Ignorance is blister.

I have been practising Kendo for two thirds of my life, which, being a European kenshi, puts me safely in the category "Survivors".
I have been travelling a lot, thanks to Kendo, too, and I can surely say I have seen much.
Now that I live and work in Japan, though, I discover myself prey of strange and unusual fits of fury. I cannot find a better word to describe my reaction to the daily, continuous discovery of new equipment items, be they custom-made shinai, high-tech summer kendogi or shiai-hyperspecialised kote.

It is a fact that in Japan the availability of new items is not something of today. In Europe we were still struggling with finding a bogu (any bogu) to start practice, while here the master craftsmen were creating all possible variation of  armour. Now we think that globalisation and internet shopping have changed all this, but believe, from where I stand, this is NOT true.

There are two main reasons: both of them are cultural and, in my opinion, both should be corrected, because they are in the way of our Kendo progress.

The first reason can be summarised in the "I-am-not-good-enough-for-it" Syndrome. "Would I look arrogant if I buy a bamboo Do?" "Will my sensei get angry at me if I buy a hand-stitched Bogu?" these are REAL questions I had to answer in my daily work. Apart for giving me a lot of thought regarding the moral standing of a sensei with an envious side, if the economical aspect is within your possibilities, striving to have the best equipment possible would be considered obvious in any other physical activity, make it ski or tennis, but even simple WALKING (would you go for too small or too large shoes?).
In Kendo, for some strangely ingrained attitude, it is good to suffer with wrong sized Bogu, it is healthy to bleed in badly padded and worn out Kote, it absolutely reasonable to get epicondylitis using too heavy, wrongly shaped shinai. Yes, because we are the descendant of the Samurai and suffering is our destiny.
Let me immediately tell you that the real descendants of the Samurai use equipments that fit their needs perfectly and if they have to show endurance you can be sure that is about fighting with all their heart and their might against the opponent, not against their equipment. Suffering because we have been sloppy (or extra-money-tight)  in selecting or sizing our Bogu is NOT GOOD.

The second cultural reason is, appropriately, lack of culture, meaning lack of information regarding what is available out there. There is A LOT. And be warned, there are also fashion items and badly thought-of inventions, but that is part of the game in a mature and extensive market, that offers so much.
When I started Kendo, oh gosh, it was lucky to receive one of the second-hand, student bogu the AJKF would donate every year. The Men was too big? a bit of padding et voila`! The Kote were torn? Endless afternoons of fun, punching your fingers with a needle. The Hakama was too short? Naked ankles are sexy after all. THOSE TIMES ARE OVER!
Just ask, the information are available, if you are searching for the right item for you, probably it is already OUT THERE! Ask, and do not buy blindly: there are reason why items have different prices even if they look the same, there are possibilities of customisations that not necessarily are reserved to kenshi millionaires, there is even room for some quirkiness, because we are individuals, even if we are all striving to hit Men-uchi in the same way.

Housen in the spotlight

When I came to Kyoto for the Enbu Taikai, last year, I met Housen for the first time. Actually, I did not know they were Housen - I just stopped in admiration in front of their stall, close to the Butokuden.
I was really impressed by the beauty of their shinai and bogu bags: the colours, the patterns and the obvious quality of the fabrics. No, at the moment I did not need a bogu bag or a shinai bag, but I wished I had an excuse to buy something. Mr. Hatano, the owner of this small family run company, took a picture of me, carrying around a fantastic, traditional patterned bougu/shinai set and told me it would be published on the new catalogue, together with those of  young, fierce looking Japanese kenshi and famous Hanshi sensei.
He kept his word. I became a fan.

It was therefore natural to enclose Housen products into Kyoto Budogu collection. Living in Kyoto and having keiko here, Housen bags immediately started to spring to my eyes wherever I went - and they were everywhere. How could that be, that I did not know about them before last year? I have an average of three shinai bags, full of shinai of course, in every place where I keep a bogu - that makes no less than 12 shinai bags, why I never got an elegant Housen one?
Being store manager of Kyoto Budogu, I felt the need to know more about these beautiful items and about the company itself. This year, again at the Kyoto Taikai, I took an appointment and together with my colleague Sara I devoted a Saturday to this little expedition.
Housen is based in Tatsuno, in Hyogo Prefecture and was established 27 years ago. Mr. Hatano came to pick us up at Himeji station and drove us to the factory. The company still retains the workshop feeling, since all items are order-made. I was hoping to find some ready assortment (I had my eyes already on a beautiful Ichimatsu shinai bag), but that was not the case. Each item is cut, embroidered and finished according to the specifications of the order. We sat in the showroom and we had tea, while we were introduced to the Hatano family (Mr., Mrs. daughter and son) and to the philosophy of the company.

First of all, we spoke about the embroidery, which plays a very important role. Housen offers very handsome bags, but also embroiders names, character and symbols on them, in a very high quality. The Kanji are made in a way that shows the "stroke of the brush", as if the calligrapher himself would have taken control of the computerised sewing machines that are used for this task. The name of the owner is never sewn on top - it would not be considerate respectful, since the body of the bag would carry usually the masterpiece of the calligrapher or some inspiring sentence, that should be pondered by the owner of the bag. Housen also takes responsibility to select the thread colours that would go together with the fabrics: no flashy contrasts are allowed, since - in the words of Mr. Hatano - "Housen bags are meant to last for decades and a flashy  look would bore and wear out the owner, who would abandon the bag well before the end of its lifespan. This is not desirable."
Housen bags are meant to last. The policy of the company is to create sturdy, beautiful objects that the Customer would buy again, not out of necessity, but out of admiration.

Mr. Hatano showed us the factory: the sewing machines for the embroidery, the stacks of leather and fabrics and the cutting templates, but also the details of the crafting of some items that were laying on the working tables. The painful care of each little detail left us in awe. He showed us also the prototypes - those which passed into production and those which didn`t - the new fabrics that will enter next year collection, the ways to optimise this manufacturing process, which remains time- and material-consuming. A special treat was to assist to a photo session, in a professional photographer`s studio. The pictures are used to create the new catalogue, but also to put the items in context, together with the kenshi who order them - high quality photos that appear in the advertisements on the celebrated Kendo Jidai pages.

We came back to Kyoto impressed by the thoroughness of their care and expertise, and more convinced than ever that offering Housen products on Kyoto Budogu is a privilege and a real honour.

The signature Ichimatsu fabrics

Housen label

Four of four: Furinkazan

The first question I wished to answer with my test was: why is Furinkazan by far the most popular shinai in Kyoto Budogu?

Well, for sure it is a beauty. The smoked bamboo has such an attractive colour that makes it a joy to see. 

It is also pretty clear that the quality of the bamboo is very high. 

I have in mind a parallel with red wine: only the best vintages are selected for storing and keeping and aging... only the superior grapes can be refined by time and by a further process. 

The same for bamboo: only the highest quality can become Furinkazan. No frail, stained or inferior bamboo would be economically viable for an additional treatment. This is simple, financial, common sense.

One factor is the look - then maybe the name. I quote from Wikipedia:

Fūrinkazan (風林火山), literally "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain", was the battle standard used by the Sengoku period daimyo Takeda Shingen, quoting chapter 7 of Sun Tzu's The Art of War: "as swift as wind, as orderly as forest, as fierce as fire, as unshakeable as mountain."

Kagemusha has always been my favourite Kurosawa`s film, obviously I can instantly connect with the meaning of Furinkazan. Well, it is only a shinai, but the endless rows of ashigaru carring the 4 banners with the four colours of Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain on their backs is still an image I cannot shake.

Good, all this for the looks and the folklore. Let`s concentrate now on the function. 

Technically, Furinkazan is still a Dobari shinai. But... if I were to define the feeling of handling a Furinkazan, I could not find a better expression than "ZERO GRAVITY SHINAI".

Furinkanzan simply disappear in your hands. After testing the other shinai, I was always conscious of their main feature: the weight in the hands, the fast tip, the size or the shape of the grip. 

With Furinkazan none of the above applies. It is the NEUTRAL shinai. It does not offer any distraction, it is perfectly balanced, you simply forget about it. You only have to worry about your aite and about doing your "thing". It does not take your attention, it follows your movements without stressing your arms. It is like a docile, well trained dressage mare that makes every figure look natural and effortless.

The beautiful Furinkazan has definitely the gift of obedience. Very recommended for all.

Three of Four: Saga

It has taken me longer to evaluate the "High Performance" shinai Saga.
I had just experience the comforting feeling of the Suzaku, so easy to direct and control, and here I found myself handling something completely different.
Saga requires some time to master, because, in a sense, it places itself between a full Dobari and a regular shinai. The grip is larger (surely closer to Kyogoku, if not identical), but the balance is not completely moved towards the hands. The tip has still some weight, which could be welcome for sharpness`s sake, but that takes some time to understand and to adjust.
It is not a Prêt-à-Porter shinai: it needs to be discovered and extensively used to offer its full potential.
I have developed the impression that, in the Ladies`39 version, it remains a bit on the tip-heavy side - nevertheless the feeling of sheer power is still very evident: I guess it should be a really ferocious monster with the Men`s 39  weight.

The most underestimated part of the bogu

Of course, I am referring to the poor Tare. Not born to receive ippon, it offers passive protection and unassumingly recalls the noble shape of the ancient samurai yoroi. But after all, what do we know about the humble Tare?

First of all, a Tare is virtually immortal. The only part that really wears out is the obi, that gets brutally stretched every time we wear our bogu. If the quality of the cotton is good, the obi can last years without too much fatigue - and in any case it can require a repair that we (or Mum or spouse or dojo friend) can easily make. The Tare can discolour with time, but usually it does it gracefully and just as gracefully it can assume a nice bend which adds to its looks.

Having said that, it seems pretty clear you are going to be stuck with your Tare for a very long time, unless you are the kind of kenshi that alternates several bogu or that can follow the fancy of purchasing the odd spare part from time to time. Your Tare, most of the times, is there to stay.
So, what can be the criteria to select your Tare? Everyone would yell: "The more kazari ito, the better!", but this is a bit of trite way to evaluate the Tare of (half) of our Kendo life. Let`s recall the features that could be worthwhile exploring in our selection.

Number one: the weight.
In my Kendo career I stumbled upon very different Tare, whose weight would really span from the terribly heavy to the light as a feather. Given the fact that a Tare should protect, but not create an obstacle, in my opinion, the lighter, the better. The trend nowadays goes in this direction, luckily - the safety aspect is taken care of, but also the comfort is guaranteed. Tare are now lighter, thanks to the different types of padding employed and to the new ways of stitching. Let`s not forget that the Tare, together with the Men, has the wider extension of stitched Futon - the way it is stitched can play an important role.
One discovery that really impressed me has been the Fukuro Nui: literally, the "bag sewing". Ordinary Tare are made of a sandwich of material and padding, which are kept together by stitching and then hemmed with neo-leather or deerskin strips. Actually, we have grown so accustomed to this way of building the Tare, that we consider the hemming as an integral part of the overall decoration, just as the aforementioned kazari ito. In truth, thanks to the Fukuru Nui, the need for hemming is gone: the odare and kodare are made instead as bags, filled with padding, so there`s no necessity to reinforce the hem. The Tare becomes miraculously light and the look definitely changes: the beauty of the Tare sits in the very visible stitching and not anymore in the hemming (which, by the way, is very often subject to much more stress, even when sitting lazily in the bogu bag). I have become a big fan of Fukuro Nui: maybe it is an acquired taste, I think it is going to grow.

Fukuro nui Tare

Fukuro nui Tare

Number Two: the look.
There is much more than the kazari ito. I think the best decorative part sits in the kawakazari, which is actually BELOW and ABOVE the kazari ito. You can choose the shape of it (clouds and spades and hearts and arabesques and...), but the most striking feature is the way these shapes are designed: it could be an additional layer of neo-leather or deerskin, or, my favourite, an extra-dense superimposed stitching: kumogata vs kumozashi. Needless to say, the less layers, the lighter - I stick with my initial priority.

kumozashi

kumogata

Regarding the kazari ito, I don`t want to sound too snob and do not consider them at all in the picture. But I must say, I tend to favour contrasting kazari ito - crimson or dark green or tobacco-brown look AMAZING on indigo, I have seen so many examples by now that I would get as far as saying I could one day have a bogu all built with some striking colour contrast like that. After all, who cares, I am not going to take part in any All Japan Kendo Championship and in my old age I can be excused for some little quirks.

Two of Four: Suzaku

True to my promise to review all four Kyoto Budogu star shinai, I chose to pass from Kyogoku, the strong Dobari shinai, to the slenderer Kobangata Suzaku.

In case someone still does not know why these oval grip shinai are called kobangata, just a few lines of history: the Koban was a Japanese oval gold coin that was used in the Edo period and was dismissed in the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The final section of the shinai has exactly the same shape of a Koban, since the staves are simmetrical two by two, the lateral ones being wider at the grip, than the top and bottom ones.

Kobangata shinai are not a new thing, I used them in the past, and they offered a very easy help to maintain a correct kamae. They seemed like Columbus`s egg in order to solve an issue that every beginner kenshi feels acutely.
I stopped using them because at the time (let`s say 20 years ago?) they were difficult to purchase and because, in case of splintering, it was complicated to substitute a staff (unless a kobangata staff of the right shape and size was at hand). In times of scarcity, interchanging staves were a necessity and not only a nice-to-have feature.

Times have changed, and here comes the Suzaku. I used it for kihon and jigeiko practice at my dojo and of course, coming from the previous experience with the Kyogaku, the difference was massive.
First of all, the balance is different, not being a Dobari, the tip feels somewhat heavier. Not being a heavy shinai, though, it takes a very short time to get accustomed to the new weight distribution.
What I really appreciated, after so many years with round grip shinai, was the feeling of complete control of the line of swing of the shinai, even during ample furikaburi. Columbus`s egg was back.
This encouraged me to insist particularly with debana men, just to have a practical proof of the better control. It worked fine, it was a real pleasure seeing the kensen land exactly at the centre of my opponent`s Men. The work of the left hand was definitely more precise and more effective, the right hand didn`t take over and spoil the straight trajectory. A very satisfying feeling.
In the confrontation between power and control, the Suzaku really plays on the side of the second, while the Kyogaku sits firmly with the first.
I still have to make up my mind regarding which approach is better for me, but definitely the exploration is going to be very interesting and fruitful.

To Do or not to Do

I must admit I never really gave much thought to the respective merits of the different types of Do-dai now available. Of course I am not referring to the hundred shades of colour or to the infinite possibilities for Mune decoration. I mean what a Do is really made of.

In my Kendo career I always took for granted the most widespread types: the Fiber Do and the Take Do. It took me to pass rokudan to finally have a Take Do made for me, but I guess I have been a little conservative in my approach.
Take Do are easy to purchase now and they retain the same beauty, even when they wear a bit. Due to the fact that they are not made of one piece, tiny cracks can appear on the INSIDE of the Do-dai: a bit of wabi-sabi aesthetic appreciation built into our traditionally-made armour. Old Take Do, even a bit battered, acquire a special beauty, just as a piece of antique would do.

Fiber Do have always been the practical, unassuming alternative - cheaper, practically immortal, lighter than the Take Do, the humble Fiber Do seemed to be the winner of the competition hands down. Now a new kid is in town and it took most kenshi by storm: the Yamato 50 Pieces Do.
Plastic still: but so cleverly shaped that it cannot be distinguished - if not touched and listened carefully to - from a traditional Take Do.
I wrote "listened to": I mean that a gentle knock on the inside can tell you the truth about it. If someone wonders whether Yamato Do, Fiber Do and Take Do sound differently when hit during a shiai, I say: hold your peace: they don`t.
I am a trained sommelier and someone asks me from time to time if I can distinguish a vintage from another in a blind tasting - believe, no one can. As Kendo referee, believe me just the same: no one will deny a good Do Ippon because of the SOUND of the Do: first of all because we have to use our eyes to evaluate a Do-uchi, but also because there is NO AUDIBLE DIFFERENCE between different types of Do when hit.
Having answered this vital question (that someone actually asked), let`s go back to the real difference: weight. Take Do are heavier - but then the choice is really up to you: it is tradition vs. innovation.
And no one, except yourself, will be able to tell which Do finally won its way to your bogu bag.