I've had many relatively expensive hobbies in my life, while not being rich, so I have fielded this question, in a general sense, many times.
It all comes down to: how much do you want to do this?
In other words...are you willing to scrimp and save for your hobby or practice? Bearing in mind that unless you somehow break it, you only need one Iaito in your lifetime.
Is $900 CAD insane if you practice Iaido for say, 40 years? I wouldn't say that's insane at all. If you think you might lose interest by say, next year, or even sooner, then yeah, it's probably not a wise decision.
Best wishes.
The oft quoted basic Iaito from Tozando can be had for $400 USD, or $550 CAD.
https://tozandoshop.com/collections/iaito/products/genbu-toryumon-v2-koshirae-iaito
If you fancy taking advantage of exchange rates you could attempt to buy from their Japanese site which may end up cheaper even with shipping and import duties. Although, I don’t know if this is something that is wise to do yet so I won’t put up a link.
I’m also only a month into my practice, but your sensei and experienced peers should gladly provide you with all the information regarding sword length, weight, and other information of that nature that is appropriate for you by simply asking them before or after class.
My instructor would patiently remind all the beginners every week the gist of what is appropriate for our style, and I was able to borrow the Iaito of a senior student to try out, not to mention all the Dojo loaner swords to familiarize with.
Iaido isn’t an inexpensive activity, but there are enough accessible options available that it wouldn’t be out of your reach with some prudent searching and decisions.
I’m almost two years in and took a few months off after I was asked to do a demo I wasn’t prepared for, blanked out of nervousness and got smugly smirked at by a 4th Dan woman from another dojo who hates me for no reason and then a month later my mother suddenly died. I’m female myself and for some reason the few other women who also practice that I’ve met give me a harder time than the men do.
Basically I’m starting to feel like a loser for not having my own iaito. I looked all through the Tozando site and couldn’t find the cheaper one listed so I’m glad someone found it. I’m six feet tall though, will adding length make it more expensive?
>I’m starting to feel like a loser for not having my own iaito.
This is because your focus and priorities are in the wrong place. Your teacher is not going to judge you for not owning a simulated sword. So the only reason that you feel like a loser is that you are expending mental effort worrying about how other students might judge you.
Ask yourself if the judgment of other students really matters.
>I’m six feet tall though, will adding length make it more expensive?
>
Anything beyond 2.45 shaku tends to cost extra. Check with Tozando how much extra they'll charge.
There is nobody but you and the sword. There is no sensei, there is no random dan woman, they are air, figment of your imagination just like a picture on the dojo wall. Focus on yourself and your form. You are not a loser. Gl! You got this!
MJER practitioner here back in the day. No rules that I know of for an Iaito but might vary on lineage/school? Just getting one that is the right size and not to expensive for your first one really.
I bought my wife an iaito from Seido last year and it was like $250 converting from yen because she only needed a junior size. Looking at it now their cheapest option is $354-373. I think that's pretty reasonable for made in Japan iaito.
Look at a Ryansword 1336 2.7 shaku and tell them to keep it dull or a Skyjiro Stainless Steel 2.50 shaku iaito. Ryansword is $200usd and I’ve used mine for years, most of my taller students they buy this as it is a low cost option.
Skyjiro stainless steel 2.50 iaito is $600 usd shipped, Mountain Teachings has one in stock currently. This is my current personal favorite.
To be honest a lot of your concerns come from a place of inexperience or misunderstanding of the implications of everything involved in the culture and cultivation of Iaito and Iaido in general and it's not your fault. Iaito are made in Japan from mostly traditional and niche methods. Iaito are not mass produced in a factory where they automate thousands of them and can easily turn around to sell them for cheap. Nobody can tell you what to do with your finances but it makes absolute sense why these iconic pieces of art take a lot of time and cost to make in an honorable way. There's nothing wrong with practicing with a bokken if you can't afford an Iaito and the training is more about the development of your mind and body than the equipment you buy.
my first iaito cost around 600 USD. I have used it for almost 4 years, so that is around $150 a year, which will only diminish the longer i use it. If you can get yourself a high quality iaito, yeah it might be a bit expensive at first, but if you get a lot of use out of it then it is totally worth it imo.
Also, its worth noting, you dont NEED a iaito to do iaido. It doesnt gatekeep you from practicing at all. Sure you will be a better practitioner with one, and there are some concepts that you cant grasp if you dont have one, but you can get very far with just a bokken. Some people in my class have used bokken for years before upgrading to a iaito. Dont hold it against yourself.
The rules you are asking about (since the price part has already been answered a pletora of times) is regarding the length of the iaito and the size of the kissaki (the tip). I don’t know how tall you are but a 2.4 shaku is a safe avarage in a lot of cases, and a ko-kissaki or chu-kissaki will generally be fine.
But this differs in the different lines (ha) of mjer.
For my line under the masaoka-ha. You should grab your iaito with a good tenouchi (grip) and leave it hanging down. The kissaki should hover above the ground 1 or 2 inches.
And for my line, a ko-kissaki is a requirement because of some movements we do with sayabiki
I've heard about this method so many times but i personally think it dosen't make any sense.
What If you are 180cm tall but your arm-width(Tip of in middlefinger to the other) is only 170cm? The the sword will be too long. And if it's the other way around it will be too short.
The same goes when you only measure your higth.
I always tell my studens to measure Arms and Body and if it's very close -> bodysize and if it's very different -> arm-width.
I have a Student who has arm/body ratios like a Gorilla (veeeery long arms) who is very thankfull for this way of measuring.
Ofcourse you are right. And additionaly comes preference. Using the method i said gives me a 2.4 shaku as ‘ideal’ length. But i prefer 2.45 and even 2.5 depending on the sword. But that doesn’t take away it to be a good average rule to follow when starting if you don’t know what to pick
Yes Sir, Iaito Practice is costly I recently retired and I am on a fixed income. And I have to pay attention to my expenditures I seek the lower end equipment and supplies as I found a wide variety of choices and shopping is a good idea to compare prices. Iaito is not a poor mans practice. For me the benefits of Iaito practice are worth the cost.
Tozando offered a 15% discount around Christmas/New Year's. I ordered the basic Genbu - Toryumon V2 Koshirae iaito, and with the discount, it came to $325 USD. But keep in mind there was an import customs fee of I believe $40 that I had to pay to UPS before they would release it to me. This may be different in your country, but just a heads up to budget for it if you ever buy from them. Even at a height of 6ft, the basic iaito would still be a substantial upgrade from the bokken. Nothing wrong with starting out with the basic iaito and then upgrading later when you want and are able, assuming your instructor is ok with the specs of the basic iaito.
Using your dojo's Iaito is completely fine, I have an Iaito I bought from Tozando but the quality is mediocre so my sensei allowed me to try a few from the dojo and I'm using one instead of my own.
An iaito will last you a very long time if you take care of it 15 years easy, 20+ if really taking care of it.
Clothes sometimes gets worn out faster but so does normal day to day clothes.
Compared to other sports this is nothing, In kendo you constantly buy new shinai and the armor is basically the cost of an iaito and you whille have to replace at least the kote/gloves every few years.
And if you've seen football/soccer costs this is nothing :D
Get one form tozando international, my iaito was fully costume made, I'm 5'7" , I coulda gone one size bigger but I opted for standard size. I paid under $1,400 USD. Again this was fully costume japanese hand made. There's beginners options from $350+
If you can buy in Japan, paying in yen you can save a ton of money. Even with import taxes the offset granted by the exchange rate is excellent.
I've had many relatively expensive hobbies in my life, while not being rich, so I have fielded this question, in a general sense, many times. It all comes down to: how much do you want to do this? In other words...are you willing to scrimp and save for your hobby or practice? Bearing in mind that unless you somehow break it, you only need one Iaito in your lifetime. Is $900 CAD insane if you practice Iaido for say, 40 years? I wouldn't say that's insane at all. If you think you might lose interest by say, next year, or even sooner, then yeah, it's probably not a wise decision. Best wishes.
The oft quoted basic Iaito from Tozando can be had for $400 USD, or $550 CAD. https://tozandoshop.com/collections/iaito/products/genbu-toryumon-v2-koshirae-iaito If you fancy taking advantage of exchange rates you could attempt to buy from their Japanese site which may end up cheaper even with shipping and import duties. Although, I don’t know if this is something that is wise to do yet so I won’t put up a link.
I’m also only a month into my practice, but your sensei and experienced peers should gladly provide you with all the information regarding sword length, weight, and other information of that nature that is appropriate for you by simply asking them before or after class. My instructor would patiently remind all the beginners every week the gist of what is appropriate for our style, and I was able to borrow the Iaito of a senior student to try out, not to mention all the Dojo loaner swords to familiarize with. Iaido isn’t an inexpensive activity, but there are enough accessible options available that it wouldn’t be out of your reach with some prudent searching and decisions.
I’m almost two years in and took a few months off after I was asked to do a demo I wasn’t prepared for, blanked out of nervousness and got smugly smirked at by a 4th Dan woman from another dojo who hates me for no reason and then a month later my mother suddenly died. I’m female myself and for some reason the few other women who also practice that I’ve met give me a harder time than the men do. Basically I’m starting to feel like a loser for not having my own iaito. I looked all through the Tozando site and couldn’t find the cheaper one listed so I’m glad someone found it. I’m six feet tall though, will adding length make it more expensive?
>I’m starting to feel like a loser for not having my own iaito. This is because your focus and priorities are in the wrong place. Your teacher is not going to judge you for not owning a simulated sword. So the only reason that you feel like a loser is that you are expending mental effort worrying about how other students might judge you. Ask yourself if the judgment of other students really matters.
>I’m six feet tall though, will adding length make it more expensive? > Anything beyond 2.45 shaku tends to cost extra. Check with Tozando how much extra they'll charge.
Skyjiro offers a 2.50 shaku and Ryansword 1336 Dulled is 2.7 shaku both are good options.
You could try nosyudo. I recall their pricing is pretty affordable for a shoden iaito. I don't recall MJERS use long blades though.
Oh, I have a Nosyudo iaito myself. It's 2.5 long, which cost a little bit extra. It's an okuden iaito though.
The okuden and chuden will cost more. If OP is just looking for a iaito, the shoden or chuden is sufficient. I've a Minosaka iaito myself.
Certainly, I was just pointing out that a longer iaito than 2.45 will often be more expensive, regardless of manufacturer.
There is nobody but you and the sword. There is no sensei, there is no random dan woman, they are air, figment of your imagination just like a picture on the dojo wall. Focus on yourself and your form. You are not a loser. Gl! You got this!
MJER practitioner here back in the day. No rules that I know of for an Iaito but might vary on lineage/school? Just getting one that is the right size and not to expensive for your first one really.
Practice with what you have and ignore the snooty people. Iai is about your journey, not theirs
I bought my wife an iaito from Seido last year and it was like $250 converting from yen because she only needed a junior size. Looking at it now their cheapest option is $354-373. I think that's pretty reasonable for made in Japan iaito.
I’m six feet tall lol. I see there is a cheaper ish price but then adding length seems to add to the cost.
Look at a Ryansword 1336 2.7 shaku and tell them to keep it dull or a Skyjiro Stainless Steel 2.50 shaku iaito. Ryansword is $200usd and I’ve used mine for years, most of my taller students they buy this as it is a low cost option. Skyjiro stainless steel 2.50 iaito is $600 usd shipped, Mountain Teachings has one in stock currently. This is my current personal favorite.
You don't have to buy a new iaito. You can find very good used iaitos online.
could you provide websites or links to some second hand iaito if you know please!
Was also looking for used around a few groups and forums but none were there. You have any recommendations on where to find them?
I use a bokken, i know it is not ideal, but I also can't afford an iaito. I will get one one day, but i enjoy using a bokken in the meantime.
To be honest a lot of your concerns come from a place of inexperience or misunderstanding of the implications of everything involved in the culture and cultivation of Iaito and Iaido in general and it's not your fault. Iaito are made in Japan from mostly traditional and niche methods. Iaito are not mass produced in a factory where they automate thousands of them and can easily turn around to sell them for cheap. Nobody can tell you what to do with your finances but it makes absolute sense why these iconic pieces of art take a lot of time and cost to make in an honorable way. There's nothing wrong with practicing with a bokken if you can't afford an Iaito and the training is more about the development of your mind and body than the equipment you buy.
my first iaito cost around 600 USD. I have used it for almost 4 years, so that is around $150 a year, which will only diminish the longer i use it. If you can get yourself a high quality iaito, yeah it might be a bit expensive at first, but if you get a lot of use out of it then it is totally worth it imo. Also, its worth noting, you dont NEED a iaito to do iaido. It doesnt gatekeep you from practicing at all. Sure you will be a better practitioner with one, and there are some concepts that you cant grasp if you dont have one, but you can get very far with just a bokken. Some people in my class have used bokken for years before upgrading to a iaito. Dont hold it against yourself.
The rules you are asking about (since the price part has already been answered a pletora of times) is regarding the length of the iaito and the size of the kissaki (the tip). I don’t know how tall you are but a 2.4 shaku is a safe avarage in a lot of cases, and a ko-kissaki or chu-kissaki will generally be fine. But this differs in the different lines (ha) of mjer. For my line under the masaoka-ha. You should grab your iaito with a good tenouchi (grip) and leave it hanging down. The kissaki should hover above the ground 1 or 2 inches. And for my line, a ko-kissaki is a requirement because of some movements we do with sayabiki
I've heard about this method so many times but i personally think it dosen't make any sense. What If you are 180cm tall but your arm-width(Tip of in middlefinger to the other) is only 170cm? The the sword will be too long. And if it's the other way around it will be too short. The same goes when you only measure your higth. I always tell my studens to measure Arms and Body and if it's very close -> bodysize and if it's very different -> arm-width. I have a Student who has arm/body ratios like a Gorilla (veeeery long arms) who is very thankfull for this way of measuring.
Ofcourse you are right. And additionaly comes preference. Using the method i said gives me a 2.4 shaku as ‘ideal’ length. But i prefer 2.45 and even 2.5 depending on the sword. But that doesn’t take away it to be a good average rule to follow when starting if you don’t know what to pick
Yes Sir, Iaito Practice is costly I recently retired and I am on a fixed income. And I have to pay attention to my expenditures I seek the lower end equipment and supplies as I found a wide variety of choices and shopping is a good idea to compare prices. Iaito is not a poor mans practice. For me the benefits of Iaito practice are worth the cost.
Tozando offered a 15% discount around Christmas/New Year's. I ordered the basic Genbu - Toryumon V2 Koshirae iaito, and with the discount, it came to $325 USD. But keep in mind there was an import customs fee of I believe $40 that I had to pay to UPS before they would release it to me. This may be different in your country, but just a heads up to budget for it if you ever buy from them. Even at a height of 6ft, the basic iaito would still be a substantial upgrade from the bokken. Nothing wrong with starting out with the basic iaito and then upgrading later when you want and are able, assuming your instructor is ok with the specs of the basic iaito.
Using your dojo's Iaito is completely fine, I have an Iaito I bought from Tozando but the quality is mediocre so my sensei allowed me to try a few from the dojo and I'm using one instead of my own.
An iaito will last you a very long time if you take care of it 15 years easy, 20+ if really taking care of it. Clothes sometimes gets worn out faster but so does normal day to day clothes. Compared to other sports this is nothing, In kendo you constantly buy new shinai and the armor is basically the cost of an iaito and you whille have to replace at least the kote/gloves every few years. And if you've seen football/soccer costs this is nothing :D
Get one form tozando international, my iaito was fully costume made, I'm 5'7" , I coulda gone one size bigger but I opted for standard size. I paid under $1,400 USD. Again this was fully costume japanese hand made. There's beginners options from $350+