Iaido obi - associated with rank?

[Benjamin Peters]

I once heard that iaido obi was not associated with rank - is this true in a general sense (non-specific to any schools)?

Also I understand tabi are only to be worn by certain masters, can any one confirm?

[Tony Peters]

not show people how highly ranked you are. I've never seen a single rank-like obi. neither of mine are normal MA obi...rather they are actual Japanese dress obi the are very comfortable though a lot softer than many people are used to.

As for Tabi I have heard and seen two schools of though in a Demo the only people who seem to wear them are the older folks though this could be as much because of age and anything else. In the Dojo it is my understanding if your feet are cold you wear socks, tabi socks are just one option.

Just what I've seen
Peace
Tony

[hyaku]

There are two Japanese terms that could confused here.

You Obi is what you thrust the sayas into to hold swords in place. It has no connection with rank and you can wear any colour you want. Mens Obi are usually in sombre colours though.

The other is O.B. pronounced obi. It means Old Boys as in school. Generally they are seniors.

Put your tabi on young man and lets have a laugh. We will also perhaps be able to see your long sleeve undershirt sleeves that are longer than your top and your long johns legs that are longer than your hakama.
Damn it must be cold wear you practice.

Also people wear them when they have a bad foot injury. You can also get half-tabi for the ball of the foot.

I sometimes wear tabi now when it gets cold, but please dont tell anyone!

Hyakutake Colin

[carl mcclafferty]

Folks:

After 30 plus years I only wear tabi for special occassions (demos or seminars with Sensei)when I'm dressed in my "Sunday go to meetin" kimono/hakama; when the floor is frigid like in a Michigan winter; and if on a weathered outside plywood floor, I'll use a pair of old workman tabi just to keep the splinters out.

Though I will admit 8 hours on a hard gym floor without them makes my legs ache these days. But on tatami or a raised wooden floor they seem to be more of a detriment than anything else. The best policy is to see what everyone else is doing and act accordingly.

Carl McClafferty

[rupert]

Originally posted by carl mcclafferty
Folks:

After 30 plus years I only wear tabi for special occassions (demos or seminars with Sensei)when I'm dressed in my "Sunday go to meetin" kimono/hakama.
Carl McClafferty

In Japan, people wear them to keep their feet warm! I also saw many workmen wearing a thicker kind of tabi - no steel toed versions available (unless you're a Ninja :) .

Rupert Atkinson

[gendzwil]

To answer the original question: you can't even see the obi, it is hidden under the hakama. It doesn't indicate rank. For mainstream iaido and kendo, there are usually no outward indications of rank. Our club has a tradition where only those with shodan wear the zekken (the kendo name tag) but it's definitely just a club thing. I think BCKF awards coloured arm patches that kids wear indicating which kyu they are, again just local to BCKF. I doubt that any koryu has an external indications but I may be wrong.

[JohnRay]

Mr. Peters,
All of the responses are in line with my experience. There was an unspoken rule that we didn't wear tabi during very, very cold (unheated) practice. However, the older folks just didn't care about macho image.... In Enbu, only 6 dan and up wore them, but then no patterns, only black or white.
Obi is always somber, but I saw some very elaborate stitching in the dressing rooms of Enbu and Taikai.
Interestingly enough, there is a tradition of colored sageo to denote the teaching licenses of renshi, junhanshi, and hanshi. Don't remember the colors at the moment, but believe blue and gold were two of them.
John Ray

[Tony Peters]

Originally posted by JohnRay

Interestingly enough, there is a tradition of colored sageo to denote the teaching licenses of renshi, junhanshi, and hanshi. Don't remember the colors at the moment, but believe blue and gold were two of them.
John Ray

yikes I wonder how my purple cotton:cool: Sageo would be viewed ???

[hyaku]

Originally posted by carl mcclafferty
Folks:

I'll use a pair of old workman tabi just to keep the splinters out.
.........
I sympathise with that Carl. I forgot to take into account some of the floors you have in other countries.

There is a place In Tokyo that supply the sumo beya with excellent normal length white rubber soled tabi. As most of my demos are outside I wear them a lot. Let me know if you need any.

Regards

Hyakutake Colin

[Chidokan]

Colin,

[Chidokan]

Colin,

[Chidokan]

I hate my server, it always hangs up...

Colin,
Iwata s. advised me to only wear tabi when wearing montsuki. Got a pair at kyoto taikai, the little old lady next to me was in fits when I said the size I wanted.. hey woman, size ten over here is normal for a man!
Thanks for obi, they are pretty posh! By the way, did you see the article in kendo world, apparently they are thinking about making kendoka wear them to improve breathing, posture etc....

Tim

[hyaku]

Hello Chidokan

Wearing an Obi for kendo sounds like a great idea to me.

I have worn mine as I used to do kendo straight after Iaido. It was a bit uncomfortable with the tare over the top but gave that extra back support.

A good quality tare does have some good thick himo. I have even run mine through the machine to put in extra stitches before now.

I have also stitched and inserted an extra piece in the ties of thin hakama to support swords better. The Japanese clothing they make nowadays is made with little thought for these things

Practicing daily twice day we have at least one in the kendo bu that has to visit the hospital with back strain every year and then has to wear a supporter.

Bearing this in mind what worries me is they might devise some wierd puffy way of tying it! The ZNKR have terrible habit of taking some existing technique or method and bastardizing it to hell.

Have not subscribed to Kendo World yet.

Regards Hyakutake Colin

[Don Cunningham]

My iaido obi is dark blue with a white zig-zag line, indicating that I am the 14th generation headmaster and el supremo grandmaster supersoke of Crusader Rabbit Ryu. It just so happened that it was also the only color and pattern they had in the store at the time. :D

[Senjojutsu]

HA, a zig zag line is for amateurs...

My obi is Black with White spots.

Patterned after the famous "spotted paint" obi developed in the 1930's by the three founding masters of the swordschool known today as the:

Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk Ryu

Those Masters being named Moe, Larry, and Curly that is...

CERTAINLY