Bokken

A Bokken (木剣, bok(u), "wood", and ken, "sword") is a wooden Japanese sword (or sabre), usually the size and shape of a katana (though wakizashi and tanto-sized are available). They are also known as bokutō (木刀, "wooden sword").

Related Topics:
Wood - Japan - Sword - Sabre - Katana - Wakizashi - Tanto

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Bokken is a training sword, used as a relatively safe and inexpensive substitute for a real blade in several martial arts.

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They are used in the early stages of iaido when a practitioner has not yet reached the level where use of a iaito would be safe. Kenjutsu makes heavy use of them in various drills, and aikido, while being primarily an empty-handed art, also features bokken training.

Related Topics:
Iaido - Iaito - Kenjutsu - Aikido

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They are used for the practice of kendo; to learn to make proper strokes and get accustomed to the curvature of the blade, as well as to practise the kata (forms). More than a few kata take advantage of the curvature of the blade and the presence of the tsuba to block the opponent's sword. This is not possible with the straight "blade" of the shinai.

Related Topics:
Kendo - Kata - Tsuba - Shinai

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The quality of the bokken is derived from several factors. The type of wood used, along with the quality of the wood itself, and the skill of the craftsman, are all critical factors in the manufacture of a good quality bokken.

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First, and most importantly, is the selection of the wood used to make the bokken. Almost all inexpensive bokken are made from porous, loose-grained red oak. These bokken are easily broken when used in even light to medium contact drills, and are best left to work in kata only. Furthermore, the wood is often so porous, that if the varnish is stripped off the inexpensive bokken, one can see the use of wood fillers to fill the holes.

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While most species of North American red oak are pretty much unsuitable for any serious work with a bokken, there are some Asian species of red oak that have a significantly tighter grain, and will last longer.

Related Topics:
North American - Red oak - Asia - Grain

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Some of the bokken that are a step up from the red oak ones, will use superior woods. Japanese white oak, also known as Kashi, has been a proven staple, having a tighter grain than any red oak wood, and hickory wood seems to have a very good blend of the factors that contribute to a wood's suitability (toughness, impact resistance, hardness, etc), while still having a relatively low cost.

Related Topics:
White oak - Kashi - Hickory

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The use of exotic hardwoods is not unusual, when looking at some of the more expensive bokken. Some bokken are made from Brazilian cherrywood (Jatoba), others from purpleheart, and some very expensive ones made from Lignum Vitae. Naturally, some woods are better than others in certain areas.

Related Topics:
Exotic hardwood - Brazil - Jatoba - Purpleheart - Lignum Vitae

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A suburito is a bokken designed for suburi. Suburi, literally "bare cutting," are solo cutting exercises. Suburito are thicker and heavier than normal bokken. One wielding a suburito has to develop both good technique and strong muscles to wield one. Their weight does, however, tend to make them poorly balanced; consequently, they are not used for paired practice.

Related Topics:
Suburi - Muscle

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Historically, bokken are as old as Japanese blades, and were used for the training of warriors. They are heavier than an actual blade, which emphasises the delicacy of the real blades. Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary kenjutsu master, was infamous for fighting fully armed foes with only one or two bokken. He defeated several master swordsmen in this way, including Sasaki Kojiro. Sasaki was armed with a deadly Nodachi great sword, but Musashi slew him with a bokken made from an oar.

Related Topics:
Miyamoto Musashi - Kenjutsu - Sasaki Kojiro - Nodachi - Oar

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