The first time you dress for kyudo on your own, the difficulty is not the sequence. It is knowing where to tie firmly and where not to.
The sequence itself is simple: tabi, then the top, then the obi, then the hakama. But tie the top too tightly and your shoulders feel restricted when you draw; tie the hakama too loosely and it slides down during the shot. Almost every dressing problem is a matter of tightness in the wrong place.
This page walks through each step and says what to tighten and what to leave easy. It assumes you already have the clothing; if not, start with The Equipment You Need to Start Kyudo.
The dressing sequence: tabi come first
| Step | Item | What this step decides |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tabi (split-toe socks) | Once the hakama is on, your feet are hard to reach, so put these on first |
| 2 | Top (kyudogi, 弓道衣) | Which side overlaps, and how much room your shoulders have |
| 3 | Obi (a stiff kaku-obi) | The height of the hakama; half of how you look is decided here |
| 4 | Hakama | Whether it stays in place during the shot depends on how the ties are done |
| 5 | Chest protector (muneate; for women, if needed) | Worn over the top, after the hakama is on |
Leave the tabi until last and you end up bending over in a hakama, trying not to step on the hem. Tabi first is simply the easiest way.
The top: fasten the ties, do not pull them tight
- Put your arms in and overlap the left side over the right (migi-mae). This is the same as any Japanese garment, and getting it the other way round is very noticeable.
- Tie the inner tie, then the outer tie.
- Keep the ties easy, not tight. The obi and hakama hold the top in place, so the ties do not need to.
Tie the top firmly and your chest and back are pulled tight from uchiokoshi (raising the bow) into hikiwake (the draw). The draw opens your arms wide; without room across the shoulders and chest, your movement shrinks by exactly that much.
If you wear an undershirt, check now that it does not show at the collar. It is hard to fix once the hakama is on.
The obi: at the hip bones, tied at the back
Many kyudo equipment retailers describe a cotton kaku-obi for both men and women (with advice for women on dealing with the extra length). If your dojo or club uses something else, follow them.
- Hold a short length of the end and start wrapping below the navel, around the hip bones.
- Wrap two or three times and tie the knot at the back. A knot in front sits on top of the hakama’s front ties and makes a lump.
- The knot becomes the shelf that the back board of the hakama rests on in a moment, so make it firm and not too low.
The obi height sets the hakama length. Tie the obi high and the hakama becomes shorter; tie it low and you step on the hem. If your hakama seems the wrong length, check the obi before you blame the hakama.
The hakama: front ties crossed at the back, back board on the obi
A hakama has a front and a back. The side with more pleats is the front; the side with the stiff board (koshi-ita, 腰板) is the back. The longer ties are the front ties (mae-himo) and the shorter ones are the back ties (ushiro-himo).
Most men and women in kyudo wear the divided umanori hakama. Men’s hakama have a koshi-ita; women’s usually do not.
Front ties (the usual men’s method)
- Holding the front, step in one leg at a time and line up the centre pleat with the middle of your body.
- Lay the top edge of the hakama along the lower edge of the obi, take the front ties round to the back and cross them. Do not pull hard yet.
- Bring them back to the front, pulling slightly downward; overlap them around the sides and fold them back while keeping tension.
- Take them round to the back again tracing the lower edge of the obi, wrap twice so they will not loosen, and tie a bow.
If the front ties follow the lower edge of the obi, the hakama will not slip during the shot. If the ties ride up onto the obi, they will slide down as you move.
The koshi-ita and back ties
- Push the spatula-shaped tab (hera) on the inside of the koshi-ita down between the top and the obi.
- Rest the koshi-ita on the obi knot. This is why you made a firm knot earlier.
- Bring the back ties to the front. Before tying them, make the side openings level on left and right, then tie.
A koshi-ita that floats away from the back may look fine from the front, but your back view will be untidy. Check your side and back in a mirror once.
What differs for women
Retailers’ guides describe several differences for women:
- The front ties are overlapped at the back rather than crossed, and the lower abdomen is not tied tightly.
- Women’s hakama usually have no koshi-ita.
- The women’s top is made with closed sides, and is a little narrower in the body and cuffs.
How the ties are done is one of the things dojo and instructors teach differently. If your dojo teaches a different method from this page, follow your dojo.
The chest protector: last, over the top
The muneate (胸当て) is worn over the top, after the hakama is on. It is equipment, not underwear. Whether you need one and exactly where it sits depend on your build and your form, so have your instructor look before you decide.
When something comes loose: where to look first
| What is happening | Look here first |
|---|---|
| The hakama slips down during the shot | Are the front ties following the lower edge of the obi, or have they ridden up onto it? |
| You step on the hem | Is the obi too low? (Check the obi before the hakama length) |
| The back looks untidy | Is the hera pushed in? Is the koshi-ita resting on the obi knot? |
| Your shoulders feel tight in the draw | Are the top’s ties too tight? |
| The side openings are uneven | Did you level them before tying the back ties? |
A problem is usually one place that is too tight or too loose. Before you undo everything and start again, go down this table one point at a time.
Measurements and sizing
If the hakama length still seems wrong once the obi is at the right height, the size may be the issue. Hakama length is measured from just below the front ties (the himo-shita) to the hem. If you are buying clothing from outside Japan, measure yourself as the retailer specifies, and ask your dojo which style your club uses before you buy.
FAQ
I got the sequence wrong. Do I have to start again? For tabi and hakama, starting again is quicker. If you put the obi on before the top, the hem of the top will not sit under the obi, and you will need to redo that as well.
How long does it take to dress? At first, the hakama ties take the most time. Get into the habit of arriving early so you are not rushing before practice.
Can I learn it from videos? You can learn the sequence from a video, but not how firm each tie should be. The first time, ask a senior member or your instructor to check your back view.
What do I do with it after practice? Fold the hakama the same day; it keeps the pleats sharp. Ask at your dojo to be shown the folding the first time.
Related pages
- The Equipment You Need to Start Kyudo
- Kyudo Equipment Costs: Bow, Arrows, Glove and Wear
- Can You Start Kyudo as an Adult?
This page sets out the general way of putting on kyudo clothing, based on explanations published by kyudo equipment retailers and dressing guides (checked October 2026). The type of obi and hakama and the way the ties are done vary between dojo, schools and organisations; follow your instructor. This site is an independent guide to kyudo equipment, and we can also order equipment from makers and shops in Japan for you and ship it abroad — see Ordering from overseas.