December 27, 2011
The mats were delivered to the dojo and we unloaded the two pallets. The mats were packaged quite well. Pairs of mats were sealed in large plastic bags. Each mat is 3' x 6' and 2 inches thick.

December 1, 2011
Our order has been packaged for shipment and will leave Japan on December 4th. After a 10 day voyage it will arrive in Los Angeles on December 14th. It will take several days for the mats to be removed from the shipping container, moved to a warehouse and reviewed by customs authorities. The mats will then be delivered to the dojo via a trucking company.

November 1, 2011
We have confirmed our order and are wiring funds to the manufacturer in Japan this week. They guarantee shipment within 30 days. If we add the average ocean transit time from Japan to Los Angeles we can expect deliver of our new tatami mats in the latter part of December.

July 1, 2010
We have just concluded our first month of classes in the new dojo. The feedback from everyone has been very positive. It is quite a luxury not to have to set up and take down the mats for every class!

The folding mats we are using are light, portable and serviceable. They were perfect for our previous situation at the Mission Viejo Dance and Performing Arts Center. They are not, however, the ideal surface for Ki and Aikido training.

The traditional training surface is tatami mats. This is what is used at Ki Society headquarters in Japan and at all permanent dojos in our federation. In our federation we generally import mats directly from the manufacturer in Japan. We import the exact same mats used at Ki Society headquarters in Japan.

These are tatami of the highest quality. The tatami in Japan and at our federation headquarters have lasted more than 20 years and still seem as good as new. We consider this a long term investment and a first step towards our long term goal of having our own dedicated, Ki Society-owned facility.

Like anything else, you get what you pay for with tatami mats. Tatami mats are 3 feet by 6 feet and cost between $250.00 and $300.00 each when shipping, insurance, customs fees and yen/dollar conversions are included.

Our current training area can accommodate 33 tatami, but we are planning to purchase 40 tatami. Looking to the future, this is considered the idea number of tatami for a small dojo.

If you do the math, the tatami will cost between $10,000.00 and $12,000.00. Over the last 7 years we have built a reserve fund for this purchase. The amount accumulated is almost $8,000.00.

We would like to ask our members and supporters in the community to help us make up the difference. We have already received more than $1,000.00 in donations.

We are a 501(3)c non-profit corporation, so all donations are fully tax deductible. Please help us create a world class training surface for our training!

Thank you for your continued support.

Donation Details

Donations can be made at the dojo or via U.S. Mail. We respond to all donations with a letter of receipt that can be used for tax deduction purposes.

Orange County Ki Society
93 South La Senda
Laguna Beach, CA 92651