Many people are particular about their protective gear. For the men, they prefer a height that allows for optimal visibility, and for the kote, they prefer a tight fit that allows for free use of the shinai. But what about the tare? Surprisingly, there may not be many people who are particular about this when purchasing a tare. However, the tare does have an important role to play. We will introduce the tare from various angles, even though it is one of the least emphasized pieces of protective gear.

table of contents

The role of the Correct wearing Important points to remember when wearing How to store Differences in Tare

• How to stitch
• Stitch width
• decoration
• Edge
• square leather

How to choose a size About name tags Summary

The role of the

The role of the tare is to protect the waist and private parts. Unlike the men and do, it is not made of a hard material because it does not protect the effective striking points. The tare is also expected to fulfill the following roles:

- A comfortable fit for the abdominal belt that reduces strain on the lower back

(If the pressure on your lower back is too strong, it will hurt your lower back.)

・Can you put strength into your tanden (lower abdomen)?

(It is important to be able to apply force to the Tanden, which is an important area in kendo.)

・Is it interfering with your footwork?

(A tare that is too large will hinder smooth footwork.)

- When wearing the device, make sure the hanging strings do not press on the abdomen.

(Do you feel any discomfort when tying a bow? We recommend a hanging string that gets thinner towards the end, as this causes less discomfort to the abdomen.) If you keep these things in mind when choosing a hanging string, you may see a change in the way you move your body.

Correct wearing

First, align the odare with your lower abdomen. Next, bring the koshimahimo behind you, cross it at the waist board of the hakama, and tighten it firmly so that it does not slip. At this point, it is difficult to tighten the koshimahimo if you hold the end of the koshimahimo, so try to tighten it by holding it as close to the waist as possible where it crosses. When you feel that the tightness is just right, bring the koshimahimo forward without twisting it, lift the odare and tie a bow. Once you have finished tying the odarehimo, return it to its original position and tuck the protruding end of the koshimahimo inside the koshimahimo.

Important points when wearing the suspenders

If the tare is worn incorrectly, such as worn too high or too loosely, the outfit will look sloppy. The position of the tare should be adjusted at the koshiita. After putting it on, look in the mirror and make fine adjustments by pulling the koshiita. The important thing is that the edge of the side of the torso and the edge of the otare are in a straight line. If this is not aligned, the outfit will look unbalanced from the side and will not look good. I sometimes see people with tare that is too big and wraps around their waists, which looks unbalanced and uncomfortable to wear. Keeping these points in mind when putting on your outfit will result in a beautiful appearance.

How to store the hangings

There are two ways to do this. The simplest method is to wrap the koshima cord around the otare. This is convenient when you're in a hurry, and even young children and elementary school students can quickly learn it. The other is the standard way to tuck the obi cord. First, stretch the tare cord and fold it inward so that it creates a loop about 6 cm from the obi-dome part. Leaving the loop intact, fold it back downward toward the tare cord, forming a triangle. Continue wrapping it around in the same direction, using the triangular part as the axis. Once you've wrapped it around until there's about 20 cm left, fold the loop you just made back toward the tare itself and pass the end of the tare cord through the loop. Once you've finished with one side, do the same with the other side and it's complete. With practice, you'll naturally find the method that suits you best, depending on the size of the loop and when to stop wrapping. Practice repeatedly. Wrinkles in the tare cord make it difficult to tuck and make it look bad. Place a cloth on top and iron the tare cord to remove any wrinkles.

Differences in Tare

When choosing a tare, pay attention to the following subtle differences. 1. How to stitch This is common to the mask, kote and do, and there are hand-stitched and machine-stitched versions, with hand-stitched being more luxurious.

• Stitch width

The wider the spacing, the softer and more shock-absorbing the cushion will be, but it also has the disadvantage of being heavier. The opposite is true for a narrower spacing. A cushion that strikes a good balance between these two factors can be said to be a good product. Three.decoration The most noticeable feature is the tiered display. The tiered display at the top of the otare and kotare not only gives the display a luxurious look, but also strengthens the display, shapes it, and makes it easier to open to the front. Display tiers range from two to eight tiers, with smaller sizes for children having fewer tiers due to their size. Display tiers for general use are often five to six tiers. Some are called "honkazari," meaning that the decorations are applied by hand. In addition to the tiered display tiers, the "kumogata" (cloud shape) at the bottom of the tiered display tiers and the "yamaji (also called chidoriito or serpentine thread)" that connects the otare and kotare to the obi are also treated as decorations. 4. Edge The hem refers to the border of the otare and kotare. Materials such as Clarino, cowhide, and deerskin are used. 5. square leather These are located at the left and right corners of the bottom of the otare and kotare. They serve to reinforce the edges to prevent wear and tear. There are types with and without leather corners.

How to choose a size

Tare size is determined mainly by height, weight, and waist. If you go to a bogu shop, they will be able to advise you on the best size for your body. On the other hand, if you are buying online, you should refer to a size chart. Depending on the seller, the size of the o-tare width, height, belly band width, and belly band height may also be displayed. If you already have your own tare, it may be a good idea to compare it with the chart.

About name tags

An essential part of a tare is the name tag. The official name is name tag, but names such as tare name and bib are becoming more common (however, the All Japan Kendo Federation recommends using the correct kendo term "name tag"). There are a variety of fonts for name tags, making it easy to express individuality, but the All Japan Kendo Federation also calls for the use of fonts that are clearly readable. There have been rumors that font restrictions might be imposed, but so far nothing has come to that point. The main fonts used for name tags are as follows: ・Standard font This is the most basic form, where each stroke is written without connecting them. ・Gyosho font There is some continuous writing, but it is not as clear as regular script and can be read clearly. ・Cursive It is difficult to read because many strokes are omitted. ・Clerical script Each character is elongated horizontally. ・Kantei style It's a type of Edo-style writing and is used on kabuki signs and sumo ranking lists. Bags come in a variety of materials, from the classic indigo dye to genuine leather, synthetic leather, and artificial suede. I've seen people using small cherry blossom patterns on the fabric of their bags, and now even bags with letters in colors other than white (white with gold, silver, green, purple, etc.). Depending on how they're combined, name tags can be made in a wide variety of variations, but ones that stand out too much tend not to be accepted in the kendo world. In kendo, individuality is only recognized if you have the skill, so if you're not sure what to choose, start with a basic one.

Summary

We have introduced tare from various angles. When wearing tare, please keep in mind the points introduced in the article. It will make wearing it much better. Also, if you are thinking of buying a tare, please pay attention to its function before purchasing. Please also check out this helpful article. [A thorough explanation!] How to re-dye faded kendo armor [Kendo Armor Bag] 4 points to consider when choosing [Summary] Introduction to Kendo Armor and How to Dispose of It