Equipment

Clothing

The aikido clothing (GI) we wear is a traditional part of Japanese/samurai culture. These are low in cost and come in heavy or light weight for winter or summer training and with long (like judo gis) or short sleeves.

The GI Top

The GI Trousers

The Hakama (or skirt depending how you look at it)

The Zori Sandal (mat slippers)

Weapons

In Aikido, we have weapons training which there are three main weapons that are taken from traditional martial arts and others which are used but at advanced senior levels.

Bokken - A Japanese white oak wooden training version of the katana

Jo - A Japanese white oak short staff (or broom handle) traditionally known as the Yari

Tanto - A rubber training knife in this case but can be wooden or felt

Katana - The Japanese sword, this is used but only at advanced levels of senior training (and is usually blunt)

Yari - A Japanese spear, this can't be used in training for safety reasons.

Tanto (Formal) - Not used too often but can be found at women's self-defence classes