Clothing and training weapons: Adult beginners need two items: (1) a white dogi, i.e. a traditional practice uniform. Those enrolling in one of our packages will be given one as part of the package. (2) For weapons work you may initially use a broom handle (with sharp edges sanded down) or a 4 foot long, unpainted hardwood 1" dowel as a substitute for bokken and jo.
As soon as possible, however, we recommend that you obtain a bokken (wooden sword) and a jo (wooden staff). Later on, you will also need a tanto (wooden, plastic or rubber training knife) a Yagyu shinai and a short wooden sword (shuto). Weapons are obtainable from the Kiyota Company through us or directly from Bu Jin Design. We caution you not to buy weapons off the web just because they are cheap: many such weapons are in dangerous risk of splintering and of the paint rubbing off on other people's weapons. When in doubt, please check with us!
If you prefer, the more usual type of Kendo shinai (obtainable from, eg., Ebogu.com) will also be useable.
We strongly recommend that your bokken and jo be of the quality produced by, e.g., Bu Jin Design, Ebogu.com or the Kiyota Company etc.; cheaper weapons tend to break or splinter easily. We carry Japanese white oak bokken, jo and tanto (wooden knife) at the Dojo.
We also encourage all students wear a hakama (divided skirt in black or navy blue) over their gi's, as this enhances training. A hakama is not necessary for beginners, but students should purchase one as soon as they feel comfortable wearing their dogi (and in any case within the first 90 days of training).
Books & Videos: For beginners I would especially recommend our shihan's books: "The Principles of Aikido" and "Aikido and The Harmony of Nature," by Mitsugi Saotome Shihan, Shambhala; a very useful beginners' guide is: The Aikido Student Handbook, by Greg O'Connor, Frog Ltd., 1993 (please note that some information given here needs translation into our organizational system). We also make extensive use of Saito Sensei's staff system: "Aiki Jo," by Morihiro Saito, is available from Aikido Journal.
A bibliography is available from me on request. Some recommended equipment can be purchased from us.
We recommended equipment, clothing, books and videos sold by Bu Jin Design, by Ebogu.com and by the Kiyota Company in Baltimore; and books and videos from Shambhala Press in Boulder, CO and Areté Press in Claremont, CA -- please feel free to purchase the equipment directly from them or other stores if you wish.