|
|
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!
|
11-21-2007, 06:59 AM
|
#1
|
Dojo: Aikido of Santa Barbara
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 94
Offline
|
Dogi worn wrong?
In all martial arts I have seen, folding your dogi top left over right is the way to do it.
I have seen (never in person, only in pictures) people wearing theirs right over left. I have seen both women and men do this.
I was always told that only the dead are seen with their clothing or dogi right over left.
Am I wrong? I know it seems like no big deal but when I see it, it makes me think why people do it.
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 07:10 AM
|
#2
|
Dojo: Aikido Arts of Shin Budo Kai/ Bedford Hills, New York
Location: New York
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,302
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
It is a big deal to the Japanese. The right goes over the left on DEAD PEOPLE! Unless you are training at a dojo in which the "living dead" are practicing, then I would not suggest that you get this one wrong.
Marc Abrams
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 07:26 AM
|
#3
|
Dojo: Aikido at NJIT
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 100
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
From what I remember from my sensei Fred Little is that it has something to do with the japanese strictly enforcing people to be right handed with certain techniques or with swords, i forgot which either.
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 08:05 AM
|
#4
|
Dojo: Aikido of Champlain Valley/Hamamatsu Aikidokai/Aikido Shidokai
Location: Hamamatsu, Japan
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 97
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
I have been told that it comes from sword drawing. The tradition in Japan was always to wear the sword on the left side of the body and draw with the right hand (there is an interesting post somewhere on Aikiweb that explains why a left handed swordsman would be at a disadvantage). If someone were to draw the sword with the right side of their kimono over the left, the fabric would hinder their draw, and they would be more likely to be cut down by their enemy.
We have a similar tradition here in the west. I have also heard that the reason that men's dress shirts and coats button up with the left side over the right comes from old military tradition when men wore swords (on their left like in Japan)
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 08:10 AM
|
#5
|
Location: Orlando, FL
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,502
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
It is also said that smaller weapons and such were once concealed inside the dogi flap, and that the left-over-right arrangement facilitated reaching these items with the right hand.
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 08:26 AM
|
#6
|
Dojo: Aikido of Champlain Valley/Hamamatsu Aikidokai/Aikido Shidokai
Location: Hamamatsu, Japan
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 97
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
I have also heard that the reason that dogi are generally white is that white signified purity and death, and the Samurai wore white under their armor to show that they were prepared for death*
*Maybe someone else knows whether this is true? I heard it on the History Channel program Human Weapon's episode on Judo and it's Samurai legacy. I am not sure that I trust i, because their were some erroneous facts on the episode.
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 08:38 AM
|
#7
|
Dojo: Aikido of Santa Barbara
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 94
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Sooooooo, any idea why someone (a breathing someone) would wear it right over left?
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 08:41 AM
|
#8
|
Dojo: NJIT Budokai
Location: State Line NJ/NY
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 641
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Both the drawing of large swords and smaller objects reflect a cultural enforcement of right-handedness.
My tendency is to think that the rigidity of Japanese culture's enforcement of right-handedness developed as a matter of practical safety, to prevent excess occurrences of saya-ate.
In my house, we just seat the lefties at an appropriate corner of the table.
Men's shirts in the West follow the Japanese model, although the cut is rather different.
Now here's a question for the historically fashion minded: why do Western women's blouses close right over left?
Best,
FL
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 08:51 AM
|
#9
|
Dojo: Aikido of Santa Barbara
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 94
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Quote:
Fred Little wrote:
Now here's a question for the historically fashion minded: why do Western women's blouses close right over left?
FL
|
Because they were dressed by the maids. It is much harder to button up someone else when it is the other way around.
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 09:58 AM
|
#10
|
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,214
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Quote:
Fred Little wrote:
Now here's a question for the historically fashion minded: why do Western women's blouses close right over left?
|
Here is an opinion: http://www.goines.net/Writing/button_button.html
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 10:48 AM
|
#11
|
Location: Auckland
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 971
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
if you've only seen it the other way in picutres it may well be that the picutres have been flipped in production. This often happens.
|
"When your only tool is a hammer every problem starts to look like a nail"
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 12:21 PM
|
#12
|
Dojo: Seibukan Aikido UK
Location: body in UK, heart still in Japan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,031
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Quote:
Marc Abrams wrote:
It is a big deal to the Japanese. The right goes over the left on DEAD PEOPLE! Unless you are training at a dojo in which the "living dead" are practicing, then I would not suggest that you get this one wrong.
Marc Abrams
|
Ditto.
It's what I was told by my sensei in Japan, and my wife, who is Japanese.
Interestingly, I'm sure I saw a Seagal movie one time in which he has his "kimono" silk top done up the wrong way (he was in a boat going up a river in Thailand I think).....maybe I was just seeing things......
|
A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 12:28 PM
|
#13
|
Dojo: NJIT Budokai
Location: State Line NJ/NY
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 641
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Quote:
Bryan Bateman wrote:
Ditto.
It's what I was told by my sensei in Japan, and my wife, who is Japanese.
Interestingly, I'm sure I saw a Seagal movie one time in which he has his "kimono" silk top done up the wrong way (he was in a boat going up a river in Thailand I think).....maybe I was just seeing things......
|
Or maybe someone flipped the negative in post-production, something I've seen in at least one Chuck Norris film....
Best,
FL
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 03:05 PM
|
#14
|
Dojo: Seiwa Dojo and Southside Dojo
Location: Battle Creek & Kalamazoo, MI
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,677
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Quote:
Erik Jacobson wrote:
Sooooooo, any idea why someone (a breathing someone) would wear it right over left?
|
Lots of reasons. - They don't know about the left-over-right convention
- They don't care
- They were taught incorrectly
- They just made a mistake the day the pictures were taken
- Etc etc.
Bronson
|
"A pacifist is not really a pacifist if he is unable to make a choice between violence and non-violence. A true pacifist is able to kill or maim in the blink of an eye, but at the moment of impending destruction of the enemy he chooses non-violence."
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 06:14 PM
|
#15
|
Dojo: Zanshin Kai
Location: Birmingham
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 865
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Quote:
Erik Jacobson wrote:
Sooooooo, any idea why someone (a breathing someone) would wear it right over left?
|
I did it once by accident on a grading. No-one noticed. Either that or they were impressed by my resolution to pass the grading or die trying.
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 06:48 PM
|
#16
|
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 96
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
As long as you are not actually dead, don't worry too much about which way your dogi should close.
Just close it so the corner with the label is on the outside.
Keep your guard up if you absolutely MUST stare down at your dogi in confusion.
|
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 07:09 PM
|
#17
|
Dojo: Dangayan Singkaw Aikido Shinzui Group Philippines
Location: Plymouth, UK
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 492
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
Perhaps they have taken the words of the Hagakure to heart ("The Way of the Samurai is found in death.") and are acting as if they are already dead.
|
Inocencio Maramba, MD, MSc
Dangayan Singkaw Aikido Shinzui
|
|
|
11-21-2007, 07:19 PM
|
#18
|
Location: Kasama
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 507
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
A cultural way of showing respect for the dead is one factor, influenced by the tendency for most humans to be right-handed.
Here's an interesting article on handedness called "The Throwing Madonna."
|
|
|
|
11-22-2007, 09:18 AM
|
#19
|
Dojo: Aikido of Petaluma, Petaluma,CA
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 834
Offline
|
Re: Dogi worn wrong?
I'm a member of a performing troupe that play Dead. I've been known to go out on parade in a black gi tied wrong and a ninja mask.
Unfortunately I sometimes forget that I'm not playing a dead renaissance floozy and start flirting with soldiers...
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:16 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
|
|