Sizing Guides

How To Use This Size Guide

This sizing guide page aims to offer advice and information so that you can select the correct size for your order every time. If you are ever in doubt, please contact us directly (sales@ninecircles.co.uk) and we will tailor our advice for you personally.

All measurements should be taken with a taut, flexible tape measure and ideally by a third party. Measurements made with an overly loose or tight tape measure, or one inappropriate to the task, are likely to result in false size, as can measurements taken by yourself where the act of measuring affects the sizes taken.

Hakama

Hakama size is based on an outside leg measurement, taken from the top of the pelvis at the side, down to the centre of the most prominent part of the ankle. You can also measure your existing Hakama, from the underside of the front tie, down to the bottom of front pleats. If you find yourself exactly between sizes, we recommend taking the smaller of the two sizes unless your Dojo specifically wear their Hakama very long. With this measuring method the Hakama should hang around the level of the ankle protuberance.

This chart gives the average sizes for Hakama lengths based on height, in addition to the correspondence of Japanese size labels to physical measurements. We always advise that you measure however, to avoid unnecessary exchanges!

Iaido Gi

Our Iaido Gi are sized according to standard Japanese sizing for Iaigi, Kimono and other traditional clothing. We hold stock of size S/160cm through to 3L/200cm, each of which has a correspondence to a height size and average weight/build for that height.

Please consult our size graph below, tracing your height and weight to meet at the size of Gi we would recommend for you under usual circumstances. If in doubt please click here to email us.

Kendo Gi

Kendo Gi are sized according to the Japanese standard method, with sizes generally running from size 00/130cm though to size 6/200cm. Please consult our size graph below, tracing your height and weight to meet at the size of Gi we would recommend for you under usual circumstances. If in doubt, please click here to email us.

Aikido Gi

Aikidog Gi are sized according to your height and weight, with sizes generally running from size 00/130cm though to size 6/200cm. Please consult our size graph below, tracing your height and weight to meet at the size of Gi we would recommend for you under usual circumstances. These size guides are for a standard fit, neither tight nor very loose, if in doubt please click here to email us.

Iaito & Shinken Swords

Sword length recommendations vary greatly from one traditional Ryuha to another. As such before you purchase a sword we highly recommend speaking to your Dojo leader about it who will be able to advise you with reference to your precise tradition. The chart we publish below is a standardised sizing chart as recommended by the ZNKR (All Japan Kendo Association) with relation to the practice of Seitei Iaido.

Bougu Kendo Armor

There is a specific measurement method for all Bougu components. Both stock and custom-made sets are made according to this same sizing formula, so it is critical that measurements are supplied to us accurately (especially with custom armour which cannot be exchanged).

Men

Two measurements are required to get the best fit for Men. Men size A is a measurement of the circumference of the head, on a horizontal plane, with the tape passing just above the top of the ear, much like a standard hat band measurement

Men size B is also a circumference of the whole head, this time running from the tip of the chin, around the crown, passing the upper part of the ear diagonally. This measurement should be the longest size possible to measure in this plane.

Kote

Two measurements are required to accurately size Kote. Size A is a measurement of the circumference of the hand at the knuckle line, usually the widest part of the hand.

Size B is a measurement of the length of the hand, from the tip of the middle finger, to the base of the palm at the wrist crease.

Do & Tare

For the Do and Tare, it is the measurement around your waist and your height.

Shinai - Official ZNKR Size Chart