News

No Black Friday!
We say no to mass consumerism by suspending orders until Monday, December 2nd, 5 p.m. JST. (You can browse the website, but you will not be able to checkout).

No Black Friday - Seido is closed - We say no to mass consumerism

No orders until Monday, December 2nd, 5 p.m. JST

Dear Budoka,

Ever since Seido was founded, one of our main principles was to go against over-mercantilism and to promote a certain work ethic. But Black Friday being the absolute opposite of everything we believe in, we decided to go against the grain one more time.

In the past, you may have seen us try to turn this event into something more meaningful. We did our best to give back to the Planet, with programs such as "Green Friday" in 2020 and 2022 but also to people like in 2021 with the "Black Friday & Cyber Monday DOUBLE FAIR!". But even by doing so, and giving to various charities such as Amnesty International, Doctors without Borders, Unicef, moreTrees, and 'Friends of the Earth Japan', we still felt like we could try to do things differently.

Helping others as much as possible is part of our philosophy both as human beings and as Budoka. All these charities are important for us, and over time it became the standard for us to support them regularly.

Nowadays, mass consumerism has become part of our daily life and many have grown numb to it. We are using more and more resources, only to please our consumerist lifestyle while turning a blind eye on the reality of our environment. The Planet’s resources are drying up faster than ever, work conditions are deteriorating and the Climate crisis couldn't be more palpable.

Here at Seido, we choose to fight for what we believe is right rather than working for profits.

That’s why, this year again, to stay true to our ethics, we chose to fully close Seido during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday Event.

So from Friday, November 29th, 10 a.m. JST until Monday, December 2nd, 5 p.m. JST, it won't be possible to order anything on the website.

This is the most honest way for us to be true to ourselves and our values.

We are aware that this decision might be more symbolic than anything, but this is what we believe in and we hope to make a difference.

We are not asking anything from you, only to wait until Monday, December 2nd to make a purchase. We also believe that this is a great occasion to take the time and reflect on whether or not you actually need what you are considering purchasing during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday events. This, of course, also applies to your next purchase with us, do you really need it? If not, then we'll be the last to encourage you to make a purchase you don't need.

This is now the second year in a row that we have decided to close Seido as a further step in our philosophy. We know that you, Seido customers, and fellow Budoka, share the same values as we do. We know how faithful and generous you are, always exceeding our expectations, and that’s why we know that together we can do better.

We will never thank you enough for supporting us and believing in us. It is thanks to you all and your consistent support that we can allow ourselves to close for four days and forego the profits and advertisement from Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Once again, we thank you for your continuous support and for being part of this project. Let's make a better world together.
O'Bon 2024
Most of Seido's Craftsmen and workshops will take a few days off from August 12th to August 16th, so all custom-made orders will be delayed accordingly.

O'Bon 2024

The O'Bon festival in Japan is a yearly celebration that occurs during the summer. It combines Japanese tradition and Buddhist beliefs to honor ancestral spirits. Over time, O'bon evolved into a family gathering holiday, as the spirits of the deceased are believed to revisit the household altar every year at that time. On this occasion, family members meet to pay tribute to their ancestors by visiting and cleaning their graves. O'bon also features a traditional dance called "Bon Odori" which is a time of merriment and joy.

Like every year, August 11th (Sun) is Mountain Day, a national holiday in Japan (respected on the following business day when it occurs on Sunday, like this time), which marks the beginning of some holidays for many Japanese, our craftsmen included. So, until August 16th (Fri), the majority of workshops will be closed, the production time will be extended and we will not be able to provide quotations for custom-made items.
All custom-made orders placed before and during this period will be delayed by about a week, but fear not, this will be automatically taken into account in the estimation of the shipping dates displayed on all products, as well as in your cart.

See you soon on SeidoShop.com!

picture by Manish Prabhune
Inventory 2024
Shop closed for Inventory from July 29th to July 31st (ordering not possible during this period)

Dear all,

During summer vacation we'll close our shop temporarily to focus on our annual inventory activities (from July 29th to July 31st).

Although we're here and busily working, we cannot take care of your orders for a couple of days.

The shop will be reopened on August 1st and we'll be able to take care of your orders and emails again.

Note that this has no impact on ongoing orders or displayed shipping estimation dates. It's already been taken into account.

Thank you very much for your understanding and see you soon on Seidoshop
May/June Special Discount
10% OFF a product selection (until June 7th, 3 p.m. JST)

May/June Special Discount!

Hello fellow Budoka!
Time flies - another month already passed since our last discount and we can't wait to share our new discount with you! You're probably already planning your summer vacations and marked some seminars in your calendar. Teachers from Hombu Dojo are traveling the world to meet, teach, and practice with you.

So get ready to join your favorite summer seminars! We got the right lightweight Dogi for you - perfect for traveling - and some bags made of traditional Sashiko weave fabric. Wipe off your sweat with the Tenugi and make sure to protect your knees if needed during long hours of practice. Check out all items of our 10% OFF product selection.

This discount will run until June 7th, 3 pm JST.

That's it for this month, enjoy the discounts, and see you soon on SeidoShop.com!
Golden Week 2024
Seido will be closed on April 29th and from May 3rd to May 6th. Our website stays operational and accepts orders, but no shipping will occur during this period.

Golden Week 2024

In Japan, April 29th (Showa Day), May 3rd (Constitution Memorial Day), May 4th (Greenery Day), and May 5th (Children's Day, observed on May 6th this year) are national holidays.

All suppliers, carriers and partners will be closed or will maintain only limited services during the entire week.
In order to avoid hundreds of orders piling up for Tuesday 7th, we will be working on April 30th, May 1st, and May 2nd.

Please also note that orders containing products that 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 website will stay fully operational.

See you soon on SeidoShop.com!

(Picture by Yoshikazu TAKADA)
April Special Discount
10% OFF a product selection (until April 26th, 3 p.m. JST)

April Special Discount!

Hello fellow Budoka!
Here we are already in April, and as you know, it's a time of celebration here in Japan as it marks the beginning of the school year. Students from all over the country start a new chapter in their lives, which coincides with the Cherry Blossom viewing season (Hanami). We had the chance to witness the beautiful spectacle of the cherry blossom until the rain showed up in Tokyo uninvited.

It is now time to go back to the Dojo, and with warmer days coming ahead, we decided to offer 10% OFF a product selection.

We selected for you some Samue, belts, bags, Tanto, key holders, Kogatana, as well as some calligraphies from Master Koreain Saiun for your home or the Kamiza of your Dojo.

This discount will run until April 26th, 3 pm JST.

That's it for this month, enjoy the discounts, and see you soon on SeidoShop.com!
Renewal Special Discount
10% OFF a product selection (until March 18th, 3 p.m. JST)

Renewal Special Discount!

Hello fellow Budoka!
It's almost March and Tokyo is already experiencing warm days. Spring is just a few weeks away, and with it, the arrival of cherry blossoms. However, good things come to those who wait.
As you know, we recently made some important changes to the website as we unified SeidoShop.FR (French), SeidoShop.com (English), and SeidoShop.JP (Japanese) into one singular platform. Our goal is to enhance your experience by making the ordering process easier. You can read more details about this in our dedicated blog post.

In order to make this unification as smooth as possible, we had to close the store for several weeks so we would like to thank you all for your patience and presence upon reopening. We hope you have a seamless experience on SeidoShop. That being said, and despite our numerous checks, mistakes can happen. If you notice anything unusual while browsing our website, please don't hesitate to send us a message, and rest assured that we'll look into this carefully.

It is now time to resume our discounts and to celebrate the renewal of the website, we're offering 10% OFF a product selection. We carefully selected for you Dogi, Belts, Samue, and more. We hope you will find something to your liking.

This discount will run until March 18th, 3 pm JST.

That's it for this month, enjoy the discounts, and see you soon on SeidoShop.com!
Company wide update and temporary store closure
Orders and support operation will be suspended from January 22nd to February 8th, during our first company wide system update since the release of SeidoShop 3.0 in 2016. The website stays accessible but you will not be able to checkout. Only emails concerning ongoing orders will be answered, all other inquiries will be put on hold until we reopen.
Dear fellow Budoka, dear Friends,

I trust this missive finds you in good spirits.

Today, I am reaching out to share significant developments within SeidoShop that necessitate a temporary closure of our store for approximately three weeks.

Foremost among these updates is the pivotal information that we shall be closed from January 22nd (Mon) to February 8th (Thu). The rationale behind this hiatus is nuanced but can be succinctly summarized: we find it imperative to streamline our operational procedures and rectify assorted production challenges.

Throughout this hiatus, our primary focus will be on ameliorating production delays, affording us the opportunity to restart operations from a position of organizational clarity, better equipped to cater to your diverse needs.

Comprehensive measures will be undertaken, encompassing the thorough cleansing of our office space, servicing of our machinery, purification of our computer systems, and the installation of new equipment as deemed necessary.

Perhaps of greater consequence, during this interval, we aim to unify SeidoShop.FR (French), SeidoShop.com (English), and SeidoShop.JP (Japan) into one singular platform. This strategic amalgamation, while presenting both advantages and drawbacks, ultimately aims to enhance your experience with us by facilitating the following:
- Facilitating orders in your native currency, with support for nearly all global currencies.
- Providing the freedom to order in your preferred language and receive delivery in your chosen country without constraints. This marks a departure from the current limitations on our Japanese website, which restricts deliveries to Japan, and our French site, which caters exclusively to French-speaking countries. Our ambition is to grant you greater autonomy, enabling Japanese customers residing abroad to order in Japanese, and vice versa.
- Empowering you with control over customs declarations, allowing you to declare the desired amount and providing a reasonably accurate estimate of taxes based on your declared value.
- Ensuring our technical infrastructure remains at the forefront of progress, poised for future enhancements. We envision a day when we can seamlessly offer all-inclusive pricing, and when that day arrives, we shall be prepared.
Conversely, as astute observers may have noted, we are undergoing a significant reduction in our product offerings, particularly in the realm of wooden weapons.

The rationale behind this move, as expounded in our blog, is rooted in business sustainability concerns. The once optimistic expectations for improved production efficiency and reduced lead times over the past four years have proven unfounded. It is now evident that these issues persist and show no sign of abating. Consequently, we find it imperative to refine our product selection to those we can manufacture under optimal conditions, ensuring both our well-being and that of our dedicated craftsmen.

This transitional phase aligns with our annual inventory and the conclusion of our fiscal year, and the decision to close for an extensive three-week period reflects our commitment to executing these changes judiciously.
It is incumbent upon us to emphasize that Seido is not merely a profit-driven entity. Our foremost motivation is the well-being of our community, encompassing you, our valued partners, and ourselves. Our objective is to return, not merely operational, but revitalized and rejuvenated, armed with a seamlessly functioning website, minimal backorders, and a renewed commitment to fostering happiness within the Seido community.

To our French and Japanese speaking customers:

Regrettably, this transition will result in the loss of access to your customer history. While we shall endeavor to restore as many accounts as possible, regrettably, we cannot guarantee universal access at this juncture. Furthermore, even for restored accounts, certain functionalities, such as invoice printing and automatic reordering, will be unavailable.
We extend our sincere apologies for this inconvenience, primarily stemming from our commitment to adhere to certain accounting and privacy standards that prohibit the retrieval of specific data. This decision, while challenging, upholds our integrity both from a financial and privacy standpoint. We firmly believe it is a choice in your best interest, and we stand by it. Additionally, rest assured that we retain the internal capability to access your history should the need arise. (Please note that accounts created on SeidoShop.COM will remain unaffected.)

In conclusion, we regret to inform you that while website access for consultation will be retained, the ability to make purchases will be temporarily suspended. We comprehend the inconveniences this may pose, and it is our earnest intent to keep serving you and improving our services for as long as humanly possible.
Anticipate our return in February, rejuvenated and reinvigorated, poised to reignite numerous projects for the betterment of our community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support, and we wish you all the best on the mats.

Seido Co., Ltd. Founder
Jordy Delage
Holidays special offer
Presents for all orders (until January 5th, 3 p.m. JST)

We offer PRESENTS with ALL orders!

Hello fellow Budoka!

First, we would like to thank all the customers who sent us messages of support during our "Black Friday is cancelled" event when we decided to close the shop for all the duration of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday events. We received numerous kind words from all over the world from fellow practitioners who share the same point of view. Once again, it gives us hope to create a better world together.

The month of December is already well underway. As you may imagine, this period is very busy for us as we have many orders to process and to ship before the holidays.

But we wanted to do something special to celebrate the end of the year, and as we have remains in our stock, starting now until January 5th (3 p.m., JPT), we will offer exclusive goodies on all orders (while stocks last)!
No matter the amount of your order, we will randomly add a different present to your parcel before shipping.
It may be Tenugui, a special Seido's towel, Wappen, or another secret present!

Please note that this gift campaign will end on January 5th, at 3 p.m, Japan Time, so be sure not to miss it!

We wish you all wonderful holidays.
Black Friday is cancelled!
We say no to mass consumerism by suspending orders until Monday 27th, 5 p.m. JST. (You can browse the website, but you will not be able to checkout).

Black Friday is cancelled - Seido is closed - We say no to mass consumerism

No orders until Monday, November 27th, 5 p.m. JST

Dear Budoka,

As you know, Seido has for many years been against over-mercantilism in general, and against its paroxysmal form, the Black Friday in particular. In the past years, we have done our best to hijack this event by redistributing part of our sales to meaningful charities as we think business should also be about doing the right things.

We wanted to give Black Friday a more Humanitarian face, far from the purely mercantile side where only profits are sought. That's why we created different campaigns such as "Black Friday & Cyber Monday DOUBLE FAIR!", "Green Friday", with both humanitarian and environmental goals. We gave back to various charities such as Amnesty International, Doctors without Borders, Unicef, moreTrees, and 'Friends of the Earth Japan'. All these charities are important for us, as human beings and as budoka wanting to live close to the Budo Ethics depicted in the Philosophy of Budo.

Over time, this became the standard for us, and our support to charities became part of our weekly/monthly activities and therefore lost its meaning as a protest over the Black Friday mass consumerism. It's for the best of course, but we still believe it's our duty as a reasonable social entity to make a point against this event.

Today, mass consumerism has never been higher! No matter our efforts, we are consuming more and more, we draw on the earth's resources but they will soon dry up and the Climate crisis couldn't be more real.
We are now experiencing climatic and social disruptions, we know our ecological deadlines, but nothing helps, we're not on the right path.

That's why, this year, we decided to say it as clearly as humanely possible. We're cancelling all Black Friday and Cyber Monday events. We don't just refuse the ordinary discounts but take it a step further by closing the store for this entire period.
We try to be as socially and ecologically responsible as possible. Therefore, we make it a point to only sell products entirely made in Japan that cannot be purchased locally in your country.
But this time, we want to do even more! We would like to set an example by showing that another path is possible, a path where mass consumption is not a valid option.

So, for the duration of the 'Black Friday & Cyber Monday' event, we're closed.
Until Monday, November 27th, 5 p.m. JST, it won't be possible to order anything on the website, nothing will be bought, nothing will be sold.
We know that it's symbolic, but we hope it'll help make a difference.
You, Seido customers and fellow Budoka, have always been faithful to our events and your generosity has always exceeded our expectations, and we will never thank you enough for that.

This time, we're not asking you anything but to wait until Tuesday if you have a purchase to make. And we are inviting you to take the time to reflect on whether or not, what you will consider purchasing during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday events is something you really need. That also applies to your next purchase with us: is it something you need? If not, then we'll be the last to ecnourage you to make a purchase you don't need.

We would like to thank you for your continuous support and for being part of this project. Let's make a better world together.