Evaluating budo equipment can be very difficult, especially as a newcomer to martial arts. We thought who better to ask than our resident kyoshi 7-dan Hayashi Sensei: he not only has a great understanding of his chosen art (kendo), but he also actively works in product development. Let’s take a Read More
Innovative protection, through patented design What began with our Tornado-stitch Kote has now been developed into a full set of Kendo Bogu – the Shudo provides unmatched protection across all strike zones. Furthermore, thanks to our bogu expertise the set remains highly comfortable, breathable and easy to move in. What Read More
Tozando proudly introduces the brandnew Kendo Shinai and let’s take a look at the new arrivals and see what sets them apart from the rest. First up we have the Tokuren. This shinai is unmistakeable with its completely straight and slim profile. Made from four dense staves of madake bamboo Read More
What comes to mind when you think about synthetic Kendo gi and hakama? They are fairly light, but the colours are dull, and they don’t look dignified. Even though they’re light, you still sweat a lot and the fabric sticks to your skin. They are supposed to be easy to Read More
In Japan, various patterns involving the mythical creature of the dragon have been used since ancient times. In particular coiled dragons known as “Danryu” have been prized as patterns on items like plates and vases for the nobility since long ago. It is said dragons possess a mysterious power and Read More
A-1 Alpha picks up from where our A-1 leaves off. Light, easy to use and optimized for training These are the concepts that the legendary A-1 Series Bogu were built upon. As a collaboration between Tozando and Kanagawa Hakkodo, the A-1 concept was further refined and the new A-1 Alpha Read More
In this article we take a look at how to take care of your iaito and keep it in good condition. Caring for your equipment is an important part of budo after-all! The iaito is a sword designed specifically for practicing iaido and uses an alloy blade instead of a Read More
Kendo is tough – there is no escaping it. Your keiko demands a lot of you and doesn’t let up. Of course not all keiko are alike and some places are easier than others, but the very nature of Kendo is self-improvement and the results of your jigeiko are unambiguous. Read More
Takahiro Hayashi – born in 1978, from Shiga. He has never failed a promotion exam and became the youngest person at age 35 to reach 7th dan. Works at Tozando. Alec Bennet – born in 1970, from New Zealand. Chief editor of magazine Kendo World, Professor at Kansai University. H: Read More
Even in Japan, Naginata is still a developing art, with practitioners number far removed from those of Judo or Kendo. Oversea, while spreading across countries for more than 30 years now, numbers are still small. Frequently labelled as a feminine art, only the recent years are seeing a surge in Read More
