is there a requirement to wear Gi and Hakama?

[TomoYuu]

I've only been to one practice so far and my gi and Hakama have already arrived in mail, and i was wondering if i can just start wearing it to practice... is there some kind of basic requirement required? The practice is in eight hours, i'd be really happy if someone can reply before then.... thanks!

[JByrd]

The best policy is to ask your instructor. I prefer to have a beginner practice in gym clothing (sweats, etc.) because a hakama makes it too difficult to see the student's feet.

[TomoYuu]

^ oh, i see... yeah that makes sense. I guess i'll just go in gym cloth today and ask my sensei before wearing it to the dojo. Thank You!

[jjcruiser]

Most people say we wait to make teaching footwork easier, and I'm sure that's the big part of it, but anectdotally my opinion is that there is another good reason to wait as a beginner: it is a nice sense of accomplishment -- a nice benchmark in your development -- to feel like you have improved enough to wear the wears. (It also helps people know how beginner you are; i.e., how much to expect for warm up, line up, etc.).

[yoda-waza]

Always ask first. Don't acquire anything - shinai, clothing, bogu, etc. - without sensei's advice and consent.

[Mr Softee]

Aside from the idea of not wearing gi and hakama so its easier to observe footwork it also helps cut down on your startup costs. Better to use gym clothes and make sure you enjoy what you are doing enough to lay out another hundred bucks.

Not to mention that once you put that stuff on you will be a lot warmer!

[LarsCW]

Best is to wait for your sensei to tell you to get gear. Some dojo's order gear a few times a year so they get discounts and that way it can add up.

The other important reasons have already been mentioned.

What kind of gi and hakama did you get?

[Bob]

We have people that have been with our dojo for more than a year and are still not kendogi. (mostly because they skip weeks at a time of practice), but point being second practice is probably way to soon.

[b8amack]

Most people say we wait to make teaching footwork easier, and I'm sure that's the big part of it, but anectdotally my opinion is that there is another good reason to wait as a beginner: it is a nice sense of accomplishment -- a nice benchmark in your development -- to feel like you have improved enough to wear the wears. (It also helps people know how beginner you are; i.e., how much to expect for warm up, line up, etc.).

Visible signs of rank...

[Filipp]

We have people that have been with our dojo for more than a year and are still not kendogi. (mostly because they skip weeks at a time of practice), but point being second practice is probably way to soon.

same as my dojo, plenty of people practice for rather long time but they dont use kendogi, they only stay in the beginners area of training

in my dojo it's all up for the person to go ahead and buy the kendogi when they feel like, people who don't have it just seens to get stuck in the beginners training area forever, the sensei will never tell a person who doesn't have the kendogi to wear a bogu.

[hl1978]

I think after my first day of kendo, our club admin had ordered keikogi for all of us. Wasn't much sense of accomplishment at all the first time I put it on, just mild annoyance at turning blue.

[DigitalDowntown]

Visible signs of rank...
Your sensei may also have certain requirements regarding your do-gi.
At my dojo, as well as some others here in Southern California, all mudansha (1st kyu and below) wear white keigo-gi, only yudansha (1st dan +) wear the blue keigo-gi.

When I started kendo, my dojo had me wear kendo-gi and hakama after being in one or two classes and officially joining the dojo. That was in Japan, where a sense of being a part of 'the group,' (ie. wearing a uniform) is very important. I also had a separate uniform for school, and yet another uniform (company shirt & jacket actually) for my job.

[b8amack]

Some people also apparently use coloured men himo to indicate kyu-ranks. Maybe in the future some places will "grant" you the right to match your shinai tsuru to them or something. It's all nonsense, though.

[jjcruiser]

Visible signs of rank...

Fair point. But it can still be useful.

[b8amack]

I see the point about being able to see the feet. And of course the budgetary reasons. But that's not the same as telling a guy who has hakama and keikogi that he's not allowed to wear them, yet.

[MiddleEarthNet]

Speak to your Sensei. Every dojo and Sensei is different. Some don't mind when you start to wear it, others do mind and as others have said have certain requirements.
Since you've already got your hakama and keikogi, you could take it with you to training but NOT put it unless your Sensei is happy for you to wear it.

[Manuka]

And either turn up early or wait until after class to ask Sempai how to put the uniform on.

[Jonathan]

I've only been to one practice so far and my gi and Hakama have already arrived in mail, and i was wondering if i can just start wearing it to practice... is there some kind of basic requirement required? The practice is in eight hours, i'd be really happy if someone can reply before then.... thanks!

Since you got it any way, you could always bring whatever you just bought (no obi?) with you to your class. Then, depending on whether you catch someone before or after, you can ask them if they'd be willing to check out some gear you got, make something up like you want to be sure the colors or size is right. Whether its your sensei or senior student, whatever. If it is a big deal, they'll let you know right off and you won't have to guess.

[Hai_hai]

Nudity at the dojo is frowned upon.






Ha ha. Just kidding. Just had to say that.

[Ruleslawyer]

I've been going to my dojo for 3 months now, and still no Gi and Hakama. I'd wait until your sensei says you can, or at least ask about it. I sort of figured that after a couple weeks they would tell me I could buy one if I like, but my class seems strange. The proportion of students in uniform increase as you go up the line, but its not a hard line.

[UnimportantHero]

Nudity at the dojo is frowned upon.

From what I have heard about undressing after practice... even that is entirely questionable.

[Bob]

Your sensei may also have certain requirements regarding your do-gi.
At my dojo, as well as some others here in Southern California, all mudansha (1st kyu and below) wear white keigo-gi, only yudansha (1st dan +) wear the blue keigo-gi.

When I started kendo, my dojo had me wear kendo-gi and hakama after being in one or two classes and officially joining the dojo. That was in Japan, where a sense of being a part of 'the group,' (ie. wearing a uniform) is very important. I also had a separate uniform for school, and yet another uniform (company shirt & jacket actually) for my job.

Crazy. norcal is like NO WHITE less you're female. I even asked if just at practice so i could just toss it in the washing machine and dryer and they are like NO its not traditional. lol

[b8amack]

Well, it is traditional. So they're wrong.

[verissimus]

Crazy. norcal is like NO WHITE less you're female. I even asked if just at practice so i could just toss it in the washing machine and dryer and they are like NO its not traditional. lol

If someone explicitly told you that, that would be very odd. I've seen a male kendoka with white bogu and kendogi at a couple of NCKF tournaments (may have been a visitor, not certain). For a while, we had a member who was a visiting student from Korea. He wore white; and no one had a problem with him.

Regarding the washing part - of course it's not traditional, seeing that machines and dryers are a mostly modern phenomenon. That doesn't mean you can't use them.

[Bob]

If someone explicitly told you that, that would be very odd. I've seen a male kendoka with white bogu and kendogi at a couple of NCKF tournaments (may have been a visitor, not certain). For a while, we had a member who was a visiting student from Korea. He wore white; and no one had a problem with him.

Regarding the washing part - of course it's not traditional, seeing that machines and dryers are a mostly modern phenomenon. That doesn't mean you can't use them.

I've only seen women wear white to all the tournaments i've been to so far and the korean bit, yeah thats korean, I think part of the reason my sensei doesn't want me to wear white. (granted yes its with a black stripe), but yeah i've asked multiple sensei's and they always wrinkle their nose and tell me to stick with blue. (We have 6 in our dojo right now kinda crazy!)

[DigitalDowntown]

When I was doing kendo in Kanagawa prefecture, white seemed to be reserved for women, children, and kodansha.
Not all dojo in SCKF have their mudansha wear white, not even most, but there are several that do.

[rfoxmich]

pre-arrange to come early to get help putting it on and to stay late to get help properly folding the hakama.


And either turn up early or wait until after class to ask Sempai how to put the uniform on.

[Nukitsuke]

I think it's been discussed elsewhere, but white is also a traditional color for practitioners of Musoshindenryu. It goes back to Hakudo's philosophy on cleanliness. I think that kenshi247.net had an article on that a while ago. My dojo, I encourage everyone to buy a hakama / gi whenever they can afford one. I also want everyone wearing white, as that is the way it was in my dojo in Japan, and I'm keeping that tradition here. If people want a second set of blacks for special seminars and demonstrations, that's fine, but in the dojo it's all white.

We don't have visible signs of rank - never saw it in Japan, and don't feel it's necessary. People can wear colored obi if they want, I think that's not counting as "flair." I think sometimes people here in the West make too big a deal out of "I'm a higher rank than he is and have to make sure everyone knows it." Your rank and experience will quickly become evident once you start swinging your sword. We do line up in the dojo by rank, however as that is traditional.

BA

[Michael Hodge]

I think that kenshi247.net had an article on that a while ago.

Bam!

http://kenshi247.net/blog/2010/02/18/the-white-hakama-of-yushinkan/

Michael Hodge

[Neil Gendzwill]

I've only seen women wear white to all the tournaments i've been to so far and the korean bit, yeah thats korean, I think part of the reason my sensei doesn't want me to wear white. (granted yes its with a black stripe), but yeah i've asked multiple sensei's and they always wrinkle their nose and tell me to stick with blue. (We have 6 in our dojo right now kinda crazy!)Why are you so stuck on wearing white? You enjoy the big blue X on your back?

[IronWarrior]

At my Dojo and everyone I have met so far, think if you going to wear white then you wish to stand out and you know what they say about standing out, you going to get hammered down. :p

Personally, I don't mind, since I wish to do Nito and just saying that to anyone makes them look at you and think you are crazy or mad and the fact that I like that "red" stitch bogu, also white does look pretty cool, but how do you keep it so clean and free of blue stains? :o

Back on topic, I started to wear my GI and Hakama in the second week of my beginners course last year. I do understand peoples idea's about not seeing the feet, but are you suggesting when they wear their Hakama they will have perfect foot work? xD

[Neil Gendzwill]

Back on topic, I started to wear my GI and Hakama in the second week of my beginners course last year. I do understand peoples idea's about not seeing the feet, but are you suggesting when they wear their Hakama they will have perfect foot work? xDNope, just that for the first while many instructors want to have a clear view of people's feet, especially when observing footwork in a large group. If you had shown up second week in hakama in my dojo, you would have been politely told to leave them at home next class.

[Nukitsuke]

I guess I should have specified, we do iaido, not kendo, so there isn't any himo or bogu involved.
BA

[IronWarrior]

I guess I should have specified, we do iaido, not kendo, so there isn't any himo or bogu involved.
BA

Well, shouldn't had posted in the Kendo sub-forum really, nevermind. :p

[dillon]

Bam!

http://kenshi247.net/blog/2010/02/18/the-white-hakama-of-yushinkan/

Michael Hodge

The opposite explanation is given for why architects wear all black. It's so they can muck up their clothes with ink, charcoal (used for freehand drawing) and whatever else without their clothes appearing stained since they spend a lot of time drawing.

[sarge127]

I was wondering the same, because i recently gave my master some cash to order a few things... but i think i won't be able to wear my hakama though since im in the beginner zone... but every practice sorta, the sensei teaches us new things every once in awhile practice.
I'd often wondered a lot on that if beginners can wear there hakama if as long as they are doing good...
But when the shipment arrives then I'll for sure know what we have to do and wear.

[b8amack]

Why are you so stuck on wearing white? You enjoy the big blue X on your back?

Bleach, Neil.

[flangler]

So in the 12th and 13th centuries were students required to wear "gym" clothes until they earned the right to wear kendogi?

[turboyoshi]

So in the 12th and 13th centuries were students required to wear "gym" clothes until they earned the right to wear kendogi?
What's your point? You might not have noticed but there have been a few minor improvements in the past 8-9 centuries. Like, the introduction of Kendo. And toasters, can't forget about them.

[Fukuryu]

So in the 12th and 13th centuries were students required to wear "gym" clothes until they earned the right to wear kendogi?

Formalized martial arts training in the 12th and 13th century? Got some kind of proof of that...?

For sure I'd love to see what those 12th century kendogi looks like.

[TheWanderingEye]

'round my neck o' the woods, if you've got it then wear it. They usually have us in 'em when we can afford it. No real rush, especially since one is a beginner.

Seen white and black all over the place, mostly because the store we all get them from isn't huge, so we get whatever is available in one's size.

[sarge127]

So in the 12th and 13th centuries were students required to wear "gym" clothes until they earned the right to wear kendogi?
I think soo... so... yeah they had to wear gym clothes. xD im just kidding.
But yeah what is the right to wear hakama and gi? is there a law? will i be shot for wearing one? will i be put on death penalty? will i be locked up? if soo... wow... just wow. but then again, why so serious?

[Fukuryu]

but then again, why so serious?

In my rather shallow experience it is as serious as the guy in charge of teaching you, call him sensei, sempai, instructor, master or Joe the Kendo Guy says it is. If he says "Do what you want" you do, if he says "Wait until I tell you so" you do. Simple as that, I think, but YMMV.

[Neil Gendzwill]

But yeah what is the right to wear hakama and gi?Some clubs, like ours, ask students to hold off for a couple of months. There are two purposes (for me). First is to avoid people having to buy something unnecessarily - give them a while to decide if they like kendo enough to spend the money. The other is to give us a chance to watch their footwork more easily in the beginning stages. I'm pretty sure your club operates similarly to ours in this regard. If memory serves your uniform order is being distributed tonight, saw a message to that effect from Dave.

Other clubs tie permission to wear uniforms to a particular rank. This is rarer, but it happens.

As far as what happens if you wear the uniform too soon - in our club, you will just be asked to not wear it next time. If you persist in disobeying that or any other club rule, you'll just be shown the door. No police required :)

[UnimportantHero]

I only ever heard people in Aikido dojos refer to wearing hakama as a 'right' or a privilege. Only ever heard Kendo dojos refer to it as a practical concern, like others have in this thread. In my own case, my sensei told me to start wearing them pretty early on, in part (my theory goes) to show a more uniform appearance for the dojo overall (thus making a more cohesive group) as I was the sole student for a while there.

[sarge127]

Hmm, its been 1.5 months since i began kendo... soo.

[jjcruiser]

Hmm, its been 1.5 months since i began kendo... soo.

Why don't you just ask your sensei "should I start wearing a kendogi and hakama"? I did that after about a month and he said "sure" so I ordered it. It's not rocket science.

Btw, err on the side of ordering a slightly longer one than shorter one because you can always hem it.

[Scully]

I was in maybe 2 months and my senesei said
"Just order when you want, it doesn't matter too much as a beginner, just make sure its for you before spending money"
I ordered it the next month, I'v been doing kendo almost a year and just ordered bogu after asking sensei, he replied the same.

[Cailin Coilleac]

Hmm, its been 1.5 months since i began kendo... soo.
Soooo... ask your sensei :)

I didn't and ordered my uniform around 1.5-2 months after starting and simply began wearing it. No problems at all, no complaints. In retrospect it would've been better, more respectful maybe, if I'd asked up front but everything turned out swimmingly. So yeah, ask him :)

Also... Just curious, but how can you have started 1.5 months ago, when your reg date for this forum is two years ago? Started with iaido or another sport? :)

[sarge127]

Also... Just curious, but how can you have started 1.5 months ago, when your reg date for this forum is two years ago? Started with iaido or another sport? :)

Well... Thats a whole different story And yeah i was with another sport at the time and now im taking kendo, the sensei is a woman btw.
soo... yeah, a woman sensei nothing wrong she knows a lot more than any of use n00bs. We got our Hakama and Gi last thursday all fits well, no complaints... for $160 CAD. I had trouble folding the thing, but im used to it now... Now all im having problem is with how to put it on!

[Cailin Coilleac]

for $160 CAD. I had trouble folding the thing, but im used to it now...
You learn quickly :) At least faster than our thirteen year old member, who's been practicing kendo for at least two years and who still simply rolls up his Hakama and stuffs it in his bag. *cringe*

I suggested that any of his sempai and even his kouhai would be more than happy to teach him how to fold the hakama. He looked at me like I was crazy. I'll write that off to him being thirteen.