Iaito
Encyclopedia
is the name given by practitioners of iaido to , literally meaning "mock" or "imitation sword", an imitation katana
used for practicing some Japanese sword arts. A real or "live" Japanese sword is often called a shinken
.
-zinc
alloy
, which is often cheaper and lighter than steel. This use of alloy and a blunt edge also avoids the Japanese legal restrictions on the manufacture of swords made of ferrous metals. As such, Japanese made iaitō are intended as practice weapons and are not suited for any type of contact. The best alloy blades are rather faithful reproductions of real swords with authentic weight, shape, similarly high-quality finish and fittings. Iaitō may even have a mock hamon (the temper line of a tempered steel blade). The average weight for a real "uchikatana：打刀" is typically 1.2kg without the scabbard (saya 鞘), a typical alloy iaito is roughly 820g, while some steel iaito are also constructed and can weigh around 900-950gm for a 29inch blade.
Some imitation Japanese swords are made in countries other than Japan. They may even be made of folded steel, much like a real katana
, but with a blunt edge. Such weapons would face the same use and ownership restrictions in Japan as for genuine swords, nihonto or shinken and would not be called iaitō in Japan
.
Many traditional swordsmiths located in Seki
, Gifu Prefecture
, also produce iaitō.
Some dojo
in Japan
recommend that only alloy
blades be used for practicing iaidō
until the practitioner's skill is consistent enough to safely use a sharp edged sword, or nihonto or shinken
. Some traditional iaidō schools (koryū
) may require a student to start with a shinken right away, while some modern dojo prohibit the use of a shinken altogether.
The matching of iaitō length, weight, and balance to the practitioner's build and strength is of utmost importance to safely and correctly perform the iaidō forms (kata
). Due to the repetition involved in the practicing of iaidō, iaitō are often constructed with the balance point of the blade being set further from the blade's point (kissaki) and closer to the guard (tsuba) than other blades.
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
used for practicing some Japanese sword arts. A real or "live" Japanese sword is often called a shinken
Shinken
is a Japanese term used to describe a Japanese sword that is sharp and used for real cutting or combat, as opposed to those that are blunted for other types of practice. Today, they are primarily used for high level iaido and/or tameshigiri practice. Unlike an iaito or mogito , a shinken has a...
.
Materials and manufacture
Most iaitō are made of an aluminiumAluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
-zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
, which is often cheaper and lighter than steel. This use of alloy and a blunt edge also avoids the Japanese legal restrictions on the manufacture of swords made of ferrous metals. As such, Japanese made iaitō are intended as practice weapons and are not suited for any type of contact. The best alloy blades are rather faithful reproductions of real swords with authentic weight, shape, similarly high-quality finish and fittings. Iaitō may even have a mock hamon (the temper line of a tempered steel blade). The average weight for a real "uchikatana：打刀" is typically 1.2kg without the scabbard (saya 鞘), a typical alloy iaito is roughly 820g, while some steel iaito are also constructed and can weigh around 900-950gm for a 29inch blade.
Some imitation Japanese swords are made in countries other than Japan. They may even be made of folded steel, much like a real katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
, but with a blunt edge. Such weapons would face the same use and ownership restrictions in Japan as for genuine swords, nihonto or shinken and would not be called iaitō in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Many traditional swordsmiths located in Seki
Seki, Gifu
is a city located in Gifu, Japan.The city was founded on October 15, 1950.On February 7, 2005, the municipalities of Horado, Itadori, Kaminoho, Mugegawa and Mugi, all part of Mugi District, were merged into the present-day city...
, Gifu Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
, also produce iaitō.
Some dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
recommend that only alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
blades be used for practicing iaidō
Iaido
is a modern Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard...
until the practitioner's skill is consistent enough to safely use a sharp edged sword, or nihonto or shinken
Shinken
is a Japanese term used to describe a Japanese sword that is sharp and used for real cutting or combat, as opposed to those that are blunted for other types of practice. Today, they are primarily used for high level iaido and/or tameshigiri practice. Unlike an iaito or mogito , a shinken has a...
. Some traditional iaidō schools (koryū
Koryu
is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. This word literally translates as "old school" or "traditional school"...
) may require a student to start with a shinken right away, while some modern dojo prohibit the use of a shinken altogether.
The matching of iaitō length, weight, and balance to the practitioner's build and strength is of utmost importance to safely and correctly perform the iaidō forms (kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
). Due to the repetition involved in the practicing of iaidō, iaitō are often constructed with the balance point of the blade being set further from the blade's point (kissaki) and closer to the guard (tsuba) than other blades.
See also
- BattōjutsuBattojutsuis a Japanese term meaning techniques for engaging a sword. It is often used interchangeably with the terms iaijutsu, battōdō, or iaidō, although each term does have nuances in the Japanese language and different schools of Japanese martial arts may use them to differentiate between techniques...
- IaidoIaidois a modern Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard...
- BokkenBokkenA bokken , "wood", and ken, "sword") , is a Japanese wooden sword used for training. It is usually the size and shape of a katana, but is sometimes shaped like other swords, such as the wakizashi and tantō...
- KatanaKatanaA Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
- KenjutsuKenjutsu, meaning "the method, or technique, of the sword." This is opposed to kendo, which means the way of the sword. Kenjutsu is the umbrella term for all traditional schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration...
- Types of swordsTypes of swordsThis is a list of types of swords.The term sword is here used in a narrow sense. This is not a general list of bladed weapons and does not include the machete or similar "sword-like" weapons....