Help Finding Naginata Kote

[lewis]

Does anyone know where I can find a good selection of naginata kote?

Also, has anyone used naginata kote for kendo? Is that OK or is it frowned upon for some reason?

[KhawMengLee]

Try http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/%7Eichini/link8.htm

they have alisting of many kendo shops, moribodu(scroll down) has a good selection of naginata gloves.

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I'm curious as well, the naginata kote has that finger joint on it and might add dexterity to the cuts in kendo...hmnnn

anyone know the rules?

Meng

[lewis]

Meng,

I am an ice climber and I have spent a lot of time in full finger gloves, mitts (like kendo kote) and split finger gloves (like naginata kote). There is a huge difference in dexterity over the mitts with the split finger gloves. So I fully expect to see the same result here.

I don't know about you, but I always feel very 'trapped' in kendo kote. Almost like my hands aren't even hands anymore.

[hamish]

I've used naginata kote in kendo, and I found that they're a lot lighter and softer, so it seems to be more of a natural feel.

The only problem is they don't offer nearly enough protection to your hands. Once you've been hit on the finger joints a couple of times you might re-consider how good they feel!!

Hamish

[lewis]

Thanks, Hamish.

That's exactly the kind of information I was looking for! Considering that and their cost (so far at least $250), I will probably stick with kendo kote.

[ben]

At the Kendo Summer School in Kitamoto in 1993 I met a Swedish chap (can't remember his name unfortunately) who had a very unusual pair of naginata kote that he used for kendo. They had every finger separated like normal gloves. I've never seen or heard of such kote since. Were they for naginata?

b

[hamish]

No, I don't think they were. I've seen kendo ones like that before, and looking at some of the old pictures in the history of bogu article in issue 1, it seems they've been around in some form for awhile.

The ones you saw are not so common because of the expense, not only the purchase price, but also the cost of repairing them.

For a photo of naginata kote, check out Mitsuboshi's site at:

http://www.mitsuboshi-web.com/english/budo/index.html

A little bit hard to see, but the index finger is the only one separate, allowing easy changing of the hands without the position of the grip changing too much.

They're similar in construction to a cricket batsman's glove, in that its basically a leather glove with a bit of padding stitched on in some places. Due to the grip of the front hand in naginata, its designed to protect you from impact from above, but the ends of the fingers and thumb are not really well padded at all. (Ow!!)

[kumakage]

Hello,

If your still interested in finding naginata kote I'm not exactly sure but you might want to check with either e-bogu.com or tozando.
Manny

[lewis]

Thanks Kumakage,

I found e-bogu before but the cost is outrageous. I did not know about Tozando and I'll check them now. However, from what people have been saying, I am not sure I want to deal with them.

[stakenaka]

Lewis,
It has been my experience that Tozando is a great company. Their goods are a bit on the expensive side, but their products are of good quality. You should order many things at one time to minimize the shipping costs.
The item number is in their catalog and not in their webpage
N-13M for medium, N-13L for large. Of course, you'll need to trace your hand ( this is usually done with the pinky, ring, and middle fingers together, and the index and thumb apart).

[Nagi David]

Hi,
here is the web site I've got and seems to be good :

http://www.e-bogu.com/tenshokoshirae.html

[Kenshi]

At the European Kendo Championship last year (2001) there was a curious display, including some O D D kendo equipment. I had bookmarked the page, its here :

http://www.cpe-production.fi/

They dont seem to list kendo equip. anymore, but they certainly have done .... including a 5 fingered kote.

Anyway, enjoy!

[stk]

hm.. I certainly hope their products are more functional than their web site..

A 5 fingered kote ?
sounds interesting..

[S. Takamori]

Try also to take a look at http://www.eurobogu.net It seems to be a non profit organisation which is selling japanese quality equipement at a reasonable price...

[Jklak]

Yes I have seen those kind of kote in real life and guy who own and use them said that they were very nice and they could also wash in washer! I don’t know if they are accepting to use in contests. Price of kote is 280 EUR. They also have done do and tare in their assortment. Also done for washable material.

Here is e.mail address to cpe-production:
harri.kolu@cpe-production.