is a
Japanese company that manufactures
karate uniforms
A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, ...
,
belts, and related products.
[Tokaido Japan Direct International](_blank)
(2009). Retrieved on April 21, 2010. It is the world's oldest manufacturer of uniforms specifically for karate training, with a reputation for both high quality and high price.
[Groenewold, M. A. (2002): ''Karate: The Japanese way'' (p. 13). Victoria, Canada: Trafford Publishing. ()][McDaniel, J. C. (2008)]
(September 27, 2008). Retrieved on April 21, 2010.[Rein, S. (2009)]
Tokaido Uniform
Retrieved on April 21, 2010.[Adams, M. (2008)]
Tokaido Karate suits
(January 18, 2008). Retrieved on April 21, 2010.
(''c.'' 2007). Retrieved on April 21, 2010.
(2006). Retrieved on April 21, 2010. Tokaido is based in Tokyo, Japan, and is owned and operated by the Sugiura family.
[Tokaido Japan Direct International: Dogi origin & history of Tokaido](_blank)
(2009). Retrieved on April 21, 2010.
History
Tokaido's founder, Shizuo Sugiura, was a
martial arts enthusiast who would watch demonstrations and competitions of many
Japanese martial arts.
With time, he became increasingly interested in the art of karate.
At the time, karate practitioners would simply use
judo uniforms or other clothing for training.
[Tokaido Japan Direct International: Frequently Asked Questions](_blank)
(2009). Retrieved on April 21, 2010. Judo
is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponica, "Judo"). ...
emphasizes grappling, so training in that art typically requires a strong, heavy uniform; karate emphasizes striking, so training in that art does not require so heavy a uniform.
Sugiura was already working in the clothing industry, and decided to combine his work with his interest in karate by producing uniforms specifically for karate training.
In 1958, Sugiura established the Tokaido company.
Its name means ''Eastern Sea Shop'' in
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
, and comes from the name of Sugiura's
home region on the east coast of
Honshū island.
Sugiura began supplying sample uniforms to instructors of the newly formed
Japan Karate Association (JKA), and used their feedback to improve the designs and manufacturing.
The JKA helped popularize the Tokaido brand amongst
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957) and his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (1906–1945). Gichin Funakoshi was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing "karate do" throug ...
karate practitioners;
the karate masters who appear in
Masatoshi Nakayama
was an internationally famous
Japanese master of Shotokan karate.DF_56_of_80">("S_...,_who_were_known_as_kenjutsu_instructors,_from_the_Nagano_Prefecture.html" ;"title="kenjutsu.html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ..., who were k ...
's series of ''Best Karate'' textbooks were wearing Tokaido uniforms.
[Redmond, R. (2005)]
Karate ranks
Retrieved on April 21, 2010.[Redmond, R. (2007)]
Links
Retrieved on April 21, 2010.
Current status
Tokaido produces two main styles of karate uniform: a standard version used more for regular training and ''
kata'' (patterns) competition, and a lighter version used more for ''
kumite
Kumite ( ja, 組手, literally "grappling hands") is one of the three main sections of karate training, along with kata and kihon. Kumite is the part of karate in which a person trains against an adversary.
Kumite can be used to develop a par ...
'' (sparring) competition.
The uniforms and belts are cut and sewn by hand.
Apart from uniforms and belts, the company provides embroidery of Japanese words (such as individual practitioners' or karate schools' names) and rank markings, and also produces badges and labels matching major karate organizations.
Tokaido has also produced custom-made uniforms made by master tailors Genzo and Waisetsu.
[Tokaido Japan: Costom made](_blank)
(''sic'') (''c.'' 2009). Retrieved on April 21, 2010. These items are available only to karate practitioners ranked 3rd ''
dan'' or higher.
The company is owned and operated by the Sugiura brothers, sons of the founder.
It has headquarters in
Kōjimachi
is a district in Chiyoda, Tokyo.
History
Prior to the arrival of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the area was known as . The area developed as townspeople settled along the Kōshū Kaidō.
In 1878, the Kōjimachi area became , a ward of the city of Tokyo.
...
, a suburb of Tokyo,
[Tokaido Japan: Tokaido map](_blank)
(''c.'' 2009). Retrieved on April 21, 2010. and a factory in
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...
.
Tokaido has an international office in the United States of America, and several offices and sales outlets in Japan.
See also
*
Kabushiki gaisha
A or ''kabushiki kaisha'', commonly abbreviated K.K. or KK, is a type of defined under the Companies Act of Japan. The term is often translated as "stock company", " joint-stock company" or "stock corporation". The term ''kabushiki gaisha'' ...
*
Karate gi
''Karategi'' (空手着 or 空手衣), also called keikogi or dogi, is the formal Japanese name for the traditional uniform used for Karate practice and competition.
A karategi is somewhat similar to a judogi (柔道着 or 柔道衣, ''Judo unif ...
*
Uniform
A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, ...
Notes
a. More completely, the company's name in Japanese is , which indicates that it is a specific type of company under
Japanese corporate law.
b. Others have attempted to profit from the company's reputation by producing fake Tokaido uniforms.
[McDaniel, J. C. (2008)]
Karate gi review marathon; my 1968 Tokaido gi vs. my Meijin gis, part II
(October 9, 2008). Retrieved on April 21, 2010. At least one retailer has published a guide to distinguishing between real and fake Tokaido uniforms.
[5 ways to tell if your Tokaido Karate gi is really from Japan](_blank)
(June 4, 2007). Retrieved on April 21, 2010.
References
External links
Tokaido Japan Direct InternationalTokaido JapanTOKAIDO Distributor in Portugal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tokaido (Karate)
Japanese companies established in 1958
Clothing companies established in 1958
Clothing companies of Japan
Manufacturing companies based in Tokyo
Karate
Sportswear brands