We are holding prices until the end of the year and advise all our customers that the "Shop" page will be updated in late December.
This will be restricted to material cost increases that we are unable to absorb.
Any order received before the end of December will be billed at our current 2024 rates.
A nafudakake presentation for the Chief Instructor of IJKA UK in oak and our standard black frame.
A 36mm x 36mm Certificate stamp - Happy Stamping
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A nafudakake to celebrate a recent 7th Dan grading, in European oak wrapped with our standard black framing.
The most common hanko we provide is a 12mm round personal stamp, which usually has a Christian name for Westerners or a Surname, more commonly used in the East.
However we are also asked regularly to make a hanko which incorporates both Christian and Surname and due to the number of kana we normally recommend an oval format at 16 x 11mm sizing.
This size equally fits well in grading books where the examiner places his stamp and the oval shape is also quite traditional.
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We recently worked with Nishinihon Karate Association to upgrade their "Option C" template to "Option C+".
On "C+" the Dan rank kanji and corresponding English text is embedded into the template. It is never quite as simple as that, because all kanji are a different size all the rest of the kanji in the column also move so the tops of each column align across the template.
We also changed some spacing and the logo at the base of the certificate to the groups requirements.
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| C+ Shodan Certificate |
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| C+ Nidan Certificate |
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| C+ Sandan Certiicate |
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| C+ Yondan Certificate |
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| The Certificate explained |
"Option A" the fully individual certificate with the recipient's name in katakana and date in the imperial calendar format in kanji remains by far the most popular option.
The current costings for the certificates are on the website in the shop section, but this option "C+" starts at £95 and £8 for each grade template that is added.
If you would like to explore certificate options for your group just drop us a mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com
Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.
We worked with Soncho Karate Club to produce a club and examiners stamps.
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As a micro business working in a very niche market our client base is especially important to us and continuing to build relationships with groups is key.
We have worked with HKA over a number of years and produce their dan grade certificates for them.
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| HKA's current dan certificate |
We offer a standard template for groups that don't have anything particular in mind, which is based on a classic Japanese JKA style. Typically a standard international dan certificate will be in A3 portrait with an English translation at the base. It is common for Senior dan certificates to be A3 landscape with no English.
We may have mentioned before, "Custom is what we do best" and we are very proud that we are equally happy to drive the design process and finalise in a few days, or work with a very informed and experience group that may start with an "inception brief" and go through a number of reviews before they get the end result they are looking for.
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| HKA's Completed Certificate for Godan and above |
We don't normally get involved in arranging printing, but HKA's CI had asked if we could support for this occasion.
We produced a certificate for the group in both a specialist parchment paper and in a 300gsm white glossy card so they could select which they preferred and sign ready for the presentation. HKA went with the parchment (which would have been my choice also), so the group has a A3 Portrait certificate, which is produced on white glossy card for Shodan to Yondan and a A3 Landscape certificate that is on parchment for Godan and above.
I know I am biased, but i think it is important to recognise the difference between a senior dan grade which usually comes for 20+ years dedication of study.
We were particular pleased to be involved in this project as the recipient was key in developing our relationship with the HKA.
Congratulations Colin, Oss!
Our client wanted to reproduce some existing hanko that had basically worn out, but very much wanted to retain the look of the old hanko, could we help?
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| Clients hanko image |
Well it is not something we have really done before. We would normally obtain from the client the original text, order the correct kanji in seal font from Japan, import into our graphics package and work up a design from there.
Unknown to our client our first step is to look at the "Inkan" the impression the hanko makes, these were supplied just as photos. Who is asking us to make the hanko and do they have the necessary authority to order the hanko. Well when it transpired that our prospective client was a UK Chief Instructor and the hanko were based around his group this validation was passed without any communication being entered into.
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| Clients chop image |
Our client sent one photo of a "chop" this is the name given commonly to a hanko that may be used by an artist and is usually based often on a seal script font that has then been stylised. However there was text that was also visible in the photo and the border needed tidying up. The second was of a more standard layout, but had a heavily worn border that was almost non-existent.
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| Completed chop graphic |
The photo was converted to a vector image, this broke it down into over six hundred components. Then every component either needed deleting, or its border and colour changing. After that elements of the border were copied and rotated and stitched back together. In all approx. ninety minutes of editing to get from the photo to the final design.
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| Completed hanko graphic |
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| Completed Self inking stamps |
The designs were approved by the client and the self inking stamps went into production. We were not sure what detail would be retained and what would be lost. When we did the final test of the hanko we were very pleased with the results.
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Hanko - From customers jpeg, to graphics for approval, to selection and production. Our seal script are very much a "loss leader" as they do take a lot of time to design, but we very much enjoy doing them. This 24mm x 24mm stamp works out at £61.50 inc P&P to the UK, any enquiries please mail sotosabisu@btinternet.comA personal and club hanko for all your stamping needs.
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| Client supplied graphic |
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| Graphic work up |
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| Graphic of hanko with tensho style font |
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| Completed hanko |
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A personal and club hanko for all your stamping needs.
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.
A nafudakake to celebrate a recent grading, in American Cherry wrapped with our standard black framing.
堅固な = Kengona which means solid / firm /steadfast. The first kanji on its own can also be used to represent the same meaning. The graphic was provided by the client and converted to a vector image for the hanko.
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