Kendo replaced the bokken with the shinai , a bamboo sword. Apprentices in Kendo Training ( Source) Aikido: Aikido also makes use of bokken for practicing many techniques, as it allows students to understand the origin of the movements, which were originally designed for armed combat. By the 16th century, the bokken became the training weapon of over 900 ryu in Japan devoted to kenjutsu, the art of the sword. With the fall of the Tokugawa dynasty and feudalism in Japan in 1867, the martial arts of the samurai declined. Kenjutsu evolved into kendo and sporting competition. Our Bamboo Mat Katana features a chu-kissaki blade of Hanwei's own high-alloy HWS-2S steel, which combines impressive performance with a striking O-choji hamon. This steel is made in Hanwei's new factory, with high-tech equipment, producing a very pure, advanced-metallurgy blade with excellent edge-holding capability and resilience.

The slats of a shinai are usually made from dried bamboo. Some may also be treated by smoking them, or soaking them in resin. Shinai slats are also made of carbon fibre, reinforced resin, or other approved alternative materials. Some schools cover the entire bamboo in the sleeve and add a tsuba, like Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū does. In Shinkage-ryū, the sleeve is lacquered Kamakura Red, and rather than covering the entire length, is tied off at the non-split end. This particular kind of fukuro-shinai is also called a hikihada ( 蟇肌), or toad-skin shinai. The name comes from how the leather looks after lacquering; the sleeves are actually made of cow or horse-hide.A wood resembling cypress, biwa is quite durable and heavy for a wooden katana, but a folk superstition makes it an unappealing material for the practice sword. Some still believe that a bruise or other injury inflicted by a biwa would not heal and could eventually kill the swordsman. In feudal times, many swordsmen carefully wielded the biwa bokken, though others refused to use them. To properly inspect a shinai, one first examines the area around the datotsu-bu, inspecting all sides of the shinai for splinters. This is very important, as bamboo splinters can easily cause injury. The saki-gawa should be intact and the tsuru should be tight so that the saki-gawa does not slip off the end of the shinai during use. In addition, the nakayui should be tight enough as not to rotate easily.

In this case, we would also ask you to explain the reason for the return so that we can continue to improve our service and range of products. In kendo competitions that follow the FIK rules, there are regulated weights and lengths for the use of shinai. [4] Table A. FIK Specifications for competition use of one Shinai (Itto). Here’s a guide to help you choose the best wooden katana for training and where to get them. Difference Between Bokuto and Bokken Different Wooden Sword Types including Bokken and Bokuto ( Source)The earliest use of a bamboo weapon to train with instead of a sword is credited to Kamiizumi Nobutsuna (1508-1572?) of the Shinkage-ryū. The modern shinai, with four slats of bamboo, is generally credited to Nakanishi Chuzo Tsugutate (died 1801) of Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū. [1] [2] The shinai was developed in an effort to reduce the number of practitioners being seriously injured during practice, making a practice weapon that was less dangerous than bokutō ( 木刀), the hard wooden swords they were previously using. This is also the motivation behind the development of bōgu ( 防具), the armour that protects the kendoka. Cosplay: A wooden katana is a popular choice for cosplay enthusiasts who wish to portray samurai or other Japanese sword-wielding characters, especially in settings where real swords are not allowed.