David Yap

Hi Jack,

In most of the aikikai dojo that I have attended, the wearing of hakama for ladies start at 5th kyu level (or even earlier if they can afford one) and for men when they obtain shodan. For the ladies it could be a matter of modesty after all, we don't like our lady folks to show off their white pyjamas in public.

However, there are some sensei who permit men to wear hakama even if before they attain shodan. The trend is that they are "instructed" to wear hakama once the sensei feel they can take reasonably good ukeme. The take of these sensei is that students who have come this far will eventually wear hakama, so why not let start them sooner. After all, any visitors will be impressed by the number of "high" ranking students and by swirling and flowing hakama in the dojo. I have experienced training with one such student in a seminar who could do fantastic koshinage techniques but was absolutely blurred with a just simple ikkyo technique.

Like you, Jack, he told me that he would be uncomfortable without his hakama.

I believe him.

David Y