Our mat easily accommodates many people for practice sessions and, because of the tall ceilings, allows space for weapons work. Our mat is sprung on timber, plywood, tatami, and a specially ordered canvas covering stretched taught to allow for firm footing and safety for falls (ukemi).
The mat ages depending on use and weather, and as a result, we regularly replace the canvas covering to maintain a safe and clean space. This mat changing is a community effort and is an opportunity to see directly how much wear our practice brings day in and day out. It usually takes an afternoon and is well worth the effort.
Etiquette
Students line up generally by rank order, junior students on the left to senior students on the right, however this is not strictly enforced at our dojo due to the large number of members, guests, and visitors our dojo accommodates.