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Tuesday 30 October 2018

Inkan for Ireland

We recently had a general enquiry from Northern Ireland and were happy to offer some advice, just as "added value".

We were a little surprised (and pleased) when our client first requested a traditional style Inkan that would typically be used by the examiner in grading books.
Followed by a fully custom stamp that is not to a traditional Japanese layout, but incorporates his name in script and translated into katakana below.

Although it takes considerably longer to produce a fully custom stamp rather than stock, we take great pride in working with our clients and try our best to produce something to their requirements.


Pictured above are the completed stamps just before shipping.
Delivery is normally 7 to 10 days from inquiry.

If you have a project in mind just drop us an E Mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com
Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.


Top Tip
If you are accessing this site on your phone you may wish to view the "Web version" and access the menu in the side-bar to navigate. Just scroll down for the link.

Sanjo Nafudakake

Back in the Summer we supported a prize raffle at the HDKI Annual Female Only Competition.

The voucher was won by the instructors of Sanjo Karate Club who put it towards a Nafudakake with their names and the club logo.


Sandra selected oak tiles in an oak frame for the commission.

If you have a project in mind just drop us an E Mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com
Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.


Top Tip
If you are accessing this site on your phone you may wish to view the "Web version" and access the menu in the side-bar to navigate. Just scroll down for the link.

Friday 19 October 2018

Wild Boar Nafudakake

It is always a honour to be asked by a dojo to produce a nafudakake for someone I know and have trained alongside for many years.

Proof sent for approval
 Bradford is the town of the wild boar and Robin is their senior instructor, who has recently been promoted to Yondan.
the completed commission
A heavy style font was selected and the nafuda tiles are made from maple and wrapped in a black kake (frame).
Soto Sabisu would like to offer their congratulations to Robin Sensei.

If you have a project in mind just drop us an E Mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com
Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.


Top Tip
If you are accessing this site on your phone you may wish to view the "Web version" and access the menu in the side-bar to navigate. Just scroll down for the link.

Custom A3 Dan grade certificates - traditional International format

After a few enquiries from clients we are excited to bring a "New" product to our portfolio of services.
A traditional International format A3 Dan grade certificate .

A3 Dan Custom Certificate
Just double click on the image to bring up in your documents viewer.

There are many companies that offer a "template" service for Associations and some that will make one-off certificates, but these are understandably quite expensive.
We have developed with the assistance of existing clients a service which we hope will appeal to traditional karate associations that do not have a Japanese Honbu dojo.

The service is two-fold:-
(1) The development of your own personal A3 dan certificate template. .
This is a bit of a "loss leader" for Soto Sabisu, but it keeps your up-front costs as low as possible.
The purple bits in the template above.
You can use use any of our six standard style formats of Wado Ryu, Shotokan, Shinto Ryu, Goju Ryu or Karate-do (at no additional cost) or choose to fully customise your style/name, logo and hanko to your association (for an additional cost).
You also choose up to two appointments for officials, their positions and names translated and appear vertically in the main text and horizontally at the base of the certificate, all included in the price.

(2) The production of Individual A3 dan grade certificates. 
The Blue bits in the template above.
Including serial number, candidates name translated into katakana, grade and date in kanji.

We have kept our costs as low as possible by producing an "Electronic" Service Only.
The template is held by Soto Sabisu to ensure all future certificates follow the same layout.
Individual certificates are sent to you in a high resolution pdf file format.

All you have to do is get them printed off at your local printers.
So there is no chance of them getting lost or damaged in the post and you have incurred no postage or insurance charges.

The six current standard suites of style, kanji and hanko.
A choice of six standard set-up or make it fully custom
Following feedback from our clients we are now offering dan certificates where clubs can fill in grades, names and dates themselves. 

The dan certificate explained:-
(a) Authentication Stamp - Usually only part is on the certificate and part in the associations record book. The border is not part of the pdf and part of this hanko should be off the printed area (please inform your printer). Hanko size 10 x 28mm You have a few options here:
   (i) Choose from one of our six standard style packs 
   (ii) Custom to your template 3 or 4 kana developed between us. 
   (iii) Leave blank - purchase a discounted red self inking stamp to apply after you receive the certificates from your printer. Standard cost less 25% 
(b) Ordinal number prefix - dai
(c) Serial number - This is in the top right of the certificate in kanji and lower down on the certificate in English. You can advise what ever format you want, perhaps the last two digits of the year followed by 001 upwards, it is up to you.
(d) Ordinal number postfix - go
(e) Style / Association hanko - Hanko Size 38 x 38mm. Again you have a few options here:
   (i) Choose from one of our six standard style packs 
   (ii) Custom to your template up to 16 kanji / kana developed between us.
   (iii) Leave blank - purchase a discounted red self inking stamp to apply after you receive the certificates from your printer. Standard cost less 25% 
(f) Logo - Again you have a few options here:
   (i) Choose from one of our six standard style packs 
   (ii) Custom to your template - Convert your image to a vector by tracing 
   It would need to be a good quality - high resolution image or
   (iii) A fully custom discounted vector image logo - Standard cost less 25% 
(g) Style / Association name in kanji or kana. Options:
   (i) Choose from one of our six standard style packs - free
   (ii) Custom to your template up to 16 kanji / kana developed between us. - if you have picked option (ii) in (e) above we will re-arrange the kana from your hanko in a horizontal format 
(h) Style / Association name in English.
(i) Kanji for Sho - this means proof. The Japanese for certificate is Shomeisho and this is just an abbreviation.
(j) Name of recipient - We will provide a free translation into katakana. We can also use an existing translation from an old certificate or Obi if preferred.
(k) Grade in Formal Number kanji - These are not the same as the kanji used in the serial number but the kanji used on bank notes. These are designed to protect against forgery.
(l) Main text - It translates to superiors' examination result, line up with the (grade) ranks.
(m) Date - The imperial calendar is used because this is an official document. The first two characters are Heisei the current Emperor of Japan. The years of his reign followed by the month and day of this year.
(n) Official 1 Title - In this example Chairman has been used
(o) Official 2 Title - In this example Chief Instructor / Shuseki Shihan has been used. You will need at least one official but it is not necessary to have two.
(p) Name of Official 1 - in katakana
(q) Name of Official 2  In katakana
We will provide a free translation into katakana. We can also use an existing translation from an old certificate or Obi if preferred.
(r) not used
(s) Hanko of Official 1 - Hanko Size 13.5 x 13.5 mm. Again you have a few options here:
   (i) Choose from one of our standard title hanko 
   (ii) Custom to your template up to 9 kana developed between us. 
   (iii) Leave blank - purchase a discounted red self inking stamp to apply after you receive the certificates from your printer. Standard cost less 25% 
(t) Hanko of Official 2 - As (s) above

How to Order an electronic template (kept by Soto Sabisu)
Just drop us an E Mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com with a few details:
Name of Association:
Your Name:
Your Position:
Your requirements for
(a) - hanko                          e.g. as Style pack 1 (Wado ryu) etc
(e) - hanko                          e.g. as Style pack 1 (Wado ryu) etc
(f) - logo                             e.g. as Style pack 1 (Wado ryu) etc     
(g) - Kanji                          e.g. as Style pack 1 (Wado ryu) etc
(h) - Style/Association       e.g. as Style pack 1 (Wado ryu) etc
(n) - Title 1                         e.g Chairman
(o) - Title 2                         e.g. (not required)
(s) - hanko                          e.g. Chairman
(t) - hanko                          e.g. (not applicable)
The certificate template will be developed with you and a proof sent for your approval.

How to Order electronic custom certificates
Again just drop us an E Mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com with the following details:
Date of Examination
List of names and grades attained
Format of registration numbers to be used

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.


Top Tip
If you are accessing this site on your phone you may wish to view the "Web version" and access the menu in the side-bar to navigate. Just scroll down for the link.