Budo, Kobudo & Japanese Artisanry - The Seido Blog

Welcome to the Seido Blog.

The purpose of this blog is neither to advertise our products nor to use it as a marketing tool. Our true goal is to share with you all we’ve learnt since we began training in Japan and since we started selling, creating and designing martial arts equipment a decade ago.

We will mainly talk about traditional craftsmanship, Budo events in Japan, and of course, of our #BudoStudies work. #BudoStudies mainly focus on video interviews and demonstration, but you will also find some in-depth articles time to time.

Feel free to contact us if you have any question, wondering about a partnership or simply if you want to say hello to the team.


  • The 3 Main Kakejiku Styles

    In Japan, calligraphy, ink drawing, and painting are traditionally displayed on a kakejiku (also called sometimes kakemono). It's a lengthy scroll-like composition made of fabric and paper that's linked to a jiku, the central wooden pole.

    There are various types (and sub-styles) of Kakejiku, each having its own layout and proportions, but we'll focus on the three most common in this article.

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  • Kakejiku Fabric: Kireji

    The fabric used to make a kakejiku is referred to as "kireji" (裂地). Kireji's function, similar to that of a frame in Western painting, is to highlight the calligraphy or artwork; therefore picking the proper one is crucial to creating a beautiful composition.

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  • Ink Sticks

    It may seem strange to those unfamiliar with calligraphy, but ink is traditionally sold as solid sticks rather than liquid, and each calligrapher must grind down his ink sticks with water on a specific stone called suzuri, before he can start brushing.

    Discover everything you need to know about Ink Sticks in this article written by calligraphy artist Fuh-Mi
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  • Taking Care of your Kakejiku

    Congratulations! You’ve made a beautiful investment for your martial art school or for your home interior. 

    Japanese calligraphies and hanging scrolls are designed to last. Hundreds of years. Your kakejiku will be a lasting masterpiece with minimal maintenance. Here's all you need to know about looking after your new artwork.

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  • History of our collaboration with the Murayama Token Workshop (Jisei brand)

    Murayama Token is one of the oldest Iaito workshops and certainly the most prolific nowadays. It is one of the workshops at the origin of the Iaito, a small family business, the kind of business we always wanted to support. At least, until recently. Here comes the story of our collaboration with Murayama Token, from beginning to end.
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  • An Interview with Kimura Jiro Shihan

    Kimura Jiro Shihan is a Japanese Aikido teacher, the successor of Kobayashi Hirokazu Shihan in Japan, and director of the Buikukai. In 2018, Guillaume Erard, a Daito Ryu practitioner and Aikido historian, and Jordy Delage - who started Aikido in a group affiliated to Kobayashi Hirokazu - teamed up for a joint interview held at the master’s Dojo in Osaka. This is the story of this encounter!
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  • The Future of the Wooden Weapon Industry & 2020's price increase

    In September 2019, the Horinouchi workshop who held about 40% of the production of all made in Japan wooden weapons, closed its doors forever. This article comes back to the reasons of that event, the state of the industry and how the prices of the products will evolve in 2020.

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