227:, established in Japan in 1958, forbids the possession, production, and importation of any sharpened (or sharpenable) sword. Very few exceptions to this rule exists, but, notably, traditional Japanese swordsmiths are permitted to produce a restricted number of blades over the course of the year. Japanese swordsmiths have a special status, and the weapons they make are considered work of art rather than weapons. (This also explains why
93:
22:
115:
which is cheaper and lighter than steel. This use of alloy and a blunt edge also circumvents
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
84:. In contrast to shinken, iaitō have no cutting edge and are designed for iai/battō practice and are usually unsuited for sword-to-sword contact. These should not be confused with imitation swords primarily made for decorative reasons, which are generally unsafe for martial arts practice.
154:
is typically 1,200 g (42 oz) without the scabbard while a typical alloy iaitō is roughly 820 g (29 oz). Some steel iaitō are also constructed and can weigh around 900–950 g (32–34 oz) for a 74 cm (29 in) blade.
385:
350:
100:. The iaitō shown in this photograph was custom made according to the weight and size of the student. The blade is made of aluminum alloy, and for the student's safety, lacks a sharp edge.
378:
205:). Due to the repetition involved in the practicing of iaidō, iaitō are often constructed with the balance point of the blade being set farther from the blade's point (
371:
201:
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 (
116:
are rather faithful reproductions of real swords with authentic weight and shape along with similarly high-quality finish and fittings. Iaitō may even have a mock
1503:
190:
until the practitioner's skill is consistent enough to safely use a sharp-edged sword. Some iaidō schools may require a practitioner to start with a
322:
162:, but with a blunt edge. Such weapons would face the same use and ownership restrictions in Japan as genuine swords, and would not be considered
169:
The first iaitō were made after the Second World War to permit people without means to own a training sword for their practice of modern
158:
Some imitation
Japanese swords are made in countries other than Japan. They may even be made of folded steel, much like a real
289:
1508:
313:
320:
1529:
1360:
173:. Iaitō today are produced by specialized workshops without requiring any direct involvement of shinken swordsmiths.
790:
514:
735:
1493:
284:, (Reviewing.) Irie Kōhei, Omiya Shirō and Koike Masaru., New York: Kodansha USA, Inc., p. 169,
304:
Jordy Delage, "The origin and manufacture of the Iaito, replica of the
Japanese sword, the Katana",
1498:
1488:
818:
531:
526:
783:
536:
865:
231:
exported outside Japan must go through a declassification process before their exportation.)
119:
8:
363:
645:
46:
is a modern metal practice sword, without a cutting edge, used primarily for practicing
1178:
334:
The
Secrets of Modern Japanese Swordmaking - Iaito Manufacture at the Minosaka Workshop
1412:
1261:
1230:
884:
762:
285:
345:
1339:
1115:
960:
845:
776:
723:
571:
490:
354:
316:
1062:
850:
811:
400:
347:
Act for
Controlling the Possession of Firearms or Swords and Other Such Weapons
228:
225:
Act for
Controlling the Possession of Firearms or Swords and Other Such Weapons
748:
585:
333:
1523:
1279:
1002:
855:
1240:
240:
73:
70:
1346:
1055:
974:
870:
860:
840:
712:
1453:
1388:
1009:
995:
988:
542:
705:
420:
1432:
1293:
1212:
1087:
1048:
835:
638:
564:
469:
1307:
1254:
804:
755:
652:
455:
413:
1474:
1381:
1300:
1191:
1069:
1034:
900:
797:
617:
610:
497:
177:
105:
1101:
967:
462:
1467:
1418:
1406:
1321:
1205:
981:
893:
631:
624:
520:
448:
260:
1460:
1439:
1154:
1140:
483:
427:
186:
1446:
1353:
1247:
1161:
1041:
935:
921:
698:
603:
441:
61:
741:
170:
1374:
1367:
1286:
1184:
1108:
1016:
942:
914:
907:
769:
691:
677:
434:
255:
245:
159:
140:
92:
21:
1425:
1314:
1198:
1094:
578:
476:
250:
211:
181:
112:
97:
47:
1147:
1133:
1219:
928:
659:
202:
109:
393:
357:, Japanese Ministry of Justice, 1958. (Japanese language)
194:
right away, while other schools prohibit the use of a
1521:
312:4 hors série, April 2014, published in French (
138:
117:
59:
147:
126:
68:
39:
379:
135:, the temper line of a tempered steel blade)
87:
336:- Reportage at the Minosaka Workshop, 2017.
386:
372:
91:
53:
20:
1522:
394:Japanese weapons, armour and equipment
367:
282:Encyclopedia of Japanese Martial Arts
279:
50:, a form of Japanese swordsmanship.
16:Japanese modern metal practice sword
13:
58:A real (sharp) katana is called a
14:
1541:
137:. The average weight for a real
1172:Projectile and throwing weapons
339:
327:
306:Magazine Dragon Spécial Aikido
298:
273:
218:
184:blades be used for practicing
1:
266:
180:in Japan recommend that only
1272:Improvised and other weapons
280:Hall, David A., ed. (2012),
7:
1509:Military equipment of Japan
234:
209:) and closer to the guard (
139:
118:
60:
10:
1546:
323:online English translation
104:Most iaitō are made of an
1484:
1398:
1331:
1271:
1229:
1171:
1125:
1079:
1026:
952:
883:
828:
731:
722:
669:
595:
556:
507:
408:
399:
148:
127:
96:Japanese girl practicing
88:Materials and manufacture
69:
40:
1530:Practice swords of Japan
1504:National Treasure swords
1027:Chain and rope weapons
101:
28:
953:Samurai accoutrements
866:Mail and plate armour
215:) than other blades.
95:
54:Other Japanese swords
24:
1080:Clubs and truncheons
596:Polearms and spears
557:Knives and daggers
353:2018-09-26 at the
102:
29:
1517:
1516:
1413:Edo period police
879:
878:
736:Auxiliary armours
552:
551:
291:978-1-56836-410-0
1537:
1494:Weapons of Japan
729:
728:
670:Practice weapons
646:Torimono sandōgu
406:
405:
388:
381:
374:
365:
364:
358:
343:
337:
331:
325:
311:
302:
296:
294:
277:
153:
151:
150:
144:
136:
130:
129:
123:
83:
77:
76:
65:
45:
43:
42:
1545:
1544:
1540:
1539:
1538:
1536:
1535:
1534:
1520:
1519:
1518:
1513:
1499:Japanese swords
1489:Japanese armour
1480:
1394:
1327:
1267:
1225:
1167:
1121:
1075:
1022:
948:
875:
824:
718:
665:
591:
548:
532:Sword polishing
527:Sword mountings
503:
395:
392:
362:
361:
355:Wayback Machine
344:
340:
332:
328:
309:
303:
299:
292:
278:
274:
269:
237:
221:
145:
124:
90:
66:
56:
37:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1543:
1533:
1532:
1515:
1514:
1512:
1511:
1506:
1501:
1496:
1491:
1485:
1482:
1481:
1479:
1478:
1471:
1464:
1457:
1450:
1443:
1436:
1429:
1422:
1415:
1410:
1402:
1400:
1396:
1395:
1393:
1392:
1385:
1378:
1371:
1364:
1357:
1350:
1343:
1335:
1333:
1332:Signal devices
1329:
1328:
1326:
1325:
1318:
1311:
1304:
1297:
1290:
1283:
1275:
1273:
1269:
1268:
1266:
1265:
1258:
1251:
1244:
1236:
1234:
1227:
1226:
1224:
1223:
1216:
1209:
1202:
1195:
1188:
1181:
1175:
1173:
1169:
1168:
1166:
1165:
1158:
1151:
1144:
1137:
1129:
1127:
1123:
1122:
1120:
1119:
1112:
1105:
1098:
1091:
1083:
1081:
1077:
1076:
1074:
1073:
1066:
1063:Kyoketsu-shoge
1059:
1052:
1045:
1038:
1030:
1028:
1024:
1023:
1021:
1020:
1013:
1006:
999:
992:
985:
978:
971:
964:
956:
954:
950:
949:
947:
946:
939:
932:
925:
918:
911:
904:
897:
889:
887:
881:
880:
877:
876:
874:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
832:
830:
826:
825:
823:
822:
815:
808:
801:
794:
787:
780:
773:
766:
759:
752:
745:
738:
732:
726:
720:
719:
717:
716:
709:
702:
695:
688:
681:
673:
671:
667:
666:
664:
663:
656:
649:
642:
635:
628:
621:
614:
607:
599:
597:
593:
592:
590:
589:
582:
575:
568:
560:
558:
554:
553:
550:
549:
547:
546:
539:
534:
529:
524:
517:
511:
509:
505:
504:
502:
501:
494:
487:
480:
473:
466:
459:
452:
445:
438:
431:
424:
417:
409:
403:
397:
396:
391:
390:
383:
376:
368:
360:
359:
338:
326:
297:
290:
271:
270:
268:
265:
264:
263:
258:
253:
248:
243:
236:
233:
220:
217:
89:
86:
55:
52:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1542:
1531:
1528:
1527:
1525:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1495:
1492:
1490:
1487:
1486:
1483:
1477:
1476:
1472:
1470:
1469:
1465:
1463:
1462:
1458:
1456:
1455:
1451:
1449:
1448:
1444:
1442:
1441:
1437:
1435:
1434:
1430:
1428:
1427:
1423:
1421:
1420:
1416:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1408:
1404:
1403:
1401:
1397:
1391:
1390:
1386:
1384:
1383:
1379:
1377:
1376:
1372:
1370:
1369:
1365:
1363:
1362:
1358:
1356:
1355:
1351:
1349:
1348:
1344:
1342:
1341:
1337:
1336:
1334:
1330:
1324:
1323:
1319:
1317:
1316:
1312:
1310:
1309:
1305:
1303:
1302:
1298:
1296:
1295:
1291:
1289:
1288:
1284:
1282:
1281:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1270:
1264:
1263:
1259:
1257:
1256:
1252:
1250:
1249:
1245:
1243:
1242:
1238:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1228:
1222:
1221:
1217:
1215:
1214:
1210:
1208:
1207:
1203:
1201:
1200:
1196:
1194:
1193:
1189:
1187:
1186:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1176:
1174:
1170:
1164:
1163:
1159:
1157:
1156:
1152:
1150:
1149:
1145:
1143:
1142:
1138:
1136:
1135:
1131:
1130:
1128:
1126:Staff weapons
1124:
1118:
1117:
1113:
1111:
1110:
1106:
1104:
1103:
1099:
1097:
1096:
1092:
1090:
1089:
1085:
1084:
1082:
1078:
1072:
1071:
1067:
1065:
1064:
1060:
1058:
1057:
1053:
1051:
1050:
1046:
1044:
1043:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1032:
1031:
1029:
1025:
1019:
1018:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1007:
1005:
1004:
1000:
998:
997:
993:
991:
990:
986:
984:
983:
979:
977:
976:
972:
970:
969:
965:
963:
962:
958:
957:
955:
951:
945:
944:
940:
938:
937:
933:
931:
930:
926:
924:
923:
919:
917:
916:
912:
910:
909:
905:
903:
902:
898:
896:
895:
891:
890:
888:
886:
882:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
833:
831:
827:
821:
820:
816:
814:
813:
809:
807:
806:
802:
800:
799:
795:
793:
792:
788:
786:
785:
781:
779:
778:
774:
772:
771:
767:
765:
764:
760:
758:
757:
753:
751:
750:
746:
744:
743:
739:
737:
734:
733:
730:
727:
725:
721:
715:
714:
710:
708:
707:
703:
701:
700:
696:
694:
693:
689:
687:
686:
682:
680:
679:
675:
674:
672:
668:
662:
661:
657:
655:
654:
650:
648:
647:
643:
641:
640:
636:
634:
633:
629:
627:
626:
622:
620:
619:
615:
613:
612:
608:
606:
605:
601:
600:
598:
594:
588:
587:
583:
581:
580:
576:
574:
573:
569:
567:
566:
562:
561:
559:
555:
545:
544:
540:
538:
537:Swordsmithing
535:
533:
530:
528:
525:
523:
522:
518:
516:
513:
512:
510:
506:
500:
499:
495:
493:
492:
488:
486:
485:
481:
479:
478:
474:
472:
471:
467:
465:
464:
460:
458:
457:
453:
451:
450:
446:
444:
443:
439:
437:
436:
432:
430:
429:
425:
423:
422:
418:
416:
415:
411:
410:
407:
404:
402:
398:
389:
384:
382:
377:
375:
370:
369:
366:
356:
352:
349:
348:
342:
335:
330:
324:
321:
318:
315:
307:
301:
293:
287:
283:
276:
272:
262:
259:
257:
254:
252:
249:
247:
244:
242:
239:
238:
232:
230:
226:
216:
214:
213:
208:
204:
199:
197:
193:
189:
188:
183:
179:
174:
172:
167:
165:
161:
156:
143:
142:
134:
133:blade pattern
122:
121:
114:
111:
107:
99:
94:
85:
81:
75:
72:
64:
63:
51:
49:
36:
35:
27:
23:
19:
1473:
1466:
1459:
1452:
1445:
1438:
1431:
1424:
1417:
1405:
1387:
1380:
1373:
1366:
1359:
1352:
1347:Hata-jirushi
1345:
1338:
1320:
1313:
1306:
1299:
1292:
1285:
1278:
1260:
1253:
1246:
1239:
1218:
1211:
1204:
1197:
1190:
1183:
1160:
1153:
1146:
1139:
1132:
1114:
1107:
1100:
1093:
1086:
1068:
1061:
1056:Kusari-fundo
1054:
1047:
1040:
1033:
1015:
1008:
1001:
994:
987:
980:
973:
966:
959:
941:
934:
927:
920:
913:
906:
899:
892:
817:
810:
803:
796:
789:
782:
775:
768:
761:
754:
747:
740:
711:
704:
697:
690:
684:
683:
676:
658:
651:
644:
637:
630:
623:
616:
609:
602:
584:
577:
570:
563:
541:
519:
508:Construction
496:
489:
482:
475:
468:
461:
454:
447:
440:
433:
426:
419:
412:
346:
341:
329:
305:
300:
281:
275:
224:
222:
210:
206:
200:
198:altogether.
195:
191:
185:
175:
168:
163:
157:
132:
103:
79:
57:
33:
32:
30:
25:
18:
1454:Shinsengumi
1389:Uma-jirushi
1262:Tanegashima
1010:Uchi-bukuro
996:Kubi bukuro
989:Kate-bukuro
586:Yoroi-dōshi
543:Tameshigiri
219:Legislation
1433:Onna-musha
1294:Metsubushi
1241:Bajō-zutsu
1049:Kusarigama
836:Brigandine
639:Sodegarami
565:Kabutowari
470:Shikomizue
267:References
241:Battōjutsu
166:in Japan.
80:real sword
1475:Yamabushi
1382:Sashimono
1361:Kabura-ya
1192:Makibishi
1179:Artillery
1088:Hachiwari
1035:Chigiriki
901:Hachimaki
798:Men-yoroi
713:Tanren bō
618:Kama-yari
611:Hoko yari
498:Wakizashi
317:2261-1134
106:aluminium
1524:Category
1468:Yabusame
1419:Kunoichi
1407:Ashigaru
1322:Suntetsu
1233:and guns
1231:Firearms
1206:Shuriken
982:Kaginawa
894:Fundoshi
885:Clothing
846:Lamellar
763:Haramaki
706:Suburitō
632:Sasumata
625:Naginata
521:Horimono
515:Glossary
449:Nagamaki
421:Dōtanuki
351:Archived
261:Kenjutsu
235:See also
131:, lit.,
78:, lit.,
1447:Samurai
1354:Horagai
1308:Ōtsuchi
1255:Ōdzutsu
1248:Bo-hiya
1162:Yubi-bo
1042:Kubotan
936:Uwa-obi
922:Shitagi
851:Laminar
805:Ō-yoroi
756:Dō-maru
699:Shinken
653:Tsukubō
604:Bisento
491:Tsurugi
456:Ninjatō
442:Kodachi
414:Chokutō
229:nihontō
207:kissaki
196:shinken
192:shinken
62:shinken
1375:Saihai
1368:Nobori
1340:Gunbai
1287:Kiseru
1185:Fukiya
1116:Tessen
1109:Tekkan
1102:Kanabō
1017:Yebira
968:Daishō
943:Waraji
915:Kyahan
908:Hakama
819:Tatami
791:Kusari
777:Karuta
770:Kabuto
724:Armour
692:Shinai
678:Bokken
572:Kaiken
463:Ōdachi
435:Katana
401:Swords
288:
256:Katana
246:Bokken
160:katana
141:katana
1461:Sōhei
1440:Rōnin
1426:Ninja
1399:Users
1315:Shobo
1199:Oyumi
1155:Tanbō
1141:Hanbō
1095:Jitte
1070:Jōhyō
961:Abumi
871:Scale
861:Plate
829:Types
812:Sangu
784:Kikko
685:Iaitō
579:Kunai
484:Tantō
477:Tachi
428:Guntō
251:Iaido
212:tsuba
187:iaidō
182:alloy
176:Some
164:iaitō
120:hamon
113:alloy
98:iaido
48:iaido
34:iaitō
26:Iaitō
1280:Kama
1220:Yumi
1003:Kura
975:Horo
929:Tabi
856:Mail
841:Lame
742:Bōgu
660:Yari
314:ISSN
286:ISBN
223:The
203:kata
178:dōjō
171:budō
110:zinc
31:The
1301:Ono
319:,
41:居合刀
1526::
1213:Ya
1148:Jō
1134:Bō
749:Dō
310:no
308:,
149:打刀
128:刃文
387:e
380:t
373:v
295:.
152:)
146:(
125:(
108:-
82:)
74:剣
71:真
67:(
44:)
38:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
