Keikogi
Encyclopedia
or dōgi is a uniform for training, used in martial arts derived from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, or budō
Budo
is a Japanese term describing martial arts. In English, it is used almost exclusively in reference to Japanese martial arts.-Etymology:Budō is a compound of the root bu , meaning war or martial; and dō , meaning path or way. Specifically, dō is derived from the Buddhist Sanskrit mārga...

. (keiko means practice, gi means dress or clothes). The prototype for the modern keikogi emerged in the late 19th century. The keikogi was developed by judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...

 founder Kano Jigoro
Kano Jigoro
was the founder of judo. Judo was the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread international recognition, and the first to become an official Olympic sport. Pedagogical innovations attributed to Kanō include the use of black and white belts, and the introduction of dan ranking to show the...

. Japanese martial arts historian Dave Lowry
Dave Lowry (martial arts)
Dave Lowry is an American writer best known for his articles, manuals and novels based on Japanese martial arts.A student of Japanese martial arts since 1968, when he began studying Yagyū Shinkage-ryū kenjutsu under Ryokichi Kotaro of the Nara Prefecture of Japan, he has also studied Shintō...

 speculates Kano derived the uniform's design from the uniforms of Japanese firefighter's heavy hemp jackets called "hanten." By 1920, the keikogi as it exists today was worn by Kano's students for judo practice. The Kodokan
Kodokan
, or the Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Literally, kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information," dō means "the way," and kan is "a public building or hall," together translating roughly as "a place for the study or promotion of the way." The Kodokan was...

 (judo headquarters) has a photo taken in 1920 that shows Kano wearing a modern keikogi.

Until the 1920s, Okinawan karate
Okinawan martial arts
Okinawan martial arts refers to the martial arts which originated among the indigenous people of Okinawa Island in Japan, most notably karate, tegumi, and Okinawan kobudō....

 practice was usually performed in everyday clothes. Given the social climate between the Japanese and Okinawans during this time, karate was seen as brutish compared to Japanese martial arts which had their roots in samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...

 culture, such as jujutsu
Jujutsu
Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....

. To help market karate to the Japanese, Gichin Funakoshi
Gichin Funakoshi
was the creator of Shotokan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is attributed as being the 'father of modern karate.' Following the teachings of Anko Itosu, he was one of the Okinawan karate masters who introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921...

 -- the founder of Shotokan
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi . Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including...

 karate and the instructor responsible for importing karate to mainland Japan—adopted a uniform style similar to Kano's design. Over time, Karate practitioners modified the keikogi for karate by lightening weave of the fabric and adding strings to the inside of the jacket that are tied keep the jacket neatly closed. The jacket is also held closed by the belt or obi
Obi (sash)
is a sash for traditional Japanese dress, keikogi worn for Japanese martial arts, and a part of kimono outfits.The obi for men's kimono is rather narrow, wide at most, but a woman's formal obi can be wide and more than long. Nowadays, a woman's wide and decorative obi does not keep the kimono...

.

The top part of the keikogi is called the uwagi (uwa means "upper" and, again, "gi" means clothes). The pants of the keikogi are called shitabaki, which is the Japanese word for pants.

In modern times, one can find any color uniform. In competitive judo, one contestant wears a white uniform and his or her opponent wears a blue one. However, traditionally, the keikogi was white.

In English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

, the term keikogi is sometimes referred to simply as the gi, which would be an incorrect use of the word in Japanese. Often keiko is replaced with the name of the Japanese martial art
Japanese martial arts
Japanese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of martial arts native to Japan. At least three Japanese terms are often used interchangeably with the English phrase "Japanese martial arts": , literally meaning "martial way", , which has no perfect translation but means something like science,...

 being practiced.

Commonly used keikogis include:
  • Aikidogi
    Aikidogi
    Aikidogi is the formal Japanese name for the uniform used for Aikido training. Most practitioners simply call it a gi or dogi...

     (合気道着 or 合気道衣, aikido
    Aikido
    is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...

     uniform)
  • Brazilian Jiu-jitsu gi
    Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi
    The gi used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was adapted from the uniform commonly used in Japanese martial arts. It is typically composed of a heavy cotton jacket and reinforced trousers. A cloth belt is worn over the gi, both to keep the jacket closed, and as a signifier of the skill/rank of the...

    /kimono (Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
    Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
    Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...

     uniform)
  • Judogi
    Judogi
    Judogi is the formal Japanese name for the traditional uniform used for Judo practice and competition. It is actually derived from traditional articles of Japanese clothing. Jigoro Kano derived the original judogi from the kimono and other Japanese garments around the turn of the 20th century, and...

     (柔道着 or 衣, judo
    Judo
    is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...

     uniform)
  • Jujutsugi
    Jujutsugi
    Jujutsugi is the Japanese name for a jujutsu training uniform.For traditional jujutsu only a judogi or a karategi is allowed....

     (柔術着 or 柔術衣, jujutsu
    Jujutsu
    Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....

     uniform)
  • Karategi
    Karategi
    Karategi is the Japanese name for the karate training uniform.A karategi is somewhat similar to a judogi as it shares a common origin, however the material and cut of the uniform is generally much lighter and looser fitting. The heaviest of Karategi are only 16 oz compared to some judogi at...

     (空手着 or 空手衣, karate
    Karate
    is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...

     uniform)
  • Kendogi (剣道着 or 剣道衣, kendo
    Kendo
    , meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...

     uniform), consisting of an uwagi and a hakama
    Hakama
    are a type of traditional Japanese clothing. They were originally worn only by men, but today they are worn by both sexes. Hakama are tied at the waist and fall approximately to the ankles. Hakama are worn over a kimono ....

     instead of shitabaki

Keiko can also be replaced by which refers to the way, meaning both the martial art and the lifestyle of the martial artist. In this it is similar to the term for Korean martial arts uniforms, dobok
Dobok
Dobok is the uniform worn by practitioners of Korean martial arts. Do means "way" and bok means "clothing." The dobok is modeled on the Japanese gi, used in Judo, which was developed by Judo's founder, Kanō Jigorō. The dobok comes in many colours, though white or black are the most common. The...

.

Gi materials

  • Single weave: A lighter material, cooler for use in the summer.
  • Double weave: A very thick material, not as cool as other weaves.
  • Gold weave: In-between a single and double weave thickness.
  • Platinum weave: Lighter than gold weave, cooler for use in the summer.
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