I am OBSESSED with this hakama. I have four different pairs of hakama, and this is the one I've decided is my absolute favorite.

Firstly, I'd say the most important thing is to look at your sizing. The length is important, yes, but one thing I would suggest is to reach out to the company with a measurement of your waist / hips / wherever you tend to tie your hakama. If you are new to kendo, I would send both. The reason for this is that the hakama does not seem to offer extended himo sizes, and this is imperative for good sizing. If you are blessed in the waist / hip area, please be sure to write first. If you already have a hakama that fits well with the himo, measure the himo and let them know.

Secondly, the specialized elements of this hakama is what makes it my favorite. It has POCKETS. Even the guys at my dojo were a little jealous that my hakama had pockets. They are roomy enough that they can store my Google Pixel 6 phone, though obviously I wouldn't be going around practicing with a phone in my pocket. It's just really handy! The advertised zipper at the bottom is a LIFESAVER for those moments where you gotta go to the bathroom, and you're pressed for time. The zipper opens the hakama in such a way that you can step out of it, and then it becomes more like a large skirt! This way, you can easily lift the hakama and do your business. No more fretting about your himo falling on unknown bathroom floors with this hakama...

Thirdly, it simply LOOKS good and it's easy to care for. It's got the stitched pleating, the color is excellent, and it washes well. I've worn this for my last four practices and washed it after every single one, hanging it to dry, and it's still in great condition. The only thing to note here is that the zipper can make it a little awkward to fold up from the center, but it's easy enough to get used to. Much like other polyester hakama, note that it may not take folds as easily as a pure cotton hakama, but it still folds well enough.

As I mentioned, this is by far my favorite hakama. It's incredibly functional, looks good, and it's easy to care for. It's fantastic in warmer climates because it dries quickly. I would suggest this for any kendoka who hates having to finangle their himo or just remove the hakama entirely for rest breaks.

Nicely balanced and shaped shinai. The tsuka seems to be a typical sized thickness that I like. Held up very well during hard team Canada practices and I’ll definitely be using it for shiai as well!
Thank you hokubei!

Great overall experience. The quality of the product is excellent and shipping was fast. Everything arrived perfectly as expected. I’m very satisfied and would definitely purchase again.

Great design and great material. Very high quality.

Very good quality shinais. Bundle offer makes it a good deal.

Going to be a personal favorite for bouts to come. Highly refined and balanced bamboo sword.

Super balanced and fine bamboo sword!

awesome set, have the bag, shinai bag and travel cover. took it to korea and had no problems bag is durable compact enough to fit XL dou and bogu snuggly. shinai bag can hold 3 shinai's and 1 bokuto with tsuba on and have a shoto pocket on the side which is great. cover is good i did have one of the straps rip but that was due to the airlines snagging it on something. other than that the set is great.

I got this set for my son who outgrew his old bogu set, and I'm pleased so far with the material and workmanship of Shinbu Ichiren. I have seen plenty of "starter" or "economy" bogu sets that just don't deliver, but despite the reasonable price, this set seems to provide good balance between protection and flexibility. Before ordering, I consulted Hokubai by phone, and they explained different bogu options in detail, and actually recommended me this set even though I had originally inquired about more expensive bogu. While durability is TBD, so far my son and I are very happy with this bogu set.

Perfect for daily hard training

I ordered this bogu through a direct consultation with Back-Sensei, who was incredibly helpful in shaping my expectations and guiding me through the process of selecting my second bogu set. Having someone with his experience walk you through the details makes a big difference, especially when you already know what you like and what you dislike from your first set.

By the end of the consultation I was convinced the Haechi was the right choice. I also asked if the menbuchi could be painted completely black. Yong kindly accommodated the request and had the set ready for me at the Detroit Taikai.

When he handed it to me, it had just come out of the paint shop. I had to wait four weeks before wearing it so the finish could fully cure. Those were probably the longest four weeks of my life, but it was absolutely worth it.

The bogu is extremely comfortable and clearly very well made. Buying a second set is a different experience because you already understand what matters to you in terms of fit, flexibility, and feel. The Haechi delivered on all of that.

In summary, the service was outstanding, the delivery was personalized, and the bogu itself is excellent. What more could you ask for?

A very good beginner set! Due to international shipping delays, the package arrived a few months later than expected, but Yong was always warm, responsive, and patient in answering all of my questions. My sensei commented that for a beginner set, the kote are very decent in quality. I also believe the men has strong impact protection, when others struck me, I didn’t feel any pain at all.

My only suggestions would be that some areas of the lacquered parts of the men felt slightly rough, so I carefully smoothed them with fine sandpaper, and the trimming around the label was a bit unfinished. However, overall I think this set offers great value for the price. If you are a beginner looking for something a step above a basic entry-level set, I would recommend Hokubei. They truly love and understand kendo.

Love it.

I could not be happier with my purchase from Back-Sensei!!! He went above and beyond in communication and quality, and was very knowledgeable and helpful, especially since this was my very first time ever wearing and purchasing bogu.

As a woman, I've heard that it can be difficult to find fits that are both protective and comfortable, since a lot of standard sizing is often oriented towards men. But Back-sensei took the time to carefully take and review my measurements (I was lucky enough to be measured in person :D), answer all of my questions, and make great recommendations to better customize the set and ensure that I would be happy with my purchase.

When my bogu arrived, it was very clear to me that a lot of thought and care had been put into the craftsmanship and detail. Everything fits very comfortably and securely, and was very quick to adjust to my body. The built-in extra protection on the right kote has saved me from bruises numerous times, and the entire set is incredibly light and easy to wear. As a beginner kendoka, I was really worried that wearing bogu in general would feel overwhelming or restrictive, but this bogu set honestly feels very natural and has kept me very safe during practice. I've been wearing this set for about a year now, and am just as happy with it as when it first arrived.

I'm very thankful for the time, expertise, and care that went into the craftsmanship of this bogu, and I'm especially grateful to Back-Sensei for helping make getting my first bogu set so easy and enjoyable. I wholeheartedly recommend this particular set for anyone looking for high-quality bogu, and I equally recommend purchasing from Hokubei Budogu. Their exceptional customer service and genuine care are unmatched, and I would absolutely purchase from them again. :)

I like the bag