Dogi

[Julien]

Hello everyone,

I don't think that anyone of you is ignorant of the taikai 2001 that's going to take place in Paris in late April.

As I'm going to take part in the Embu kai, I wanted to find a nice Dogi, a little bit more beautiful than the ones I usually train with.

In order to do that, I tried to contact the Ozaki© brand in Japan, but the catalogue I've found seems to be too old and the fax number proved to be erroneous.

I've spent 3 days to search on the web, looking for information about this brand, how to contact them or even just retailers. It appears that I've lost a three day's time ;-)

Does anyone have any information about them, and would like to share it with me ?

[Anders Pettersson]

Hi Julien.

The tel & fax numbers for companies that sell Shorinji Kempo dogi are:

Ozaki
Tel: 0877 33 3567
Fax: 0120 30 5860

Maekawa
Tel: 0877 32 2438
Fax: 0120 20 4066


Darumado (Isami)
Tel: 0877 62 0727
Fax: 0877 63 3456

These are taken from catalogues that I got last years May, so they should be correct.


On a side note I can mention that I recently got a request from a Hombu staff person to help out on how to write some French kenshi's name in katakana. They have ordered some dogi and belt and I believe the people at Ozaki had problems on how to pronounce the French names.

So I guess there are more French kenshi that are dressing up for the International Taikai. :)


I believe that Ozaki are quite well used to handle orders from abroad, but for myself I prefer the Isami dogi.

If you need the adress I can get that as well, but for some of the shops I only have it in Japanese right now.

Good luck in your pursuit to get a new dogi.

[hsuntzu]

There now are 7 manufacturers/sellers approved by Hombu for Gi and belt:

Ozaki
Isami / Darumado
Maekawa
Mitsuboshi
Martial World
Toju (Tokyo Judogi Kogyo)
Toyo (Toyo Judogi Seihan)

Of these, I've found web-pages for Isami and Martial World. These pages are only in Japanese.

Isami:
http://www.isami.co.jp/

or the Shorinji Kempo products directly at:
http://www.isami.co.jp/11sk.htm

Martial World (though they don't list Shorinji Kempo stuff here):
http://www.martialworld.co.jp/

Martial World's Tsukuba shop has a separate page that has Shorinji Kempo specific items:
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cbh31900/mw/product.html

I personally have only used Ozaki, Isami and Maekawa at this time. I would be interested to know how the other brands are, if anyone has tried them.

Gassho,

[Steve Williams]

I also have had Ozaki, Isami and Maekawa do-gi over the years.

I must agree with Anders and say that Isami are the best quality of these, although Ozaki are also quite good (but a lighter weight).

Check the sizes though, I have a size '5L' in Isami, but had to have a '5LB' in Ozaki, and this is still slightly smaller than the Isami one.

My wife's size is a 3 in Isami, but a 4 in Ozaki............

Anyone else had a size 'problem'?

[Gary Dolce]

I have only tried Ozaki and Maekawa and have seen big differences in cut. Ozaki definitely favors thinner people. My 2L (hey, so I'm not a big guy - don't make an issue of it :)) Ozaki gi fits great - just a bit short in the legs. My 2L Maekawa fits like a tent. Most people in my club are fairly trim so they prefer Ozaki. But I have had reasonably fit students who couldn't fit into any Ozaki - not enough room in the thighs and butt. For those, Maekawa is much better. How do the other brands compare for size?

[Julien]

Hi Anders, Hsuntzu, Steve and Gary,

Thank you all for this precious information !


Originally posted by Anders Pettersson

On a side note I can mention that I recently got a request from a Hombu staff person to help out on how to write some French kenshi's name in katakana. They have ordered some dogi and belt and I believe the people at Ozaki had problems on how to pronounce the French names.

So I guess there are more French kenshi that are dressing up for the International Taikai. :)


Indeed, we're preparing ourselves as much as we can ! :-)
It's true that it's a pretty big problem, to "translate" the european names in katakana, at least french names in which you can find sounds that doesn't really exist in japanese.
I once tried to write my name in katakana, the result was not really convincing ;-)





I believe that Ozaki are quite well used to handle orders from abroad, but for myself I prefer the Isami dogi.
If you need the adress I can get that as well, but for some of the shops I only have it in Japanese right now.
Good luck in your pursuit to get a new dogi.


Thanks again Anders !
I just never tried any japanes dogi, so I can't say if I prefer Ozaki one or Isami ones. I guess an Ozaki dogi will be fine for that time. Maybe I'll ask you some information about Isami later on. Thanks for your help :-)

About the size, I have to take a 3LB in Ozaki, according to a french Ozaki user, I'll tell you how it fits when I receive it from japan.

Thanks again for your help gentlemen :-)

[Laurent ESPESO]

Gassho,

I think I can help you although it is a little bit late (sorry but i havn't looked at e-budo from few months!);

For the Ozaki dogi brand the adress is:

OZAKI CO., LTD.
7-4 Higashihama, Tadotsu-Cho, Nakatado-Gun
Kagawa, 764-0016 JAPAN


Note that you can order a vest and a pant with differents sizes!

The payment must be done by International Money Order via the post office; and the freigh cost for one dogi (sea mail) from Japan to France is approximately 2500 Yens but takes around 3 months, from the order date, to come!


I hope it will help some kenshis...

Bye,


Laurent ESPESO
Shorinji Kempo
Vaugirard Branch Secretary
E-mail: lespeso@noos.fr

[luar]

I'm 6'3 and 200 lbs, which means I have a very lean physique. I am using a Karate gi which is a size 6 and somewhat baggy on me.

From what I see from the Ozaki catalog, there is no size 6. My sensei thinks I should go for a 5L-B but if it doesn't fit, then I am going to be stuck with it, especially when it has my name sowned in.

Anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had any problems with shrinkage after the wash?

[Joshua Crison]

Im 6`3.5`` 220lbs I have, I bilieve a size 6lb Isami, I will check for you... when you get the huge sizes the sleeves will be verry long...

[Julien]

Gassho,

Thanks for this information Laurent.
Actually, I have ordered one dogi from Ozaki, using fax instead of mail. As a side note, I can add that air mail is (much) more expensive than sea mail : it costs about 7000 Yen from japan to france. The good thing is you can receive your dogi within 10 days, from order date.

Raul, as Joshua mentionned, I think Isami manufactures larger dogi than Ozaki. You can, check their website for the sizes.

[Anders Pettersson]

Hi all.

Just for those of you that don't know, it is possible to have the dogi sleeves and pants cut to whatever length you want when ordering dogi.

If I remember correct Maekawa does not charge anything extra for that, for Ozaki I don't know but Isami take 1000 yen for cutting pants.

I have done that with my last couple of Isami dogi.
As for Isami they also changed their sizes since October -99, more or less giving all sizes a higher number (old 4L is now 5L etc.), they also shortened the sleeves with 4cm and the pants with 10 cm.

[luar]

Originally posted by Julien
Raul, as Joshua mentionned, I think Isami manufactures larger dogi than Ozaki. You can, check their website for the sizes.

Gassho Julien,

Thank you for the information but unless they have an English (or Spanish) language website, I am at a loss. It sounds like to me you must have dealt with them in either French or English.

I also note that in this thread no one has talked about returning a do gi. It makes me wonder if I should go to my local taylor to measurements and calling up their customer service directly.

Cheers,

Raul Rodriguez
Shorinji Kempo NYC Branch

[Julien]

Raul,

Actually, someone here in France had a japanese kenshi to translate a sort of an order form french to japanese. It roughly asks the manufacturer to send back a detailed invoice for the mentioned items and to give their bank account information. For each item you have to give the name (or the reference), the size and the number.
You can find this information on the Isami website at :http://www.isami.co.jp/11sk.htm as mister Karahashi mentionned earlier in this thread. For example, click on the SK-90 dogi picture. in the table you can find, from the top row to the bottom one :
The size in numbers (from 3L to 7)
The corresponding height in centimeters (from 150 to 185)
The price of the dogi vest alone.
The price of the dogi trousers alone.
The price of the entire dogi.
All the prices are given in the japanese Yen currency.

If I remember correctly, 1 inch = 2.54 cm, so you must be 190.5 cm. I think the size "7" is the best choice for you :)

good luck in your purchase !

[Joshua Crison]

I looked when I got home yesterday and I have a 5k-SF that IO bought this year... its big, I had to get the sleeves trimmed. if you do need to order and need someone to translate the order forms, or need someone to do it for you let me know.