Bokken? Bokuto? Confusion Reigns Supreme

[imouto]

A total newbie here and it's getting to the stage of getting equipment, in particular practice and kata swords.

I'm training in iaido and kendo. I am committing to both sports for the long term.

I've come across bokken in kendo for kata and bokuto for iaido, (or at least I'm led to believe that it's bokuto). I've been told that I can use a kendo bokken for practicing my technique in iaido.

Here's the question, what's the difference between a bokken and a bokuto?

I do apologise if I've completely screwed up terminology.

[Tsunemori]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokken

Boku/moku = wood
Ken = sword
To = sword

Same thing.

[imouto]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokken

Boku/moku = wood
Ken = sword
To = sword

Same thing.

Thanks

I feel like such an idiot.

[Tsunemori]

We all do at some point, I think.

Which dojo do you go to?

[imouto]

I'm over at Murdoch University Kendo Club and just started iaido today with Budokan folks out at the dojo at Willow Pond, Canning Vale.

[Tsunemori]

Haaaaaah. Magdeline?

[imouto]

Haaaaaah. Magdeline?

Haaaaaah. Bernard?

[Keegs]

#It's a small world after all...#

[Ookami7]

That it is, a small world lol. Imouto san, good luck with the training!!!! Enjoy both. By the way which style of Iaido ie what koryu does your dojo do? Anyways if you got question on Iaido portion can help out or even kendo(some what). Just pm me kay. Anyways like said same thing just diff name for it lol. Starting out a basic Kendo bokken is fine! Just in case double check with your dojo though. You can get a plastic saya, but most people that I know don`t bother w/ it and instead wait till have money for Iaito! Later on if you want to upgrade bokken is fine as well. There are diff types w/ weight etc, even saw one at Ozu seminar in Japan that was bokken blade, but had saya and tsuka, tsuba like it was a real blade. Its the one that Iwata Sensei and Nishimoto Sensei used for demoing specific questions/ stuff for us.
また、狼より/ Jeff

[imouto]

That it is, a small world lol. Imouto san, good luck with the training!!!! Enjoy both. By the way which style of Iaido ie what koryu does your dojo do? Anyways if you got question on Iaido portion can help out or even kendo(some what). Just pm me kay. Anyways like said same thing just diff name for it lol. Starting out a basic Kendo bokken is fine! Just in case double check with your dojo though. You can get a plastic saya, but most people that I know don`t bother w/ it and instead wait till have money for Iaito! Later on if you want to upgrade bokken is fine as well. There are diff types w/ weight etc, even saw one at Ozu seminar in Japan that was bokken blade, but had saya and tsuka, tsuba like it was a real blade. Its the one that Iwata Sensei and Nishimoto Sensei used for demoing specific questions/ stuff for us.
また、狼より/ Jeff

Thank you so much! There may well be PMs from me in the future.

Koryu? What is koryu? I was focussing on footwork and some basic swings today. I was something close to awful, actually, really awful. And I'm sure I looked more like a poorly controlled puppet than someone learning iaido.

People upgrade bokken??? I will check with the dojos when it comes to what bokken to use. I'm not sure about the plastic saya at the moment. There's a lot of new information!

[Tsunemori]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koryu

Koryu basically means "old style". It refers to martial arts that try to preserve traditional stuff before it gets modernised.

There are different types of bokken depending on the quality of the wood, but any will suffice. A plastic saya might look silly but eh, it's practical enough. My advice is to slow down and don't bother spending anything just yet, give it a few months until you're sure you're going to stick to the art. The dojo will always supply you with equipments I think.

[Lady_Kitsune]

For what my sepmai explained us yesterday during practice, no matter if it's for kendo or iado, e use a bokuto that is a wooden sword and ppl who practice things like aikido, use a bokken, even thou they are very much alike.

[NorthernKendoka]

There is a slight difference between bokken and bokuto, at least so I've been told. The ken (剣) in bokken can be used to describe swords in general so it could be a ken (the straight two edged sword), a katana or even a claymore. While tou (刀) as in bokuto is more specificly the curved japanese sword as in nihonto. So a bokuto is a bokken but a bokken is not nessecarily a bokuto. But for all practical reasons it's just different ways of expressing the same thing. Please correct me if I got it all backwards

[imouto]

Colour me confused.

Again.

[Fallen]

Imouto, glad you enjoyed the Iai, hope you enjoyed the Kendo after too :)

the dojo teaches all beginners Setei Iai, after a period you may get to study one of the koryu, either Tamiya Ryu or Muso Shinden Ryu.

One day I'll get my act together and try Iai, just sooo little time as it is

[Kendoka_Han]

Imouto, glad you enjoyed the Iai, hope you enjoyed the Kendo after too :)

the dojo teaches all beginners Setei Iai, after a period you may get to study one of the koryu, either Tamiya Ryu or Muso Shinden Ryu.

One day I'll get my act together and try Iai, just sooo little time as it is

Touche.... :)

[imouto]

Imouto, glad you enjoyed the Iai, hope you enjoyed the Kendo after too :)

the dojo teaches all beginners Setei Iai, after a period you may get to study one of the koryu, either Tamiya Ryu or Muso Shinden Ryu.

One day I'll get my act together and try Iai, just sooo little time as it is

I think I just felt Perth shrink even more.

[Fallen]

Touche.... :)

Your still training? I thought given the no show at the grading you had taken a break ;)

Don't worry Imouto, there are lots of people from Perth who lurk on the forums... just not many who talk a lot.

[imouto]

Don't worry Imouto, there are lots of people from Perth who lurk on the forums... just not many who talk a lot.
I'm getting that quite loud and clear.