During the Kamakura era (1185-1333), merchants from Hakata journeyed to Sung dynasty China with the founder of Joten-ji temple, Shoichi Kokushi, and the weaving techniques they brought back with them laid the foundations of Hakata Ori.
During the Edo era (1600-1868), most of the area of present-day Fukuoka Prefecture corresponded to the province of Chikuzen. The feudal lord of the province, Kuroda Nagamasa sent a tribute (kenjo) of Hakata textiles to the Shogunate. This led to the cloth also being called Kenjo Hakata.

The types of fabric most representative of Hakata are lustrous plain woven fabrics with elegant designs, alongside very colorful, elaborately woven figured textiles. Part of the joy of Hakata obi sashes is how easily they can be tied and the characteristic silk squeak when they are cinched tight. Hakata Ori still produces traditional obi sashes, as well as ties, dress material and interior fabrics.