What is a Hakama and who wears them?
• Hakama are a type of traditional Japanese clothing, covering the lower body and resembling very wide, pleated pants. Hakama were originally worn by Samurai, and had the function of protecting the legs and clothing of horsemen as they rode through the brush – very similar to ‘chaps,’ the trouses worn by trouser protectors worn by cowboys of the old west. Today, Hakama are also regularly worn by practitioners of a variety of martial arts, notably, Aikido, Kendo or Kenjutsu. It is said that the flowing fabric of the hakama can disguise the movements of the warrior giving an advantage in combat, and the Hakama’s Koshiita (the firm yet flexible backing) provides the student with increased awareness of body alignment since it presses upon the lower back when one maintains proper posture.
