Bokken: Backgrounds of the Japanese wooden sword

Q: How much does a Bokken cost?

The price of a bokken can vary greatly depending on factors such as the wood used, the quality of workmanship, and whether it is handmade or machine-made. A simple, machine-made bokken made of red oak or comparable materials can be available for as little as about 20 to 50 euros. These bokken are usually good for beginners or for those who need a practical practice sword. Handmade bokken, especially those made from high quality woods or those representing specific shapes and styles, can be significantly more expensive. Prices of 100 to 200 euros or more are not uncommon for this type of bokken.

The Japanese wooden sword called Bokuto originated in Japan. It is used in various martial arts. Since it is made of high quality wood, it also allows the trainees to use choking techniques. With a real sword such exercises do not work because of the sharp blades. Furthermore, the Bokuto exists in different designs.

The most important thing in advance:

Bokuto is a Japanese wooden sword.
Martial arts devotees expand both their knowledge and skills thanks to the bokuto.
Depending on the weight of the particular model, practitioners also train their muscle strength.
Regular training with the Bokuto promotes concentration as well as self-discipline.

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Contents

Background and purpose of bokken
Product characteristics of the wooden sword
Special forms of the Bokken
Buy Bokken
Training and exercises
Which bokken for beginners and which for advanced?
FAQ

Background and purpose of bokken

The Bokken, which is also known as Bokuto, is a wooden sword. It originates from the land of the rising sun. Boku stands for wood and To translates as sword. However, the synonym bokken is only used in other countries. Japanese do not use this term. Ken also denotes double-edged blades.

Bokuto is used in the dojo of various Japanese martial arts as well as martial arts. It replaces the katana as well as the wakizashi. Trainees have the opportunity to practice a realistic practice. The advantage is the low risk of injury. They neither cut their training partner nor injure him in any other way.

Aikido, Judo, Iaido as well as Kenjutsu use the Bokuto to practice the techniques of their martial arts. Kendo is among the other sports that use the bokuto for successful execution of the katas.

Product characteristics of the wooden sword

Length: The Bokuto exists in two different lengths. Bokutachi is the longer weapon. It measures 101.5 centimeters. Bokukodachi, on the other hand, belongs to the shorter variant with its 57 centimeters. Both wooden swords have a curved blade. The back of the blade is angular. Blade tips are oval. All features mimic the characteristics of a real Japanese sword.
Material: Solid red oak wood acts as the main component of the bokken. This type of wood is characterized by original coloring and beautiful grain. However, there are also bokuto swords made of white oak.
Sword scabbard: Saya is the name of the sword scabbard, which belongs to the accessories of the Bokuto. It is made of smooth plastic. Its length measures 80 centimeters. The weight is 90 grams. The scabbard acts as a valuable aid in drawing exercises. They make up an important exercise component of training with a bokken.
Hand guard: All bokutos include a tsuba as an accessory – the sword’s hand guard. This is made of a strong plastic. Furthermore, the shape is similar to the traditional version. After mounting, the trainees fix the tip of the blade with a rubber ring. Tsubadome is the Japanese technical term for this component. Above the middle part of the back of the blade is the notch of the tsubadome.
Handle: Tsuka is the name of the handle of a bokuto. Unlike other Japanese swords, this one features a fish-belly shaped handle. The other sword models, on the other hand, are characterized by a round tsuka. Thanks to this construction, the practitioners feel the position of the blade analogous to a real katana.

Special forms of the Bokken

There are different forms of bokken

The bokuto with a groove on both sides resembles the groove of many shin-ken. The latter are sharp sword variants. Hissing sounds echo through the dojo when trainees practice with this bokken model. The hissing acts as a control. This allows practitioners to see if they are performing the prescribed movements correctly.
In addition, practitioners can strengthen their arm muscles by choosing heavy as well as longer bokken models. However, these are not at all suitable for partner exercises. The length amounts to 110 as well as 115 centimeters. The weight is more than 800 grams. Suburi-to is the name of this special form of bokken. The martial art Iwama-ryu-Aikido uses a heavy bokken during training. The diameter is larger. Furthermore, the sword does not contain a tip. Itto-ryu is similar to Kashima Shin-ryu in many ways. The only two differences are in length and weight
Iaido is dominated by the bokken including saya, which is made of plastic. This version allows a realistic practice. Especially the pulling out and returning of the bokken works perfectly with this version. Nuki and noto are the Japanese names for these movements within the kata.
There are numerous sword fighting schools in Japan. They call themselves Kenjutsu-ryu. Over time, these have created their own bokuto variants. Two well-known bokken are the Kashima Shin-Ryu and the Itto-Ryu. The former is made of white oak, whose Japanese name is Shiro Kashi. It is characterized by high quality. The grain is uniform, fine and straight. It runs through the entire length of the sword. The weight of the Kashima Shin-Ryu is 700 grams. The length of the sword is 105 centimeters.

A high-quality Itto-Ryu costs about 40 euros. The Kahima Shin-Ryu on the other hand is much more expensive. It costs rimd 60 euros. The price range of the standard red oak bokken is between 25 and 89 euros. Thus, the price depends on your individual willingness to pay as well as the desired quality.

Buy Bokken

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Training and exercises

Bokken training is composed of the following exercises:

Kihon are 49 basic Bokken techniques
Bokken against Bokken are partner exercises called Kumitachi
Block and cut techniques
Short sword against long sword
Techniques without a weapon against a sword attack
How do practitioners avoid being disarmed?

Generally, trainees can practice the techniques at home. Only the partner exercises or avoiding disarming requires a training partner. The cutting and blocking techniques, on the other hand, ambitious fighters can already practice in a small space. For this they only need discipline and concentration. During these practice sessions, they imagine a partner in their mind

Countries outside Japan consider the Bokuto as a separate kind of weapon. This is due to the numerous technical possibilities that the bokken opens up. Strangle and block techniques are possible with the bokuto. A real katana, on the other hand, does not allow such techniques at all. The prohibition goes back to the sharp blade of the katana.

Which bokken for beginners and which for advanced?

The choice of bokken depends on the specific martial art you are practicing, as well as your personal preference in terms of weight and balance. In general, however, you might consider the following recommendations:

For beginners:

A standard daito or tachi bokken made of a durable but not too heavy wood like red oak would be a good choice for beginners. It is balanced and works well for basic exercises and forms. Some beginners might also consider a suburito. Although heavier, they can help strengthen arm muscles and learn proper sword handling.

For advanced users:

Advanced users might consider specialized bokken that fit their training style. For example, aikido practitioners who practice the iwama style might prefer an iwama-ryu bokken. For practitioners of martial arts that involve the use of two swords, a shoto or wakizashi bokken might be useful.

A bokken made of a denser and heavier wood, such as white oak or isu wood, might also be appropriate for advanced practitioners who focus on sword thrusting exercises.

FAQ

What kind of wood is the Bokken wooden sword made of?

Bokken can be made of different types of hardwood, but the most common types of wood are:

white oak (shirogashi): White oak is very durable and resistant to impact, making it ideal for the bokken. It is also quite heavy, which balances the sword and gives it a realistic weight.
Red Oak(Akagashi): Red oak is also a popular choice for bokken. It is slightly lighter than white oak, but still quite strong and durable.
Isu Wood: Isu wood is a dense and heavy tropical wood. Bokken made from Isu wood are particularly durable and are well suited for full-contact training.
Japanese Magnolia (Hōnoki): This is a lighter wood often used for iaito (practice katana) and shoto (short swords). It is not as durable as oak, but provides good weight and balance for exercises that are not designed for contact.

What are the special forms of Bokken?

Bokken, traditional Japanese wooden practice swords, come in a variety of shapes and sizes, reflecting different historical swords and fighting styles. Here are some special forms of bokken:

Daito or Tachi: This is the standard bokken often used in aikido, kendo, iaido and other martial arts. It represents a long sword and is about as long as a katana.

Shoto or Wakizashi: This shorter bokken represents the wakizashi, the short sword that was often carried along with the katana by the samurai. It is often used in exercises that require the use of two swords (nito techniques).

Tanto: This even shorter bokken represents a tanto, a short knife or dagger. It is sometimes used in Aikido and other martial arts to practice techniques against knife attacks.

Suburito: Suburito are heavier than regular bokken and are used for practicing striking techniques and strengthening the arms.

YagyuShinkage-ryu Bokken: These bokken have a special shape with a prominent tip and a straight back. They are named after the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school that uses them.

Iwama-ryuBokken: These bokken are wider and straighter than many other bokken and have an almost square tip. They are used in the Iwama-ryu school of aikido.

Shinai: Although not technically a bokken, the shinai is another important type of practice sword. Shinai are made of four bamboo slats and are used primarily in kendo.

How much does a Bokken cost?

The price of a bokken can vary greatly depending on factors such as the wood used, the quality of workmanship, and whether it is handmade or machine-made.

A simple, machine-made bokken made of red oak or comparable materials can be available for as little as about 20 to 50 euros. These bokken are usually good for beginners or for those who need a practical practice sword.

Handmade bokken, especially those made from high quality woods or those representing specific shapes and styles, can be significantly more expensive. Prices of 100 to 200 euros or more are not uncommon for this type of bokken.

Update: 2023-05-28 / Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API