Summer Bogu Care in Hong Kong Humidity
Prevent mould and odour with a post-keiko drying routine suited to HK sports centres.
A sports-centre evening in Hong Kong often ends with the hall lights going off before the bogu is dry. The sequence still fits in the changing room and the ride home.
Wipe men and kote with a dry tenugui. Loosen the himo. Do not zip a damp set for the journey. At home, within two hours, hang the set in airflow, fingers of the kote extended, and keep it off a cold wall. A small fan is enough. Drying is the rule.
Mould looks like dark spots in the men padding or a sweet smell that returns after airing. Stop using that piece, clean it as the maker describes, and ask your sensei before the next keiko. Vinegar spray is a community habit some people use in summer; it is not an All Japan Kendo Federation or FIK method, and it does not replace drying.
Part names and when to repair or replace are on the bogu page. The longer humid-climate note is the Hong Kong bogu-care guide.