hyoshi

Thanks, I've seen these Nihonto that Aoi markets as swords for Iai. For now my purpose and goal is to study and learn, so I'm not quite ready for a purchase. To further complicate matters, although unsigned it is attributed to the Edo era and I'm inclined to agree with others that swords of this age may be more appropriately enjoyed and preserved for historical value for any number of reasons, safety concerns not withstanding. When I originally posed the question about using a traditionally made sword for Iai practice, Gendaito was specifically mentioned because it seemed like the most appropriate in terms of scarcity, historical value, cost, etc., for a traditionally made shinken. I'm intrigued by the idea that Jamie put forward and others have implied- that Gendaito shouldn't be considered appropriate for Iai, and that a Shinsakuto should be purchased. Practically, a modern Shinsakuto is out of my reach so I cannot consider such an option. But isn't a Shinsakuto itself a Gendaito (and here I mean any traditionally made sword crafted after Shinshinto)? If all traditionally made swords are going to one day become old and worthy of preservation as art, then surely this notion would apply to the newly made Shinsakuto as well? At this point, is the craft of Nihonto transformed into something else, an object de art wholly divorced from tradition? I don't know, but these are obvious lines of inquiry for a martial practitioner. To all I say thank you for your opinions and advice and beg leniency if I'm broaching the bounds of propriety here, but I'm genuinely interested to know what the arc of opinions on such matters are among collectors and scholars. Regards, JP

I appreciate the recommendations and admonitions. I'm aware of the CAS Hanwei / Bugei options, but for reasons I explained above, I'm interested in a traditionally made shinken. Fortunately, I'm enjoying my Nihonto study and I'm perfectly happy to continue my practice with an Iaito. But it does beg the question, what options are available to the martial artist? Please understand that I pose this hypothetical question with the utmost regard for the knowledge and dedication of the collectors and scholars of Nihonto here on this board. Undoubtedly, Nihonto of all periods are objects of art that demand exacting care and deserve preservation. However, if even relatively modern Gendai are to be collected and admired only from afar, is there a point beyond which the desire to conserve is at odds with the utilitarian purpose and martial origin of the craft? Is this at all a matter of debate among Nihonto scholars and collectors? Certainly the growth in popularity of Nihonto among collectors, especially in the West, has greatly affected the availability and cost of even modern Shinken. Since there obviously must be more than a few martial artists among the collectors and students of Nihonto, there must be a certain tension about where exactly to draw this line. If a Gendaito from 1940 shouldn't be used for Iai because of it's artistic and historical value, should a Yasuaki Shinsakuto from the 1970s? Respectfully, JP

Thank you all again for your assistance and comments. It's clear to me that I have lots of work to do, it's an exciting prospect really. Unfortunately the cost of a custom shinsakuto is out of my reach and I understand the notion that a Gendaito is not necessarily appropriate for tamashigiri (its not really a problem though as it's seldom that we practice and a cutting sword can be borrowed). I'm grateful for your time and input and I'll undoubtedly have more questions as I learn more. Regards, JP

Thank you both for sound the advice. I certainly will speak with my fellow students and instructors before making any purchase. Right now I'm information gathering, and simply trying to determine if it's at all feasible to find a traditionally made shinken for my purpose. I've been at this (Iaido) for a while and I'm not in any hurry to make a purchase. That said, as long as the sword is well balanced, not too heavy, moderately curved for proper nukitsuke / noh-to and close to the correct length, I think it will be good for Iaido practice. I currently practice with a 74cm Iaito which is a good length for me, though it's a bit heavier than what I would ideally prefer. So I think my questions revolve around whether or not this type of Gendaito weapon is available and within my budget, and if so, what are the best books / materials etc., to study and learn about the Gendaito I am likely to encounter on the market. As you can tell, I'm interested in the traditional blade for it's beauty and hand made qualities, and to enjoy the artistic value, as well as 'just' as a sharp practice weapon for Iaido. For this reason I have somewhat different requirements than what may concern other Iaido students looking to purchase a edged weapon. I'm just not sure if it's possible to satisfy both applications with a traditionally made sword. Regards, JP

Greetings, My first post here. I'm not (yet!) a collector of Japanese swords rather a novice aficionado. I have about 10 years experience as an iaidoka (mid-grade steel iaito exclusively). Anyhow, I am now considering seriously the purchase of an edged weapon for my practice and I'm here to learn about traditionally made swords, and to understand what my options and budget should be for such an item. Its great to see such a depth of knowledge and enthusiasm for the craft and art of these weapons, thank you all! I've handled a few gunto and I have a basic familiarity with the different periods and styles of nihonto. Since I want to practice Iaido with the weapon, I'm not looking for anything rare or especially valuable (my emphasis is on functional and traditional as possible). I would occasionally use the sword for light cutting, but primarily Iaido. I would prefer a weapon in a buke-zukuri type mounting rather than the gunto type mountings. I have a budget of $2.5-3K. I'm located on the west coast of the U.S. Given these considerations, I think it may be appropriate to look for a traditionally made gendaito and I would like some opinions on this matter. Is this a good idea? Is my budget realistic? Are there any other obvious options I'm overlooking? Regards, JP