Symbolism of the hakama

by Michael Gratzke, dojo leader in St Andrews, Scotland

Kendo-ka wear a keiko-gi like judo-ka, karate-ka and other students of martial arts from the east but we don't wear the trousers that are part of these uniforms. Instead we share with aikido-ka the tradition of wearing a pleated riding skirt called the hakama. There are obvious reasons why would do so. The hakama conceals your foot movements from your opponent. That is why you should wear it as long and low as possible. The hakama also gives grace to the kendo-ka moving across the shiai-jo (or match court). There is - nevertheless - an integral spiritual meaning to the hakama as it reminds us of the heritage of the samurai and our obligation as kendo-ka to honour this heritage.

The hakama has five pleats on the front and is divided into two parts on the back. The back is often explained as a symbol for in-yo (in Chinese yin-yang) which are the two elementary and complimentary forces that - according to Eastern thought - form every aspect of the world. The five front pleats are usually explained as a representation of the gojo which are the five key concepts of Confucian philosophy. What follows is a revised version of my shodan-grading essay in response to the this question:

'Gojo represents the five ethics which should be kept by a human being in Japanese pronunciation and in English, with their Confucian meanings.

Jin-Gi-Rei-Chi-Shin translates as:
Jin - Love and Sympathy
Gi - Truth and Justice
Rei - Courtesy
Chi - Wisdom
Shin - Faith

In your own words explain how they effect your kendo and give one example of the ethics in particular.'

Introduction

Japan has many religious and spiritual traditions ranging from ancient Shinto and the newer Buddhism - introduced to Japan during the 6th century - to Taoism and the teachings of Kung-fu-tzu or - as we call him in the West - Confucius. In Modern Japan, these traditions live fruitfully side by side and the majority of people in Japan today regard themselves as followers of both Shinto and Buddha.

This co-existence of and indeed exchange between religious traditions is reflected in modern kendo. We sometimes refer to the spiritual centre of a dojo as kamiza or seat of deity. Kami is the Japanese pronunciation of the first character in Shinto (the way of the gods) when it is used on its own. Moreover, many Westerners - like me - are fascinated by the influence of Zen Buddhism on swordmanship. This interrelation goes back to the Buddhist monk Takuan Soho and the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi in the early 17th century.

(Neo-) Confucianism gained influence in Japan under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunat - or Edo period -which started with Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 and lasted until 1867. The Tokugawa shoguns pacified the country and held it under tight control. Confucianism lent itself as a unifying philosophy because of its emphasis on order and virtue. The leading class of the Edo period were the samurai who - as warriors and civil servants - upheld order and ran the country. Only in the latter part of the period merchants gained more influence through economic power.

Modern kendo is based on ancient budo (the way of the warrior) and in wearing the hakama we acknowledge the heritage of the samurai. The five creases at the front of the hakama represent the Confucian virtues Jin-Gi-Rei-Chi-Shin. These ethical values can and should be applied to every aspect of a kendo-ka's life. Kendo does not stop at the doors of the dojo and in attitude we should treat other people always with love, seek truth and justice, be courteous, strive for wisdom and have faith. My example - nevertheless - concerns itself with behaviour in the dojo proper.

Jin - Love and Sympathy

Upon entering the dojo we bow to the kamiza. We do so even if there is no physical sign like a shrine or banner. The respect for the traditions of kendo we show by bowing makes any school gym a kendo dojo. Entering the dojo we enter the community of kendo-ka, a community that is based on Jin.

Gi - Truth and Justice

Although kendo - with its dynamism and loud shouting (ki-ai) - can appear to the bystander as very aggressive, the aim of kendo and - therefore - kendo practise cannot be to destroy or humiliate any opponent. The objective of kendo practice is not to be victorious over someone but to work on improving the standard of kendo in the dojo and in general. We must leave the frustrations of everyday life behind us when we enter the dojo. We must not direct our aggression towards our training partners and opponents as this would be unfair and unjust. Herein lies an element of Gi. Meditation (mokuso) helps us to achieve this.

Rei - Courtesy

Depending on the dojo traditions we bow several times at the formal beginning of training: to the kamiza, the sensei and each other. Bowing is not the only expression of courtesy (Rei) in the dojo but it is a very obvious one. We show our respect for the traditions of kendo and the dojo, our respect for the sensei who will teach us and our respect for everyone else who will be training with us. This again emphasises the ethics of kendo as a martial art as opposed to uncontrolled aggression which knows no respect. My fellow kendo-ka will allow me to hit them hard and there is always a danger of injury. By bowing to them in the line-up and before every sparring I show my gratitude for their commitment.

Chi - Wisdom

Most kendo-ka should consider themselves as beginners because, in all likelihood, you will be training with sempai and sensei of far greater experience and skills. You will try to give your best but this effort should not cloud your judgement. There is always a lesson to be learned from each part of the training and each ji-geiko. You will have to draw Chi from your fights even when you have lost them. Therefore, again, there is no place for frustration (or being overly zealous) in kendo practise. These emotions inhibit your judgement and keep you from learning. Similar things apply when you train with kohai. You will be keen to create an atmosphere where they can learn from your encounter.

Shin - Faith

In fact, the kohai not only look at the sensei for guidance they also look at every sempai since his or her example shows them which steps they will take in the near future. As kohai to the senior kendo-ka in my dojo and any dojo I visit I have faith in their commitment to kendo, their concern for health and safety in the dojo and their sympathy for all kendo-ka.
As a senior to absolute beginners and higher kyu-grades their faith in me is a responsibility I have to keep in mind. If I don't line up properly in the beginning or end they won't. If my shinai is uncared for or even dangerously damaged they will not take care of their weapons. Shin lays the foundation for leading and being lead by example.