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As a pleated garment, the hakama requires some care. It is not necessary to wash it after every practice. The loose nature of the garment prevents it from becoming too soiled during practice. After a session, hang it up to air. If necessary, the hakama should be washed by hand or on a gentle machine cycle and allowed to drip dry. Hang the hakama up and permit the legs to fall free. To preserve the crease of the pleats, you can clip them together with clothespins as the garment dries.

Folding the hakama for transport to or from practice or tournaments also requires some care to preserve the crisp lines of the uniform. The diagram shows the process of folding the hakama. You can also use special knots to tie it together, also illustrated on the next page.

Hakama folding

The keikogi is the quilted cotton top worn tucked into the hakama. When one is dressing, the top is donned first, and the hakama is drawn up over it. Keikogi are much like the quilted tops that judoka or aikidoka wear, although they have a pair of ties at about chest height on the right side to keep the keikogi neatly in place during practice. The heavy fabric of the top helps in protecting the torso (and particularly the upper arms) from stray blows during matches.