Marking Kendo-gear (bogu and shinai/bokuto)

[groms]

Hi, I´m new in this forum. I´ve been watching for a while though. I want to mark my gear; bogu, bokuto, shinai, hakama.

Main question: Is kanji og katakana most appropriate? My name in katakana translates into 4 "letters" or signs if that´s better. Maybe kanji has fewer signs? So, the natural follow-up question is...: Would anyone knowing japanese be helpful in finding a kanji-translation for my name? My first name is Gunnar, translates to "gunnaru" in katakana, at least.

Also, I´ve read in previous posts that some have branded their names into their shinai and bokuto, just above the tsuba. I couldn´t quite figure if it is accepted or not, there were mixed replies... Is this an OK way to do it? (again, kanji or katakana)

Thanks. By the way, you´ve got a good forum going. I hope to become a part of it.

[MikeW]

You mean , I assume, that you want it marked so it can be read by someone while you are wearing/using it?

If your native language does not use kanji there's no need to use kanji, just your initials are fine. If you desire to use them it is most appropriate for a non-native to use katakana.
I sometimes mark my shinai with a fine point permanent marker in an unobtrusive part but it usually isn't necessary as typically its easy enough to keep track of what equipment is your own.

[groms]

Thanks for quick replies.

I don´t have a japanese name, so it seems katakana is most appropriate then.
My motive for marking is not to show off of be flashy, and mostly it´s not a real problem knowing where my gear is in our dojo. But I´m the kind of guy taking pleasure in caring for my gear, and also adding a personal touch, as long as it´s considered appropriate. I´m usually also a bit more meticulous than "magic marking" my equipment, hence the branding question. (not that I look down on people who do of course...I´m not a fanatic...)

[Big One]

I am just curious. Why can't you write it in your own language? Is it again your coolness?

[ben]

I think it's acceptable to have your name in katakana on your bogu and hakama, even if you don't live in Japan. It's a pretty normal part of kendo culture, so I personally don't see it as a sign of ego or pretentiousness.

Maybe in a few years, as kendo becomes more international, it will become the norm for people to have their names in roman letters (or Arabic script, or Cyrillic, or Thai: I'd like to see that!).

But at the moment we're all branch dojos, with the big honbu in Japan.

b

[Kuma]

I am just curious. Why can't you write it in your own language? Is it again your coolness?

Why bother to use anything from the country of origin? Do you refuse to use the word kendo, and instead tell people that you practice "the way of the sword?" Why not? Is it againyour coolness?

There is nothing necessarily pretentious about wanting to emulate the wonderful culture that brought us this phenomenal sport/art. If we were talking about fabricating our own mon (not that I haven't thought about it; not seriously, mind you) then there would be reason to ridicule. But as it stands, this seems like a perfectly reasonable question. And the poster has perfect manners and a good explanation for the request. There was no need to make an ass of yourself.

[Big One]

"Kendo" is a name of what you practice and it is not right to call it otherwise. It is just like if your name is Smith and if I translate into meaning, can I call you "craftman". However, I don't understand why do we have to "Japanize" our name to the point of sounding funny to the Japanese themselves. I love Kendo but I am not Japanese. It is funny that Smith in some language can be translated "S-Jack fruit". Oh come one, just admit it. It is cool to Japanize everything.

[Gessho]

I am just curious. Why can't you write it in your own language? Is it again your coolness?

It is indeed "cool" to use kanji. The Chinese name given to me means "well-learned" and I use that character as well as my English last name on my gear. Makes me feel double-cool and I think it improves my kendo...!

[Kuma]

I don't think that the matter is really as black and white/right and wrong as some of us are making it out to be. This seems to be in line with the discussion in my first thread, the one about my bogu choices. This can probably best be summed up with the advice that I got there:

Ask your sensei what is acceptable in their dojo, and if it makes no difference to them, understand that there are conventions and defying them means that you risk drawing attention to yourself in a flashy gaijin kinda way. If you don't think that this would cause your training to suffer, and you really don't care what your fellow kendoka think of you, then do as thou wilt and brave the consequences.

[Anime12478]

When it comes to names, I would suggest going for Katakana instead of Kanji unless you already had a Japanese/Chinese name. You can use kanji for the syllables in the name or the meaning of your name, but that can prove difficult and incomprehensible to people.

As far as branding your name on your shinai, I don't see a problem with it, but unless you have a million people in the dojo, I don't see it as something completely necessary. There are already enough distinguishing marks on the handle to be able to differentiate between them when you look at it. But if that's a path you want to take, I don't necessarily see anything wrong with it.

[a.hong]

Also, I´ve read in previous posts that some have branded their names into their shinai and bokuto, just above the tsuba. I couldn´t quite figure if it is accepted or not, there were mixed replies... Is this an OK way to do it? (again, kanji or katakana)

Some people at my dojo just use permanent marker to write their names into their shinai tsuka. However, I have heard of some other places that have reservations with doing that kind of thing (that is, defacing their shinai and whatnot). I would recommend that you ask your sensei whether or not that is acceptable within your dojo.

With bogu, if at all possible try getting some kind of name tag stitched onto your kote, men, and/or tare; you can try this on your shinai bukuro too. A cheap and easy way would be to sew on a small rectangle of white cloth somewhere that isn't immediately visible and just write your name on that.

Some online stores will embroider your name into you dogi (with a cost) if you mail it to them.

A common trend I see with bokuto is to mark it in some random way, such as a carving at the butt end of the tsuka. Or, you could be unique and get a bokuto made out of a wood that no one else in the dojo owns

As for your name itself, it might be better to write your name in your native language, simply because it makes it easier for others to read it. I have the chinese characters for my Korean name on my equipment, but few people can read it so it loses a bit of its usefulness.

[Kingofmyrrh]

As for your name itself, it might be better to write your name in your native language, simply because it makes it easier for others to read it. I have the chinese characters for my Korean name on my equipment, but few people can read it so it loses a bit of its usefulness.

Surely this is what's important? What's the point of naming your stuff if people can't read it?

[groms]

Well, call me pretentious if you will, but to me it feels more "right" with japanese characters on japanese equipment. As mentioned, everything about kendo is japanese. I have my signature on some of my equipment now, and it doesn´t look right to me. Moreover, my name has 12 characters, against 4 japanese characters, so it takes less space (allthough that argument is easily countered since my initials have 2 )
And even though most people at my dojo can´t read japanese (me neither for that matter), I´ll know which shinai along the wall is mine.
Mostly though, as I said, it´s for the want to personalize my gear. It´s for me to read, not everybody else.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[yoda-waza]

Groms, I don't view your inquiry as pretentious but here is a suggestion if your goal is to personalize, as opposed to identify, your gear: instead of your European name clumsily written in a foreign script why not adopt a kanji character or two (even grass-writing script) that inspires your personal connection with kendo and use that as your moniker? Simple no?

Branding - that's for criminals. Banish the thought.

[groms]

yoda-wasa, do you mean kanji that does not have anything to do with my name? An earlier post suggested that it would not be appropriate for non-japanese to write their names in kanji, so... that would be a good solution, finding something that represents my relationship to kendo. Well, I think I need a lot more experiance and reflection on kendo to make that genuine. Personally I also think kanji is more decorative than katakana, but both look right to me, compared to my native written name.

Also, by "branding" I mean marking the shinai/bokuto with kanji or katakana with a soldering iron or similar, as was suggested in previous posts on this forum. It would look similar to the characters already on the shinai when you buy it. (There are probably some here who can tell if this works by personal experiance)