Bogu
Bōgu ( Japanese 防具 , German "protective device ") is the name for the armor worn by the Kendō and the Naginatadō .
description
The Bogu consists of several individual parts, the fencing mask ( Men ), the torso protection ( Dō ), the hip protection ( Tare ) and the gloves ( 甲 手 , also 小 手 , Kote ), which protect the hands and forearms and completely between three and five Weigh kilograms . A thin cotton sweat cloth , the tenugui, is worn under the men . The Naginatadō also requires a shin guard, which is called Sune-Ate . In the Jūkendō a shoulder protector ( 肩 , Kata ) is worn and the Tankendō also uses a Bōgu.
These armor parts are also used in Korean Kumdo . However, Korean terms are common here. The bogu is called hogu ( 호구 ). The kote are called howan ( 호완 ) and the men are called homyun ( 호면 ). The Dō is announced ( 갑 ), the Tare gabsang ( 갑상 ) called.
Bogu are manufactured and offered in several quality levels, whereby the distance between the stitches of all seams is decisive. Armor made in Korea or China with a stitch density of 5 mm can be available for around 400 euros , while the price, especially for armor made in Japan , is significantly higher and quickly reaches the four-digit range. Seam distances vary between 6 mm and more for inexpensive beginner products down to about 2 mm for good quality products for frequent and intensive training. For hand-sewn parts, the seam spacing is usually specified in the Japanese unit of length Bu , which corresponds to around 3 mm. In addition to the seam spacing and the amount of cotton processed (indicated by the weight of the fabric), which determine the rigidity of the armor, the other materials used also determine the price. For example, low-priced models use cowhide and sometimes artificial leather, while higher-quality parts are made using deerskin and deer wool instead of synthetic fibers for upholstery. Further quality-indicating details are e.g. B. the number of upholstery chambers ( Kera ) on the Kote. With these and the Men, the quality of workmanship makes the most immediately noticeable difference for the wearer, because these parts receive the majority of all hits.
literature
- John Donohue: Complete Kendo. Tuttle Publishing, Boston MA 1999, ISBN 0-8048-3148-3 , p. 23.