If you are ordering a kyudo uniform online, perhaps from a shop in Japan, the size chart is where most first orders go wrong. Japanese kyudo shops do not size a kyudogi (弓道衣, the white practice top) or a hakama (袴, the pleated trousers) the way you would size a shirt or a pair of trousers. This page walks through what to measure for each item and what the sources say about fit.
The short answer
- Kyudogi top: it is cut larger than everyday clothing, so do not simply order your usual shirt size. Suizan Kyugu, a kyudo shop, advises choosing a top that fits your body, because a top that is too big easily ends up worn untidily.
- Hakama: the length is set by where you tie your obi (belt). You measure from the hakama’s front-tie point at your waist (or just under the chest for women) down to your ankle bone.
- Hakama sizes are given in gō (号). A “24-gō” hakama comes from the old measurement of 2 shaku 4 sun. Makers’ lengths differ for the same number.
- Tabi (split-toe socks): the Association suggests going 0.5 to 1.0 cm smaller than your normal shoe size.
- Try things on if you can. The All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association says each garment has its own way of choosing a size, that some garments differ for men and women, and that trying them on matters.
Why your normal size does not work
Two points from the sources explain most sizing mistakes.
First, the top runs big. Suizan Kyugu says plainly that the kyudo top “is very different from your everyday clothing size” and that “kyudogi are made larger than ordinary clothing, so choose a top that fits your body.” It also warns that if the top is too large, the way it sits on you easily becomes untidy.
Second, you need room in the shoulders. The All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association notes that both arms must move freely when you draw the bow, so a top with some ease across the shoulders is a good choice. Put the two together and you get the target: close to the body overall, but not tight across the shoulders.
The practical answer is to try on a top at a kyudo shop or borrow one from your dojo before ordering. If neither is possible, send the shop your measurements and ask which size they recommend, rather than translating your shirt size.
Measuring for a hakama
The hakama is the item people get most wrong, because its length does not come from your leg measurement alone. It comes from where the hakama sits, which depends on where you tie the obi.
Suizan Kyugu puts it this way: “Once the position of the obi is decided, the length of the hakama is decided.” Then you measure:
- Stand straight with your feet together, facing forward.
- Find the point where the hakama will sit. Suizan measures from the front-tie point (mae-himo-shita, 前紐下, the spot just below the front ties) on the front panel. For men that is around the navel (the top of the obi). For women it is the waist (the top of the obi).
- Measure from there down to your ankle bone.
The All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association gives a similar guide: choose a length where the hem falls around the centre of the ankle bone when you stand straight, and measure from below the navel for men and from below the chest for women. The two sources describe the starting point slightly differently, so it is worth asking the shop which point their chart uses.
Note what this means: the same person can need different hakama lengths depending on how high they tie the obi. If you tie the obi higher, the hakama sits higher and the hem rises, so you need a longer hakama for the hem to reach the ankle. That is why a measurement from your own tied obi is more reliable than a chart based only on body size.
What “gō” means on a hakama
Hakama are sized in gō. Suizan explains that a 24-gō hakama is a modern label for 2 shaku 4 sun, an older Japanese length. It also warns that different makers make the same gō in different lengths, so compare your measurement with each shop’s own size chart rather than assuming a 24 from one maker equals a 24 from another.
Men’s and women’s hakama
The Association says the umanori hakama (馬乗り袴, divided like trousers) is the standard for both men and women, and notes that women also have a skirt-type hakama, the andon (行燈), which is not divided. Women also wear a chest protector, the muneate (胸当て). The All Nippon Kyudo Federation tells women to prepare one and wear it from the upper right of the chest to under the left arm. How to put all of this on in order is covered in How to wear kyudogi and hakama.
Obi and tabi
Obi (帯, belt). The Association recommends a material you can tie firmly, because a well-tied obi keeps the uniform from coming loose. It lists the kaku-obi (角帯, a stiff narrow belt) and sashiko obi for men, and date-jime or stretch types for women. Typical lengths are about 4 m for men and about 3 m for women.
Tabi (足袋, split-toe socks). White is standard. The Association warns that choosing your normal shoe size can make them too big and suggests 0.5 to 1.0 cm smaller. If you have a high instep or wide feet, stretch tabi tear less easily.
What the dojo expects you to wear
The All Nippon Kyudo Federation says that, as a rule, you wear a kyudogi (a white top with narrow sleeves), a hakama and white tabi. Beginners and school classes can practise in clean sportswear that is easy to move in. The Federation also says a top with a pocket on the left chest or buttons down the front is not suitable, because the string may catch it at the release.
Grading has its own rules. Under the Federation’s grading regulations, renshi and kyoshi holders and those of 5th dan and above wear kimono, and other candidates as a rule wear the kyudogi.
What to send the shop when ordering from abroad
If you cannot try anything on, give the shop:
- Top: your chest and shoulder measurements, and say you want a fitted size, not a loose one.
- Hakama: men or women’s style, and the length from your front-tie point (where your obi sits) to your ankle bone, in centimetres.
- Tabi: your foot length in centimetres, not a shoe size.
- Obi: men’s kaku-obi or a women’s type.
If you are ordering a glove from abroad at the same time, see Ordering a yugake from abroad. For the full list of what a beginner needs, including the cotton under-glove (shitagake), see The equipment you need to start kyudo.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my height to pick a hakama size?
Not on its own. Both sources measure from the point where the hakama sits (set by your obi) down to the ankle. Measure that length directly.
My kyudogi feels big in my usual size. Is that normal?
Yes. Suizan Kyugu says kyudo tops are made larger than ordinary clothing and recommends choosing one that fits your body.
Is a 24-gō hakama the same length at every shop?
No. Suizan notes that lengths vary between makers for the same gō. Check each shop’s chart.
Summary
- Kyudogi tops run larger than everyday clothes. Choose a fitted size with some room in the shoulders.
- Hakama length = from the front-tie point (where your obi sits) to the ankle bone. It changes with obi height.
- Hakama sizes are in gō, and makers differ.
- Tabi: 0.5 to 1.0 cm smaller than your shoe size.
- Try on if you can. If you cannot, send measurements in centimetres and ask a kyudo shop to recommend sizes.
Sources (checked October 2026): All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association: Choosing kyudo equipment (弓道具の選び方) / Suizan Kyugu: Choosing a kyudogi (弓道衣の選び方) / All Nippon Kyudo Federation: About the equipment (道具について) / All Nippon Kyudo Federation: Grading regulations (審査規程, PDF)