A long, winding strip of cloth, usually thick cotton, wrapped tightly around the midriff up to the chest. Historically, samurai wore them under their kimono to resist injury.
In anime, delinquent characters are often seen wearing a midriff sarashi under their coat or unbuttoned shirt. The wrapping is a visible cue as to their general level of bad-assery.
A tomboyish girl may wear a chest sarashi to bind and/or flatten her breasts, especially if she is trying to pass as male. Alternatively, it may be worn like a tube top to accentuate the breasts in a very nontraditional way, leaving the midriff bare. This sarashi style is especially seen on kendo girls and other fighters. If it's especially revealing then it may become a budget sarashi.
