Iaito Jisei Kago Take Koshirae

The blade length is measured in the Japanese traditional unit called Shaku. One Shaku equals 30.3 cm, or roughly 1 feet (0.994 Ft.). Its sub-unit is the "Sun". There are ten "Sun" in one "Shaku", so 5 Sun can also be written 0.5 Shaku. Note that the length of a blade does not include the Habaki (see pictures), but is measured in a straight line from the tip (Kissaki) to what is called the Munemachi (base of the blade), hidden under and partly covered by the Habaki. For reasons related to the alloy strength, light and standard blades are available for lengths up to 2.45 Shaku and thick/heavy blades are available for lengths up to 2.70 Shaku.

The blade length depends on your height, the length of your arms and the school you practice. The size table below is the official recommendation of the Japanese Iaido Federation. Women are advised to use a blade one size shorter than men of the same height. For people who are not specialists of Iaido (Aikidoists for example), we also recommend using a blade a size shorter than the recommendation, because it will make the sword drawing/sheathing easier.

Please also make sure to consult your teacher to check that the size table below is applicable to your school.

The Hamon is a visual effect created on the blade by the hardening process.
In the case of real blades made of steel, clay is applied on the blade prior to the cooling process, and the difference in hardness between the edge and the rest of the blade results in this line called "Hamon". It outlines the transition between the region of harder martensitic steel at the blade's edge and the softer pearlitic steel at the center and back of the sword. This difference in hardness is the goal of the whole process; the appearance is purely a side effect but the Hamon became a very important artistic feature that defines the level of mastery of the swordsmith. Iaito being made from an alloy, the Hamon is printed by depolishing the blade using specific patterns and Jisei's craftsmen do their best to reproduce the most famous Hamon.

The Suguha, Midare, Notare and Gunome Hamon are standardized Hamon. They are a kind of mix between the most common type of existing Hamon. All other models are fairly faithfull reproductions of Hamon existing on antique blades. Hamon are named either by the name of the Samurai who possessed the sword (for famous swords) or the name of the swordsmith (for the most famous swordsmith). Their price depends on the quantity of work needed to reproduce them.

The groove, called “Hi” or “Bohi” in Japanese, has several purposes; it can make the blade lighter and more flexible or help to drain the blood for instance, but some options are simply aesthetic (like Marudome). There are two kinds of options. One kind concerns the groove itself (standard, deep or no groove). These options are not available on lightweight blades. The other kind concerns the finish (Kakinagashi, 5 Bun Dome and Shinken hi). Of course, there are no finish available when the option is "without groove".

• Standard groove: the most classical groove.
• Deep groove: deeper groove than standard. It is useful to get a lighter blade and move the balance towards the Tsuka. It might also make the sound louder during cuts. Impossible to craft in the case of lightweight blades. The deep groove removes around 50 g from the blade's weight.
• Double groove (full custom Iaito only): consists in two shallow and thin grooves instead of one. The final weight of the blade is slightly superior to a standard groove (when combined with the finish options below, the cost of the finish is applied twice, once per groove). The standard finish for the bottom of the blade (Hi-dome) is Kakinagashi. "Standard Hi-dome" cannot be selected.
• Without groove: this option makes the blade heavier. Removing the groove increases the total weight by about 50 g on standard blades, and up to 150 g on heavy blades. The whistling sound disappears almost completely.

• Hi Dome: Standard: the groove has an ogival shape and stops approximately 4 cm from the Habaki.
• Hi Dome: Kakinagashi: the groove goes on under the Habaki. It makes the blade even lighter and moves the balance of the blade further towards the Tsuka.
• Hi Dome: 5 Bun Dome: the groove is moved closer to the Habaki (1.5 to 2 cm). It makes the blade slightly lighter and moves the balance of the blade towards the Tsuka.
• Hi Dome: Marudome: The groove is manually carved in a round shape on the Habaki end, similarly to most Shinken blades. This option is purely aesthetic.
• Hi Saki: Shinken: this kind of finish looks like the grooves that can be found on Shinken. The tips of the grooves where it connects with the Kissaki (tip of the blade) are manually and delicately crafted so that both merge very naturally in the form of a triangle (standard groove have an ogival shape). This option is particularly good-looking.

The Tsuka, or handle, is made of Japanese magnolia wood. On a Shinken, the Same is a piece of shark skin wrapped around the wood to reinforce the Tsuka structure. However, to make the cost reasonable, Tsuka on Iaito only feature smaller pieces of shark skin that are embedded in the wood on each side, the purpose being only aesthetic.

The length of the Tsuka is measured including the Fuchi and Kashira. Depending on the kind of Tsukaito (cotton, silk, leather), the length of the Tsuka can be adapted slightly to get a fine result.
In most schools, the length of the Tsuka should be enough to put one hand of the practitioner three-time (that is, there should be a space equivalent to one hand between your hands when you hold the sword).
The length of the Tsuka will also be rather important regarding the balance of the Iaito. If you want to keep a standard balance, we recommend that you follow the indications below.

The Tsukaito has two main purposes: it serves as a grip and it holds the Tsuka tightly together. A tightly wrapped Tsuka is extremely important for security.

Cotton allows better absorption of the sweat but is less durable than silk and leather. It is the standard option on most Iaito.
Silk feels a little harder and may not be recommended for beginners but has a significantly longer lifespan.
Leather does not absorbs sweat but offers an excellent grip and is the most durable material. Leather is available in standard and suede version (napped finish). The latter has a slightly better grip, it keeps dye better and is therefore available in more colors than standard leather; it is, however, slightly less durable.

Please be aware that since those materials are made traditionally, colors can slightly vary depending on the batch.
In general, the Tsukaito is of the same color as the Sageo to keep the fitting harmonious, but this is not mandatory and you can select two different colors if you like.

The Tsukamaki is how the tsukaito (cord) is wrapped on the Tsuka. Hinerimaki is the standard wrapping, known by all practitioners.
Ikkanmaki is a very specific wrapping that makes the center of the Tsuka flat. This is a popular wrapping in Iai schools with an important number of single-handed techniques/moves.
In order to secure the Menuki correctly, the cord goes over the Menuki on each side (which may significantly hide the Menuki on the smaller ones).  Please note that we do not recommend this wrap for intensive practice as it is less durable than the standard Hinerimaki wrap.
Finally, the Gangimaki style, sometimes also called "Katatemaki" is more suited for decoration than practice because of the risks of the Menuki falling. 

The Samekawa or "sharkskin" is the part under the Tsukaito. Despite being called a "samekawa", and because shark hunting isn't really a thing nowadays, stingray skin is used instead. Its main purpose is to keep the Tsukaito in place and to reinforce the Tsuka structure. The same is sanded and polished in order to produce a durable high-quality type of leather.
On live blades (Shinken) mount, the Same is a "maki same", wrapper around the Tsuka wood. However, for cost reasons, Iaito Tsuka are made with two rectangular pieces of same embedded in the Tsuka. This is called Tanzaku-same.

Tanzaku-same exists in two different qualities. The standard one, which is a piece of lower grade skin, and the high-quality one, which is a piece of higher grade skin that contains an "Oyatsubu" (Navel Knot). Since there's only one navel knot (which is actually located on the spine of the stingray) per stingray skin, this is the most prized and expensive part of the skin.

The Hara-awasegise, or Makisame, is a large piece of stingray skin wrapper around the Tsuka. It makes the Tsuka slightly bigger, but more importantly, very strongly reinforce the Tsuka structure and offers a much better grip to the Tsukaito for maximum durability. The Makisame option is made the exact same way Shinken same are made.

The same color is usually white, sometimes black, and more rarely wine-reddish (Anshu).
The Anshu Togidashi option is a classic Anshu (red) finished same that is topped with black lacquer, then polished in order to remove some of the red and black lacquer from the surface. It gives a white/red contrast.
For the Jidai option, the beige color comes from a natural dye that is obtained by mixing different plants. The color evolves with time, giving more personality to the same.
The Anshu Togidashi and Jidai options are not made at the Jisei workshop but outsourced to a specialized craftsman.

Please note that we also provide a plastic same option for customers concerned about animal protection. The plastic same is only available in white and in black.

The Saya is made of two piece of Japanese magnolia wood that are glued together. It is reinforced by both the Sayajiri (end of the Saya), the Koiguchi, and of course, the lacquer. For cost reasons, unlike Shinken, the lacquer of Saya for Iaito are not made from traditional Urushi lacquer but from modern urethane lacquer.

Lacquer with a name ending in "ro" have a glossy finish, with a perfectly smooth surface. Lacquer with a name ending in "ishime" have a grainy finish, with a rough feel. The "ro" finish being smoother, the Saya is easier to slip in the Obi (belt).
If you plan on moving a lot with your Iaito, we recommend a "ishime" finish, which has a better resistance to scratches.

Saya lacquers are usually separated into 4 groups: "classical lacquers", "Kawari-nuri" for combinations (multiple lacquers used on the same Saya), "Kizami" for lacquers applied on a modified Saya (e.g. Saya with shapes carved into the wood) and "Maki" for Saya partly wrapped in another material (such as ray skin or wicker). Kawari-nuri cannot be combined with Maki or Kizami.

You can also order a full custom spare Saya for your Iaito using our Custom Spare Saya module.

The Kurikata is the wooden piece on the Omote side of the Saya, used to nest the Sageo.

As a standard, the Kurikata is made of wood, covered with lacquer. Optionally, we offer Suigyu (buffalo horn) Kurikata, as well as a Higo Ishime Kurikata (metal pieces similar to the Fuchi/Kashira of the same name).

The Kurikata is usually placed 7.5 cm from the Koiguchi. Depending on your body type and the school you practice, you may want to move away the Kurikata a little bit. You can set the position up to 20 cm from the Koiguchi, but it shouldn't be farther than 12 to 15 cm.

The Shitodome is a small piece of brass, gold or silver plated, inserted in the Kurikata (the hole in which the Sageo goes). The Shitodome is purely decorative.
The Shitodome is available in 2 different finishes: Standard and Deluxe. The Deluxe version has a smoother finish on the hole which reduces the damage taken by the Sageo over time. Note that since a Shitodome is already embedded in the Higo Ishime Kurikata, it is not possible to add another Shitodome when the Higo Ishime Kurikata is selected.

The Sayajiri is usually finished with buffalo horn (synthetic material in the case of Iaito), but it is possible to replace the buffalo horn by a piece of metal called a Kojiri, which significantly reinforces the Saya.

Kojiri can have different forms: standard, Kuwagata, Nagakuwagata and Fukurogata. Kuwagata means "hoe shape". It is embedded and covers the Sayajiri by about 3 cm. Nagakuwagata means "long hoe shape". It covers the Sayajiri by up to 10 cm. Fukurogata means "bag shape", it is embedded and covers about 2 cm of the tip. A standard Kojiri simply replaces the synthetic horn Sayajiri but do not cover the Saya. Note that some models are available in different finish, brass, brass with gold decoration, silver plated or solid silver.

The classic shape of traditional Shinken Saya is slightly narrower at the end than at the koiguchi. It is therefore recommend to select a Kojiri that is slightly smaller than the fuchi.

C-100 - Suigyu: this is not a Kojiri, but a buffalo horn reinforcment. It is made so the Saya appears to have a standard finish but strongly reinforces the Sayajiri part.

The Sageo, the braided cord that comes on the Saya kurikata, has two main purposes; it is tied to the Obi (belt) to prevent the Saya from falling when the sword is with its owner, and it has an ornamental purpose when the sword is displayed. Some Koryu also teach how to use the Sageo as a weapon or to tie an opponent's hands (hojujutsu). It is also said that the cord serves as a spiritual bond between the samurai and the sword.

Iaito Sageo are usually made of lower quality synthetic silk (not offered here) or cotton.
Jisei also offers various colors and designs made of Japanese silk. Silk Sageo are available in plain colors, bi-color (Hyori) and turtle shell patterns (Kikko). Silk Sageo are woven loosely, which gives them a much softer feel than the cotton ones and better hold on the Obi.
The colors may vary slightly depending on batches due to the traditional dyeing techniques.

All Iaito are delivered with the Sageo tied with a knot known as the "Ronin" knot, the way most manufacturers tie it. It is the most common knot for decorative purposes.