keikogi

A keikogi is a two-piece garment consisting of a heavy cotton jacket and drawstring trousers, worn during practice in judo, karate, aikido, and related disciplines. The jacket, called a uwagi, is cut loose through the shoulders and torso to allow unrestricted arm movement, while the trousers, called zubon, are similarly full-cut at the hip and thigh. The weave is typically a tight cotton canvas, usually white though black and navy are common in some schools, weighing between 350 and 500 grams per square meter depending on the garment's intended use.

The jacket fastens down the front with a simple cord tie or sometimes with a wide fabric belt called an obi, which serves both to secure the garment and to display rank through colored belts in some arts. The sleeves of the uwagi reach to the wrist when arms hang at the sides, and the hem sits at the hip. Trousers end at the ankle. This design accommodates the grappling, throwing, and falling that define training in these disciplines; loose fabric prevents the garment from tearing under the stress of being gripped or landed on.

Keikogi construction uses reinforced stitching at stress points, particularly the arm seams, shoulder yoke, and trouser crotch. The crotch seam is often triple-stitched because it experiences the most wear during falling practice and ground work. Higher-grade competition keikogi use three-ply cotton canvas and may be pre-shrunk to minimize movement after the first washing. Budget training keikogi use single-ply weave and will shrink noticeably until properly broken in.

Keikogi is sized by height rather than by standard clothing measures. A size 2 typically fits someone from 150 to 160 centimeters tall; a size 6 fits 190 to 200 centimeters. Judo keikogi tend to be heavier and cut more loosely than karate keikogi, which are often tapered slightly at the waist. Some schools specify keikogi weight for practice; competition in judo may require a minimum of 750 grams for the jacket alone. After repeated washing and training, keikogi becomes softer and more flexible, a process called breaking in that can take months of regular use.

The garment's name comes from the Japanese words for practice and clothes. Outside martial arts contexts, the term appears rarely in industrial trade, but keikogi manufacture is a recognized textile specialty in Japan, India, Pakistan, and China, with significant production concentrated around specific regional centers known for quality canvas weaving. Quality control focuses on seam strength and shrinkage consistency, since poorly shrunk garments will not fit correctly and undersized seams will fail during sparring.