Hey everyone! I have some good news today. I am very pleased to announce ikigaiway.com’s first partner – Mokuso Martial Arts.
I’ve been on the lookout for good, quality companies to work with on the site. When I discovered Mokuso I was excited because they place quality at the very top of their priorities. I’ve always been a quality-over-quantity type of guy (example: the value of one hard earned black belt over 6 wonky ones), so Mokuso is a welcome member.
It has been my policy on this website to put content and user experience above everything else. But if I am able to find and work with partners that provide valuable services to my readers, I believe everybody wins. Personally I am able to spend more time on the website, you get special deals and access to great products, and Mokuso gets business from some of the top martial artists on the web.
About Mokuso
I’d like to tell you just a bit about the company, and also let you in on a deal they are running specifically for readers of ikigaiway.com.
Mokuso is a Japanese term for meditation, especially when practiced in the traditional Japanese martial arts. Mokuso (pronounced “moh-kso”) is performed before beginning a training session in order to “clear one’s mind”, very similar to the zen concept of mushin.
The company, which is a private family business targeting budoka in Canada, USA, Great Brittan and The Netherlands, focuses only on the best Japanese dogi and obi available on the market. Only the brands that meet their exacting specifications are sold. All dogi and obi can be fully personalized and tailored.
About the Store Owner
Chris has been practicing several karate-do and karate-jitsu styles for almost 25 years. He also practiced Judo, aikido, taijutsu and kenjitsu for several years. Chris has burned through a lot of different gi’s and a lot of different brands. None held up the way he had hoped. Eventually he went on the hunt for a better manufacturer, one that put personal stake in their product and didn’t rely on child labor. His search took him to Japan where he located Tokyodo International, a small but passionate company that created great quality items at reasonable cost.
How to Get a Personalized Dogi and Obi
In order to get the most out your uniform, you have to ask yourself a few questions:
1. What type of training are you in? If you are doing kumite competitions, a heavy dogi is not desirable. If you are a frequent kata performer, you will want the heavier gi with more feedback.
2. What kind of material do you prefer? Traditionally, dogi are made of 100% cotton. These days, many quality cotton mixes are available. High-end dogi are made of a cotton and rayon blend, whereas lighter dogi with the same quality as heavy weight dogi are made from a special designed polyfiber. Even when just looking at 100% cotton: many qualities are available to choose from.
3. What is your level? A beginner in martial arts might not want to invest in an expensive cotton and rayon blend dogi. Advanced budoka on the other hand will prefer a heavier dogi because it keeps its shape better and will last for a longer time.
4. Do you want a standard size or a tailored dogi? Tailored dogi fit the best, since the length of the pants, sleeves and jacket can be customized to the practitioner’s measurements. Getting the right measurements can take some time and effort.
5. Next is the embroidery. Lots of budoka like to have their name embroidered on their dogi or obi. Different options such as colour, font type and language are available to choose from.
After an order is placed, Chris confirms the size of the dogi and obi and double checks the measurements. Then the order is forwarded to Japan, where the dogi and Obi are created, mostly by hand. Chris follows the whole process to make sure the product is being created according to the ordered specifications. As soon as the products are mailed by EMS, Chris informs the customers of the expected arrival date.
If you are looking to upgrade your current dogi or obi, Mokuso is here to make sure your new product will exceed your expectations. And … At the sharpest possible prices. Mokuso is able to provide the best price-to-quality ratio on the Internet.
