Kendo Weapons

There are two main types of kendo weapons used. A shinai and a bokken or bokutou (when referring to kendo the two names, bokken and bokutou are often interchangeable).

The Shinai

The ones pictured here are standard modern day shinai. The top is made up of carbon graphite. The bottom is a modern bamboo shinai. While almost identical in looks, the two shinai are completely different in terms of handling, weight, and feel.

A regular bamboo shinai will, on average, last about 3 to 6 months pending on how well one takes care of it. It is also lighter than the carbon shinai hence it is easier to swing.

The only two downsides to using a bamboo version is: 1.) it requires much more maintenance. 2.) Buying a cheap, but well made, bamboo shinai runs from anywhere between $18 and $24 and must be replaced every 2-6 months (assuming you practice twice a week) or else someone will get hurt. A well made shinai on the other hand can run up to $80 and will usually last longer than 3 months of constant use.

Hurting the person you practice with is the major concern. A bamboo shinai must be well maintained or it could possibly injure the person being hit with it. Bamboo shatters when broken. If someone is hit on the head with a bamboo shinai and the bamboo shatters, there is a very likely chance that the person who was hit will get bamboo shards flung into their eyes and go blind. Maintenance is a MUST.

Carbon shinai can last anywhere from a year to 3 years and run from $200 to $400 a piece.

In terms of cost, the short run cost of a carbon shinai is much more, but in the long run, it may actually save you money since they do last for a long time.

Carbon does require some maintenance, but not as much as bamboo. They seem to be better than bamboo in every sense… but they’re not. When weighing the benefits of each, one will find that carbon and bamboo are actually equal.

Carbon is heavy. It also has a much less “natural” swing. When it hits, instead of the nice “thwack!” sound a bamboo shinai makes, it sounds and feels more like a “thump!” Carbon is also less safe. Being heavier and having a higher density makes being on the receiving end of a carbon shinai sometimes irritatingly painful—especially when the person using it misses the target.

There have been recent improvements in carbon shinai technology making them lighter and more agile, as a generality however, they are still more difficult to wield than bamboo making them a no-no for beginner kendoists.

As a rule, during free practice with a sensei, never use a carbon shinai. Only use bamboo! Carbon is alright to use during uchikomi keiko, kihon keiko, an renzokuwaza keiko (see Terms: Types of practice) and when you practice with yourself or the uchikomidai or striking dummy. Switching between carbon and bamboo is often the best way to lengthen the lifetime of your shinai.

The Bokken

Of both main kendo weapons, the bokken/bokutou is the cheapest. Bokken can run anwhere from $10 to $50. As a beginner, however, its best to stay on the lower end of the price range since a $10 bokken usually just fine.