The sword she is currently using was bought for my son in 2016 (from Swords of Might, no longer in business as far as I can tell) and it is getting a little rough around the edges. It is a youth size iaito, and a bit longer than a standard wakizashi. My original info (I don't have a tape measure on me) says it is a 36" overall sword, 24" blade. When I bought it for him he was 12 and it was a good fit. My daughter inherited it and it fits her well, she is 14. Thing is, she is likely done growing at 5'-0" tall, so I don't want to go with one much longer, if at all.

Where is a good place to order a new one for her, with custom size options, that will last a decent amount of time but likely not needed forever since we probably won't have this one sharpened. I don't want to pay a lot for it since it is still a training sword. We'll wait until a little higher belt rank for her to get a live blade. We are in the U.S., so any places in this country or easy to ship here are best.

At my Dojo where I train for Aikido and Iaido had inquiries regarding joining the Iaido program my dojo offer. These individuals were 16-18 years of age. Is that too young to begin Iaido?

I have asked around other dojo's as well as the Iaido Federation that my dojo belongs too. So far I have not heard back or have conflicting "case-by-case" answers.

Any thoughts?

Friends, I’d be extremely grateful if the Dojo Cho for your school would take this short 8 question multiple choice survey for a research article I’m working on. Please feel free to forward it to friends at other dojo that offer classes in Japanese sword arts. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5JMJ7D6
Thank you in advance

Pretty self-explanatory title but I’ve been training with a koryu dojo for about four years. Unfortunately, earlier this year my Sensei passed away and since his passing and the ensuing leadership change, the culture at the dojo changed dramatically. I was already feeling a little jaded by huge age discrepancies in my fellow students so I took the opportunity to join the ZNKR-affiliated dojo at my university. As great as the vibe is there, I’m super overwhelmed by the vastly different way Iaido seems to be done in this more standardized organization. I strangely feel like a complete beginner even though I have been practicing for four years. This is not something I have any real issues with, but I do feel like my brain has been wired to take in Iaido techniques a certain way and I’m having a significant amount of trouble adapting to this new way. Any guidance is appreciated 🙏

In winter 2024, Katanamart/Yari no Hanzo released the pre-order for this iaito in my country (Spain). I ordered one and received it in mid August.

Since I received the package, the sword sat unused on my wall for a little over a month, until I had the chance to use it at iaido practice in late September/early October. I used it ONCE, for ONE hour, and as soon as I got home I cleaned and oiled it, and again it sat unused for a bit. Today I was intending to use it again but, to my surprise, I found these spots on the tip of the blade. They seem to have a texture and they don't go away when cleaning the blade, so I guess it's rust. The bigger spot is about 1x2 mm, the other spots are smaller than that.

Am I right? Is there anything I can do?

I'm a filmmaker in Osaka making a short cinematic film about Japan's traditional culture, and I'd love to include iaido. Ideally I'd film a regular practice for about an hour, close up: the draw, the cut, chiburi, noto, and the dojo itself. Battojutsu or tameshigiri would be wonderful too, if anyone knows a dojo that does it.

It's just me with one camera, no crew or lights, and I'd stay out of the way and follow whatever etiquette the dojo asks. If a school's kata can't be filmed, I completely understand. It's a personal project, not commercial, and I'm happy to make a donation to the dojo and give them the edited footage to use.

Any pointers help:

- Dojos in Osaka or Kyoto that welcome visitors to observe (見学)

- Anyone you know who might be open to this

- Etiquette I should know before asking

I'm in Osaka until October 25 and back in Japan from late November to mid December, and I can travel. Thanks!

Hey all! Yesterday was my club's 演武会 and my sitting kata demonstration was recorded by a friend so I could check myself later. I thought I'd share it with you guys! I've only been practicing for about a year and a bit once a week casually at a dojo with a bunch of 60+ year old licensed masters so I'm definitely not at a very high level! Our club is super casual and not a formal dojo per-se (I don't even have an official sensei, they take turns teaching me something every week!) and for our annual demonstration this year, my challenge was the 5 basic sitting kata and 2 kenjutsu kata.

In the video, I'm performing the 5 sitting kata. For context, I was sick as a dog for 3 weeks just before our demonstration and couldn't practice for those 3 weeks so please excuse any wobbliness from weakness.

I have another video of kenjutsu but since my opponent did not give permission to post his face, I will not.

I hope you can enjoy this!

Guys, I wanna ask something about iaito. Is that really important to use iaito that have bo-hi or it just personal preferences?

Because since I'm commit to practice Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, I already bought iaito without bo-hi and I feel that quite good for me even the weighs is around 1050 grams and the saya was 200 grams, I used this iaito since last year, so its around 1 year since I bought that sword.

I already post this picture before around 3 or more months ago.

Hey I’m a traditional jujitsuka who’s never done any formal sword training aside from one-off seminars and guest instructors.

If I wanted a general lists of kata that encompasses no specific school where’s a good place to look? Is there a Kodokan-esque manual for sword work?

Me: Oh, just doodle some notes for your students, it'll be quick and easy...

Also me: Bro, what if you animate it, and give colour, and design a girl, and add a funny balloon, and a pop! (Such a satisfying pop~)

*Not here to teach anyone. Just wanting to share something I made for my students. I hope you all enjoy this little doodle.

First of all thank you all sincerely for your help in my old post, but things were getting muddled and advice missed and conversations it was all counter productive by the end.

While I am again grateful, my query has changed and it was difficult to get that across there, hence new post.

I'm happy to delete the other post but will leave it up for the moment in case anyone needs to see it.

OK, so assuming the pictures load in the right order I've put my iaitos 'natural' sit held vertical in the saya. I think it's fine, I've never had it fall out, though I obviously always have one hand on it like I'm a bushi of old always expecting to be attacked. But at my last grading the sensei tipped everyone's saya upside down and if the sword fell out you were told you couldn't train/grade. I am now paranoid, as...

... unless I apply a little (it is a little) force (pic 2 is the result of said force) my sword does fall out (it wouldn't from pic 2). It doesn't slide straight out the second it's tilted, but it does once it is vertical.

Hence my sudden shimming quest.

The other images are my koiguchi close up, imo the wear is almost exclusively at the mune side, though the ha looks a little worn too (despite the pic the wear is fairly even at the ha; the pic to me makes it look like the upper right is worse, think it's the angle).

I guess all I want to know is should I even be shimming yet? If not for the grading i don't think I'd bother yet, but it'll be a long trip to the next one and to be refused to grade would be a huge problem.

Oh and the last pic is 5 of my veneers together, as I couldn't accurately show the thickness of one - a lot of people were telling me the shim was too thick, I would say they are about 0.6mm each?

Again, sincere apologies for making another post on this topic

I'm shimming my saya and, as expected, made the koiguchi too small, so I'm busily sanding and checking the fit.

To save me going too far and having to start again, at what point do I stop? Imaged are where we are now. I think I need to carry on, but it is technically safe now, it fits snuggly, no way it can fall out even if tilted, but it looks too much habaki for me. I don't recall how it looked when I got it.

But I'll probably keep saying that until there is no visible habaki and then what was the point? 😄

I'm wondering as well if it will get further in with some use.

This is my first shim, my older iaito I just used to use nail varnish, so forgive my lack of confidence.

Edit Thanks all :)

I swear when I got it there was a gap, as I remember thinking I'd keep an eye and when it started to shrink, but I can't find any images from when I first got it.

I'll keep sanding!

Edit edit Found an image, not a good angle, there is a gap but it's half a cm at most. I'll maybe stop just before I get there and then use it to let it ease in the last few mm.

Hi everyone , I’m changing styles. RSR requires me to have something closer to 2.45 or 2.4 . The original price of my iaito custom was $1920 willing to sell for $1000 let me know via Dm if interested .willing to provide pictures . Was used for one class after sensei said it wouldn’t be a good fit . Thank you . I currently live in Chattanooga and willing to ship .

So I recently got this bokuto from a secondhand shop in Hiroshima-Ken. I fenced in school so I was interested in owning one. Apparently the mark at the bottom is Aramaki, but I know nothing beyond that. Would be super helpful if someone could let me know what I’ve got!

I heard through the grapevine from my Senpai and 2nd Iaido Sensei that at the last Iaido seminar the Hanshi's decided that they are removing the sageo for setei iaido? Today at practice we were told to remove our sageo and change how we do reiho. Thoughts from the community? Is this true or a bad case or telephone? Personally I really like having the sageo and enjoy the historical aspects of the sageo too.

I've seen 7 Samurai and several others, but what are your favorite movies with genuinely good sword-play?

Hello, I'm new to the art of Iaido and am looking for a place to train. I'm in Spartanburg SC and not having any luck finding an instructor. I reached out to a Kendo club that's about an hour away but they don't know of anyone in state. I'm hoping someone here has some recommendations. Thanks in advance

Hi Guys, need your thoughts on this.

I recently join small dojo and pretty new in Iaido. As newbie, I am excited to get new sword. Sensei has sword to sell but almost 40% more that i can outsource outside. Will sensei got offended if I got it from outside? how to avoid it?

Onengaishimasu

Hello everyone! I posted quite a bit ago asking about where to buy used Iaito and yall were SUPER useful. I ended up settling on just buying a new sword from swordis, specifically there only pre made Iaito. The sword is by shadow dancer and it was alittle more then what I intended to spend LOL listing at 400 however I grabbed it on a sale for 320. Did I overspend? Is shadow dancer a good company? And for when I grab a shinken, is shadow dancer a good company tameshigiri ? Thanks guys!

I have some nice silk sageo that have picked up green stains from the shitodome, which are gold-plated. The sageo are otherwise in nice condition and are pricy to replace, so I was hoping to touch them up.

I know silk can be rather fragile as far as what cleaning products you can use, so I was hoping practitioners here would have good tips on how to rejuvenate them.

Any ideas?

(@syuushinryuu) (Isao Machii) Does anyone have more in depth info on his school? There's not much out there and I'm really curious about his odd te-no-uchi and how "he uses the bodies mechanics to cut" if anyone has any info, please let me know. Have a great day 🙏

En un mes pasaremos unas semanas en Tokyo. Podríais hacerme recomendaciones de tiendas interesantes de Iaido? Quizá alguna que venda obis y sageos bonitos y alguna tsuba curiosa. Si no son muy caras mejor. Muchas gracias