Maruyama 2bu Review:
2.0 bu Hand-Stitched Bogu
Review

This is a review article about 2 (ni) bu tezashi (hand stitched) bogu sold by Maruyama Kendo Supply.

Overall Review: Do you currently hold 1-dan or above and looking for a good looking bōgu set but practical? Then this is for you. I recommend this bōgu set because

• Good looking
• Practical
• Reasonable

When I opened up a box that the bōgu was in, I just liked how it looked. I like the length of men dare (the fluffy parts that go over the shoulders). They are long enough to make us look bigger (a part of being looking good) but short enough for me to lift my sword up above my head (practical).

Since the way I tie my men is so called “kansai” style (men stringsor himo start from the top of the men), I changed the position of men himo from the bottom to the top as seen in the picture.

Men himo of Maruyama's men starts at the bottom of men as seen in their picture.

The latter is more common now, I believe. And you can put men on more quickly because you do not have to go around your head with himo as much as you do with the kansai style. They both are correct, just in case which is right.

Now for all the parts orizashi is applied. That means that you can see keikogi (top uniform) like patterns on some parts of men, kote and tare. They are to enhance the strength of the protectors as well as to absorb the impact from striking.

I am about 5’10 (179 cm) so I do not really get hit on top of my head when I am motodachi. But I can tell that this men is well made for absorbing the impact on men. Of course, kote as well.

Mind you though. Any good men or kote cannot absorb all the impact from the strikes. Especially when people hit you without knowing how to use their tenouchi, it will shake your brain as if you were hit by a chair!

So overall, I can recommend the bōgu set with my confidence to anyone who are looking for a good looking bōgu set and for practice use.

Kote: Most important part!

What I like about this kote most is not “how much it can absorb the impact”. What I like about this koteis that it is really easy to use.

To be honest with you, nothing can beat custom hand-made kote. When I had a pair of custom madekote, they just fitted to my hands from the day 1. So I know how it feels like when you get the right kote.

This kote is close to that experience. On the 3rd day, I did not feel this unique weirdness of new kote(stiff and difficult to grab a shinai). That is pretty amazing to me.

I have some pairs of already made kote (machine and already made) used about 3 months but they still give me uncomfortable grip. That is why I am very impressed by these kote came with this bōgu set.

Dō: Yamato Dō

Yamato dō is made of enhanced plastic (i.e. very strong) and the back of the dō looks like bamboo dō.

Many may think thatYamato dō is just pretending like bamboo made dō (i.e. faking) but actually the bamboo like back makes dō stronger.

Tare: Recent Trend

As you can see in the picture, this tare from Mauyama Kendō Supply is a lot wider than the one I have.

Apparently it is a recent (how recent…I don’t know) trend, according to my sensei.

The tare has gotten wider so it can protect more. If the part is wider, of course, it can protect more. It makes sense.

Since I was so used to the narrower tare, it felt weird when I put it on first.

Of course, I am now used to it and do not feel as weird. Personally, I like it better when the part is a bit narrower because I want to feel tight around my lower abdominal.

The other thing I've noticed is that this tare feels thicker too. I should say I feel more secure because it feels thick around my lower abdominal.

If you have question about the bōgu set I review here, please fill out the form below. It will directly go to Maruyama Kendo Supply.

Hope the review helps you to choose your next bōgu set.

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