News

Mid Summer Special Offer

15% Off on All Our Judogi! (until August 8th, 10 am JPT)

15% OFF on all Judogi!

Holidays come to an end for some of you while it is only the beginning for some others. Between the waves on the shore and the wave of promotion on KuSakura Shop, selecting your spot has never been that difficult.

Certainly though, the most passionate of you will follow the path to the mats, and for sure, with 15% OFF on all our Judogi this is the ideal occasion to look your best in a brand new KuSakura Judogi during your forthcoming seminars. Note that this exceptional offer will also be shorter: it will end on August 8th at 10 am (Japan time), just before our charity event.

August is the month of O’Bon, a Japanese Buddhist tradition to commemorate the ancestors in Japanese families. Filial piety indeed represents one of the pillars of Japanese society and culture. During this period, Japanese companies are used to close for a week in order to allow their employees to visit their family and the graves of their ancestors. It is also a great time of reunion for all generations within families.

Nevertheless, you will still be able to order as usual during this period as the delay will be anticipated in our shipping estimations on the website.

Look out for new updates from KuSakura!
Enjoy the discount, have fun on the mats and see you in our shops!

July Special Offer

15% Off on All Our Accessories! (until July 19th, 4 pm JPT)

15% OFF on all accessories!

Warm days are finally here and the rainy season (called Tsuyu in Japan) is about to end. Some of you most probably planned to enjoy their summer holidays, participating in seminars?

And when holiday means training, KuSakura is ready. What better way to start the summer season than a brand new ‘Sashiko’ bag to go to the Dojo or a traditional wooden box to store your new belt freshly acquired during the previous month? This month, we offer you 15% OFF on all our accessories until July 19th.

June has been a month of intense preparation for our team in Tokyo, although it was less busy than may. Even though some of us will take turns to take some well-deserved rest, summer is bound to be busy at KuSakura with some new releases arriving very soon on our website. KuSakura Shop will stay operational during the whole summer and our team will be naturally available to help you effectively with all your orders.

Look out for new updates from KuSakura!
Enjoy the discount, have fun on the mats and see you in our shops!

June Special Offer

15% Off on All Our Belts! (until June 28th, 10 AM JPT)

15% Off on All Our Belts

Summer is near, forecasting not only beautiful days but also the exam period. Some of you may have planned to pass their grade very soon and what a better reward to celebrate this new chapter than a brand new belt coming right from KuSakura’s workshop in Osaka!

Jigoro Kano once said, “If there is effort, there is always an accomplishment.” Following these few inspirational words, KuSakura wishes to play a little role in its customers' success story. This is why this month, we are offering a 15% discount on all our belts. Most certainly, the perfect occasion to show to your counterparts how fruitful these long training sessions at the dojo have been. Note that this discount will be running until June 28th, just before our charity event.

May Report

May saw a new product line released on KuSakura Shop. Karate practitioners that are in the limelight now with the recent release of our exceptional Karategi line. KuSakura is well known to be one of the martial equipment brands with the best quality available, especially when talking about Judo. Nonetheless, with 75 years of experience in making high-quality Karategi, KuSakura naturally had the time to develop a strong expertise in this splendid martial art, which shares a common history and common values with Judo. Our Karate line consists of two made in China models, thoroughly made according to KuSakura quality standards, along with two made in Japan models. Our four Karategi have been designed and optimized in order to offer to our customers some polyvalence in their practice, emphasizing durability and comfort. Whether you are looking for a lightweight Gi as we move toward summer, a brand-new uniform to enhance your Kata performance, or a model specifically adapted to Ninjutsu or Kobudo, you will most certainly find what you need in our KuSakura Karate line.

Lastly, even though we had 6 days off at the beginning of May, KuSakura surely starts the new era under good omens. Although June is set to be productive on our end, it will most certainly be a little bit calmer due to all summer preparations.

Keep updated on KuSakura actuality!

Enjoy the discount, have fun on the mats and see you in our shops!

May Special Discount

10% Off our 10 Bestsellers All Categories!! (until May 30th, 10 AM JPT)

10% Off our 10 Bestsellers All Categories

While the last petals of Sakura are flying away and as we slowly enter the new era in Japan, May is set to be a rather difficult month for our workshops in Osaka.

It is impossible to miss this news, but as we were relaying last month Emperor Akihito’s abdication and the enthronement of his eldest son the prince Naruhito have officially ended the ‘Heisei’ era (1989 - 2019) and started the new era named 'Reiwa' on April 30th, 2019.

It is an important event in Japan that we, at Kusakura, naturally decided to celebrate with our customers by offering 10% off our bestsellers from all our collections. Whether it is for an upcoming competition or because you would actually need some new equipment for the incoming summer, it is the dreamed occasion to upgrade yourself with the best models made in Kusakura such as the JOA, the JOEX Judogi, the JGK black belts and more. Note that this discount will end on May 30th, just before our charity event.

April Report

Last month was also a good occasion for Seido to complete its ‘Budo Studies’ program on The Life and Legacy of Donn F. Draeger with a fascinating first lecture from Hunter ‘Chip’ Armstrong. A key figure in Judo in the United States, but also in Japan, Donn F. Draeger reached his 4th dan at 26 and dedicated a huge part of his life to the development of Judo, becoming the leader of what would later become The United States Judo Federation. After having represented the States several times during International Championships such as the All-Japan Judo Championship, he dedicated himself to his writing and research about martial arts. Donn F. Draeger inspired generations of Judo practitioners, raising their curiosity about their art but also about traditional Japanese values.
Seido throwback to his legacy with the lecture of four renowned names in martial art including two Judoka, Mr. Liam Keeley and Mr. Phil Relnick. This first lecture is a must-see for all passionate Judo and martial arts practitioners.
Our discount on all Kendo products has been a good occasion to show our know-how in other martial arts than Judo. These products have been well received by our customers claiming the usual Made in Kusakura proof of quality. This encourages us in our future plans to keep opening our collections to other martial arts.

Finally, due to the enthronement of Prince Naruhito, the month will begin with an exceptional 10 days off from April 27th to May 6th. Although our workshops and transporters will take some rest during this period, our team will keep answering your most urgent questions at a slower pace. Moreover, you will still be able to order on our website, but we would recommend waiting for the end of those long holidays if you are definitely not in a hurry.

A lot of things will happen in the coming months, so keep yourself informed with Kusakura!

Enjoy the discount, have fun on the mats and see you in our shops!

Golden Week 2019

With the abdication of the emperor, Japan will benefit from 10 days consecutive national holidays from April 27th to Monday 6th. Our website stays operational and accepts orders, but no shipping will occur during this period. Emails will be answered at a much slower pace.

Golden Week 2019 - 10 consecutive days of holidays

In an unprecedented move, Emperor Akihito of Japan has decided to abdicate and leave the succession to his elder son Prince Naruhito. The date is set for April 30th 2019, which makes it de facto a National holiday.

In Japan, April 29th (Showa Day), May 3rd (Constitution Memorial), May 4th (Greenery day) and May 5th (Children's day) are already national holidays, and the Japanese law states that when a National holidays is a Sunday it is put back to the next Monday and that a working day becomes a holiday when sandwiched between two national holidays.
Therefore, for the first time in its history, Japan will benefit from 10 days of uninterrupted holidays from April 27th to May 6th.

All suppliers, carriers and partners will be closed during the complete holidays, except for the Japan Post that will maintain limited service.
In order to avoid hundreds of orders piling up for Tuesday 7th, we will be working on May 1st, although we will only be able to ship a minimum number of orders and only with Japan Post.
Normal operation will resume on Tuesday 7th. However, we have set our system to indicate the first shipments on Wednesday 8th. We can only guarantee that all orders that are supposed to ship within 36h (products in stock only) will be shipped on Wednesday 8th at the latest.

Please also note that orders containing products which are order-made or out of stock might suffer a delay of about 2 weeks if their production/preparation time includes the Golden Week. This delay is taken into account by our system and the date indicated at checkout stays accurate.

As usual, our team is taking work home and will continue to answers emails at a slower pace and our website will stay fully operational.

Given this unusually long holiday, if you are not in a hurry regarding your order or inquiry, we recommend waiting after the holidays. This will allow us to take the time to answer your questions with more attention.

More information about the 2019 Japanese Imperial Transition on Wikipedia.

April Special Discount

15% OFF All Kendo Equipment! (until April 25th, 10 AM JPT)

15% OFF All Kendo Equipment!

The beginning of April is the beginning of the Sakura season, during which most Japanese will take some slow time to enjoy Hanami (watching the cherry blossom), a beautiful season in Japan. With a good weather, it is the perfect time of year for practice.
April is also the beginning of the school year in Japan. Young Japanese are enjoying their last days off as they prepare to get back to school for early April. After 2 to 3 weeks off, many dojos are starting their regular training again, including the Narishoken Kendo Club near our office where 4 of our staff members practice.
With this in mind, we thought that it was time to do a discount on our Kendo/Iaido Dogi and Hakama, 15%. This discount should also please our fellow Kobudo practitioners who wear Kendo and Iaido gears for practice.
This current discount ends on April 25th, 10 am JPT.

In March, we've added our latest product release, the JOV (white) and JNV (blue) Judogi as well as the JOVB black belt. Those 3 products are the very best of the IJF approved Judo product line-up.
After years of experience with cotton/polyester fabrics that can meet the new standards of the IJF, the KuSakura R&D department came out with an even more resistant and even slightly heavier fabric, heavier than the famous masterpiece JOF. It allowed for the development of those two new models. As required by the IJF, it weighs is slightly over 750 g/m², while maintaining a tensile strength greater than 2200 Newtons.
It is called Taisho, which is also the name of the main competitor of a team in a Judo tournament. The greatest hope of the team, the one who holds the keys to victory in his hands. Because this Judogi is designed for international competitions, it can be used in all competitions at any level. Note that the polyester fiber allows quick drying and compact folding, which is also particularly useful for practitioners traveling a lot.

Enjoy the discounts, and see you soon on KuSakuraShop.com!

March Special Discount

10% Off All Kata Equipment: Kata Judogi, Kata Obi & Weapons! (until March 29th, 10 AM JPT)

10% Off All Kata Equipment: Kata Judogi, Kata Obi & Weapons!

February has been unusually warm in Japan and Ume (Japanese apricot) flowers are already blooming in Tokyo. If the Sakura (cherry blossom) now has the favors of the Japanese, Ume flowers were particularly appreciated at the time of the samurai.
For our March discount, we've decided to offer a 10% discount on all Kata equipment, the JKK Kata Judogi, the Kata Special Obi (Belt) and all Kata weapons.
As usual now, in-between our February discount and the March discount, we've run our monthly charity event. Two days during which there is no discount on the website but a 10% donation to charities instead.
As stated on our charity program information page, if you do not wish to participate in those events, we invite you to wait until it ends.

This current discount ends on March 29th, 10 am JPT.

February report

KuSakuraShop was present at the Paris Grand Slam with a presentation booth. We were especially proud to see that the Kodokan booth also presented KuSakura Judo products as their official equipment, and very happy to meet so many Judoka from all over the world. We're looking forward to meeting you again soon in future events.
The best Judogi ever created, the mysterious "Dojin Master", wich used to be made only on "special requests" for years is now available in our public catalog for all the Judoka of the world!

Our office is currently undergoing renovations! We're building a brand new office space for 4 persons and it is heavy work, so we will have to work on a lighter shift for about two weeks. No worries though, we're giving top priority to your orders so there will be no delay and no impact of any kind on your orders' flow.

Enjoy the discounts, and see you soon on KuSakuraShop.com!

February Special Discount

10% OFF ALL Made in Japan Judogi! (Until February 27th, 10am JPT)

10% Off All Made in Japan Judogi

We're now in February, the coldest month in Japan. Dojos are freezing but trainings are carried on as usual and we're wearing our heaviest and warmest training gear. If you need a new Dogi, it's time to take advantage of the 10% off discount on all made in Japan Judogi!
This current discount ends on February 27th, 10 am JPT.

In the Judo community, February means... Paris Grand Slam!
It's simply the biggest International Judo tournament of the year. Of course, KuSakura will be there with a presentation booth. If're in Paris on the 9th and 10th and want to discover our products, that's the place to be!

We're looking forward to the event and we wish the best to all participants!

Enjoy the discounts, and see you soon on KuSakuraShop.com!

New Year Special Discount

15% OFF ALL Accessories! (Until January 30th, 10am JPT)

15% Off All Accessories

First of all, we would like to wish you all a very happy New Year and every success for the year to come!

As always, the New Year is the occasion to look back on how the past year turned out, then to turn the page and look forward to give the best of yourself on the mats. Don't let the rigors of winter get to you, don't forget to warm up thoroughly and use the cold to put a lot of energy in your training!

To help you achieving that and to celebrate the New Year 2019, we want to offer you 15% off all our accessories and bags. It's the best moment to gear up and get the supporters, protections and underwear you need for the rest of the season!

This discount ends on January 30th, 10 am JPT.

Enjoy the discounts, and see you soon on KuSakuraShop.com!

Christmas Gifts for everyone !

Until December 26th, presents with all orders, sticker, key holder, towel, tenugui, and even books! Read more...

For Christmas, in addition to our monthly Discounts, we offer presents with ALL orders!

We're happy to offer presents with all orders placed between December 3rd and December 26th (10 am, JPT).
Depending on your cart content, you will be given the choice of the presents you'd like to have shipped with your order.
It will be added to your order for free, and will ship with your order.
So, here comes the detailed offer.

All orders:
1 x KuSakura Official Sticker
Orders over $100:
+ 1 x Judo Strap (value $6)
OR
+ 1 x Kendo Strap (value $6)
Orders over $200:
+ 1 x Judo Hand Towel (value $8)
OR
+ 1 x Kendo Hand Towel (value $8)
OR
+ 1 x Zanshin Hand Towel (value $8)
Orders over $300:
+ 1 x Judogi & Obi Key Holder (value $8)
OR
+ 1 x Kendo Key Holder (value $8)
Orders over $400:
+ 1 x Kendo: Culture of the Sword Book by Alexander C. Bennet (Hardcover book, English) (value $32)
OR
+ 1 x The Complete Musashi: The Book of Five Rings and Other Works by Alexander C. Bennet (Hardcover book, English) (value $35)

All those presents are available in limited quantities. We may replace/change this offer without prior notice.

Why all those books?
Kendo: Culture of the Sword is one the best martial art studies book published in the past few years.
As the cover says, it's not only about Kendo, but it's about the entire sword culture in Japan and, therefore, related to all martial arts derived from the arts of the sword.
Bushido and the Art of Living is an excellent study of concept of Bushido, from the birth of the concpet to our days, and it is relevant to all Budo practitionners.
The Complete Musashi is the definitive work on Musashi's life and legends. Inspired by the work of Uozumi Takashi, the Japanese number one specialist of Musashi, this book should shades lights on Musashi from an academic perspective, away from, myths, legends, and romantization.

Alexander Bennet is one of the very very few academics conducting serious research on Budo Studies in Japan. His work is an absolute reference to all practitionners and researchers.

We wish you all a wonderful Christmas and/or Hanukkah.