With the kyudo uniform you wear tabi (足袋): ankle-high Japanese socks with the big toe separated from the other toes, closed at the back of the ankle with small clasps. They look like a minor item, but you stand, kneel and walk on the dojo floor in them, and outside Japan they can be hard to find locally. This page covers what the federation says about them and how to read a Japanese kyudo shop’s listings before you order.
In short
- The standard is white tabi, worn with the kyudogi and hakama. Beginners and school classes may practise in clean sportswear instead, so ask your dojo what they expect from you now.
- Order by centimetres, not by S/M/L. Size letters do not mean the same thing from one product to the next.
- Fabric: cotton or poly-cotton, which the shop describes as usable year-round; the shop labels hemp “for summer” and flannel-lined tabi for winter.
- Most kyudo tabi have 4 clasps (kohaze); some have 5.
- Tabi covers are a separate item. Check with your dojo before you wear them.
What the federation says
The All Nippon Kyudo Federation’s beginner page says that, as a rule, you wear the kyudogi (white top with narrow sleeves), hakama and white tabi (白足袋). It adds that beginners and school classes wear clean sportswear that is easy to move in (All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “Equipment”, in Japanese, checked Nov 5, 2026).
So you may not need tabi on day one. Ask your teacher when the dojo expects you to switch to the uniform, and buy the tabi together with the kyudogi and hakama. For the order of dressing, see How to Wear Kyudogi and Hakama.
Reading the sizes: centimetres first
Japanese tabi are sized by foot length in centimetres, usually in half-centimetre steps. One cotton tabi at Sambu Kyugu (山武弓具店), for example, is offered from 22.0 cm to 28.0 cm in 0.5 cm steps (Sambu Kyugu, broadcloth tabi H-166, in Japanese, checked Nov 5, 2026).
Some products use letters instead, and the letters carry a centimetre range that you need to read. A winter tabi on the same shop lists S as 21.5–22.5 cm, M as 22.5–23.5 cm, L as 24.0–24.5 cm and LL as 25.0–26.0 cm (Sambu Kyugu, H-275, checked Nov 5, 2026). Those are not the same as clothing S/M/L, and they will not match another maker’s letters. Always look at the centimetre range.
What the shop pages advise:
- Start from your usual tabi or shoe size. Both the hemp and the winter product pages say this (H-209, H-189).
- Wide feet: the hemp tabi page suggests that people with wider feet, or who dislike a tight fit, consider going up 0.5 cm (H-209).
- Large feet: larger sizes are often a separate product with its own code. At Sambu Kyugu, the hemp tabi is split into 22.5–27.0 cm and 27.5–29.0 cm listings, and a 100% cotton tabi is listed separately in 29 cm and 30 cm (shown as sold out on Nov 5, 2026); a polyester/cotton tabi in the same list runs from 22 cm to 30 cm (Sambu Kyugu tabi list). If you do not see your size, look for a second listing before you give up.
If you have never worn tabi, measure your foot length in centimetres, heel to the tip of the longest toe, and send that number together with your shoe size when you ask a shop.
Fabric and season
| Type | What the shop says | Example (Sambu Kyugu) | Price (as of November 5, 2026, tax included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton / poly-cotton, plain lining (晒裏) | Sold as either 100% cotton or 65% polyester / 35% cotton, depending on stock | Broadcloth tabi, H-166, 22.0–28.0 cm | 1,320–1,540 yen by size |
| Hemp (麻) | Outer and instep lining 100% hemp; “for summer” | Hemp tabi, H-209, 27.5–29.0 cm | 4,070–4,460 yen by size |
| Flannel-lined (ネル裏), cushioned sole | Flannel lining for cold toes, a cushioned sole against cold from the floor; “best for the cold season from winter to early spring” | Yukimori, H-189, 23.0–28.0 cm | 4,400 yen |
| Flannel-lined, 5 clasps | Winter flannel lining; “best for the cold season from winter to early spring” | Hokahoka tabi, H-275, S–5L | 2,400 yen |
All product pages checked Nov 5, 2026. Prices change; check the shop’s own page before ordering.
A practical way to decide: start with one or two pairs of a year-round cotton tabi. Add a winter pair if your dojo floor is cold in winter.
4 or 5 kohaze
Kohaze (コハゼ) are the small clasps at the back of the ankle that hook into loops to close the tabi. In Sambu Kyugu’s tabi list, every tabi except one says 4-kohaze (4枚コハゼ) in its name; the H-275 winter tabi says 5-kohaze (Sambu Kyugu tabi list, checked Nov 5, 2026; the rest of the list is setta sandals and tabi covers). The number is in the product name, so read it there.
If your dojo has a preference, it will tell you; otherwise the 4-kohaze type is the one you will see most in kyudo shop listings.
Tabi covers
Shops also list tabi covers next to the tabi. One example is a white stretch cover in 100% polyester, sized in 1 cm bands from 23 to 28 cm, with no kohaze and a non-slip surface over the whole sole (Sambu Kyugu, stretch tabi cover H-262, checked Nov 5, 2026; 590 yen as of November 5, 2026).
The product page does not say where or when to use it. Because a non-slip sole changes how your feet move on the dojo floor, ask your teacher before you wear covers on the shooting floor.
When you order the uniform from abroad
Tabi are usually bought with the rest of the uniform. When you contact a kyudo equipment shop, send:
- Foot length in cm and your usual shoe size
- Season or climate at your dojo (year-round cotton, or also a winter pair)
- How many pairs (sets of 2 or 3 pairs are common in listings)
- Sizes for the kyudogi and hakama at the same time (if you are just starting, Starting Kyudo as an Adult covers what to ask your dojo first)
If you are also buying your first glove, remember the cotton under-glove (shitagake) that is worn under the yugake. The federation says it must always be worn when using a yugake, to protect it from sweat (All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “Equipment”). See Shitagake: The Cotton Under-Glove.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear ordinary white socks? The federation’s page names white tabi as the standard with the uniform. While you are still practising in sportswear, follow what your dojo says.
Do I need summer and winter tabi? Not to start. A year-round cotton pair works for most of the year. Hemp and flannel-lined tabi are options for hot or cold dojo.
My size falls between two listings. Which one? Start from your usual tabi or shoe size, as the shop pages advise. If your feet are wide or you dislike a tight fit, the hemp tabi page suggests 0.5 cm up.
What about colour? White, as the federation states.
Summary
- The standard is white tabi with kyudogi and hakama; beginners may start in sportswear.
- Read centimetres, not letters. Larger sizes are often a separate listing.
- Cotton or poly-cotton as the everyday pair; hemp is sold for summer, flannel-lined for winter.
- Most kyudo tabi have 4 kohaze; some have 5.
- Ask your teacher before using tabi covers on the shooting floor.
Sources (all checked November 5, 2026, in Japanese): All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “Equipment” / Sambu Kyugu, tabi list and the product pages linked above. Prices are those shown on the official shop pages as of November 5, 2026. For what your dojo expects, your teacher’s guidance comes first.