SURVEY - The Co$t of Kendo

[ChaShu]

Hello All!

I'm conducting a quick and dirty survey of all the folks here. I'm trying to understand the monetary costs of doing kendo, and I need at least 100 respondents (althoug more is better as a sample size). My question is two-fold:

How much did it cost you initially to begin kendo? This would include your cost for your first few shinai, your keikogi and hakama, your bogu, tenugui, various pads and supporters, bogu stands and bags.
What is your annual cost of kendo? This includes club fees, shiai fees, various meds and physio (if applicable), replacement shinai, cleaning products, camp, seminars, etc.Please respond indicating the currency of payment that you use(d) for these items. I would like to thank you all very much in advance for your responses. Domo arigato gozaimasu!

[Wongman]

As a beginner 25 USD for Shinai. I've busted 10 since beginning. so 250
At 6 months 200 USD for hakama and Gi
At the same time I ordered a custom Bogu 1500 USD
25 USD bucks per month for facility fees
15 USD per yr for club dues
25 for testing twice in 2 years
200 USD for carbon shinai
20 for a tournament.

All that in 2 years.

[Neil Gendzwill]

How much did it cost you initially to begin kendo? This would include your cost for your first few shinai, your keikogi and hakama, your bogu, tenugui, various pads and supporters, bogu stands and bags.
What is your annual cost of kendo? This includes club fees, shiai fees, various meds and physio (if applicable), replacement shinai, cleaning products, camp, seminars, etc.
You might want to break that down into 3 costs - initial cost for a beginner, cost to switch to bogu practice, then annual cost. I'll reply for a typical person from my dojo because my own numbers aren't relevant to the average person. All figures in Canadian dollars.

1. Initial cost - $200 (40 each for shinai/bokken, 120 for uniform)
2. Bogu-owner cost - people in our club have spent anywhere from $550-1400
3. Annual cost - $410 (270 in fees, 60 for the annual seminar, assume 2 shinai/year)

People in our dojo who rent bogu skip cost 2, but add $40 to annual costs for rentals. Out of town seminars are optional, personally I probably spend $500/year or more on seminars. Nobody in our club travels much to tournaments.

[Rouisu]

Ok, the figures I am going to put forward are in $AUS, which I think at the current exchange rate is worth around 0.75 $US

Beginner's cost: $200 (50 for shinai+bag, 20 for beginner's course, 130 for uniform)

Bogu-owner cost: $700-ish for a 2mm e-kendo bogu, including shipping/bag/tengui/himo, and another 30 if you include the trolley I use to wheel it around

Annual cost: $310 (80 for two semesters of dojo fees, 70 NSWKR annual fee, assuming two gradings a year 60, assuming two competitions a year 40, assuming two shinai a year 60). Although, if you include the University of Sydney Union fees, which technically can be considered as a cost, then add another $470.

I think once you hit the dan grades these costs will start to vary. I know for me, when I achieve dan level I will buy more expensive bogu, and maybe a carbon shinai or two. Also, here in the NSWKR/AKR, the higher grade you attempt, the more expensive the cost. I suppose medical costs might also be a factor in the rare cases that someone has been injured significantly, or has some kind of disability that requires additional support.

[Keitaro]

Beginner's cost: £100 (45 for bokken, shinai+bag, 40 for kendo gi and hakama, 15 monthly dojo fee)

Bogu-owner cost: I use club armour at the moment, but will cost around £240 for the whole set when I get my own

Annual cost: £195 - 12 X monthly dojo fees, £15 BKA membership (pretty cheap cause I'm 15)

[Toaster]

It didn't really cost me much to start kendo.
* Initial fees (including shinai) were $35 including club membership which was quite good I think.
* I just use the club bogu, and that's included in the yearly fees.
* I think I paying around $85 for hakama and gi though I really don't know yet.... :o
* I pay $8.50 a year for club membership

I think that's it :dog:

[JSchmidt]

Haaaah!..I don't want to know...this year, far too much!!
As long as you enjoy it, who cares!

Jakob

[Musashisson]

All quotes are in USD, 800 for Bogu
120 kendo gi
60 shinai
12 bokuto
fighting to the death: priceless

Since instruction in my school is free, I've spent about 1000 dollars on kendo in the last year. I also bought a PPK for about 250 but that has nothing to do with kendo. A small price for such great knowlege, future training in Japan with prove costly however.

[Joehannah]

A lot... I don't want to think about it. -_-;

400..? but I'm still renting bogu.

[joekc6nlx]

Initial cost - $40 AUSKF annual dues
$25 ECUSKF annual dues
$25 per month dojo dues X 8 = $200
$265 total dues

Shinai - $25

Hakama/keikogi - $125

$415 for start-up.

Bogu - $850
Carbon Shinai - $300

Dues since acquiring bogu - $25 X 12 = $300
$40 AUSKF
$25 ECUSKF
$365

Total (not counting tournament, promotion, seminar fees) $1930.00

What I've learned since starting kendo - PRICELESS!

For everything else, there's something...I don't know what...but something...at least, it has to be, or should be, shouldn't it?:redface:

[Makigai]

Club dues = 55 dollars a month
MWKF dues = 25 dollars a year (Cheap enough)
AUSKF Dues = 40 dollars a year
Shinai's = 170 dollars (Roughly)
Gi and Hakama's = 300 dollars (Roughly)
Bogu = 850 dollars
Tournaments = 80 per night for hotel
80 for gas
25 for banquette
10 for lunch (Tournement Sponsored)
15 for real food
25 for entering tournement
Flowers for upset wife = 50 dollars

[JamesD]

All in GBP

Starter Fee = £40 including Shinai and 2 months training
Ongoing costs = £15 / month club membership (after first 2 months)
Kendo-gi = £30
Bokken = £10

[Fai]

Haaaah!..I don't want to know...this year, far too much!!
As long as you enjoy it, who cares!

Jakob

I agree with Jakob, I have just try to work out how much I've spent and it makes me cry hahahahaha

[Hai_hai]

Initial cost was $30 for shinai and $30+ monthly dues plus federation costs.
Later, I got a uniform.
Later, I got bokken and another shinai.
Later, I got bogu.


It's relatively inexpensive compared to other martial arts until you get into buying a uniform and bogu... and how much of a show-off you want to be.

[chidokan]

its also guaranteed to be cheaper than any other hobby, especially golf. Until you start going to Japan.
My first bogu cost me about $150 about thirty years ago, but the relative cost seems to be lower nowadays. My last outlay was for some new kote two years ago at around the same price, but these were bought in Saga at the local kendo shop and were hand made ones. Hyaku knows the owner so I got a good discount. I reckon I could rekit at our local MA shop for around the $250 mark, bearing in mind UK prices are hit hard with tax.

[tango]

Hello All!

I'm conducting a quick and dirty survey of all the folks here. I'm trying to understand the monetary costs of doing kendo, and I need at least 100 respondents (althoug more is better as a sample size). My question is two-fold:

How much did it cost you initially to begin kendo? This would include your cost for your first few shinai, your keikogi and hakama, your bogu, tenugui, various pads and supporters, bogu stands and bags.
What is your annual cost of kendo? This includes club fees, shiai fees, various meds and physio (if applicable), replacement shinai, cleaning products, camp, seminars, etc.Please respond indicating the currency of payment that you use(d) for these items. I would like to thank you all very much in advance for your responses. Domo arigato gozaimasu!

I think Neil is right in saying this should be broken down into three areas, but I'll give it a shot...

1. Initially, I had hakama ($75) (but soon after upgraded to nicer grade at about $150), keikogi (about $75 I think), bogu (first set, 8mm, $400 ... EEGADS!), tenugui ($10), bogu bag came free with the set.

2. $15/mo. club fees, $70(?)/yr federation dues, $50 tournament fees, (avg. once-a-year if we're able to go), shinai $100/yr. (although I bought a carbon shinai on sale for $175 three years ago and haven't had to replace it yet), no camps/seminars here.. umm... heel pads are about $20/yr for me.

club fees paid in cash
federation fees paid by check
equipment stuff paid by credit card

I should also note that I paid a whopping $1100 for a 4mm bogu from Tozando about 8 or 9 years ago. Prices on those things have significantly dropped in recent years. Have also paid about $250 (I think) for a second pair of kote. Also an additional $250 for one more keikogi and hakama.
$90 in kote repair over a 10 year period.

That's about it.

[runsyi]

1. Around $1000 for three shinai, one shoto, two bokken, two sets of kendogu, four tenugui, one men pad, one complete set of bogu, two shinai-bukuro, one bogu bag, and a few reference books.

2. About $150 for federation dues, dojo dues, two trips to an orthopedic specialist, two bottles of Woolite Dark, one bottle of Febreeze.

3. Other incidentals. Around ten bucks each week for snacks/drinks after keiko. Probably around fifteen bucks in gas from picking up/dropping off visitors.

[piggy]

Broke out the dusty calculator to figure this one out. I think that i've spent roughly 1080$ USD on kendo stuff this year. Although, I did get a great deal on my bogu...


Oh wait, make that 1100$ because of the 20$ three-practice kote I bought.

[Spyder]

Alright, these fees are Canadian, so for you yanks out there, just divide by like 1000 or something (actually, I think it's more like 1.2 right now).

1. Beginner costs: $100 (2 shinai plus shinai bag) and $130 for keikogi and hakama. I don't have my own set of bogu yet.

2. Annual costs: $25/school term for club fees. And I don't know if there are
annual, but $20 certificate fees, $20 grading fees and $25 CKF
memebership fees. Plus miscellanious cash outlays for beer and wings :lick:

[Frame]

beer :- where is the infinity button the keyboard?

[bullet08]

i had keiko-gi already from way back when. don't remember how much it was. hakama was $60. i had my bokken, and shinai also from way back when.. after few months, i got a new shinai.. $20. already had shinai bag.. bogu and bogu bag $1300. one more shinai 'cause the new one i bought went bye bye.. $20. decided i wanted better balanced shinai. two of 'em with freeb shipping charge.. $110.

club fee.. $24/yr.
fed. due.. $60/yr.

been to two test, and one tourney.. that came out to be.. $95.. not including hotel and gas.

it's cheaper than playing golf.

pete

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Well I'm about to start kendo while doing jodo&iaido. Costs so far (in euros): about 175 for gi and hakama, 100 for bokken and jo, got a 900 euro iaito for 300 from a guy that quit, add about 100 for pads, obi and bag. So thats 675 roughly 800 USD so far. Annual fee of 60 and monthly fee of 20. Now I'm about to order a 75$ shinai and saving some cash for a bogu that will be around 600-700 USD.

[Mulcade]

I pay $50 the first semester and $30 each semester after that. The first semester covers the first shinai. After that, I'm looking at spending about $500USD for hakama, gi, and bogu. Actually, I have to cough up that money this month so I can start with the bogu training in January. :-(

[Naginatagirl]

What I paid myself:
-hmmm....$90 for two shinai
-mmmm...somethin like $400-500 for the bogu/tenegui/travel bag etc. (minus shipping)
-around $120 for me kendo gi/hakama
-in the neighborhood of $50-60 for medical
-club fees.....shhhhhh. ( j/k ;P )

....it's not exactly cheap is it? :square: oh well, worth it.

[Spendius]

So far:
- 160 Euros for hakama, gi, shinai, bokuto, shinai bag (inc. shipment)
- 35 Euros for federation fee
- club fees (shhh also)
- maybe a few more next week to attend Nakakura seminar (10 euros for a 2 hour session is quite a lot, but being taught by 8th dan japanese sensei should be priceless, esp. in europe)

I'm saving up for bogu, though I should not need it for another few months.

Looks expensive at first, but I'm always told that good quality stuff tends to last many years, so I see this as an investment.

[Kanau]

Hehe... Just a beginner, but this is how I've figured out me-

Initial Fee- $72 per semester (3.5 months)
Shinai- $30
Bokuto- $30

I'm not even into Bogu yet, so no rental fee for me, but when I do, it'll be an additional $10 a month