Kendo Stores of Tokyo - 2. Tokyo Shobudo

Part two of the series Kendo stores in Tokyo. 

This time ill be taking a look at Tokyo Shobudo, located in Gotanda. Shobudo home page.

Tokyo Shobudo has become a big name over the years due to their extremely high quality kendo equipment.

The front of the store. You'll know when you have arrived!

They carry a great range of shinai in all shapes and sizes. Prices go from about ¥3000 for a standard shinai to ¥4000-8000 for a better balanced shinai for special use or whatever.

I currently use a large grip dobari shinai from here that costs ¥6000 set up with leather fittings.

The store produces some really top quality hand made items, and as such, is quite a bit more expensive than some other stores. Hand made Deer leather tsuba dome for ¥5000 anyone??

Probably their most popular item at the moment is the stores own "Tetsu Original" bogu. This is is a bogu brand they have had for a number of years and have quite possibly perfected with the current installment!

Tetsu Original - 8 mm machine stiched bogu set - hand assembled in Japan, this bogu set is very popular in Tokyo at the moment. Costing around ￥300,000

Starting at more than €2000, this is a bogu set for someone looking to make a serious investment in their kendo. I've met a number of people recently going for 5th or 6th dan shinsa who have decided on Tetsu as the bogu to help them pass.

I've also spotted the kote from the series, literally everywhere! Tetsu Original Kote.
They are not cheap. The kids sizes come in at ¥15000  and the adults at ¥35000 for orizashi, and ¥45000 for deer leather.

From elementary school kids, junior and high school students, university students, adults and Sensei, alot of people are using these kote for practice, shiai and shinsa

Tetsu kote - 8mm machine stitched - deer skin model.

Tetsu kote - 8mm machine stitched - orizashi model.

These kote are hands down the best I personally have ever tried on, the wrist and fist portion is a whole new level of flexible to any kote I have tried on before. The kote have a well padded kobushi (fist), a sufficiently padded wrist joint and a thick futon.

When I first tried a pair on, I was blown away, your hand can take any form while gripping your shinai, with absolutely no effort or resistance from the kote, I usually cannot grip a shinai the same with kote as without, but while trying these I was able to pick up a shinai and grip it with what I can only call "precision".

I've been surprised by some kote before but these are the genuine article and I'll be buying a pair when I'm going for 4th Dan!

Their store in Gotanda is just a few minutes walk from the station which is easilly accessed by the Yamanote Line, and Asakusa line.

Tetsu kote - 8mm machine stitched - notice the width of the stitches.

Tetsu kote - 8mm machine stitched - the fist, wrist joint and futon reinforcement are all made from orizashi.

Tetsu Original - 8 mm machine stitched bogu. Close up of the men, notice the men dare do not have naname zashi. This men has a really classic look while being worn.

The store carries a good selection of shinai in all sizes. This is the size 39 section.

Hand made deer leather tsuba dome. ￥5000

This set of 8 mm machine stiched bogu will cost ￥341000

This set of 2.5 bu hand stitched bogu will cost you a pretty penny! ￥928000

This is a set of 1.5 bu hand stitched bogu, costing ￥726000

Close up of the hand stitched bogu. 1.5 bu.

Beautiful!