{"id":341330,"date":"2020-10-22T13:49:56","date_gmt":"2020-10-22T11:49:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.daisho.be\/history-of-karategi-the-genius-of-the-tokaido-brand\/"},"modified":"2024-01-16T09:22:23","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T08:22:23","slug":"history-of-karategi-the-genius-of-the-tokaido-brand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daisho.be\/en\/history-of-karategi-the-genius-of-the-tokaido-brand\/","title":{"rendered":"History of Karategi: the genius of the Tokaido brand"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"Karategi<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The garment worn by the karateka is not, strictly speaking, a kimono, but a karategi <\/strong>or karate gi<\/strong>. Made up of a jacket and pants, held together by a belt, the outfit must be able to withstand kata<\/em>, kumite <\/em>and competition practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But did you know that there was a time before karategi when karatekas trained in much less codified sets? And that Tokaido <\/strong>was the first brand to mass-produce today\u2019s karategi in 1956 <\/strong>?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Before Karategi <\/h2>\n\n
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When Gichin Funagochi<\/strong> (1868-1957), the founder of Shotokan Karate<\/strong>, performed his moves on the Shuri side of Okinawa prefecture, he wasn\u2019t wearing a karategi<\/strong>, or even a keikogi <\/strong>(\u201cexercise outfit\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was only later, during a meeting with the founder of judo, Jigoro Kano<\/strong>, that he donned a white keikogi and black belt<\/strong> in the style of judoka. The simple outfit comprises 3 elements:uwagi<\/strong>(double-breasted jacket), zubon <\/strong>(pants) and obi <\/strong>(belt).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Until then, karate practitioners practiced in their everyday clothes, pyjamas or burlap<\/strong>, but often bare-chested<\/strong> or even in their underwear<\/strong>. So there was no \u201cofficial\u201d uniform<\/strong> for the Way of the Empty Hand.<\/p>\n\n

The keikogi <\/strong>already offers a new level of comfort and freedom of movement, but it has not yet been specifically developed for the needs of karatekas<\/strong> who are looking for a flexible, light and fluid outfit.<\/p>\n\n

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Then the genius of Mr. Shizuo Sugiura<\/strong>, the founder of Tokaido<\/strong>, comes into play, writing a new page in the history of karate clothing\u2026<\/p>\n\n

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Tokaido, Karategi Master<\/h2>\n\n
\"Tokaido<\/figure>
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At the end of the 50s, it was high time to develop keikogi karate<\/strong> into a karategi (karate \u201ckimono\u201d)<\/a> worthy of the name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shizuo Sugiura San<\/strong> is a fan of martial arts and works in the textile industry: the opportunity is too good to pass up\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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The future founder of the prestigious Tokaido brand began cutting, trimming and sewing pieces of white fabric for his karateka friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Boileau says, \u201cVingt fois sur le m\u00e9tier remettez votre ouvrage\u201d! First attempts are far from perfect. And Sugiura is constantly undoing, redoing and refining, taking into account the comments and criticisms of the karate instructors<\/strong> he supplies with samples.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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And so, little by little, his hobby became his profession. The karate uniform is born. Sugiura San set up Tokaido, the first company to mass-produce karate uniforms<\/strong>. Thanks to his hard work, his karategi is a success. But he doesn\u2019t rest on his laurels, and never stops improving his hand-cut and hand-sewn uniforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the brand is proud to be the repository of such expertise, and continues the tradition of bespoke craftsmanship<\/strong> at its original factory in Nagoya.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

That\u2019s why the Daisho boutique, developed by a committed karateka, has chosen to be \n official distributor of the Tokaido brand in Belgium<\/strong>\n<\/a> Discover our many models of Tokaido karategi<\/a> and other quality equipment for your karate practice<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n

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Discover the Tokaido brand:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n