There are actually many different types of Japanese swords, although the family of swords we know today is based upon the katana. The police and district attorney’s office would likely categorize the use of the bokken just like the use of a baseball bat in self-defense. While I wouldn’t want to face off against a pistol-wielding hood with one, I’d take one over a switchblade any day. But the bokken, being made of wood and not metal, is not legally considered a weapon therefore, it is legal to carry. Due to its length, it’s illegal to carry in most states, although not illegal to own. Carrying a katana falls under the same group of state laws regulating the carrying of knives. This brings up an interesting possibility with a wooden katana, that of carrying one as a self-defense weapon. While the bokken is made of wood, it is fully capable of inflicting injury, either in bruising the person struck with it, cutting them if it is sharpened, or even breaking small bones. This should not be confused with the shinai, which is a bamboo version of the katana, used in skirmish practice and competition.
The general fascination with the katana readily carries over into woodworking, as there is a wooden version of the katana known as the bokken, used for training in the movements of kendo, the Japanese art of sword fighting. Today, a katana made by the traditional methods sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some steps require weeks to complete on one sword, working on it every day. Making a katana the original way involves the work of as many as 15 specialists, working over a period of six months.
Commoners used other things as weapons, often tools that they used every day.īut the katana has earned a special place in history, partially due to the culture of the samurai, partially due to the artistry that went into making it and partially due to the technology that went into the blade, something that was not known in other parts of the world. Spears were the weapon of the infantry, as they were considerably easier and therefore less expensive to fabricate. In many cases, it was only the royalty and their knights who had swords to use, as making one would take a considerable amount of time from a skilled smith. Swords themselves are fascinating tools, hearkening back to a day when they were the ultimate weapon a soldier could own. Resulting in lifelong relationships that make them feel a part of the RKC-FAMILY.There’s a lot of fascination today with the katana and no wonder. Whilst still having FUN during their time of training and socializing together.ģ). FOCUS on helping ALL their members develop good Kendo, Iaido, and/or Jodo.Ģ). To reflect the aspirations of its founders, the RKC set forth three major objectives to be accomplished, namely to:ġ).
The RKC has adopted the Kendo proverb of "Kō Ken Chi Ai" (交 剣 知 愛), “the desire to achieve mutual understanding and betterment of humanity through sword training”, to help guide its members on their lifelong pursuit of Kendo, Iaido and Jodo. "RKC" stands for "Ryū Ken Chi" (written in Japanese kanji as 龍 剣 知)), and translates to "Dragon Sword Wisdom". The benefits of doing these martial arts include: Increases fitness Improves mental focus and Inspires self-development.
#WOODEN KATANA PROFESSIONAL#
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, the RKC DOJO (RKC) is a professional martial arts institution, offering the Japanese Martial Arts of Kendo, Iaido & Jodo.