The Mitsuboshi Ten Athlete, an athlete model used in the 2018 World Kendo Championships, is actually used by BUSHIZO staff. This is a report of their impressions after seeing, touching, wearing and using it in practice.

Highly recommended for athletes looking for competitive gear!

Mitsuboshi Ten Athlete

Mitsuboshi was founded in 1953. Its "Mine" and "Ten" brands have long been loved by kendo practitioners and those in the protective gear industry.

Mitsuboshi has released a new athlete model called "Ten" in 2018.

Its simple appearance and durability have been carefully considered to ensure that it can be used for many years by athletes who train every day. The navy deerskin is used on the edge and chin, and it is designed with safety in mind when striking.

■Specifications

Mask: Duralumin (High-definition mask) Ingredients: Silver lead
Kote Micro Punch Practical Kote
Hanging Five-tiered Hand-decorated Hanging with Tapered Hanging Cord
Body: Embossed chrome leather, 50 reinforced resin body

The charm of heavenly athletes

It's not just that it's soft, thin, and short, but I think its appeal is that it has everything, including overwhelming functionality and good looks.

First of all, it looks great when you wear it, and it's one of the most important aspects in a match.

I feel like it makes me more motivated to play in the game.

More and more people are coming up to me after seeing my gear, or touching it and being convinced of its high quality before deciding to buy it. I've had good reactions from strong athletes at universities and corporate teams!

Heavenly Athlete Face

First of all, the mentare is soft and very thin. However, it also has a firm hardness. I was surprised at how firm and resilient it is. It seems like they've achieved a perfect balance between softness and resilience.

In addition to the 6mm stitching and narrow stitching width in the men-tare part, I think this is possible due to the combination of carefully selected materials and core materials, and the excellent tailoring by highly skilled craftsmen.

There are many armors that are simply soft, but this one is in a league of its own with its high level of craftsmanship.

Naturally, the quality of the design means that the glasses are comfortable to wear. I'm sure they will become more comfortable on my face with use, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they do in the future.

It uses a high-definition mengane, and the two levels above and below it are wide, allowing for a good view. It meets the needs of those who want to avoid even a momentary obstruction of the line of sight by the mengane during a match.

Furthermore, when I ordered, I made the mentare 1cm longer than usual. This is because, rather than shortening it for pure functionality, I wanted the mentare to look more appealing, with the drape hanging down in front. I think this is a matter of personal preference.

Heavenly Athlete Kote

As you can see, the most distinctive feature is the kote-gashira. The horizontal decorative threads placed in stages to match the joints create a natural grip on the shinai.
There is no need to apply extra force to achieve your ideal grip.

The wrist part (pillar) has decorative threads placed diagonally, allowing you to grip it without resistance.

In addition, the snap when actually striking is more effective, giving you the feeling that you can strike carefully until the very end.

What I highly recommend is switching to the Japanese-made "Mine" Athlete !

The basic shape will remain the same, but the bag will be tailored by experienced Japanese craftsmen, and the handle will be changed to the highest quality deerskin.

The Chibi Kogara leather used has a fine texture and is soft and gentle to the touch. You'll feel it the moment you put your hand under the kote! The bamboo sword is exceptionally easy to grip. (The photo was taken after use in practice.)

Furthermore, the material stuffed into the kote head is about 20-30% less than that of regular kote, but the material exerts less pressure on the inside, making it easier to grip. The lighter weight means less shock absorption, but we think this is balanced out by the high-cushioned deer hair filling. (Inexpensive kote heads that emphasize softness often use cotton, which tends to wear out easily.)

Heavenly Athlete Taru

It's a simple and beautiful tare with no unnecessary details. When you pick it up, you'll be surprised at how soft and fluffy it is.

In other words, it's very light and soft.

However, like mentare, it is not simply a thin, soft, flimsy piece of tare.

You can probably imagine what a firm futon is like from the photo below.

When worn, it wraps tightly around the waist and spreads out nicely, making it look beautiful.

This is a hanging ornament that gives off a sense of weight.

lastly

I've only used it a few times so far, so I'd like to wear it more and let it get used to my body so that it fits better. I'll report back on anything I notice in the process!

The list price is 150,000 yen, which is not cheap, but considering the quality, it is understandable.

If you would like to see or touch it in person, we can introduce it to you at the BUSHIZO showroom .

Even if you live far away, please feel free to contact us as we can provide you with photos and videos that we cannot include here.

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