Bokken Jiki Shinkage Ryu (Hojo) - Chêne Blanc

Good and heavy-duty bokken

I ordered this Jiki Shinkage Ryu Bokken about three months ago. I use it as a suburito, not as my usual bokken. What I most like is that has the same length of my regular bokken but is three times more weighted. I am fascinated with the quality of all Seido items and this is in the same line of highest quality that my other 4 different bokken bought previously (all them different models). I feel I had a piece of Art in my hands every single time I take it (or any of the others).
Just one recommendation: use the engraving service because it gives the final touch of quality and is something you will be using for a lifetime. And a last thought: how long will still working the last Japanese craftsmen? So I feel we are buying the last pieces of an ending era of Art...

今では作る人がいなくなっているマイナー流派の木刀を作ってくださって感謝です。
丁寧な日本の手仕事が生きています。

II am not a student of jiki shinkage ryu, but I am fascinated with this challenging bokken for suburi. Indeed, I have found it excellent for that purpose — for me at least, the large circumference of the tsuka places a premium on gripping method and hand strength.

For what I want, this bokken is perfect. However I note that the flat spine seems slightly misaligned from true. While this is no concern for me, a practitioner from the ryu might find it distracting.

I offer this observation in the spirit of constructive feedback, with the disclaimer that I do not know what the true shape should be, nor how the ryu views small deviations.

This bokken is outstanding in quality and balance. It is quite heavy and perfect for Suburi. And again delivery was fast and communication very clear and friendly. Thank you Seido - I will order again.

I was expecting this to be unwieldy but although it is substantial, it’s a beautifully balanced bokuto! I’m not sure I can fathom how the crafts person is able to achieve this, but they have. I ordered the oil white oak version with tsuka engraving and it’s a truly lovely piece of timber being smooth to the touch and the tsuka really fills the hand in a manner to which I’m unaccustomed but find pleasing. Training with this bokuto will go a long way to improving my shisei,, tenouchi and indeed ‘cutting musculature’.

Seido’s service is just amazing too. Easy to follow ordering, lovely laser engraving and delivery took just 5days from ordering from Japan to arrival in the UK...fantastic service!

I ordered the bokuto in shirogashi with oil finish. I'd recommend that combination. The bokuto feels very nice, and it is very well-made.

BOKEN très particulier et étonnant quand à sa tenue et son équilibre. Exellente finition et livraison bien plus rapide que prévue ( vous êtes de véritables ninja).

So, I’m not sure if this is significant, but this bokken resonates if the blade is struck when it is held near where the tsuba would be. It makes this pleasant “bonnngg” and it’s a little bit like its spirit is coming out. Anyway, I like that about it; I think it speaks to the quality of the wood selection and fine craftsmanship. I am very happy with this product and am really enjoying training with it.

The bokken is finely crafted with excellent alignment to the grain. The measurements 1015x43x37 mm (length X max tsuka diameter X min tsuka diameter) seems to resemble the specification given in Saito Meishins Book from 1901 (no tsuka dimensions given in this book, but the specified length and proportions of the drawing fit well) contrasting to the the shorter and slimmer values given in Yamada Jirokichis Book from 1927 (9999x42.42x34.84) or even more so to the values given in Ishigaki Yasuzos Book from 1992 (970x40x32). There seems to have been a tendency to shorter and lighter hojo bokken throughout the 20th century and now the trend is apparently going back to the roots.

When I was young (about 35 years back) Sugano sensei had us perform 20 minutes of animated suburi every day during a 10 day seminar. On the last day we did Yonkyo for the rest of the session. "Now you know, why you were doing all the suburi !" Sugano sensei smiled. This very bokken feels do be the ideal tool for yonkyo preparation suburi. The tsuka has nearly the diameter of a slim wrist and it moves smoothly despite the size and weight. It does feel really fine in handling.

This bokken helps you to get a good feeling and connection and to guide it into a movement along its natural tendencies rather than force it. I really love its feeling.