpartum recovery.
It improves digestion and relieves lower back pain or discomfort.
EMBRACE
The feeling of comfort and gentle support the haramaki gives you is similar to the calm of a long hug.
It helps you relax, connects you with your energy centre and helps you become aware of your body.
The first thing you tell us when you try it is that you didn't expect it. No wonder our brand motto is: life is a hug.
The 6 most frequently asked questions
View allWhat is the haramaki for? What are its benefits?
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Is the haramaki only for women?
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Do you have a special pregnancy haramaki?
When to wear the Haramaki
There are so many moments in the day! Unlike restrictive girdles, the haramaki gives protection without limiting movement.
COLD DAYS
Make the most of your own warmth! Wear it during the cold months or in air-conditioned offices. If you tend to get cold or live somewhere damp, the haramaki will stop you getting chilled.
AT WORK
Whether you spend hours sitting in front of a screen or work on your feet—as a sales clerk, preschool teacher, hairdresser, or massage therapist—your lower back feels the strain before you even realize it.
DO YOU NEED PAMPERING?
For those days when you need an extra hug. The haramaki keeps you company and comforts you. It doesn't just ease muscle aches, it's also there for you when you have a cold or on low-energy days.
OUTDOORS
Prevents your muscles from getting cold while practicing yoga, Pilates, hiking, biking, or riding a motorcycle... Any activity where your lower back is exposed to the cold.Haramaki Unicolor
WHEN YOU SLEEP
The haramaki improves your sleep and prevents you from waking up if you kick off the covers. Maintaining a constant body temperature while you sleep will make waking up a different experience. Also ideal for young children.
FASHION ACCESSORY
The haramaki is also a unique accessory that adds a pop of color and completes your look. You can wear it under your clothes or on the outside, over skirts, leggings, or pants.
How we make your Haramaki
At Happy Belly Barcelona, we look after you and the environment with every garment we create. That's why we stand for conscious, ethical fashion:
- We make small collections and avoid large stocks. We pay the utmost attention to quality.
- All our garments are made between Igualada and Tàrrega.
- Our suppliers are Spanish, Belgian and Italian.
- We look for environmentally friendly materials: certified fabrics, toxin-free dyes, reusable packaging, recycled paper.
- We work with circularity and give fabric offcuts a second life.
