Why Your Kendo Chichikawa Matters More Than You Think
If you've ever felt the panic of your mask coming loose mid-sparring, you probably realized just how vital a sturdy chichikawa really is. It's one of those tiny components of kendo equipment that nobody thinks about until it snaps at the worst possible moment. We spend so much time obsessing over the weight of our shinai or the stitching on our bogu, but these little leather loops are the glue holding everything together. Without them, you're basically just wearing a very expensive, very heavy laundry basket on your head. ...