One of the traditional threads of Temari crafting is Bunka - this is a chained yarn or cord, that is unraveled to use in stitching. It is also used in other crafts now such as doll making to make doll hair - since when it is unchained it remains kinky or curly and works well to represent curly hair, either real or fantasy. Bunka cord is also what we modernly recongnize as "chainette" used in fringe and tassles  - think of a graduation tassle, that shiny slinky stuff. Bunka thread now can be purchased in either skeins (usually ten skeins to a hank) or wrapped on card bobbins. It is still very popular in Japan as a crafting yarn or thread for projects other than in addition to Temari. Bunka is also am embroidery technique in Japan, very similar to a punch-needle technique. The thread comes in either rayon or silk. The Rayon is more affordable but also has more intense colors (and the color range can be huge). Here are some representative Temari crafted with Bunka. Also see the Bunka Thread information page on this site.