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Tuesday, 25 July 2023

KAR Kanban

We recently made a Kanban for Kaze Arashi Ryu to replace a scroll.
The scroll with their kanji would be taken to their different dojo and displayed while training.
They were looking to replace it with something a little more substantial.

KAR Kanban

The KAR kanji read Wind Storm Style, the photo shows the completed kanban prior to dispatch.

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

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Grading Examiner Stamp

We have recently made up a grading stamp for a newly qualified  grading examiner.

Although only a small gift from their club, was does it signify?

Well for the recipient it signifies, twenty years of karate, attainment of Sandan, recognition as a club level instructor by his association, undertaking a written exam and responding with consideration drawing on all of the experience gained in his journey so far.

Small Stamp = Big Achievement.

Personal stamp for grading books

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Sunday, 23 July 2023

Custom Club Stamps

Although we make mainly traditional Hanko we can also work with you to make any custom club stamp to suit your needs.



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Celebrating forty-five years of karate

We were commissioned to make a nafudakake presentation piece to celebrate the recipients forty-five year milestone in their karate journey to date. 

There is always so much to capture and after a bit of drafting we submitted a proposal graphic to our client. 


We wanted to use a special hardwood and suggested that we use a quarter-sawn oak. 
This was the last four nafuda of this material that we had and we were hanging onto them for about five years waiting for an appropriate project. 

We understand that the presentation was made a short while ago and we were humbled to receive a communication of thanks from Derek Sensei. 

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

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Friday, 17 February 2023

Custom Shotokan Tiger Plaque

We were recently asked if we could produce a presentation piece / lifetime achievement award for a senior kareteka.
We worked closely with our client and talked through options etc, which resulted in selecting a Shotokan Tiger Plaque that unified Geoff Sensei's karate tenure that extended beyond a single club or group.

Customised Shotokan Tiger Plaque

The 475 x 315mm plaque was selected and a decision to use both kanji and English text translation. 
A maple veneered board in our standard black framing was used.

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


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Sunday, 12 February 2023

Wing Chun Jo Fen - The Ancestral Rules of Wing Chun - Ip man's Rules

We are excited to announce a new product in our range - Wing Chun Jo Fen

Medium Wing Chun Jo Fen - 475 x 315mm - Maple - Brush font

The back story to the Wing Chun Jo Fen.

As a young boy, Grandmaster Ip Man studied the art of Ving Tsun (Wing Chun) kung fu and as he studied, he learned the rules of the art from his teacher. It is not certain if they were actually written down for him to see or if he just learned them as he learned Ving Tsun.

It does not matter. What does matter is that Grandmaster Ip Man did leave us a written record of these rules, to be remembered and held on to, for all generations to come. These rules were engraved into stone and placed in the school for all the students to see. 

Ving (詠) Tsun (春) Jo (祖) Fen (訓) The rules start with this title: Ving Tsun Jo Fen. The characters “Ving Tsun” refer to the Chinese martial art by the same name. The other two characters in the title, “Jo Fen” are translated as “instruction of our ancestors”, “Jo” meaning ancestors and “Fen” meaning rules, instruction, principles, or patterns. 

Yat 一 Sau 守 Gei 紀 Leut 律 Song 崇 Serung 尚 Moh 武 Duk 德 
Sau (to guard) Gei (discipline) Leut (law) Song-Seurng (worshiping) Moh (martial) Duk (morality). Discipline yourself to the rules (law), and keep sacred the martial morality. 

Yee 二 Ming 明 Lie 禮 Yee 義 Oi 愛 Gwok 國 Juen 尊 Tsen 親 
Ming (understand), Lie (propriety), Yee (righteousness), Oi (to love), Gwok (country or nation), Juen (to honor), Tsen (closely related people). Understand propriety and righteousness, love your country and respect your parents. 

Sohm 三 Oi 愛 Tong 同 Moon 門 Tune 團 Guit 結 Lok 樂 Kuan 群
Oi (love), Tong (together), Moon (door), Tune (group), Guit (knot), Lok (happy), Kuan (group). 
Love your classmates; enjoy working together as a group. 

Say 四 Jie 節 Sik 色 Yuk 慾 Bo 保 Sao 守 Jing 精 Sun 神 
Jie (control), Sik (apperance), Yuk (desire), Bo (to protect), Sao (to guard), Jing (perfect), Sun (spirit). Control your desire and stay healthy. 

Ng 五 Kun 勤 Lin 練 Tsap 習 Gai 技 But 不 Lay 離 Sun 身 
Kun (work hard), Lin (practice), Tsap (practice or study), Gai (skill, but a negative prefix as in no or not or making something a negative), Lay (to go away from), Sun (body). 
Work hard and keep practicing, so that the skills never leave your body. 

Lok 六 Hok 學 Yang 養 Hay 氣 Gai 戒 Lam 濫 Dou 鬥 Tsung 爭 
Hok (learn), Yang (nourish), Hay (vital energy), Gai (swear off), Lam (over use), Dou (incite), Tsung (fight). 
Learn how to keep the energy and quit inciting a fighting attitude. 

Chat 七 Seong 常, Chu 處, Tsai 世, Tai 態, Doe 度, Wan 溫, Man 文
Seong (always), Chu (to deal with), Tsai (life, or the world), Tai (attitude), Doe (degree), Wan (warm), Man (culture). 
Always deal with problems using a kind attitude that is calm and gentle. 

Bot 八 Fu 扶 Yuk 弱 Siu 小 Yeung 讓 Mo 武 Fu 輔 Yan 仁 
Fu (to help), Yuk (weak or feeble), Siu (small), Yeung (to allow), Mo (martial), Fu (to assist or to help), Yan (humane or to love - it is the Yan from the big love, Dai Yan). 
Help the elderly and the children and use the martial mind to achieve Yan. 

Kow 九 Gai 繼 Sin 先 Souie 緒 Gun 謹 Chi 持 Jo 祖 Fen 訓
Gai (to follow), Sin (before), Souie (Ancestor), Gun (serious or careful), Chi (to hold), Jo (also means Ancestor), Fen (rules). 
Follow the rules laid out above, and follow the ancestors rules sincerely.

The Product.

The plaques will be available in our 3 standard sizes + a custom option.
A choice of two hardwood Maple or Oak.
A choice of two font styles, Brush or Block style

The Plaques will be available in some of our standard sizes and also available, custom sized to your requirements.

Large Wing Chun Jo Fen - 875 x 693mm - Maple - Brush font

Large Wing Chun Jo Fen - 875 x 693mm - Oak - Block font

You will be able to select from oak or maple boards and block or script fonts.

You will also be able to add text to either side of the tiger, we can translate club and association names as "added value"

If you are interested in commissioning an ancestral rules plaque just drop us an E Mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com with details of what size you require and text and we can develop a draft graphic for your approval.

Wing Chun Jo Fen 


Size Cost
Medium - 475 x 315 mm £199.00
Large - 786 x 636 mm £289.00
Extra Large - 1380 x 920 mm £449.00
Custom - TBC mm £TBC
Available in "Brush or Block" font
Oak or Maple board with Black kake (frame)
Add your logo £20.00
Add custom text £20.00
Free Postage to UK Non-premium Post Codes
for Medium Only - Large and Specials £TBC
Europe / Worldwide Postage
 Medium/£35 - Large & Specials / £TBC
Payments by BACS or Pay Pal at 5% Premium

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


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Kanban for Kempo Karate Association

We recently made a internal dojo name board for Kempo Karate Association.

Kanban - Dojo Name Board

Their logo is the the kanji for Kempo and their full name in English text.

The KKA logo
So we just added the kanji for Karate Association to complete the commission.

Kanji for Karate Association

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Saturday, 21 January 2023

Kyu and Dan Certificates for Kempo Karate Association

We recently worked with Braintree Shotokan Karate Club to produce Dan grade certificates. It was great working with the Kempo Karate Association on their new Kyu and Dan certificates. 

They were after something a little different so went for a full custom package. 

We really like how the two certificates complement each other. 

A4 Custom Kyu Certificate

Kempo will complete the details for Kyu level and they will order individual Dan level with serial number, names, dates and grade inserted in katakana and kanji. 

A3 Custom Dan Certificate


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

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Kyu grade hanko

We have made up a couple of sets of Kyu grade stamps for dojo and can adapt to your needs.

Ikkyu, Nikyu and Sankyu stamps 10mm x 10mm. We prepared a few options for our client and they went with the traditional kanji. The standard kana is used for Kyu grade levels 1 to 3. However when we produce Dan Certificates the kana for bank notes are used for additional security. Although the stamps are only 10mm we have managed to maintain a high level of detail in the finished Inkan.

Draft graphic produced for customer


Completed Hanko

Next a set of 1st to 8th Kyu hanko, 14mm x 14mm in a brush style font.
If you are interested in a set of hanko for your dojo (8 or more) we will offer a £50.00 GBP discount. We can make these up in a round or square format, in a block or brush font, in red or black and any size up to 14mm for the same price as an individual hanko / inkan. 

1st to 4th Kyu hanko

5th to 8th Kyu hanko

I am often asked - hanko is the name for the stamp and inkan is the name for the impression made, but they are regularly interchanged.
It is usually obvious from the context of the sentence what is meant . 

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Saturday, 14 January 2023

Hanko for a New Association

A square 24 x 24mm Association hanko and an oval 16 x 11mm personal Hanko. 

The hanko have been made with our standard block style font, we also offer a brush style font and in collaboration with a partner in Japan, we can now offer a seal script font at a small additional cost. 


We also produce round 12mm personal stamps and larger 38 x 38mm square Association stamps for Dan grade certificates etc. Our stamps are self inking and last for many years, additional ink pads are available if they ever run out.


Above is the work up of the design for the hanko from our graphics suite.

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A New Option for A3 Dan Certificates

We recently worked with Braintree Shotokan Karate Club to produce Dan grade certificates. 

BSKC Shodan Certificate

We recreated their logo as a vector image and produced what is now an option "C+" dan grade certificate. 
Option "C" is a template where clubs fill in all the detail of grade and names etc and there is no individual translation of names. 
BSKC Nidan Certificate

BSKC requested if we could add the Dan rank kanji so the club purchases a base template and then orders additional templates for additional dan ranks. 
We like this as an option as there is no additional English text mixed in with the kanji.

BSKC Sandan Certificate

Our most popular certificate remains Option "A" where we translate individual recipient names, but this new "C+" option is a development for those groups that require something less bespoke. 

We will always guide you through the options if you contact us.

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A Nafufudakake presentation to celebrate 50 years

We were recently asked if we would make a nafudakake for Hara Shotokan to celebrate their instructors 50 year anniversary.


The Nafuda are Maple and it is wrapped in our standard black framing stock.



Congratulations Ken Button Sensei.

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Aikido Hanko Design

This short montage follows the steps in designing a tensho (seal script) font hanko for an Aikido group. 


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

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