What does the 'belt' Orochimaru and the Sound Four wear signify?


The Sound Four wear a purple-colored type of _belt_ or _wrap_ around their
waists:

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/CPHFi.jpg)

Orochimaru, their master, also wore one:

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hTWYc.jpg)

Being some of the few ninja I have seen wearing one, does it have a formal
name? What does it signify and does it relate or exist in real world
fighting..? _It feels almost sumo-ish, I think._




The belt they are wearing is generally referred to as an "obi."

The belt braided in the style of
[Shimenawa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimenawa) ropes, sacred Shinto ropes
made by twisting together straws. It is hung horizontally to indicate a sacred
Shintoism place such as praying hall or torii.

The Wikipedia article (linked above) notes that:

> A variation of the shimenawa is used in [sumo
> wrestling](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumo_wrestling) by
> [yokozuna](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokozuna_%28sumo%29) (grand
> champions) during their entrance ceremonies to denote their rank. This is
> because the yokozuna is seen as a living yorishiro (formally
> [shintai](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shintai)), and as such is inhabited
> by a spirit.




The belt they are wearing is generally referred to as an "obi."

The belt braided in the style of
[Shimenawa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimenawa) ropes, sacred Shinto ropes
made by twisting together straws. It is hung horizontally to indicate a sacred
Shintoism place such as praying hall or torii.

The Wikipedia article (linked above) notes that:

> A variation of the shimenawa is used in [sumo
> wrestling](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumo_wrestling) by
> [yokozuna](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokozuna_%28sumo%29) (grand
> champions) during their entrance ceremonies to denote their rank. This is
> because the yokozuna is seen as a living yorishiro (formally
> [shintai](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shintai)), and as such is inhabited
> by a spirit.

