# Do you have to be a black belt to have embroidery on your gi?



## Willard814 (Apr 16, 2012)

My mother-in-law bought me a Mugen yellow label gi this past Christmas and she had Ki International embroider my name on the gi jacket lapel and pants in Kanji. Do you have to be a certain rank to have embroidery on your gi? I study Shotokan Karate under ISKF (International Shotokan Karate Federation) I am currently an orange belt and I will be testing today (04/16/2012) for my green belt. Since my test will be administered at another dojo I didn't want to wear the gi in question and offend the dojo and sensel of said dojo.


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## MJS (Apr 16, 2012)

I would check with your instructor.  Good luck on your test.  Let us know how it goes.


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## Cyriacus (Apr 16, 2012)

It depends. No one place will answer the same as another.

Best of luck!


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## dancingalone (Apr 16, 2012)

Yes, you should ask.  It's really a personal preference thing by sensei and dojo.  It is not uncommon for my teacher, an Okinawan, to write students' names on their uniforms in kanji if they wish.  It wouldn't be a big deal to me if some of my students took the lettering to a shop and had it embroidered on another uniform though I wouldn't do it myself.


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## K-man (Apr 16, 2012)

If you were in Okinawa it would be so that everyone knows it's your gi hanging in the change room. (They don't take theirs home.) So, yes go for it.  It has absolutely nothing to do with rank.     :asian:


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## Manny (Apr 16, 2012)

This post bring me back memories. When I was a red belt a Korean Grand Master put my last name in my dobok with a marker, it was easy for me to copy it to my red belt and ask mom to embroid in yellow, when my master saw that asked me to eliminate it, he told me the only belt to embroid was the black belt, I obey my master and when I got my fisrt dan he tied me my full embroided black belt.

I think you must ask your sensei.

Manny


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## jks9199 (Apr 16, 2012)

Do ask.  For your testing, or if you're ever in doubt, a plain gi, adorned with nothing more than the school provides, is never a mistake.


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## rlobrecht (Apr 16, 2012)

No one at our school has custom embroidery on their uniforms, including our 6th Dan Master.  The only names on our uniforms are on the belts of our white belts and black belts.  The black belts are embroidered, and our white belts are written in Sharpie, so everyone can learn their names.

I actually think it's a pretty cool idea.  When I was a kid, the Grandmaster from the organization I studied under would write your name in Kanji down the sleeve of your uniform.  We had our names written in English on the front left breast, both in Sharpie.


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## rframe (Apr 20, 2012)

The school might have rules, but I doubt they'll care unless it's something really crazy.

Note that both ISKF and WKF tournament rules say the gi must be plain and unmarked other than limited manufacturer marks, country flags, or sponsor marks that the tournament has approved.  So, depending upon the tournament you might not be able to wear it there.

BTW, how do you like the Mugen Yellow Label?  I bought a Mugen Orange Label as my first Shotokan gi and I love the thing.  Only thing I didn't like is I felt the pants were cut a little too long.  After some some hot washes and dries it's just now short enough to be regulation length.  I didn't want to hem it because it has great sewing work from the factory, but I'd buy .5 size smaller next time.


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## chinto (Apr 21, 2012)

ask your sensei, that is something that the sensei and dojo normally decide.


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## OldKarateGuy (May 8, 2012)

Many ISKF instructors and high ranks have their name in Kanji on pants, near label, where it will not show under jacket, and along right vertical lower lapel of jacket so it will not show with jacket on and belt tied. it's considered nothing more than a name tag. Most of my uniforms have this. I'd check with your instructor, but if the embroidery does not show when uniform is on and worn properly, I think it's no big deal.


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## Grenadier (May 8, 2012)

Depends on the dojo and / or instructor.  

I've seen dojos that put embroidery on the nicer gi's, regardless of ranking, and some dojos that only allow yudansha to have embroidery.  I've also seen some that automatically have all of their gi's embroidered, regardless of ranking.  

At my school, we use the first method, where if someone orders a nicer gi (a step up from the student gi), then our distributor automatically embroiders the school name on the bottom of the jacket, unless you want one specifically for competition (then no embroidery).


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## MSTCNC (May 9, 2012)

When in doubt, and even when you aren't, always ask your Instructor. It shows respect for them, and might save you from an issue...


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## WC_lun (May 9, 2012)

Different schools do things different ways.  My first embroidered belt was on my black sash when I was promoted to Sifu.  It was supposed to be my name, but when I asked a Chinese woman what it said, she laughed and said it was a children's song   Questions like these always ask your instructor. After all, it is his school and his rules of ettiquite you do not want to break.


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