Tag: style

Image of Japanese sword tang, Nakago

The Nakago of the Japanese Sword: Invisible in the shaft but a valuable point of appreciating the Japanese Sword

On By tozando-editorial-staff

There is a line that runs between the blade’s edge area and the ridge area. Between this line and the bottom of the blade (the area hidden inside the sheath) is called nakago (tang). The nakago is shaped by a particular form of filing, before the signature of the sword Read More

What does Koto mean?

On By tozando

“Koto” literally means “old sword”.  In Koto style Shinai the weight is more evenly distributed through-out the Shinai, while the center of the gravity is located closer to the tip, imitating the balance of a “real sword”. Because of this it’s said to be more difficult to master and preferred by high level practitioners.