Clothing in kendo

[Seta]

Hi,



I know this is a silly question but is there any relation between uniform color and level in kendo? It seems to me that a lot of women or at least in my dojo prefer to wear at least one white clothing either hakama or keikogi . Since I just started I haven't got a chance to buy my uniform yet but have made arrangements to get one soon. I may have to wait a little longer for the bogu . I mean I knew that probably would not come cheap but gee…. :surprise: .

[pschreck]

Not a silly question. Most kenshi (kendoists) wear nothing to indicate rank. A few dojo award patches or other items which are worn, however, this is not the norm.
It has become customary for women and some instructors (renshi+)to wear white gi. IMHO wear a white keikogi and blue hakama (white hakama pick up dirt while kneeling in seisa).
Happy hitting :ko:

[minjih]

Hello Seta,

No, there is no relation between uniform colour and level in kendo. For a lot of people, including myself, this is the beauty of the art - since there's no overt indications or rank/level, you'll have to let your kendo do the talking for you!

Wearing a white keikogi and blue hakama is a indeed rather striking, but as far as I know the decision to do so is based purely on personal preference. Feel free to follow this yourself (with your sensei's permission), but be aware that the issue of staining will arise when you put on bogu. You see, the himo on the bogu tends to bleed, especially on new bogu. What you will find at the end of a hard training is the characteristic blue X across your back from wearing your Do over a white keikogi.

You can of course counter this by scrubbing or even slightly bleaching your white keikogi immediately after each training. Or, you may just opt to order white, undyed himo with your bogu.

In any case, whichever colour of uniform you decide upon for yourself, just be sure to do one thing: wear it well! Take the time and effort to maintain it properly and when you put it on, take pride in tying up all the knots securely and neatly.

...Min

[D'Artagnan]

It seems to me that a lot of women or at least in my dojo prefer to wear at least one white clothing either hakama or keikogi . [/color]

Ok, Who are you????????????

there is only one person at the Preston Dojo who wears white, and SHE wears BOTH white gi and hakama. there has NEVER been anyone train at preston wearing a blue gi with white hakama. And i used to be the only person who wore a white gi with blue hakama, but i have not done this in some time....

or is someone having a laugh????

Andrew Fisher
Doshinkenyukai
Preston

[junkyman]

In So-Cal uniform color does indicate rank. Kyu level wear dark hakam & white Keikogi. If for some reason a kyu must wear a blue Keikogi they must wear a white band around their sleeve to indicate that they are not Dan Level.

Dark Hakama & Blue Keikogi is typically reserved for Dan level.

How strictly this is enforced depends on the dojo (mine is VERY strict) but that is the official SCKF policy.

As far as white Hakama & Keikogi go, I do not think there is any regulation, but is is generally understood that you only wear that combo if you are either a female, a sensei, or a real bad-ass who wants to stand out & can back it up.

[Neil Gendzwill]

As far as white Hakama & Keikogi go, I do not think there is any regulation, but is is generally understood that you only wear that combo if you are either a female, a sensei, or a real bad-ass who wants to stand out & can back it up.
Or Korean, but then you get the nifty racing stripes.

[Ralutin]

In So-Cal uniform color does indicate rank. Kyu level wear dark hakam & white Keikogi. If for some reason a kyu must wear a blue Keikogi they must wear a white band around their sleeve to indicate that they are not Dan Level.

Dark Hakama & Blue Keikogi is typically reserved for Dan level.

How strictly this is enforced depends on the dojo (mine is VERY strict) but that is the official SCKF policy.



Hi,

As far as I know, a couple of years ago the SCKF board did away with the white arm band rule. Of course, there are quite a few sensei who are unhappy about this. I know that my dojo (OCB) and Norwalk don't enforce this 'rule' as I regularly see kyu-level kenshi wearing all blue sans white arm bands.

You go to Westside, right? I know Mizobe sensei is an old schooler and holds fast to this rule...I agree with him totally.

[junkyman]

Yeah, I actually remember that decision. I think that after that vote Westside stopped even allowing kyu to wear blue top with an armband. Now kyu can only wear white top with no exception. When I got my shodan I was so happy to finally get to wear a Blue Keikogi because it was something I had to work for.

[LNGUYEN]

In my dojo, Sensei just told everyone to get blue Hakama and Gi no matter what rank is.


Most kenshi (kendoists) wear nothing to indicate rank.

You wear nothing to indicate rank? That is freaky, it is better than freedom Kendo :beard:

[not-I]

You wear nothing to indicate rank? That is freaky, it is better than freedom Kendo :beard:
:laugh: Haha!

Actually, having no outward sign of rank (at least in most dojo) is one of the many things i like about kendo in comparison to other martial arts -- the idea that rank, age, gender, strength, etc. are all secondary when you face someone in ji-geiko or friendly-touranment shiai. It kind of fits with kendo dispensing with the whole "black-belt" mystique of shodan.

[junkyman]

Then why bother to ever go up for promotion if rank does not matter. If you kick ass then it is obvious how good you are and everyone should recognize.

[not-I]

Then why bother to ever go up for promotion if rank does not matter [...]
No one said that rank doesn't matter. What i said is i like the idea of not having outward signs of rank. I'm just not a big fan of the white-belt/black-belt, or white-gi/indigo-gi concept, that's all.

[junkyman]

but whats the point of having rank if nobody knows it? I think the whole point of rank is so that OTHER people will know your skill level. If you want to keep it to yourself then why bother.

[Neil Gendzwill]

but whats the point of having rank if nobody knows it? I think the whole point of rank is so that OTHER people will know your skill level. If you want to keep it to yourself then why bother.
Rank is useful to yourself as a series of milestones in your kendo career. Promotion tests, like shiai, are an opportunity to test yourself under stressful conditions. They are also an opportunity for feedback from people who don't normally observe your practice.

Rank lets us divide up tournaments to make divisions which are more fair and fun. When attending special seminars, it's useful to be able to divide all these people you may not have met before by rank to provide more focussed instruction. Rank also provides a clear criterion for identifying qualified instructors. None of these functions require outside indicators.

For day to day practice, identification of rank is unnecessary. We do it for our kids with coloured patches, because kids respond well to that sort of thing. Adults shouldn't need the ego stroke. You're in your club, you know who everybody is, why do you need anything else?

[LNGUYEN]

I think ranking is just the way to see yourself how do you develope in Kendo and also to let other people know you are qualify to do this or that. In the old time, ranking was not matter since, if you weren't good you would be killed early. Today, there is no survival competition between swordmen so raking is needed to indicate how experience a person is. Let say you go to a dojo to see is it a good dojo to learn, what is in your mind if the instructor said, I don't have shodan or nidan or whatever.

[Hai_hai]

I know this is a silly question but is there any relation between uniform color and level in kendo?
Each dojo has separate uniform rules. Follow the rules in your dojo.

Fancy bogu is not a determination of rank either.

Fancy/expensive/flashy bogu can be worn by teachers and students alike. There is no problem for a novice student who just started kendo to purchase bogu that is meant for "yudansha to sensei" level bogu. Absolutely no problem at all...
unless, you attend the same dojo as I do...
then...
you will face my wrath...
BAKA!!!!

[Eiliries]

Belts and patches are the equivalent of the happy face stickers you got in grade school for being quiet. :wink:

[Kirin]

When I was in elementary school in Japan (25+yrs ago), our dojo had ranking by men-himo.
4-kyu below white, 3-kyu yellow, 2-kyu red, 1-kyu purple.

Nothing to do with ranking.... but when I visited my old dojo last year, many girls (6-12yrs old) had sewn small flower design on hakama's koshi-ita.
or colored tuba, or little design of Hello Kitty and such on tuba drawn by nail polish. Sensei is allowing to wear these 'little cute thingies' during regular practices...not on joint keiko, shiai or testings. :wink:

[taiwnezboi]

We have different colored zekken at our dojang to indicate rank. You know approximately how good the person you're practicing with is and lower ranked newcomers can see right away who they should be asking questions. It also makes organizing the drills during class a lot easier.

[nalogg]

speaking of rank in kendo, I can't tell if the higher ranked students are wearing anything to show it or not....

Some kenshin have a little tare cloth with the olympium symbol and monogram, but some of THOSE kenshin are quite young....

I kinda like the fact that it's not shown in kendo. It's kinda like you show your rank in your actions rather than your appearance.

When i took karate i was told that the best defense for a karate student on the street is that you're not wearing your belt. ie: you have the weapon of surprise, some skill hidden under your flabby arms.....

maybe that's the same for kendo... a belt can TELL others your rank, but also tell you your place, making you less ambitious than you should be... ie: "i'm only a green belt... he's brown so i'm gonna lose this match"

[Kote-Men]

In our dojo-

you can choose to wear white gi and hakama or blue.

There is no clear definition of rank.

In Iaido, rank's other purpose is when you reach sandan go ahead and buy a shinken
Could a beginner buy hand-stitched bogu for their first bogu?

[not-I]

Could a beginner buy hand-stitched bogu for their first bogu?
You can buy anything you can afford for your first bogu. The downside is that you look pretentious, especially with a funky-colored do, and might incur the wrath of less wealthy sempai.

:wink:

[Kote-Men]

oh man...


i would be itching to face a beginner with handstiched bogu in shiai....

draws shinken and stabs tare!

what is behind the tare..?