The more space between stitches the lower the price, so.24 inches (6mm) bogu is less expensive than.12 inch (3mm) and likewise 2bu is less expensive than 1bu. It is worth bearing in mind that loose stitched bogu needs to be thick, because it works by absorbing impact. Tight stitching deflects, so it is as much a case of personal preference as to which is best. A new type of 2bu hand-stitched armor is enjoying a boom at the moment as it is soft and light.
What you buy is up to you and your bank manager, but the only advice I would give you is to check what material goes into the construction of the bogu. Ideally it should be made from compressed wool felt and cotton, whereas some cheaper quality sets are padded with foam rubber which breaks down inside the covering and leaves the wearer more susceptible to injury. It is also essential to ensure that your bogu fits correctly, particularly your men and kote. Badly fitting bogu will be uncomfortable and make keiko more difficult. Your men should be a good fit for the size of your face and should be deep enough to finish level with the back of your head. Your eyes should line up with the space between the 6th and 7th bars from the top. Kote are made to fit your hand in the grip position so need not be measured against an open hand; instead they should fit comfortably when your hand is in grip position. Fingers should not be compressed and there should be no excess room in the atama or hand part of the kote. The protruding bones in the wrist itself should be protected by the kote buton “the main sleeve” and not the softer tsutsu.
Putting on bogu
Bogu should be put on sitting in seiza. First on is the tare which should line up with the top of the hakama. The tare obi should be passed around the waist and tied under the front flap. The dou follows with the longer himo taken over your back and crossed over the opposite shoulder. The himo should then be pushed through the chichikawa leather at the top of the dou and a loop made around the main part and the himo. The loop should lean towards the outside of the chichikawa and the remaining end should be pushed inside the dou. The other long himo should be tied in the same way, aiming to keep the dou level. Finally the short himo at the bottom of the dou should be tied across your back in a horizontal bow. The dou should sit just above the bottom of the tare waistband.
Dou and tare can be put on either in the dojo or the changing room depending on the dojo custom.
Placing men and kote
Men and kote are put on in the dojo at the command “Men wo tsuke.” We will again touch on this when we look at reigi.
Your men and kote should be placed together by your right knee in line with those of the rest of the dojo members. Men himo should be folded neatly and placed inside the men. The positioning of kote and tenugui varies from dojo to dojo. Some favor the kote in a straight line from your body; others stipulate a 90 degree angle with the left kote in front. Some dojo drape fresh tenugui over the men; others keep it folded and place it inside.
Tying tenugui
There are various ways that the tenugui can be worn. Two require the tenugui to be tied as you put on your men. The other uses a clever origami technique to prefabricate a tenugui hat.
Method 1
Holding the two rear corners, pull the tenugui tightly against the back of your head bringing the left hand corner across to the right and cover the resultant flap by repeating the process from the right. You now have a triangular flap made up of the two tenugui ends in front of your eyes. Pull this straight back, tucking the tail end under if necessary, so that it does not protrude from the back of your men.
Method 2
Hold the center of the lower edge between your teeth. Pull the left and then the right edges of the tenugui around the back of your head and tie the two top corners in front of the top of your forehead. Release the lower edge and pull backwards.
Method 3
Double the tenugui lengthwise, fold ends in to form a triangle. Turn inside out and place on head. This is particularly useful for young children.
Tying Men Himo
Here are two ways of tying a men, from the top with long “kansai himo” or from the bottom with shorter “kanto himo.” The second method is simpler and more usual, so we will stick with this. The himo are tied at the fourth from bottom bar and pre-threaded through the top bars of the men and placed inside. After tying the tenugui we take out the ends of the men himo and hold them in our left hand while pulling open the himo which are already in place at the back of the men. Holding the men from the tsukidate, push your face in chin first. Pull both himo tight from the top then tie a half knot at the back, turning it into a bow which should sit in the groove at the base of your skull. You should ensure that the loops and tails of your men himo are of equal length and that they do not exceed 16 inches (40cm). For some obscure reason, even short himo are made a fraction too long to achieve this, so if you want to get it right, be prepared to get the scissors out. Kendo himo if cut will fray, so it is necessary to retie the ends as shown above.
Kote
With kote, the futon or wrist part should be laced tightly enough so that it does not move too much when it is hit, but it should also be loose enough to get your hand in easily. The futon should retain its tubular shape and not be allowed to open at the end like a cone. If laces are too long they should be cut, sealed at the end with vinyl tape, and retied as shown. The hands of the kote should be big enough for you to move your fingers comfortably and cover the whole of your palm.
Shinai
In modern kendo we use yotsuware shinai made from four strips of bamboo. These bamboo (take) are held together with a leather cap (sakigawa), a leather strip tied at a quarter of the shinai’s length (nakayui), and a leather handle (tsukagawa). The leather fittings are held together by a tightly tied string (tsuru) which represents the back of the blade. Inside the shinai, a sakigomu supports the kissaki and a metal plate or chigiri the handle.
Shinai weights are regulated for competition as follows:
| FIK Specifications for competition use of one Shinai (Itto). | ||||
| Specification | Gender | Junior High School (12-15 yrs) | Senior High School (15-18 yrs) | University students and Adults (18yrs+) |
| Maximum length | Male & female | 45 inches (114cm) | 46 inches (117cm) | 47 inches (120cm) |
| Minimum weight | Male | 16 ounces (440g) | 17 ounces (480g) | 18 ounces (510g) |
| Female | 14 ounces (400g) | 15 ounces (420g) | 16 ounces (440g) | |
| Minimum diameter of sakigawa | Male | 1 inch (25mm) | 1¼ inch (26mm) |
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