Short Rows: Japanese Method
Japanese short rows use a removable stitch marker placed on the working yarn at the turn. On the next row, the marker is used as a handle to pull up a small loop that closes the turn. The result is the cleanest, most invisible short-row turn of any common method.
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Method
Knit to the turn point. Turn the work. Place a removable stitch marker on the working yarn just below the next stitch. Continue knitting (or purling) the next row.
Closing the turn
When you reach the turn marker on the next pass, use it as a handle to pull up a small loop of working yarn from below. Knit (or purl) this loop together with the next stitch. Remove the marker.
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Why it is the cleanest
The pulled-up loop closes the turn without changing the stitch count or leaving a wrap. The result is invisible from the right side and barely visible from the wrong side.
Trade-off
Requires removable markers (the small clip-on or coil kind) and is slower than German short rows. Best reserved for projects where the absolute cleanest turn is worth the extra fiddling.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sm | stitch marker |
Tips
- Use clip-on or coil-style removable markers — split rings will slip off.
- Reserve Japanese short rows for projects where the cleanest turn matters most, such as luxury sweater shoulders.
- For everyday short rows, German is faster and nearly as clean.
In depth
Japanese short rows hide the turn by anchoring a small loop of working yarn at the turn point with a removable marker, then pulling that loop up and knitting it together with the next stitch on the return row. Because no stitch is wrapped or slipped, the technique adds no visible change to the fabric.