Clothing

We train in a white judo or karate suit. A judo suit is a cotton suit of which the jacket is of a thicker quality. The coat of karate suit is of a thinner quality and can be pleasant in the summer. More often practitioners wear a judo suit, but the choice is free. The size of the suit is a measure of your length, such as 160, 170 or 180. To determine your size, you take your own length and round it off to the upper ten (ex 1.65m is 170). When buying a new suit, add 10 cm for shrinkage.

Hakama

A hakama is a traditional Japanese garment. The hakama is perhaps best known in the image as it was worn by the Samurai - culottes which were tied at the waist, and that come down to the ankles. On the side there can be a sword tucked in the belt and a horse can be ridden wide-legged while the legs are covered. In several Japanese martial arts a hakama is worn: in kyudo, kendo, iaido, jodo as well as in aikido. In this way the relationship with earlier traditions is kept alive.

In aikido the hakama is worn over the judo or karatesuit. In our dojo, the hakama is worn after achieving black belt (1st dan or shodan degree). Until you achieve this degree only the judo or karate suit is worn with a white band around it. This rule is used in many Aikido organizations, but there are also organizations where a different rule applies. It's good use to ask about it in the dojo if you are unsure whether you can wear a hakama.

The hakama is usually black or dark blue, and may be made of different materials (polyester, cotton). There are also hakama that are painted with traditional indigo (blue).

​Slippers

The training takes place on judo mats and is barefoot. However slippers are required to walk from the locker room to the mat. The slippers are put at the edge of the mat.

Obi

Difference in level will only be expressed in Aikido by means of a white or a black belt, there are no color belts (although sometimes for children color bands are given). The black belt is worn from the 1st dan (shodan), until then the white belt is worn (kyugrades).

http://www.aikidofaq.com/misc/hakama.html

The link shows the vision and history why the hakama is worn told by Okumura Sensei and Saotome Sensei.

The seven folds in the hakama (virtues).