Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > General

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 02-04-2005, 10:57 AM   #51
Fred Little
Dojo: NJIT Budokai
Location: State Line NJ/NY
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 641
United_States
Offline
Re: White Hakama - Pretentious ??

Quote:
Mary Eastland wrote:
It would be an interesting poll to see who would actually wear a white hakama. I don't think I would but I am going to get a dark purple one.
Mir
While white hakama are fairly common in a number of martial arts, and widely used by both priests and lay practitioners in Shinto and syncretic Shinto/Buddhist practice traditions like Shugendo, it's worth noting that within the Japanese cultural context purple hakama are most often worn by senior Shinto Priests attached to major shrines, so the unease that is caused in some quarters by a white hakama is likely to be multiplied several fold by a purple one.

Of course, what you do at home or your home dojo is always your own business, but by way of comparison, dressing up like the Pope and going to Sunday Mass might raise a few eyebrows at most parishes.

Best regards,

Fred Little
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2005, 12:14 PM   #52
James Young
Location: Orange County, CA
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 87
United_States
Offline
Re: White Hakama - Pretentious ??

So from what I get from the above posts the answer for those in the "I wouldn't personally wear a white hakama for aikido practice because..." seems to basically include the following:

a) It doesn't follow modern aikido tradtion or my dojo custom, i.e. we're traditional black (kuro) or dark blue (kon).
b) It may be considered pretentious or maybe even disrespectful in other (and I would believe most) dojos I may visit for seminars or whatever. I'm not a soke or shinto priest.
c) I'm just not the kind of guy or gal who doesn't particularly like to stand out in an aikido crowd
d) I'm pragmatic and wouldn't want to deal with keeping it clean
e) all of the above

For me the answer is e I believe. That being said though I don't think there is anything intrinsically wrong with wearing white hakama, especially if your own dojo has no rules or customs that specify against it. Just be aware of the possible implications of it as others have noted.

As a sidenote for those interested in Japanese history, I remember reading that Sakamoto Ryoma was known to wear a white hakama around. As he was somewhat enamored with ships and other related nautical activities, I believe he felt that wearing a white hakama was the equivalent of sorts of wearing navy whites as his uniform.
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2005, 04:39 PM   #53
Mary Eastland
 
Mary Eastland's Avatar
Dojo: Berkshire Hills Aikido
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,476
Offline
Re: White Hakama - Pretentious ??

Fred Little wrote .........While white hakama.......parishes.

Well, I am sure that my wearing a purple hakama would be the least of which that would raise an eyebrow or two in my approach to Aikido.

Since I am a member of an independent organization where we are encouraged to wear different colored or patterned hakama I should fit right in. And I seriously doubt that I will ever go to a seminar where something like that mattered but if I ever did I would wear my dark blue one.

But thanks for your input.

Mir
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2005, 05:26 PM   #54
Fred Little
Dojo: NJIT Budokai
Location: State Line NJ/NY
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 641
United_States
Offline
Re: White Hakama - Pretentious ??

Quote:
Mary Eastland wrote:
Since I am a member of an independent organization where we are encouraged to wear different colored or patterned hakama I should fit right in.Mir
Aha....Well, if you're in a fashion-friendly zone to start out with, you're lucky on at least one count.

Wear it in good health!

FL
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Wearing Hakama Shouri (Steve) General 92 11-20-2014 09:32 AM
Hakama FAQ DaveO Humor 24 11-02-2004 05:22 PM
Becoming a White Belt tedehara Humor 9 06-01-2003 02:43 AM
White Hakama aikidoc General 24 02-20-2003 02:42 PM
Hakama or no hakama. nmarques General 40 06-13-2002 06:57 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:54 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate