Wearing the Hakama and Gi S. D. inlan May 10, 2012
e Hakama and Gi
e hakama (袴, “pants/skirt”) and keiko gi (稽古着, “practice jacket”) are the traditional clothes worn during a kendo practice. As kendo is a martial art descending from a Japanese military class, as well as being a strong modern do, appearance is an integral part of the practice of kendo.
Showing proper aention to ones appearance while practicing shows Figure 1: e hakamas pleats symbolize respect for yourself, your sensei and peers, all kendoka who have trained a number of ideals from Confucianism before you, and perhaps most importantly to the meaning of the art you and Bushido ([1, 2]). e five front pleats represent the five cardinal Confucian values practice. (gojo). e two back pleats are said to represent chu & ko which give rise ([5]) to the gorin, the Confucian five bonds of filial Wearing e Hakama and Gi piety. Other interpretations indicate the rear pleats represent yu and meiyo from e following gives instructions on how to wear a gi, obi¹ (帯, “belt”), Bushido. and hakama.
Figure 2: e gi, obi, and hakama.
1 e obi is included here for completeness; it is not required to be worn during kendo practice. Simply ignore all reference to it if you are not wearing one.
Keiko Gi: “Practice Jacket”
Figure 3: Wearing the keiko gi. Put the gi on and tie the inner then the outer pairs of himo (紐, “strings”) in bows. e outer bow should lay horizontal, the bow loops and excess himo should be equal length.
If your bow lays vertically then simply Ensure your gi closes at the collar bone; it is improper for it to gape reverse how you loop the himo while tying open. Also be sure that the collar of the gi is snug against the back of the it and it will sit properly. neck. Normally nothing is worn underneath the gi save for women who will wear a sports bra or equivalent. If one does wear something under the gi, an undershirt or a T-shirt, then traditionally it should not be visible through the collar of the gi. 2
Figure 4: (Le) Correctly tied himo lay horizontally, (Right) incorrectly tied himo Obi: “Belt” lay vertically. e obi is an optional item and is not worn Tie the obi as indicted in figure 5. Be sure that it is neat, secure, and at by all kendoka. is is but one of many the proper level on your waist. methods for wearing the obi. See [4] for more.
Figure 5: Wearing the obi. 3
Hakama: “Split pants/skirt”
e following shows one method for tying the hakama.
Figure 6: Step into the hakama.
Step into the hakama with your le Procedures in kendo are oen done in the order “le then right”, with “right then le” foot, then the right. for the reverse. For example, when you remove the hakama it is “right foot, then le foot”.
Figure 7: Pull the hakama to your waist. Next, pull the waistband of the hakama up to your waist. If wear- ing the obi, the hakama waistband should sit such that it is flush with its upper edge.
Figure 8: Bring the belts to the back then to the front, crossing right over le each time.
Bring the long belts from the front of your waist to your back, and cross them right over le above the obi. en bring them back to the front below the waist on a down- ward angle. Cross them right over the le.
Bring the belts to the back again Figure 9: Tie the belts below the obi, in a from the where they just crossed bow. in the front and tie them in a bow. is bow should be below the obi. Pull your gi down to remove any bulging and to straighten out any bunching. 4
Pull up the backside of the hakama Figure 10: Bring the rear belts to the front, and put the small spatula aached crossing them right over le. to the koshiita (腰板, “backplate”) in behind the long belts siing above the obi. Bring the small belts from the back to the front keeping them on top of the descending long belts. Cross them right over le at the same place where the long belts had crossed last.
Figure 11: Bring the short belt up through the long belts at the waist.
Bring the right short belt under then up and behind the crossed long belts in the front of your waist.
Figure 12: Tie the le and right short belts together.
Bring it down over the front, and tie it in a knot with the le short belt.
Figure 13: Tuck the excess belt in behind the short belts on the hip.
Pull the knot tight, then tuck the excess in behind the descending short belts on the hip on each side. 5
Figure 14: Properly worn gi, obi, & hakama.
e gi, obi, and hakama are worn correctly.
Be sure to get a properly sized hakama Z Key Points: when purchasing one. e retailer will be able to indicate which size is appropriate. 1. e belts of the hakama must be tied neatly and securely.
2. e hakama should come to a level just above the foot covering the bones of the ankle.
3. e boom of the hakama should be angled somewhat, being higher at the rear than it is in the front.
4. It is considered improper if there is a space or gap between your lower back and the koshiita. Wearing your hakama properly and keeping a straight and proper posture will prevent this from happening.
Washing the Hakama and Gi
Keeping your hakama and gi clean is a necessity as with any type of sports equipment. is is explained in the following excerpt²: 2 Hiroshi Ozawa. Kendo: e Definitive Guide. Kodansha International, 1997 “Proper care of the keiko-gi and hakama is an essential part of Kendo. During keiko, these garments will absorb body perspiration and become soiled and smelly. Obviously, this is unhealthy for the wearer and offensive for others in the dojo.”
Washing the Gi 3 In particular, never use detergent which It is recommended that you hand wash your gi in cold water with a mild has any kind of bleach or “whitening” component to it; it is best to use mild detergent³. Also, let your gi hang dry instead of using a dryer as you risk detergent made for dark colours. shrinking your gi. Soaking in Vinegar? Washing the Hakama e dye used on the hakama and gi tends to readily bleed out, especially when new. e hakama must be hand washed and hung to dry. ere is a widespread belief that soaking your uniform in vinegar will bind the dye 1. Fold the hakama as indicated beginning on p.⁇. to the material. is is true only for silks and nylons; it will have no effect on the coon hakama and gi. 2. Fill a tub or basin with enough (cold) water to submerge your hakama and mix in some mild detergent (if needed).
3. Place your hakama in the water. 6
4. Unfold the hakama if space permits.
5. Press out any air pockets to keep the hakama submerged.
6. Let the hakama soak for about twenty minutes. Use your hand to rub out any visible dirt or stains.
7. Drain the dirty water aer the hakama have been soaked.
8. Using clean water rinse the remaining detergent from the hakama.
9. Press as much excess water from the hakama as you can.
10. Re-fold your hakama if necessary.
11. Remove them from the tub and hang your hakama up to dry.
Drying the Gi & Hakama
Gi. Hang the gi to dry in a well ventilated area on a heavy hanger or by threading a rod or shinai through the arms.
Hakama. Hang the hakama to dry in a well ventilated area using the small loops on the inside. Use clothes pins to keep it aligned. Figure 15: Use clothes pins to help keep the hakama aligned while drying. Figure 16: (Le) Using a rod to hang the gi and (Right) using the small inner loops to hang the hakama.
References
[1] Dr. Jonathan Bannister. Ethics in Martial Arts. Pacific Northwest Budo Association. http://www.aishinkai.com/Ethics_in_Martial_Arts.html.
[2] T.O. Holt. Kendo Beginner’s Guide. British Kendo Association. http: //www.kendo.org.uk/files/beginnersbooklet20092.pdf.
[3] Hiroshi Ozawa. Kendo: e Definitive Guide. Kodansha International, 1997.
[4] Various Methods to Tie the Obi and Hakama (Japanese). http://kimonoo. net/kituke.html.
[5] Wikipedia. Confucianism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism.