kendo club t-shirts: less cool in Japan?

[Charles Lockhar]

So, as club president (ie. sensei's secretary), part of my job is to come up with a club t-shirt. We have a couple of logos that look pretty decent (homebrew from kids in the club), so I think I can generate something. But one of the kids was all enthusiastic about getting his t-shirt before he goes to Japan towards the end of the year.

And then I started wondering if wearing a kendo t-shirt with kanji and everything would be just as super-cool over in Japan as it is super-cool over here (I'm getting my shirt with a special pocket protector installed right into the pocket! Super-Cool!). Kind of like how mad prison skillz don't work so great on the "outside."

So that is the question, are our club t-shirts with our amateur kendo art and kanji going to set off doofus meters everywhere we go over there?

-Charles, Grand High Doofus

[Maku-san]

Charles-san:

Just as long as the Kanji doesn't render the following message: "Look at me, I'm a Doofus!" :D

When ya'll do make your shirts, please let me know, I want one... it's super cool to wear another kendo dojo's shirt post-keiko over here! :smiley:

[Dervish]

The newest incarnation of my dojo's t-shirt is simply the dojo logo on the left side of the chest. You can get the shirt in black or white. Any kanji seen is within the logo itself. Simple, and effective! Check out Kenshinkai's facebook group if anyone is curious as to how the logo looks. :)

[Kenshi]

So that is the question, are our club t-shirts with our amateur kendo art and kanji going to set off doofus meters everywhere we go over there?

Unless you are traveling in a group I wouldnt do it. Or just dont use kanji.

Mind you, Ive had a beer discount over here because I was wearing an Edinburgh Kendo Club jacket once.

[Kagerou]

Mind you, Ive had a beer discount over here because I was wearing an Edinburgh Kendo Club jacket once.

good enough for me! I'll take two!

[ben]

So that is the question, are our club t-shirts with our amateur kendo art and kanji going to set off doofus meters everywhere we go over there?

-Charles, Grand High Doofus

The answer is yes. Absolutely.

b

[tad]

having seen some japanese school team jackets, they usually just say "kendo" in kanji and maaaaaybe the school name. Some of the university ones I've seen actually have the school name "xyz university" in english. If there's some weird saying in kanji on it, it has the possibility of being looked at the way we look at engrish.

[Kenzan]

It'll be cool as long as the club t-shirt says:

"Many have the Green sky which is loverly scent of
homemade cats from our land of large handbugs."

[Charles Lockhar]

Well, the t-shirt will have this image on the front, upper left side:

front (http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/%7Elockhart/kobukan/ben_zee.jpg)

back's gonna have a modified version of:

back (http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/%7Elockhart/kobukan/dylan_butler.jpg)

for the back, I'm having the kendo-kid who drew it replace the kanji with

kanji (http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/%7Elockhart/kobukan/kobukan.jpg)

and backing off the kendoka so that the shinai isn't touching the kanji.

-Charles

[NigelSponge]

well i was sure excited when one of my host brothers gave me my first Kojo High School kendo club tenugui. I'd say if he takes some, to have a few extra as gifts =D

[Charles Lockhar]

It'll be cool as long as the club t-shirt says:

"Many have the Green sky which is loverly scent of
homemade cats from our land of large handbugs."

I'm pretty sure I saw a Japanese guy over in Waikiki who was wearing a shirt that said exactly that, in English.

His buddy was wearing a shirt that said "America: Graet Power" (spelled it just like that too).

-Charles

[tad]

I like the front logo. The whole business in the back? Not so much. But that's just me. Admittedly I only like simple kendo shirts/jackets etc etc.

[Newbie]

I like it but on the patch i wouldn't have the name repeated so many times. but I like 'em :) Careful who makes the t-shirts, kanji can come out really badly but looks like you've gone for big and bold which should be fine.

[Kenzan]

Well, the t-shirt will have this image on the front, upper left side:

front (http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/%7Elockhart/kobukan/ben_zee.jpg)


-Charles

What, no flaming skulls with fangs dripping gore?

[Maku-san]

What, no flaming skulls with fangs dripping gore?

No, Kenzan-san. Charles-san could have put Madame Pele wielding a flaming shinai and setting her opponents' men on fire. But that wouldn't be pono (right) with the Hawaiians. They'd make Capt. Cook Specials out of the Hilo dojo. :eek:

[Kenzan]

No, Kenzan-san. Charles-san could have put Madame Pele wielding a flaming shinai and setting her opponents' men on fire. But that wouldn't be pono (right) with the Hawaiians. They'd make Capt. Cook Specials out of the Hilo dojo. :eek:

Mmm..Capt. Cook flaming specials...

I have that every time I visit one of my all time favorite restaurants (http://www.geocities.com/bahookarestaurant/welcome.htm).

[sirius1906]

Well, the t-shirt will have this image on the front, upper left side:

front (http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/%7Elockhart/kobukan/ben_zee.jpg)

back's gonna have a modified version of:

back (http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/%7Elockhart/kobukan/dylan_butler.jpg)

for the back, I'm having the kendo-kid who drew it replace the kanji with

kanji (http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/%7Elockhart/kobukan/kobukan.jpg)

and backing off the kendoka so that the shinai isn't touching the kanji.

-Charles

Charles,

I sent an email to your scout3801 account.

[Charles Lockhar]

What, no flaming skulls with fangs dripping gore?

Maybe something like this (http://westernqueensland.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/hindu-gods-kali.jpg), but holding shinai?

-Charles

[Kenzan]

Maybe something like this (http://westernqueensland.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/hindu-gods-kali.jpg), but holding shinai?

-Charles

It'd be fairly embarrassing to have your ass kicked my a gigantically naked smurf.

But the color fits though..

[Charles Lockhar]

No, Kenzan-san. Charles-san could have put Madame Pele wielding a flaming shinai and setting her opponents' men on fire. But that wouldn't be pono (right) with the Hawaiians. They'd make Capt. Cook Specials out of the Hilo dojo. :eek:

Yeah, but it's a double edged sword. I avoid putting Hawaiian themed stuff on anything, so as not to offend or seem to be taking on airs. But then I get criticized for not having anything Hawaiian worked into anything I do. What can I do?

-Charles

[Kenzan]

... so as not to offend or seem to be

-Charles

Aw, nuts to that!
I say, a big picture of a monstrous Pineapple going nuclear on an invasive tree-frog-shaped tourist is in order.

[Charles Lockhar]

...invasive tree-frog-shaped...

ko-kiii... ko-kiii... ko-kiii...

We actually have a bar in town now called the "Coqui's Hideaway." I was there just last night, and I can tell ya, the sound of the frogs is way better than the sound of the carry-oh-key.

-Charles

[Maku-san]

It'd be fairly embarrassing to have your ass kicked by a gigantically naked smurf.

But the color fits though..

I'm going to have to hack into this forum's software and get rid of that annoying "Must Spread Rep" horse-pucky!!! :laugh:

[Maku-san]

ko-kiii... ko-kiii... ko-kiii...

We actually have a bar in town now called the "Coqui's Hideaway." I was there just last night, and I can tell ya, the sound of the frogs is way better than the sound of the carry-oh-key.

-Charles

Oh, those spawns of Frog-Satan!!! I'm glad industrial strength caffeine and citrus juice works to wipe out this foul pestilence. :evil:

I was talking about the karaoke, BTW....:laugh:

[chidokan]

I am doing two versions for freshers week at the university open day for the MA clubs.
Guy's one will say: " I have a three foot long weapon"
Girls is: " I like playing with a three foot long weapon"

it should get a good response....:laugh:

A few of us wore our Eikoku Roshukai t-shirts to the golden week taikai and popped out to a militaria fayre. We were jumped by one of the local Roshukai students who wouldnt believe we were staying with his sensei... until we turned up at his dojo that night!:laugh: He helped us get a discount on a menpo for one of the lads the next day, so worth meeting him!

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty sure I saw a Japanese guy over in Waikiki who was wearing a shirt that said exactly that, in English.

His buddy was wearing a shirt that said "America: Graet Power" (spelled it just like that too).

-Charles

I want those shirts.

[Obukan_dude]

Gaijin are always going to look like doofuses in Japan, no matter what you do. You might as well wear http://www.clutchtees.com/Homer-Simpson-T-Shirt-Japanese-Mr-Sparkle.html along with it. ;)




By the way, why can't you edit links in text anymore?

[Kenzan]

Take it from me, the Japanese won't be impressed by anything you wear, mainly because they tend to dress better than most of us unfashionable slobs anyway.
They will however, be mildly amazed (for about 1.2 milliseconds) that a foreigner studies Kendo, and then they'll go back to whatever it is they were doing.

[nebosuke]

If anything you’ll get a pass on everything else about the shirt for being from Hawaii.