Length of the Hakama?

[munenmuso]

What should be the proper length of the hakama?

When I bought my hakama it was almost reaching the ground whenever I wear it. I noticed that most of my colleagues are wearing their hakama just as the same length as mine, almost can't see their feet. But there was an incident when I stepped on the hem of my hakama when I was striding backward then I hilariously rolled on the ground. From this embarrasment, I cut my hakama two to three inches above my ankle and I feel that, compared to the rest of the guys, my hakama is too short but I don't step on them anymore.

I was watching NHK samurai movie when I noticed that most of the hakama's length there are of the same length as mine. Did I cut my hakama correct?

[hamish]

It should be almost reaching the ground, just higher than the top of your foot. If you tie it correctly, the back should be higher to prevent you from tripping up. If you have correct footwork, the longer length shouldn't be a problem, but it sounds like its too short now.

[AlexM]

While we're on the subject of hakama length. I have to get mine hemmed a bit because even though I tie it high at the beginning of practice it comes down towards the end and I constantly step on it. It hides my footwork but it doesn't hide me falling face first to the floor.

My question is: Are there any precausions to take before getting it hemmed? I'm worried about losing the pleats or something (I'm paranoid so sue me). Now all I need is to find someone who can sow.

[hamish]

As long as you get someone who can do a good job, I don't think you need to do anything special. Just iron the newly hemmed areas heavily afterwards, that's all I'd suggest.

[nodachi]

I did it myself and I suck at sewing. The iron kept the pleats in regardless of the poor sewing, and it the end, no one can tell the difference.

[ben]

Onya Nodachi. I reckon it's good to learn how to fix and adjust all your equipment yourself. Sewing isn't rocket science, it just requires patience and time. But afterwards the satisfaction of having done it yourself makes it totally worthwhile. Same goes for dogu too IMHO. Imagine the money you can save if you teach yourself how to repair your own kote palms.

I don't reckon it matters too much if you're hakama's a little short Munen. It just looks a little bit more *inaka* that's all ;). If you'd only hemmed it though and not cut it you would still have the option of lengthening it later on.

But you probably realised that by now...

b

[munenmuso]

My kote palms used to have holes on the ends where the fingers usually have more stress on them. Due to wear and tear, the holes got bigger and bigger until all three fingers are exposed. A friend told me to have it replaced or fixed by a professional but I sew it myself(I think I used scallop style for stronger bond) and,taadaah, it worked. Though there is this feeling of tightness on the palms at first, the leather stretched after several usage.

Last night my dog bit to pieces the himo cord of my men, was shocked to see it that way knowing that I have to order from Japan just to have it replaced! But I sew it myself and put it in place then wind electrical tape around the sewn part to cover those bulging edges.

But with my hakama, I took it to a taylor. Don't want to mess with it. Gives me the scare.:)

[munenmuso]

Ben, what's "inaka". My hakama is too short, I can easily fit in the childrens section.:)

[Cary Y. Mizobe]

The "recommendation" of hakama length, according to the AJKF "Fundamental Kendo" video, is cutting across your ankle bone. Personally, I tend to wear mine longer, just to the tops of my feet.

If you are doing your footwork correctly, it doesn't matter how long your hakama is. I met a kenshi who wore his hakama so high, I asked him if he was expecting rain! Fix the footwork, not the hakama.

With kiai :^{ )

Mizobe-sensei

[AlexM]

Trust me, the hakama is the problem. The footwork ain't perfect but you're not supposed to be able to step on the hakama while standing still (hence, not making it a footwork problem) and that's what happens to me towards the end of a class.

[saki_wooah]

My hakama is really slowing me down. Before, I was faster... easier to do the footworks in casual pants... but it was pretty ugly in bogu!

[Will]

Chill...maybe you're just too excited because you're in bogu. Plus bogu doesn't help your speed...Kendo isn't about speed, just concentrate on technique.

[Steve]

All the references I've seen say your Hakama should touch the joint between your foot and toes. (first toe knuckle?)

As for repairing your own gear, i wish i could repair my kote! the stitching has come undone where the palm leather joins the side edge of the kote. The seam is slowly coming undone more and more. If anyone can give me a few tips on how to re-sew this seam i'd really appreciate it. What type of thread should i use? What kind of needle? How do i stitch it properly?

[saki_wooah]

Chill...maybe you're just too excited because you're in bogu. Plus bogu doesn't help your speed...Kendo isn't about speed, just concentrate on technique.

Were you talking to me? I have been practicing in bogu for about 9 months... about 7 months without my hakama! I was practicing in casual clothes and bogu... (yes I was weird-looking in bogu). There's also other problems with I hakama. I keep on stepping on it. Not very useful in shiai... >_<

[Steve]

Try not to raise your foot off the floor so much when you lunge. If you raise it up too much, your bound to step on the hakama...even if they are short!

Do you trip on it when you do basic sliding footwork? Most likely not.

[saki_wooah]

I don't trip on it when doing basic footwork; the problem happens mostly in keiko

[etherknot]

Funny that there should be more posts on this today. Because, last night I finally went out and bought my hakama. I can now just shut up about not having one :)
However, it's a bit large (the store only had the one). It's for someone 5'11". I'm about 5'6". The waist size will most likely be alright but I am definately taking it to my neighbourhood tailor to get it hemmed. Too bad I don't know exactly how much I need to get hemmed off, I'll find out tonight. I just kind of wish I had it ready for tonight :)

[munenmuso]

Make sure you cut it right or it'll be too late and feel so sorry if you cut it too short. They don't grow back those expensive hakamas.

[etherknot]

Indeed. Automagic regrowth and repleating would be nice (as well as velcro). I mean you'd think that someone in Japan could figure it out what with all the high tech gizmotry that comes from there. :)
Anyways I tried on the hakama last night only to find out that in addition to being too long, the straps only manage to wrap around me once. So I will be keeping the hemmed material to use as strap extensions. Pretty clever no? :)
Our senesi suggests if you must do this, over lap the hemmed material over the strap and sew widthwise across the strap and then in a big X across the square area you just sewed.

[Kendoboy]

to see how much you need hemmed, put on the hakama, then stand on your tiptoes till about one inch is between the bottom seam and the floor, then get a friend to measure the distance between the bottom of your foot (the heel) and the ground.

And voila! just take it to a tailor (I took mine to a dress maker) and tell them you want __ inches off the bottom.:D

[munenmuso]

BTW, has anyone here tried to have a tailor-made hakama to reduced the expense and avoid those expensive shipment fees. Do you think it is hard to replicate a hakama even wtih an experienced tailor even if you give him a sample, especially the hard back part?

[Kendoboy]

Souldn't be too hard, just make sure they know that the hard plastic bit at the back is actually in a pocket, with big stitching so that it can be replaced if broken. If they have an example it sohould be fine, but ask them if they can do it first, and if not, go to a dress maker. They will be able to handle the pleats better anyway.

[stevemcgee99]

There are hakama patterns available, one from Round Earth publishing (they have a website). I'd assume any tailor could just follow the directions.

[Phorest]

Munenmuso...lets have an update. What have you been doing to correct your Hakama length? Are you just tying it low? Or did you get another one?

I think mine is just a liiiitle bit short, but I tie it low and seems to do fine.

[munenmuso]

I don't tie it low despite it's being short. I now understand the method to this madness and realized that there is a great advantage to having a bit short of a hakama. Since I am not a heavyweight, I move faster and usually step on my long hakama when it was still reaching the ground. But now it's ok.

[Aaron]

being 190centimeters tall and living in Japan, I had to have my hakama custom made. They measured me up and everything, and they almost touch the ground. I had the same problems with tripping over the hakama at first. Alot of the younger kids hike their hakama up so they dont get in the way. When I did this Sensei said it was wrong. As posted above, I think foot work is key. Long Hakama works to your advantage. Stealth feet.

[harro]

Before tailoring a new Hakama it is worth washing it at least three times first.

I recently bought a new Hakama, the assistant explained that it would shrink about 5cm after washing. This reduced it from a length that dragged on the floor to one that lightly touches the tops of my feet.

[crabbi]

There are hakama patterns available, one from Round Earth publishing (they have a website). I'd assume any tailor could just follow the directions.

The website for Round Earth is http://www.round-earth.com/ and the patterns for Hakama are $17...

crabbi

[neko]

the problem with making hakama for kendo is getting the fabric. this is where the expense mostly comes from. true indigo dyed fabric is virtually impossible to get outside of japan. and if you could, i imagine it would be very expensive. you could find the correct weight of navy blue fabric to make the hakama out of. but then you might as well buy one that is already made because it would be more cost effective then hiring a tailor to make one. you would need 4-6 yards or fabric at 8-10 bucks a yard and at least 20 bucks an hour for a tailor/seamstress.

as for the insided of the koshiita (i think that what is it called...anyway the stiff part in the back) i used two layers of linolium barged together. (barge is an adhesive used to glue soles to shoes. it can be found in a tube at shoe repair stores.)

[mkomoto]

It is a slightly different matter than suggesting correct lenght, as some people differ on this subject.

For example, most people recommend a length just above touching the instep as Hamish mentioned, but another example is the famous late Kawazoe Sensei, a jodan-no-kamae genius, who used to wear hakama that were near the top of his malleolus, the bony protrusion at the side of the ankle.

However, I have added a short info page on measuring for hakama, with some reference points, and notes about the differences in wearing-style that affect selecting a hakama.

Please take a look if you have interest: www.chibabogu.com, "Information" column on the left border of the top page.

Cheers to all,

MK