Nihontō (日本刀; Japanese sword) refers to the traditional swords that are made in Japan, perhaps more commonly known as the Katana, or Samurai sword. On the finished blade, which is painstakingly made by infusing the spirit of the swordsmith into a piece of steel and then carefully polished to perfection, Read More
The most important aspects of preserving Japanese swords are to protect them from developing rust and scratches. Here are three simple precautions that you can take to make sure that long term storage does not damage your treasured shinken. Please note that these guidelines are for ferrous swords, not for Read More
How often your perform maintenance depends on what sort of blade you have and what you use it for. If you have an iaito from Japan that is made from Zinc/Alluminium you do not need to use uchiko powder because it will not rust. If you use it for iaido then you should oil it as and when is needed. However if it is for decoration only then once every two months should be fine.
It goes without saying, that Japanese swords are precious cultural treasures, but if it is handled roughly it might be damaged or might cause injury to yourself or someone else. If that happens, the value of such a precious treasure might be lost and we don’t want to embarass our Read More
From shinken to iaito and decorative wall-hangers, there are numerous types of Japanese swords available for purchase today, however today we will have a look at the only part that you touch on a katana: the tsuka. We will also go over some simple ways to distinguish a good tsuka Read More
In this article we are going to take a look at how to go about choosing the right iaito for you. Beyond the aesthetics and theme of the koshirae, there are many factors like blade type and tsuka length to consider. We go through each step of the process recommending Read More
Success in battle not only meant the acquisition of personal honor, but also obtaining territory and land, which might eventually become a province in its own right, ensuring the prosperity of generations to come. This “Kassen Koshirae” is inspired by medieval Japanese battlefields. The Fuchi/Kashira is decorated with an arrowhead, Read More
Commentary A long-awaited period film depicting the culture of bushido with heart-racing action and realistic sword fights! “Bushido”(original Japanese title: Shundo) is an authentic period film brimming with tension and bloody samurai sword-fight scenes. Regarded as representing the pinnacle of Japanese independent films, this work was written and directed by Read More
Most people practicing Kendo knows that the Menbuchi, which is the rim of the men around the Mengane and the Do are traditionally painted using Japanese ‘Urushi’, also known as ‘Japanese wood lacquer’, however many might not know exactly what this is. Urushi is a kind of natural paint which is Read More
The standard length of the tsuka of our iaito is 8.5 sun (approx. 24cm/9.44in). Usually, depending on the blade length you choose, our craftsmen will select the appropriate tsuka length in order to keep the best balance possible. However, you can of course still choose the tsuka length you would like. In that Read More
