Hakama Series - Split Leg Hakama

This is the classic style that you likely think of when you hear the word "Hakama". Very wide-legged pleated trousers worn by swordsmen and warriors. Admittedly these are "modern" hakama. There are variations based on historical time period and social status. But these should suit most cases. 
So, lets go over how to make them! 

You will see examples of this in many games and Anime but some faves of mine include: Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, Demon Slayer, XXXholic, Hell's Paradise and Genshin Impact. 

UPDATE 4/10/2024: I've redone all my instructions. Now that I've actually made a pair of hakama and found some more resources, I felt this needed updating. 

From Chihirohowe's Guide

Design Elements

Color

For modern or fantasy character design, no limits to color! You can also use print fabric and add designs! Historically, these would be a solid color and often have a neutral color scheme (white, grey, black, brown). More colorful hakama were usually worn by nobility or clergy. There are colors worn by Shinto clergy that have meaning to them. A dusty blue for example is worn during funeral services. So take that into consideration when choosing a color. 

Fabric Type

Hakama should be made from a tightly woven fabric that can hold a pleat! This would include fabrics such as: 

• Stiff Silk
• Lightweight Suiting Wool
• Cotton/Cotton Blend
• Linen
• Polyester <- Really pleats well

Pleats

The number of visible pleats on the front of modern hakama should be about 5. In the back there is only 1 visible pleat. This is done by making 3 pleats on each front leg and 1 on each back leg for a total of 8 pleats.  
The depth can vary but a pleat depth of about 1 - 2" is a good ballpark. 

Leg Length

The hem should be just above your ankle since these are meant to be active wear. You can also shorten them by wearing them higher than your waist. 

Waist Fastening

These are tied around the waist with belt ties (himo). However, a more costumed version may use an elastic waistband or other fastening method. This post will go over the himo style. 

Side Openings/Sasahida

These are folded on the bias of the fabric to create the opening that shows off the kimono underneath. You can make modesty panels or antique pockets if you feel like you want more coverage but that would not be accurate. I have a post on pockets/modesty panels. 
 

Patterns

There are patterns available for this style both indie and commercial. They vary in their level of costume-ness to traditional methods. 

A good costume hakama pattern is McCall's M7525. It is out of print but is still available as a PDF. Which means you'll have to print out pattern pieces yourself. I say it's a good costume version because it modernizes the hakama by adding pockets in the side openings. 

A good traditional hakama Pattern is Folkware Kataginu and Hakama. This one goes over how they are traditionally made and takes some of the headache out of placing pleats with a chart and measurements. It essentially says "there's no pattern for these pants but don't worry...it's all big rectangles and folding. 

Taeliac's Fakie Hakama is a very costumed version, but may be more accessible for a beginner. Personally, I like how she explains pleats and how to calculate your waist size. 

There are also many talented pattern makers on Etsy that make excellent Hakama patterns. 
Finally, And Sewing is Half the Battle has their own blog post on how they made hakama. It's a bit more historical than my method, but it's got lots of great info. 

Measurements

You need 3 measurements: 

• Waist Circumference (A)
• Waist to Ankle Length (B)
• Crotch depth (Standard 15" for men, 19" for wearing with a women's kimono) (C)

How much fabric?

This time you'll likely use about 4 yards! The rectangle will go around each leg here. But here's a rough formula for figuring out the area of fabric needed. 

Width = A * 4 
32" * 4 = 128"

That's it for the width. (It's twice your waist measurement for each leg. The pleats make it fit.)

Length = B + Hem (+ Belt width) 

So 36" + 2" (+4") = 42"

For my hakama, I would need an area of fabric 128" x 42". If going with cross grain, I could get a 45" or 60" bolt and only need 3.5 yards of fabric. 

If I was going with the grain, I would need about 4.5 yards. I would have to divide the hakama into 4 pieces instead of 2 to fit the layout. 

Pink is cross grain layout, Blue is with grain layout

Construction

For the legs I am using a more modern method for sewing pant legs together. It is easier to me and uses less fabric. However, you can also make a gusset between the legs. (ASIHTB's blog details this method well.) So you have two ways of approaching your hakama panels: 

1. Left and Right Leg Panels (I'll call this Modern Method)
2. Front and Back Panels  (I'll call this Gusset Method)

I'll do my best to explain both, which is why I'll start with the sasahida which is the same for both methods. OH and making the himo and koshita are also the same. It's just leg construction that differs. 

How to Make Sasahida 

Follow these steps for the front facing part of the hakama: 

1. Along the edge of the front panel, measure down the length from the top edge about 1/3 the total length. So for my 44" long panel this would be about 14.6". 15" is a pretty good standard measurement if you want to use it. Alternatively, measure down from your waist to mid-thigh. (Point A) 
2. Along the top of the front panel, make a mark 1"- 1.5" horizontally from the side edge. (Point B)
3. Make another mark about 2" - 3" horizontally from the side edge. (Point C)
4. Take the corner and fold it toward the wrong side of your fabric until the corner meets Point C. The fold should make a curved line from Point A to Point B. The corner will be slightly below the edge of the hakama. 
5. Using Point B as the new corner, fold again toward the wrong side this time making a curved fold line from Point C to Point A. It's a good idea to press and pin into place.  
6. Turn fabric to the right side. Using Point C as the corner, fold towards the right side of the fabric making the fold along the Point B to Point A line. Point C will be below the edge of the top of the leg panel. 
7. Using an invisible hand stitch or edge stitch, or blind hem, sew the folded edge of  C to A onto the leg panel. (Note: if you use an edge stitch, the stitches will be visible. Use a matching thread color.)
8. Use the same stitch to sew the folded edge point B to A. 

Rough illustration for sasahida

These steps are for the back facing part:

1. Once again make a mark down the length of the side of the leg panel about 1/3 the total length.  (Point A)
2. Make a mark 4" - 7" horizontally from the side edge along the top of the skirt panel. (Point C) The size is based on your waist measurement. (It should be about 1/6th of your waist measurement). 
3. Make a mark halfway between the skirt edge and Point C. (This will be Point B). 
4. Folding toward the wrong side of the fabric, take the corner towards Point C, making a straight diagonal fold line from point B to point A. The corner will be below the top edge of the skirt. 
5. Toward the wrong side of the fabric, Fold point B along the angle for Point C to point A. 
6. Use an invisible hand stitch  or edge stitch or blind hem stitch to sew the Fold line to the wrong side of the back panel. 

Modern Method

For the modern method of connecting the legs of the hakama together, you need to cut out a section of the leg panel to sew it together. For this configuration, the leg panels are left leg and right leg. They connect at this crotch seam and you sew up the sides later. 

1. Measure your waist from where the side seam would be to the front seam or 1/4 of your waist circumference. 
2. Add the extra fabric you'd need to make the pleats to that measurement. There are 3 pleats in the front that I want to make 1" wide. I need 2" per pleat. So I'd add 6" to that measurement. 
   Quick Reference: You'd add 6" for 1" pleats, 9" for 1.5" pleats, or 12" for 2" pleats.
3. With this new measurement, measure from the front edge of the fabric towards the center and make a mark. This will be the starting point for the crotch seam. 
4. Measure your waist from side seam to back seam then add the pleats for the back. This pleat will be a bit wider than the others maybe about 1.5" - 2" wide pleat. Since there's only one pleat, add 3" or 4" to the measurement. 
5. From the other edge of your leg panel make a mark based on the new measurement. That will be the butt end of the crotch seam. 
6. Make a mark 15" down from the top of both the front and back crotch seam. (Make it 19" if you will wear this with a longer kimono or measure from your waist to your knees.) 
7. Connect the two marks near the bottom so you should have a big rectangle for your crotch seam. 
8. Use a french curve or marumi template to curve the edge of the rectangle.
9. Cut out the rectangle. This will be the crotch curve for one leg. 

The leg should be this shape.

Connect the Legs

This is the modern crotch curve assembly method. 

1. Match up the crotch curves with the right sides of the fabric touching. 
2. Sew along the crotch curve. 
3. Reinforce the stitches at the curves. 
4. You may have to do some fancy finagling, but you will have to align the side-seams with the right sides together and stitch from the hem edge to the the lowest point of the sasahida. 

That's all. Now the legs are connected at the center. 

Gusset Method

The gusset only works if you cut out your hakama leg WITH the grain instead of cross grain on the fabric. So you will have 2 - 4 panels per leg instead of one. My example will have 2 panels per leg so you will have a Front Left Panel, Front Right Panel, Back Left Panel, and Back Right Panel. 

Connect Panels

1. Align the center seams of your front leg panels, right sides of the fabric touching. 
2. Sew from the top of the hakama down 15" (or up to 19" depending on kimono length or waist to knee measurement.)
   
   
   
   
   
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the back leg panels.  
4. Place the front panels on top of the back panels with the right sides of the fabric touching. Align the outer edges or side seams and sew from the hem to the sasahida point on both sides. 
5. The Gusset piece should be 6" - 7" wide and twice the length from the hem to the crotch seam. So for my 36" long legs 36" - 15" = 21". 21" * 2 = 42"  
6. Fold the gusset in half matching the short ends and mark the center. 
7. Right sides of the fabric together, align the bottom long edge of the gusset with the inner edge of front left leg. The center mark on the gusset should align to the end of the crotch seam and the short edge with the hem of the leg panel. Pin in place. 
8. From the center of the gusset, continue to line up the long edge to the inner edge of the right front panel, right sides together. Tip: You may want to spread the leg panels apart to make a straighter edge for the gusset. There will be puckering on the gusset in the center. That's normal. 
9. Stitch along the long edge of the gusset. Reinforce the top point with a few back stitches. 
10. Repeat for the back Panels using the other long edge of the gusset. Make sure you keep the front leg panels out of the way. 

Connection Method Comparison

Waistband/Belts

The back belt comes out of the koshi-ita and will be the circumference of your waist + 4". The front belt will be twice your waist circumference and also act as the front waistband. It will be about 1.5" - 2" thick when finished so cut rectangles that are 3" - 4" thick and at the appropriate length. 

Same process as the Andon bakama for the front. But the back, is a bit different. 

1. Fold the belt length in half right sides of the fabric together and press. 
2. Find the half way point of the belt and mark it with a pin/clip/mark. 
3. Measure 1/5th of your waist measurement to left of the center mark and place a pin/clip/mark. 
4. Make another mark 1/5th your waist measurement to the right of the center mark. 
5. Sew from left end of the belt to the left mark. Do the same on the right. 
6. Trim the seams and cut notches at the corners. 
7. Turn the belt right side out and set aside. 

For the back himo if you are making a Koshi-ita: 

1. Fold the belt in half lengthwise with right sides together and press. 
2. Sew along the raw edges leaving a 2" gap near the middle. 
3. Trim the seams and corners. 
4. Turn right side out through the gap. 
5. You can close the gap with an edge stitch. This will be hidden later by the Koshi-ita.

NOTE: If you are not making a Koshi-ita or Backboard for your hakama, you will make the back himo the same way you would the front himo. Except the gap should be half your waist circumference minus the measurements for both sasahida. (About 4" - 6")

Back Board/Koshi-ita

The back board is a Trapezoid shape. It's height and width vary with your size. Often times you can have a stiff material inside for support but it's not a requirement. 

• Plastic
• Rubber
• Craft foam
• Quilt Batting
• Cardboard
• Stiff interfacing (Iron on preferably) 
• Thin Foam Board
• Stiff Felt
• Leather
• Layers of scrap fabric

The width of the koshi-ita will be the width of the back of the hakama after pleating and sewing it together. You can measure your un-pleated back panel width measurement then subtract the pleat measurements (As a quick reference you'll likely subtract 6" - 8"). 

A formula you could use is: 1/2 waist circumference minus back sasahida width. Back sasahida is 2" - 3" on each side so you'll either subtract 4" or 6". 
So for me this is (32"/2) - 4" = 12"

The height of the final shape should be about 3" - 5" so it rests comfortably against the small of your back. 

Here are configurations for the koshi-ita that I've seen: 

HOWEVER, you can skip adding a koshi-ita all together. It's OPTIONAL. But it's very common so it doesn't feel optional in my opinion. 

Any who, to make your koshi-ita: 

1. Cut out two trapezoid shapes with the bottom long edge the full back width plus seam allowance. 
1. If you use interfacing, iron it on the wrong side of the fabric for one of the trapezoids. 
2. Mark your sewing lines on the wrong side of the fabric for both trapezoids. 
3. Align the bottom edge of the himo along the long edge of one trapezoid on the right side of the fabric. Sew along the sewing lines on the sides of the trapezoid to hold the himo in place. (You can also sew along the long edge for more security.)
4. Triangle option 1:
1.  If you want to add the smaller triangles on the "front" of the koshi-ita with the himo hidden on the "back" trapezoid, you can add them now to the "front" trapezoid. 
2. Fold only one edge of the smaller triangle along it's sewing line/seam allowance. 
3. Align the raw edges with the sewing lines along the angled side edge of the Trapezoid. Set the wrong side of the triangle on the right side of the trapezoid. Sew along the side sewing line. 
4. Sew the triangle along the trapezoid's sewing line on long bottom edge. It's okay if it doesn't align. 
5. Repeat for the other small triangle on the other side. 
6. Treat the front trapezoid with triangles as one piece.  
5. Place both trapezoids right sides together. Sew along the sewing line starting from the lower edge corner, up and across the top shorter edge of the trapezoid and down to the bottom edge corner on the other side. 
6. Clip the top corners on the short edge and turn out the fabric. The bottom long edge of the trapezoid is open for now.
7. Triangle Option 2:
1. Draw out a triangle in the size you'd like then add seam allowance all around the shape. 
2. Cut out the triangle and add in your sewing line on the wrong side of the fabric. 
3. Fold the triangle along the sewing line towards the wrong side of the fabric on the edges of the triangle that will not be aligned to the bottom of the trapezoid. Press in place. 
4. Align along the long bottom edge of the trapezoid and invisible hand stitch to the "front" trapezoid along the folded edges
8. Insert the stiffening material now before you forget! 

Pleating and Adding Himo

Okay FINALLY, we get to the point of pleating! Starting with the front:

1. Lay out the front himo and align the center of the himo to the center seam of the front of the hakama. 
2. Measure 1 pleat depth to the right. Pinch into a mountain fold and bring it to the center seam. 
3. Measure 1 pleat depth to the left. Pinch a mountain fold and bring it a few centimeters OVER the other pleat. 
4. Measure out another pleat depth to the right. Pinch a mountain fold and bring it towards the center seam keeping it about 1" away from the visible pleat. Pin down. 
5. Measure a pleat depth to the left. Pinch a mountain fold and bring it towards the center seam but about an inch or more away from the center fold. You now have 4 pleats total. Only two more!
6. Measure another pleat depth to the right and pinch that mountain fold. Move it toward the center seam but now make sure the corner of the sasahida fold fits into the open gap of your himo. You may need to fiddle with the other pleats to achieve this. Pin down when it fits. 
7. Repeat step 6 on the left side. 
   
8. Press and basted down your pleats along the top edge. 
9. Insert the folded hakama into the himo gap. Fold the edges of the himo to hide the raw edges. 
10. Edge stitch on the bottom of the himo, sandwiching the hakama front inside the himo. 

Back Pleats: 

1. Lay out the back himo and align the center of the himo with the center back seam of the hakama. 
2. Measure one pleat depth to the right. Pinch a mountain fold and bring it to the center back seam. Press and pin in place. 
3. Measure one pleat depth to the left. Pinch a mountain fold and bring it towards the center back seam but cover the first pleat by a few centimeters. 
4. Adjust the pleats until the sasahida corners fit into the gap on your koshi-ita or himo. Pin in place, press and baste. 
5. Take the front trapezoid of your koshi-ita then right sides together align the raw edges of the hakama and koshi-ita. (The Trapezoid should be upside down.) Stitch down only catching the front trapezoid fabric. 
6. Flip the trapezoid right side up. Fold the raw edge of the back trapezoid up into itself. Press it down. Invisible hand stitch or edge stitch down.
   (Alternatively, you can fold both raw edges of the trapezoids inward, sandwich the hakama and edge stitch down just like the front himo.) 

Finishing Touches

With the right sides of your hakama pants together, sew up the sides starting from the raw edge on the bottom and up to the sasahida. Turn the hakama right sides out. 

Try on your hakama and see where you'll need to make adjustments. The last step is to hem the legs at the bottom edge so the bottom edge is at or above your ankles. Hem your pants and you are done! 

Check out Wim's Kimono page for how to tie a hakama in a few different ways.