Bōgu

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title: "Bōgu" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["japanese-martial-arts-terminology", "kendo", "japanese-martial-arts-equipment", "japanese-armour", "samurai-armour"] description: "Training armor worn in kendo" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bōgu" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Training armor worn in kendo ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Bogu.jpg" caption="bōgu}} for kendo"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Kendo.JPG" caption="bōgu}} in training"] ::

, properly called , is training armour used primarily in the Japanese martial art of kendo, with variants used for jūkendō, tankendo, and naginata.

History

During the Edo period (1603-1868) the use of real swords for training purposes was discouraged due to injuries, with wooden practice swords in the form of ja and ja were often used instead. To further reduce injuries, practice armour based on traditional samurai armor was developed, with this practice armour being the basis for the modern ja.

Description and use

The word ja consists of two parts: ja, meaning "protect" or "defend," and ja, meaning "equipment" or "tool." A set of ja has four components:

• : combined face mask and shoulder protectors (helmet);
• : hand and forearm protectors (gauntlets);
• : torso protector (breastplate);
• : groin and leg protectors (faulds).

A fifth component, (shin protectors, or greaves), are worn by naginatajutsu practitioners.

{{Transliteration|ja|Men}}

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Men_(kendo).jpg" caption="Men}}"] ::

The ja protects the face, neck, and shoulders. It consists of a facemask with several horizontal metal bars running the entire width of the face, from the chin to the top of the head. To this is attached a long rectangular thick cloth padding that curves over the top of the head and extends to cover the shoulders. A throat protector is attached to the bottom of the facemask. The ja is held in place with a pair of woven cords that wrap around the head and are tied at the back. The back of the ja is left open for ventilation and the back of the head is unprotected. The target areas of the ja are the centre top, and upper left and right sides for cutting strikes and the centre of the throat protector for a thrust.

{{Transliteration|ja|Kote}}

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Kote.jpg" caption="Kote}}"] ::

The ja are mitten-like gloves. They were designed expressly for kendo. While appearing to be cumbersome, enough mobility is allowed to grip the ja in a comfortable, powerful, and firm way. ja for naginatajutsu practitioners have a singulated index finger and thumb to better facilitate the rapid shifting of the hands along the length of the ja's shaft. ja have a little less padding than those used for kendo. In the past, ja were often made with fully articulated fingers. This is rarely seen today as there can be a safety issue with snagged fingers. A special heavily padded design known as are used by some ja, most notably Itto-ryu. The target area is the wrist portion of each ja.

{{Transliteration|ja|Dō}}

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Do_kendo.jpg" caption="Dō}}"] ::

The main component of the ja is the gently-curving stomach and chest protector. The modern form has a pronounced bulge to help direct the force of strikes away from the soft areas in the middle of the torso. Lacquered bamboo is traditionally used although lacquered paper 'fibre' (frequently misidentified as fiberglass) or moulded plastic are used for less expensive ja. The ja is supported from the shoulders by two diagonal ties and is restrained at the small of the back with another set of ties. The target areas of the ja are the two lower sides for a slashing cut to the stomach. The top half of the ja is a valid target for a thrust in naginata. In the past, this was also a valid target for a thrust in Kendo.

{{Transliteration|ja|Tare}}

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Tare.jpg" caption="Tare}}"] ::

The ja is a thick cloth belt that wraps around the waist and ties under the front flap in front of the groin. Sturdy cloth covered flaps hang from the belt to protect the upper legs and groin. The flaps run along half of the belt's length, which should be positioned over the front half of the body. The centre flap is usually covered with a name tag— or —that identifies the name of the wearer and the ja or country they represent. There is no target point on ja, it is for protection against off-target and accidental strikes.

References

References

1. Broderick, Jeff. (2004). ["Kendo"]({{Google books). Mariélle Renssen.
2. Uchida, M. (2005): [http://www.mushinkankendo.com/lesson_bogu.html Kendo Bogu (Protective Equipment)] (October 2005). Retrieved on 12 May 2010.
3. [http://www.kendo-usa.org/reference/bogu.htm Kendo America: Bogu] (2002). Retrieved on 12 May 2010.
4. Ratti, Oscar. (1991). ["Secrets of the samurai: a survey of the martial arts of feudal Japan"]({{Google books). Tuttle.
5. (1964). "This is Kendo". Charles E. Tuttle.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::