Choosing the Right Bokken

The wooden sword commonly known as the bokken (or sometimes bokuto in Japan), is the core training tool for most Japanese sword training. It has the weight, feel, and curvature of a reel sword, but without the sharp edge. Make no mistake, however, a bokken can easily break bones or even kill a person if you're not careful.

In fact, Miyamoto Musashi was infamous for fighting fully armed foes with only one or two bokken. In a famous legend, he defeated Sasaki Kojiro with a bokken had carved from an oar(!)

Why use a bokken instead of a shinai or Iaito to practice with?

The shinai and Iaito definitely have their place in sword practice, but the bokken is a much better option for daily, training. For one thing, it has the curvature of a real sword that a shinai doesn't have (many techniques take advantage of the sword's natural curvature). An Iaito is still a heavy and dangerous weapon even though it's not sharp. With a bokken, you're much less likely to hurt your practice partner or yourself when you're swinging that thing around.

What kind of wood is a GOOD bokken made out of?

The best types of wood are either White Oak, or Appalachian Hickory. Both of these woods are dense, lightweight, and suitable for impact. There are some die-hards that feel Brazilian Cherrywood or Purpleheart make better bokken. While it's true these woods are denser and more solid than White Oak or Hickory, they can fracture much easier on impact with another bokken. Therefore, they are not widely used for practical training (plus, South American woods are just too darn expensive!).

Overall, Appalachian Hickory has proven to be slightly better than the traditional White Oak. White Oak is a durable wood, but it can become brittle over time (but this is usually a long period of time. For most people, a White Oak bokken is a fine choice for moderate activity. I wouldn't worry about it too much).

White Oak Bokken:

Not so hot bokken

Then there are the majority of Asian Red Oak bokken that you'll find at your local martial arts dealer. These range anywhere from $10-$20, and you get what you paid for. These are disposable bokken that will splinter and crack very easily after several hits from another bokken. If you're a beginner at your sword school, these cheap bokken are plenty suitable until you find out if you want to stay with the program or not. But once you decide that Japanese sword training is the right thing for you, you'll definitely want to purchase a nicer bokken for more serious training.

Red Oak Bokken:

Bokken I like

I personally own an Appalachian Hickory bokken that I just love. I bought it at bugei.com, and it's fantastic. I like their bokken because they make the handle a bit longer than most bokken. Since I'm a tall guy, this longer handle area feels so much more natural than the cramped handle area in most bokken. It's also sturdy and tough. I've bashed this thing plenty of times on other bokken and it hasn't cracked or splintered yet.

Hickory Bokken:

Bokken handle types

After you decide what type of wood to buy, you'll need to consider what type of handle (tsuka) you want. Bokken tsuka come in two different styles: one is with a kind of notch cut at the top of the handle designed to hold a wood or plastic tsuba. The other type is simply a smooth transition from the tsuka to the blade. It will largely depend on what type of training you do as to which type of tsuka you want. Each has it's advantages and disadvantages.

The notch type of handle will hold a tsuba (hand gaurd) which is more realistic to a real sword. The tsuba also provides protection from your opponent striking your hand. Plus, many sword techniques use the tsuba to their advantage. So, having a tsuba is necessary. However, having the smooth transition type of bokken is nice because you don't have to bother with those darn plastic tsubas that ALWAYS come loose during training (click here for some solutions to the loose tsuba problem). Plus, your hands feel more free and somehow "natural" when gripping the sword. I prefer the smooth transition type of bokken myself, but for the beginner, a notch type bokken is probably a better option.

Those pesky loose tsubas!

Anyone who's trained with a bokken and one of those standard plastic tsubas knows that they ALWAYS come loose...and often at the worst time! Here are some solutions that I've tried or seen other people try with some success.

Glue and lots of it! You can simply glue the plastic tsuba to the bokken, but the glue will eventually break off when your hand slams into it. Try some superglue.
You can put one of those white, rubber collars (Habaki) on the top, AND another one on the bottom. This should hold the tsuba in place depending on how tight the habaki are. You'll still have to retighten the collars periodically, but it should be fairly sturdy.
Put some masking tape around the top and bottom of the tsuba. This is a much cruder and unattractive solution, but it actually works. Build up the tape around the base of the tsuba so it's about the thickness of an actual habaki. Do the same on top of the tsuba. This will prevent the tsuba from sliding up or down. You'll have to replace the tape periodically.
Don't use a tsuba! This is the easiest solution that I usually opt for when I'm using a bokken. Even though a tsuba has lots of practical use, the darn things just get in the way. So I say, "Off with the tsuba!"

click here for bokken maintenance >>

So, if you want to invest in a descent bokken that you can actually train with, I would go for the White Oak or Appalachian Hickory above all else. The South American woods just aren't worth the trouble in my book. And as noted above, the Asian Red Oak bokken are simply junk.

*Disclaimer: Swords are very dangerous weapons that can hurt, maim, or kill people if not handled properly. Handle swords with care in every circumstance. If you don't know how to handle a sword properly, don't touch it. Use every safety precaution available when handling any weapon. This website claims no responsibility for any of the information or links provided within these pages. This website is not responsible for any accident, injury, or dissatisfied purchase from links that originate from this site. Handle swords at your own risk. Purchase swords at your own risk. Always obey the laws of your state or area regarding sword purchase and sword use.