FAQ

Ok, I've read the "choosing a dogi" guide but I'm still not sure about what size to get. What should I do?

The best size depends not only on height, but weight, body shape and personal preference for fit.

The best way to determine the right size is to go from a current best fitting dogi, measure it and compare it to the size chart for the dogi. Pay particular attention to the width of the jacket  and the width of the pants. 

If you are of a skinny build then you will need to look at the smallest size that will accommodate your limb lengths.

If you are of heavy build then you will need to look at the smallest size that will accommodate your girth and will likely need to get the sleeves and pants adjusted.

How to measure your dogi is here:

http://kuroobiya.com/shop/how_to_measure.pdf

The size chart  for the dogi will be linked on the dogi order page.

Further information can be found here:

https://www.kuroobiya.com/shop/choosing-your-dogi

Alternatively,  Contact us and give us as much information about yourself. If you are not sure about your height or weight in the metric system, please click here for a converter.

You don't have my size (I'm a big lad/lass). What can I do?

 We currently list larger sizes than standard on our order forms for several dogi but If you are beyond these then you will likely need a fully tailored dogi. You can also Contact us.

I've never bough a fully tailored dogi. How do I go about it?

We recommend reading the section on Choosing a Dogi, specifically the information on Tailor Made dogi:

https://www.kuroobiya.com/shop/choosing-your-dogi

I want to mix sizes, can I do that?

Yes, for most dogi there is now an option to select a set, jacket only, pants only. First select Jacket only and the size you want, then pants only and the size you want.

Please note though, that for mixed size dogi, there is a possiblity that the top and bottom do not match.This happens when the top and bottom come from different lots. The manufacturers will do their best to supply from the same lot, but this is not always possible.

If there isn't an option to select the jacket only or pants only, then the dogi is not available as separates. 

I only need a new pair of pants. Can you do that for me.

Sure. Just follow the instructions for the question above.

Does the embroidery go through the belt on the black belts?

NO. All the embroidery is done professionally by the manufacturer of the belt(not us). The belts are closed after they are embroidered. This is the Japanese way.

(please note though on colour belts the embroidery goes through the belt as the belts have already been made and are closed.)

I don't see the kanji embroidery I want on the belt, but I know it. What should I do?

You can contact us and give it to us and we will either send it to you in a format you can copy and paste into the text box or for association names, we can add it to our list for you to select. If your computer can do Japanese, you can put it in directly, or you can copy and paste it form your association website if it is text. Just select katakana as the embroidery language and enter the kanji. It will be done in kanji for you.

I wanted "shotokan karate do" in Kanji on side A and the "JKA" in kanji on side B of a belt but when I typed in the A side embroidery the belt was really expensive? What's going on?

Yes, the website calculates the cost of embroidery based on the number of characters that are entered. If you type in "Shotokan karate do" in English, that is 16 characters compared to just 6 Kanji, so you will be overcharged by 10 characters. 

So how do I get "Shotokan Karate do" on side A and "JKA" on side B for the correct price?

1. Go to B embroidery first and select kanji as the language and then  "Shotokan karate do" (or whatever you want) form the style/association list. The kanji will pop up automatically in the embroidery box.

2. Copy and paste from the B embroidery box to the A embroidery box (selecting katakana as the language).

3. Change the B embroidery box to Japan Karate Association (Or whatever you want).

4. Proceed with your order with a smile.

I want to buy a 14 Oz Tokaido Arashi but I don't see it on your site. Why?

The reason why you do not see 14oz Tokaido or 12 oz Tokaido or Tokaido Arashi or any other Tokaido not listed, is that they are NOT MADE BY TOKAIDO IN JAPAN. Tokaido  have a business association with a Chinese company which makes some of these cheaper, and we believe, inferior dogi. Genuine Tokaido are manufactured in Nagoya, Japan. All our dogi are ordered directly from Tokaido themselves and sent to us from either the head office, Fukuoka Branch or factory with no other middleman involved. 

I need my stuff in a hurry. Don't you have a stock to send a bunch of dogi quicker?

Sorry, as we are a personalised service we do not keep a stock of dogi or belts, but order your products directly from the manufacturer (Not a supplier) on an individual basis. This keeps our overheads low and allows us to truly provide an individualised service. We belive you will get your goods as fast as the manufacturer can make it.

So, how long is my order going to take?

It depends on what and when you ordered it. Please see under the "Info" section of our website.  How Long it takes.

How much will it cost to ship my stuff?

To get the cost of shipping, please put the products you want, into your basket and click the "estimate shipping" button at the bottom of the cart for the exact cost to your country. It is very simple and fast. Please use this rather than sending us a mail to ask how much it will cost.  Embroidery does not change the cost of shipping. 

How can I get a discount?

We are not allowed by the manufacturers to discount products as they feel it will devalue their products. 
We are not allowed to undercut the manufacturer's prices on any of our products.

We do however offer a VIP account to loyal customers who have purchased over a certain amount from us. Their account will automatically be updated to give them a small discount on every order.

Note: WE DO NOT OFFER ANY DISCOUNTS FOR TESTIMONIALS because we do not  buy positive testimonials from customers. We want all our customers to write their true feelings about the service they received. We do of course welcome all your comments and do appreciate all the testimonials we receive.

Do you offer bulk / group / instructor discounts?

Yes,  but we are only authorized by the manufacturers to do so on orders of 10 or more of the same product in one purchase. Please contact us if you are interested in this.