Gift money envelopes

Mizuhiki can be found today on gift money envelopes sold in any stationary store and comes in more than 100 different knot designs. The number of strands are usually five, seven, or ten, in accordance with the cosmic dual forces (yin and yang) and the five elements in Chinese cosmology. Colors are red and white, or gold and silver, for auspicious occasions. Black and white, or indigo and white, are used for bereavements.

Japanese customs in the tying of knots

The essence of Japanese customs is expressed in musubi. And, among the many types of musubi, nothing is more representative of such customs than the dashing gold and silver, or red and white mizuhiki.
Mizuhiki originally referred to the act of peeling plant skin by steeping it in water. The practice of tying knots with such plant materials became an important feature in court ceremonies and other formal occasions such as weddings and funerals. Later, mizuhiki were made from starched paper strands, which were dyed in various colors.
These paper mizuhiki were knotted in their making, as they are today, and gained immense popularity among common folk for gift presentations. They are sold in a wide variety of knot designs, ranging from the standard reef knots to single bowknots, aioi-musubi, awabimusubi and so on. Each of these knots come in the three variations of formal, semi-formal and informal styles.