Kendo Equipment Suppliers
This is one of the most well established online suppliers for kendo equipment. They have a very extensive range of products for reasonable prices and excellent customer service. I must admit that I was a little worried when e-bogu first started carrying gear for a variety of different martial arts. I thought that it might “water down” the selection and quality of their kendo gear. I am happy to report that this has not been the case. The quality and affordability of kendo products available at e-bogu has not diminished, in fact their line has improved with the addition of Tezashi.com, their new website dedicated to creating hand stitched, custom bogu. Their websites are very deep with an extensive product line, but still easy to use. Shipping is reasonably priced, reliable, and on time.
I use E-bogu for hakama and keikogi, bogu and shinai bags, reliable shinai if I cannot pick one up in person, and they will likely be my first choice for purchasing a new bogu. If you have the money to put into an expensive shinai, you should check out their akatsuki line… they are hand made shinai from Japan and their performance is incredible.
Owned and operated by Jeff Chen, this suppier’s website does not do the company justice. Jeff is a true, grass roots entrepreneur who takes his business on the road. Based out of Portland, Oregon, Jeff takes the time to show up at most of the major kendo events in the Northwest, as well as many smaller taikai and seminars that other vendors might ignor. While I have not been particularly impressed with his entry level, practice shinai, his higher quality shinai perform quite well. Maruyama carries a very nice koto style shinai that is quite heavy but very maneuverable due to its balance. Also, if you like oval grip shinai, this is the place for you. Jeff carries oval grip shinai with very thick tsuka. For those of us with big hands or who like a nice, meaty shinai, this is a great alternative to the skinny handled oval grips you usually find. Maruyama shinai seem to have pretty good durability... I’ve had a couple that have lasted almost a year now. Jeff assures me that this is due to his 6 month “freshness” guarantee. He rotates his stock of shinai every six months, so if you buy one, you’ll know it’s relatively fresh. If you’re lucky enough to catch Jeff in person, he usually has some sort of special pricing going for the event he’s at. If you like doing business with a smile and a hand shake, Maruyama Kendo Supply is the place for you.
I was contacted by Jose Luis of Online Kendo in Argentina to see about getting a link up on this site. The site has a nice look to it and seems very user friendly. If the name looks familiar, it should. This is one of three affiliate Online Kendo websites. I have to say though, this is the best looking of the three. Allegedly one of the largest online kendo suppliers in South America, I found many very interesting items I had not seen on other sites. The only thing stopping me from giving them a try was the language barrier.
If anyone has an direct experience in purchasing from this company, contact me at jodan@earthlink.net and I’ll post your comments.
