●Mini Katana’s Website minikatana.com/SHOGO *Get a 15% OFF discount by buying through my affiliate link ●Mini Katana’s TH-cam Channel th-cam.com/users/MiniKatanaStore ●My recommended katana shop: Tozando tozandoshop.com/letsaskshogo tozandoshop.com/pages/shinsakuto-a-new-made-to-order-katana ▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼ th-cam.com/video/nhEamHfzyyg/w-d-xo.html ▼Related videos in this channel▼ -A Day of Training: This is How Katana Trainees Prepare for a Mat Cutting Competition th-cam.com/video/azhJOBnVrLU/w-d-xo.html -3 Basic Katana Trainings that Beginners Can Do at Home | Taught by a Japanese Iaido Trainee th-cam.com/video/MdrNJuQ137Y/w-d-xo.html -5 Real KATANA Recommended by Kyoto's Most Famous Shop th-cam.com/video/A4jV6OXa3BQ/w-d-xo.html ▼MY DREAM▼ th-cam.com/video/EgowIV_kagA/w-d-xo.html “To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in” I will be using the profit I gain from this channel at restaurants, hotels, and cultural facilities in Kyoto to introduce them. The more you watch the videos on this channel, Kyoto and Japan will become a more exciting place, and you can support your own and others’ dreams in the future even more. ▼Join our Membership▼ th-cam.com/channels/n7DCb9ttrcw9h3vh9dfnVw.htmljoin ●Membership benefits -Limited behind-the-scene videos -Weekly Zoom call or live stream -Priority reply to comments ▼[Sub-channel] “Shogo’s Podcast”▼ th-cam.com/channels/ZAe1VayWxp5NLO4Net78DA.html Please subscribe!! The perfect channel to learn about Japanese culture and history in your spare time, during your walk to school or work, and when you are cooking or doing house chores. Not only will I be covering the topics in this main channel, but also some topics that you will only be able to enjoy in the sub-channel, like answering questions I receive, and my opinions towards some of the comments. ▼[Listen to the real voices of the Japanese] "Voices from Japan series"▼ th-cam.com/play/PLpIWoYf9KNFXxLyeQa85jDudDKqkwPg-2.html ▼[Places recommended to visit in Kyoto] "Kyoto Hidden Gems" series▼ th-cam.com/play/PLpIWoYf9KNFU7LIIFB0P_reDt_oMdkCOq.html ▼Instagram▼ instagram.com/lets_ask_shogo/ *Please ask me questions through the DM here!（⚠I do not use e-mail）
Would you ever buy and rate one of their katanas cause I've been watching for a while it reminded me of when you go to that katana store you love going to
I’m actually looking to get back into martial arts, specifically swordsmanship. Any suggestions on where to buy a katana (online, since I’m in the US)?
The info on drawing the katana without your thumb, and how it ties in to the word betray, is mind blowing. I love learning how history, language, and traditional culture align!
To the question of oil: commercially sold choji oil is a mix of mostly mineral oil and a small amount of clove oil. The clove oil is just for making it smell nice. You can use pure mineral oil with no problem. Mineral oil is also sold as baby oil because it is so neutral and inert.
Reminds me of the "lemon oil" sold for guitar fretboard maintenance, it's a very tiny % lemon oil for the nice smell, and even then can _only_ be used on rosewood/ebony, not maple fretboards, and I'm a bit wary regardless since lemon oil has harsh components in it that are used as solvents to get rid of glue and stuff (something you do NOT want to do on a guitar where the frets, nut etc. is glued in place)
@@IzLidk the oil is not to clean it, but to protect it from rust. For katana trainees, it also helps to make drawing and re-sheathing (noto) a bit smoother and easier.
@@altf4755 no I was asking if you could link a TH-cam video explaining how to do it but after just watching this video in slow motion over and over I eventually got it
About stepping over Katana: my grandmaster (Karate and Kobujutsu) also has a Dan in Kenjutsu. And he once told a story about one of his Dan tests. Another Dan candidate stepped over his own Katana. The examiners saw this. The consequence? No Dan test for said candidate!
I heard of the same thing happening to a man who actually passed his dan examinations in Aikido, but then returned a borrowed bokken by throwing it to the owner. He got his new rank immediately taken away.
Your humility is refreshing, and as always I applaud your virtuosity. Your expertise is appreciated, and I honestly believe you are one of the best content providers of this type I've ever had the experience of viewing. Peace and blessings to you my friend 😊.
As far as the oil. You have to consider the scabbard, if wood, will absorb the oil. If the oil has a bad smell the scabbard will stink. Some mineral oils for guns or machines stink. Cooking oils can go rancid and smell. That is why natural wood oils are used. If you can find a thin mineral oil like sewing machine oil that has no odor you would be ok as long as you weren't to heavy with it. Definitely not WD40.
How the saya is affected by the oil used on the blade is important for moisture resistance in that oil-saturated wood will prevent moisture from reaching the blade from outside, but will also prevent moisture from leaving the blade if humid air enters the saya while training. Mineral oil is far cheaper and obtainable than wood oils but I suspect that wood oils will "bind" moisture better. I know if no research to support this idea but as Shogo said centuries of practice don't result in specific preferences by accident.
I'm a lefty and I started to train iaido through instructional videos. It was easy enough because I just mirrored the video. I did well enough because at tournaments I got compliments on my form. When I started to expand my martial knowledge and started learning Bolognese swordsmanship I became ambidextrous and that throws off my friends when we spar.
I suppose you close the fridge doors with the opposite hand that you open them with. "Open fridge door." "Close fridge door." "Open freezer door." "Close freezer door."
@@Sugarist0 On a lot of fridges you can switch which way the door opens by hinging it on the other side. I actually did this for the minifridge in my room depending on which wall it was close to, and I still opened it with my right hand in both cases.
The traditional method of producing steel to make swords in Japan was ingenious despite using poor quality of iron ores (not trying to be offensive, just stating the facts as I know of it). Now with modern science and metallurgy, do traditional Japanese swordsmiths take advantage of that knowledge when producing a modern katana? The folding of steel, for example, was to remove impurities, however with modern fabrication, you can remove most of those impurities without folding. Love to hear your thoughts.
Yes you're right. With modern metalworking, folding the metals doesn't do anything anymore. Doesn't make it stronger or more durable or make it retain its edge. However it does show grain in the blade which is sought after because it mimics the traditional style of real katanas.
Japanese made swords are still made the traditional way due to anything not being made that way being considered gunto or military swords and weapons. Traditional made swords are called nihonto meaning Japanese swords. And are considered art these days more then weapons. Can even be an issue for people practicing martial arts in Japan some smith's work isn't that durable.
?You are absolutely right! The myth of the old way the Japanese made their swords, made them better, is not true! Modern steels will out do any of the old laminated steels! It was done like you stated, to remove, impurities, from the iron! And as for the curve to the sword, it happened because oof the high carbon edge that was added to the blade. And when it was quenched, the curve came naturally, because of the different steels in the blade! Were a lot of the time they would not curve straight, and would be made into short swords, or Tanto's knife's!
@@juanc.marquez8401 Not quite a correct statement, the reason they were made that way was definitely to make the steel better. It did not make that steel better than modern steel is probably what you meant to say?
One of the very first things we teach at my dojo, is to keep your thumb on the Tsuba. We do it from using bokken, because if students learn to do it with the bokken, then by the time they are using iaito, it’s already ingrained into them.
@@ExecutionerOfPosers Because the katana is quite firmly sheathed, unlike perhaps some European counterparts, the tsuba is pushed in a direction away from the sheath with the thumb to break the initial "seal" the sword and sheath have, so that drawing from here is smoother and can be done faster. There are other ways to quickly break this "seal". Learning to keep your thumb here as muscle memory is beneficial if you want to practice iaido, so starting to do this on your bokken might help.
I slightly cut my finger just as you described once. Reaching for my katana as it fell out of its saya. Learned that lesson the hard way. I'm glad it was just a small surface layer cut.
I have a katana and another way I found to open the katana pretty quickly is to practice putting your thumb to the top right of the tsuba so you don’t accidentally cut yourself and to pull out at the same time of breaking the seal, I decided to try this because I have a relatively smaller tsuba, and I have really big hands, so accidentally cutting my thumb was quite worrying.
One of the teachers of Tenshin Ryu Hyoho practices his waza bothe side right and left,he says its important to know how to do so incase you are in a situation that might require it. He showed us during online class .
You're almost 100% never gonna be in a situation where you're gonna need it and a whole order of magnitude less likely to be in a situation where you're gonna need it specifically on the other side.
@@az-6262 Realistically? No. You only have so much "space" up there, and only so much time to learn things. You're gonna be limited to what you can learn so better learn the things most likely to be useful and the things that you enjoy. Chances of ever needing left handed sword skills or how to speak Eskimo are effectively zero. So if you really enjoy learning Eskimo or left handed sword skills, go ahead, but don't say it's because "it might come in useful" because it wont.
In the moment, of life and death, anything can happen. For you if you lose your left hand or the fingers of it, you can still use your right hand, but why would the enemy be aiming for your left hand when he can cut your most favored right, what will happen then, will you accept defeat, or will you struggle with what you have left.
I would recommend everyone to buy legitimate Tamahagane steel Japanese Nihonto (Katana) instead of replicas from other countries. Please support the swordsmiths. The industry is hurting 🙏🙏🙏
@@GlenHunt It's the craft of quality. Yes not everyone can spend a few thousand dollars on a katana but if you are going to spend hundreds then why not save the money more till you have enough to buy an authentic piece. Currently I'm looking for some being sold or auctioned on Aoiart, giheiya, Tozando and more. But I would also say if you plan on physically using them for koryu or Martial arts then it's best to find a local vendor to hold them in person and feel them.
At 17:40 that spinning katana move was so cool 😱. I've seen him draw the katana on may different styles but✋, that was the first time I saw him draw that kind of style. So awesome 😎.
I initially learned how to draw, hold, strike and sheath the Katana with my left hand from my right hip. Then I practiced with my right hand from my left hip in an attempt to learn and practice the art as intended. I still prefer using my left hand in practice though. The Katana was a gift and I am too poor to afford proper lessons but I hope some day I can afford to take lessons.
Thank you, Shogo. I am from Russia, but always wanted to learn Japanese traditional arts(martial arts). You perfectly explained me how to handle this sacral object. Arigato🧘
I personally apply this idea at 17:00 with all my weapons, including the body itself. The way I like to explain it is that fighting is the exploitation of biomechanics and physics, and so we don't have any control of any weapon. We're just humble guides. A firearm, for example, is a mini explosion. It's why we need to respect ALL our weapons and maintain them to the best of our ability... including our bodies. As a security guard, knowing I need to be relaxed even if conflict occurs actually keeps conflict at bay.
We have a iaidoka with our group that had his right hand caught in machinery. He can draw and cut from the left. Even competes in taikai. There is records from Nakamura Taisaburo that speaks on the bo hi and tsuki.
7:06 - Shogo, dude that was slick! Love your technique and your content, have you thought about doing more reaction based videos on subjects in which you are experienced / knowledgeable? I'm sure we'd all love to see more of that! :) All the best from Bournemouth UK
Hello Shogo, thanks for the video. I've been curious about several topics you've covered today for quite some time and appreciate the knowledge, I've learned several things I didn't know before and confirmed things I did. Thank you.
I said to myself that I'd take every Mini Katana short with a grain of salt till you covered them. Glad to see they get your approval! Thanks Shogo Lots of love from Wales!
I took a semester and a half of Aikido at university (the half was due to covid :P). We got to use bokken (sp?) several times, so I know a little bit about katana etiquette (a little little bit). I've been thinking of buying a piece from Mini Katana, and your reaction to their knowledge makes me feel very assured about the company! Thanks for the awesome and informative video!
I’ve done a mix of German long sword, fencing, and kendo for 13 years. That channel always makes me smile. And yes even with the small group I trained with I was trained to use my right hand instead of my left. It was my biggest problem I had first starting
Thanks shogo for another great vid!! I am currently also trying my best to learn the way of the samurai and I am self taught so I always love your advice I always instantly get up and add your ardvice to my training thanks again!
Dr. Kacem Zoughari originaly from the Bujinkan is always teaching every techniques both sides (left-right) with hand switching, including sword techniques and iai. His point is that you needed to be able to use both hands to survive in duel or warfare.
Their experiment is flawed when it comes to straight vs curved. The weights and length of those swords are criminally different for an experiment as such. The difference between a katana and a European straight sword are negligible.
@@SexiestSnowLeopard well the subject initially flawed due to the way both swords are structured so differently. The type of sword normally though of when someone says straight sword is a European one, which the difference is negligible. The best way to do a cutting expirement is to have someone untrained, trained with katana, and trained with a straight sword to all swing at some sort of cut resistant target to truly gage cutting ability.
@@dudemanguy1492 the difference between a Kanata and a European straight sword is far from negligible. European swords were far higher quality metal and were far more resilient, not to mention more flexible. They were for both cutting and thrusting, and were designed to work against much heavier armor.
@@SexiestSnowLeopard you never use swords against armor unless in very specific situations or using certain techniques like half swording or using the crossguard as a mace or hammer.
@@Auster9376 Well, you don't swing it against heavy armor. Stabbing on the other hand, is generally the more viable option. Of course swords did pretty well against lighter armors too.
Very enlightening video. I have seen fights in Japanese film where they use the back of the katana and where they hit the opponent with the sheathed katana where they don't intend to kill the opponent. I am interested in your opinion as both, to me, would have some problems.
@@dirge44 fair but it still stands that he used that same section. If he wanted to demonstrate the katana's cutting ability he'd have demonstrated it on multiple sections, not the single spot. It comes off as extremely shady to me
@@WolffangLightwood my issue with that test is the geometry of the handles. The curved sword is clearly chunkier and squared off on the butt of the handle, and the straight one is round.
From a forging standpoint, the groove in the blade also functions as reinforcement. It provides shape and rigidity to the blade, which can prevent warping and flexing during a swing. Imagine it like an arch way, supporting everything on top of it. Even though you remove material, it actually creates a stress pattern that is stronger than the whole piece was before. This would be in addition to all the other reasons mentioned in the video.
For the Tsuba thumb thing allow me to verify what Shogo said about it. I have a katana from Amazon (Yes I got this from there because I still am looking for a proper battle ready sword) and it fell out of the sheath. My dumbass instinctively tried to catch the Tsuba with my thumb and cut myself. Thankfully didn't hit anything too important but learned a valuable lesson.
The sharp one is also great for display. Add to the mental checklist of what house you wouldn’t wanna break into. People also just like seeing a sharp blade I guess. I once had my brother in law over when he was checking out my sword he was surprised that it was actually real.
I find it very interesting that you Explain everything properly and comfirm if smth is true or not I like your channel and I am a big fan of Katanas so thank you for your content And I am german btw Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita!
mini katana: *explains something about katanas* Shogo: "yes that is correct (but also....)" mini katana: "also check this out" *shows aot sword, inosuke sword and small swords* Shogo: "aww they have those too 🥺?"
He can't own anything that isn't traditionally made inside Japan. It's illegal. Well unless you don't mind alluminium zinc alloy that isn't and can't ever be sharp. It's kind of a bummer about Japan.
@@fishyfish6236 in Japan the only functional swords allowed myst be made from steel that is made the same way it was in the edo period and forged the traditional way. Mini katana swords aren't. They are made of modern steel and one type of steel. Traditional swords are laminated various types of steel. Shogo would go to jail for owning a minikatana sword in Japan. The little Keychain mini props are fine. Their actual swords no. The cheapest swords legal in Japan start at like a couple grand. They are called nihonto. Anything else is classified as gunto. Nihon Japanese or Japan. To swords. Gun military. Basically. Smith's in Japan must study for 5 years then work for 3 years before being fully recognized.
You can argue that in 二天一流 (ni ten ichi ryu) they draw the katana or wakizashi with the left hand. However that's only when dual wielding, and when they only use a katana they draw with their right hand.
Displaying the katana with out saya is actually worth noting for new collectors, because Among collectors of European style swords, it actually pretty common to display swords with out the sheath, among higher end collectors it's actually considered a luxury to have a woodcore scabbard made with your longsword as it's quite expensive and the craftsman who make scabbards for medieval swords usually have long wait times so most people just get use to displaying the swords out in the open with a generous layer of wax to keep them from rusting
this was a very interesting video, and there was many things I did learn, that I never considered before. You also did a great job explaining the info in the shorts!
My friend tried to catch a $250 "katana" the way you described and ended up with a 2 inch gash in his hand. I can't imagine what a real katana would do.
Once I tryed to have the sword on my right and to draw it with my left hand. It wasn't difficult. The most difficult part actually was when I had to sheath the weapon in the saya. Generally it's not difficult at all.
I can't believe it could take 10 years to learn to swing a real Katana...The Samurai were soldiers...one thing that hasn't changed much over the centuries is the fact that armies particularly your basic enlisted men are largely young people...I would think they are taught all the basic essentials in less than a year...of course they can spend a decade perfecting...but if I'm in the business of winning battles I need to train warriors fast...guessing they also started their training a lot younger.
As a comparison, ancient Roman gladius were short enough to wear hanging down on the right side so they can be drawn swiftly without reaching across the left side. So... superior, you plebeians!
21:00 exactly what happened to me, needless to say I learned my lesson after that and now hold it correctly and be wary of the dangers of the katana at all times
17:25 Basically, the katana is not your servant, the katana is your ally. You rely on the katana as much as the katana relies on you. If you abuse the katana, the katana will reject you, and you won’t be able to defend yourself properly.
I was never in a Katana fighting school. I'm self-taught katana lover inspired by old kenjutsu and tameshigiri videos. I taught those secrets myself just by pure logical thinking and years of practice. The truth is that the martial arts are based on a logic and experience. So if you're feeling "the way" - you become the one with your weapon, tool and your limbs. It becomes natural.
I just flipped my display katanas over becaus i was displaying them blade-side down before this. I Didn't know it could dull the blade before watching this, so thank you for teaching me!
The school of Iaido and Iaijutsu that I attend has recently started exploring and trying this, where you set the katana on your right hip and do "mirrored" versions of kata we already know. It's more of an immensely difficult mental challenge than for practicality and is a lot of fun. I encourage anybody who is very comfortable with their Iaido kata to give it a try at least once :)
and at 2 min in, you have earned my sub. anyone who can understand that different mindsets and theory's can apply differently and thus there can be several correct answers is someone i am willing to fallow
I have always wanted to learn Iaido, but have never had the chance. I have a few katana, and my favorite is one that is in the Unokubi Zukuri blade pattern. I’d love to see a video about different blade designs on katana!
New subscribe here. The reason I have subbed to you is because I have intresset in culture and history, when hearing the Japanese culture and history I was fascinated and wanted to learn a little bit more about it.
Another way of handing the katana to someone is to hold it horizontally with both of your hands (preferably with the scabbard on) with the blade facing towards you. Doing this shows that you trust and respect the person receiving the katana.
Side note on the Katana retention point: This point is applicable to other sharp weapons and firearms as well. With firearms specifically, attempting to catch them in midair can cause a negligent discharge from unintentionally pulling the trigger. Practically all modern firearms are drop safe, so one should not have to worry about them hitting the floor and discharging.
Not sure why this came up in my recommend, mayb because I recently been looking up Japanese culture possibly... but I've always had a huge respect for the katakana I even have a set myself (which after watching you video now know their yaitos as their non sharpened) very informative and learned something new along the way... arigato 🙏
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hooray
Would you buy them? Just curious.
Would you ever buy and rate one of their katanas cause I've been watching for a while it reminded me of when you go to that katana store you love going to
I’m actually looking to get back into martial arts, specifically swordsmanship. Any suggestions on where to buy a katana (online, since I’m in the US)?
Funny. Ninja cut from the other side too.
The info on drawing the katana without your thumb, and how it ties in to the word betray, is mind blowing. I love learning how history, language, and traditional culture align!
Well the language is bearer of culture for a reason
Me too, and I love the katana.
Yo same this is a very interesting video and taught me things I never knew
I thought it came from cutting somebody in the back instead. Just like how in english we have the word backstabbing.
Meh, it is only a sword and culture, it matters not how you open it
7 years…still considers himself a novice. Very Japanese, very humble. You have earned all the respect and more❤️❤️
True
269 likes and 1 reply? Let me fix that.
@@miles_8228it’s 300 u liar
@@miles_8228actually 301
@@bevischibiart7070 actually 329
To the question of oil: commercially sold choji oil is a mix of mostly mineral oil and a small amount of clove oil. The clove oil is just for making it smell nice. You can use pure mineral oil with no problem. Mineral oil is also sold as baby oil because it is so neutral and inert.
Thank you for sharing the information!
You can get a big bottle if you look at a drug store. Mineral oil is sold as a laxative in America. I use it for my carbon steel knives.
Reminds me of the "lemon oil" sold for guitar fretboard maintenance, it's a very tiny % lemon oil for the nice smell, and even then can _only_ be used on rosewood/ebony, not maple fretboards, and I'm a bit wary regardless since lemon oil has harsh components in it that are used as solvents to get rid of glue and stuff (something you do NOT want to do on a guitar where the frets, nut etc. is glued in place)
So you can use baby oil to clean a katana?
@@IzLidk the oil is not to clean it, but to protect it from rust. For katana trainees, it also helps to make drawing and re-sheathing (noto) a bit smoother and easier.
Imagine having this guy as your history teacher.
Japanese history teacher
🤔👍
He’d be a dope teacher
Then you'll easily become a katana wielding anime protagonist.
I would never sleep in class again.
The move done on time 17:40 (draw,spin,sheath) was very impressive. Very fluid and looked almost naturally instinctive. Very well done *applause*👏👏👏
i saw it and said “i need to learn that”, its easy to learn but hard to do fluidly
@@altf4755 could you like a tutorial on how to do it?
@@d_dsavage3756 are you saying to make a tutorial?
@@altf4755 no I was asking if you could link a TH-cam video explaining how to do it but after just watching this video in slow motion over and over I eventually got it
@@d_dsavage3756 ah, well congratulations
Def one of the most humble TH-camrs I’ve ever watched. He’s very smart and informative on everything he talks about. Keep it up Shogo!!
About stepping over Katana: my grandmaster (Karate and Kobujutsu) also has a Dan in Kenjutsu. And he once told a story about one of his Dan tests. Another Dan candidate stepped over his own Katana. The examiners saw this. The consequence? No Dan test for said candidate!
I heard of the same thing happening to a man who actually passed his dan examinations in Aikido, but then returned a borrowed bokken by throwing it to the owner. He got his new rank immediately taken away.
@@easternlights3155 So crazy
@@gabe5109not crazy. Martial arts are mostly based on discipline so discipline is first n foremost above all.
@@TakiMitsuha2016 and respect
Your humility is refreshing, and as always I applaud your virtuosity. Your expertise is appreciated, and I honestly believe you are one of the best content providers of this type I've ever had the experience of viewing. Peace and blessings to you my friend 😊.
As far as the oil. You have to consider the scabbard, if wood, will absorb the oil. If the oil has a bad smell the scabbard will stink. Some mineral oils for guns or machines stink. Cooking oils can go rancid and smell. That is why natural wood oils are used. If you can find a thin mineral oil like sewing machine oil that has no odor you would be ok as long as you weren't to heavy with it. Definitely not WD40.
ballistol go brrrrrrrrr.
How the saya is affected by the oil used on the blade is important for moisture resistance in that oil-saturated wood will prevent moisture from reaching the blade from outside, but will also prevent moisture from leaving the blade if humid air enters the saya while training.
Mineral oil is far cheaper and obtainable than wood oils but I suspect that wood oils will "bind" moisture better. I know if no research to support this idea but as Shogo said centuries of practice don't result in specific preferences by accident.
Wd 40 smells nice
I use baby oil, it works
@@Dogetuberyt what is baby oil?
I'm a lefty and I started to train iaido through instructional videos. It was easy enough because I just mirrored the video. I did well enough because at tournaments I got compliments on my form. When I started to expand my martial knowledge and started learning Bolognese swordsmanship I became ambidextrous and that throws off my friends when we spar.
How do u open the fridge tho?
@@Sugarist0 I the fridge with my right and the freezer with my left.
I suppose you close the fridge doors with the opposite hand that you open them with.
"Open fridge door." "Close fridge door."
"Open freezer door." "Close freezer door."
@@Sugarist0 On a lot of fridges you can switch which way the door opens by hinging it on the other side. I actually did this for the minifridge in my room depending on which wall it was close to, and I still opened it with my right hand in both cases.
Thats so cool! Do you have any chanel or video recomendations to learn from?
The traditional method of producing steel to make swords in Japan was ingenious despite using poor quality of iron ores (not trying to be offensive, just stating the facts as I know of it). Now with modern science and metallurgy, do traditional Japanese swordsmiths take advantage of that knowledge when producing a modern katana? The folding of steel, for example, was to remove impurities, however with modern fabrication, you can remove most of those impurities without folding. Love to hear your thoughts.
Yes you're right. With modern metalworking, folding the metals doesn't do anything anymore. Doesn't make it stronger or more durable or make it retain its edge. However it does show grain in the blade which is sought after because it mimics the traditional style of real katanas.
Japanese made swords are still made the traditional way due to anything not being made that way being considered gunto or military swords and weapons.
Traditional made swords are called nihonto meaning Japanese swords. And are considered art these days more then weapons. Can even be an issue for people practicing martial arts in Japan some smith's work isn't that durable.
@@Star_Taro actually if you fold modern steel you can actually weaken it atleast that is if I remember correctly
?You are absolutely right! The myth of the old way the Japanese made their swords, made them better, is not true! Modern steels will out do any of the old laminated steels! It was done like you stated, to remove, impurities, from the iron! And as for the curve to the sword, it happened because oof the high carbon edge that was added to the blade. And when it was quenched, the curve came naturally, because of the different steels in the blade! Were a lot of the time they would not curve straight, and would be made into short swords, or Tanto's knife's!
@@juanc.marquez8401 Not quite a correct statement, the reason they were made that way was definitely to make the steel better. It did not make that steel better than modern steel is probably what you meant to say?
One of the very first things we teach at my dojo, is to keep your thumb on the Tsuba. We do it from using bokken, because if students learn to do it with the bokken, then by the time they are using iaito, it’s already ingrained into them.
Is there a reason for that?
@@ExecutionerOfPosers Because the katana is quite firmly sheathed, unlike perhaps some European counterparts, the tsuba is pushed in a direction away from the sheath with the thumb to break the initial "seal" the sword and sheath have, so that drawing from here is smoother and can be done faster. There are other ways to quickly break this "seal".
Learning to keep your thumb here as muscle memory is beneficial if you want to practice iaido, so starting to do this on your bokken might help.
I love how happy and humble you are, it makes your aura so bright! Your skills and knowledge are amazing! Thank you for sharing!
This brings me back to my iaido days during college. Agreed on the left handed part. I am left handed but still had to draw with the right.
Great job condensing all the things I have learned over 10 years! Love it!
I slightly cut my finger just as you described once. Reaching for my katana as it fell out of its saya. Learned that lesson the hard way. I'm glad it was just a small surface layer cut.
I once sliced my thumb completely open because of an incorrect draw
Why would you train with a sharp katana?
@@ExecutionerOfPosers how else are you gonna cut tameshigiri?
@@fakemoviesrealtrailers7737 you could just both use a training one and a real katana, and use the real one when you have to cut
I have a katana and another way I found to open the katana pretty quickly is to practice putting your thumb to the top right of the tsuba so you don’t accidentally cut yourself and to pull out at the same time of breaking the seal, I decided to try this because I have a relatively smaller tsuba, and I have really big hands, so accidentally cutting my thumb was quite worrying.
true. nothing says the thumb needs to be directly on top and not offset other than tradition.
I love both channels so seeing you react so positively to Mini Katana is awesome!
You are a humble and wonderful man. I love your videos and how you approach every topic without ego.
One of the teachers of Tenshin Ryu Hyoho practices his waza bothe side right and left,he says its important to know how to do so incase you are in a situation that might require it. He showed us during online class .
You're almost 100% never gonna be in a situation where you're gonna need it and a whole order of magnitude less likely to be in a situation where you're gonna need it specifically on the other side.
Shouldn't the mind be open to all possibilities, being ready for anything and everything no matter how small the chances are
@@az-6262 Realistically? No. You only have so much "space" up there, and only so much time to learn things. You're gonna be limited to what you can learn so better learn the things most likely to be useful and the things that you enjoy. Chances of ever needing left handed sword skills or how to speak Eskimo are effectively zero. So if you really enjoy learning Eskimo or left handed sword skills, go ahead, but don't say it's because "it might come in useful" because it wont.
In the moment, of life and death, anything can happen. For you if you lose your left hand or the fingers of it, you can still use your right hand, but why would the enemy be aiming for your left hand when he can cut your most favored right, what will happen then, will you accept defeat, or will you struggle with what you have left.
@@az-6262 "Why would you be sword fighting an enemy?" is the real question.
Thanks Shogo for show us the japanese culture. Admiration and respect, please take care of it!!
I would recommend everyone to buy legitimate Tamahagane steel Japanese Nihonto (Katana) instead of replicas from other countries. Please support the swordsmiths. The industry is hurting 🙏🙏🙏
It'd be great but unfortunately even the most budget friendly of genuine reproductions are significantly costly :/
I definitely plan to! They are expensive, but it costs what it costs. I don't cheap out on my equipment no matter how long it takes to save up.
@@GlenHunt It's the craft of quality. Yes not everyone can spend a few thousand dollars on a katana but if you are going to spend hundreds then why not save the money more till you have enough to buy an authentic piece. Currently I'm looking for some being sold or auctioned on Aoiart, giheiya, Tozando and more. But I would also say if you plan on physically using them for koryu or Martial arts then it's best to find a local vendor to hold them in person and feel them.
@@DragoniaLegendary I can understand it. But it's all about patience and learning to save money. Everything is affordable if you save overtime.
Crucible steel works better
Idk why but id trust this man with my life hes just too wholesome
At 17:40 that spinning katana move was so cool 😱. I've seen him draw the katana on may different styles but✋, that was the first time I saw him draw that kind of style. So awesome 😎.
Zato-Ichi Quick Draw... I think?
I Notice It Too,
That's Amazing
I'm Always Curious About Katana And Japanese Weapons
Everytime i see him doing duch things so easily, my brain is like: " Is that Vergil?"
Because the smoothness is impressive
I initially learned how to draw, hold, strike and sheath the Katana with my left hand from my right hip. Then I practiced with my right hand from my left hip in an attempt to learn and practice the art as intended. I still prefer using my left hand in practice though. The Katana was a gift and I am too poor to afford proper lessons but I hope some day I can afford to take lessons.
I think we'd all love to see a video review of your sword collection. They all look beautiful - including the iaito. Great video!
Thank you, Shogo.
I am from Russia, but always wanted to learn Japanese traditional arts(martial arts).
You perfectly explained me how to handle this sacral object.
Arigato🧘
I wish you luck.
Why are you speaking in English then???
@@foxypro5680 just because you are from another country doesn't mean you need to speak their language, dummy.
@@foxypro5680 i love anime. I love sushi. Nya ichi ni san nya arigato hahahaha im a certified Japanese now🤓
@@1-SFOD I wasn't making fun of him
I personally apply this idea at 17:00 with all my weapons, including the body itself.
The way I like to explain it is that fighting is the exploitation of biomechanics and physics, and so we don't have any control of any weapon. We're just humble guides. A firearm, for example, is a mini explosion. It's why we need to respect ALL our weapons and maintain them to the best of our ability... including our bodies.
As a security guard, knowing I need to be relaxed even if conflict occurs actually keeps conflict at bay.
17:12 I wholeheartedly agree with this comment. The same can be said for other types of blades, staff or maces, not necessarily designed for chopping.
We have a iaidoka with our group that had his right hand caught in machinery. He can draw and cut from the left. Even competes in taikai.
There is records from Nakamura Taisaburo that speaks on the bo hi and tsuki.
I really love your positive way! Really inspirational!
7:06 - Shogo, dude that was slick! Love your technique and your content, have you thought about doing more reaction based videos on subjects in which you are experienced / knowledgeable? I'm sure we'd all love to see more of that! :)
All the best from Bournemouth UK
Hello Shogo, thanks for the video. I've been curious about several topics you've covered today for quite some time and appreciate the knowledge, I've learned several things I didn't know before and confirmed things I did. Thank you.
I realy like your videos I recently bought my first dull katana from mini katana and still waiting. Hope to see the katana soon.
“Only 7 or 8 years” - This guys is very cool, most people would think they’re experts after training that length of time. RESPECT TO YOU my guy!
There’s something so funny about a guy with a katana that has AirPods
I said to myself that I'd take every Mini Katana short with a grain of salt till you covered them.
Glad to see they get your approval!
Thanks Shogo
Lots of love from Wales!
I took a semester and a half of Aikido at university (the half was due to covid :P). We got to use bokken (sp?) several times, so I know a little bit about katana etiquette (a little little bit).
I've been thinking of buying a piece from Mini Katana, and your reaction to their knowledge makes me feel very assured about the company! Thanks for the awesome and informative video!
I’ve done a mix of German long sword, fencing, and kendo for 13 years. That channel always makes me smile. And yes even with the small group I trained with I was trained to use my right hand instead of my left. It was my biggest problem I had first starting
These are great. One of the best ways to learn is to teach. Another way is to comment on others' TH-cam videos! :)
One of the best vidoes I saw in my live and I will rewatch it more and more! 😀❤️
Another great vid man, keep up the great work!!! :D
Thanks shogo for another great vid!! I am currently also trying my best to learn the way of the samurai and I am self taught so I always love your advice I always instantly get up and add your ardvice to my training thanks again!
Dr. Kacem Zoughari originaly from the Bujinkan is always teaching every techniques both sides (left-right) with hand switching, including sword techniques and iai. His point is that you needed to be able to use both hands to survive in duel or warfare.
He is an awesome master! My instructor teaches both sides too
Seeing your videos always makes me wanna go and actually learn how to properly wield a katana. It’s definitely on my bucket list
Their experiment is flawed when it comes to straight vs curved. The weights and length of those swords are criminally different for an experiment as such. The difference between a katana and a European straight sword are negligible.
They aren't talking about European straight swords, tho. They're talking about Japanese straight swords.
@@SexiestSnowLeopard well the subject initially flawed due to the way both swords are structured so differently. The type of sword normally though of when someone says straight sword is a European one, which the difference is negligible. The best way to do a cutting expirement is to have someone untrained, trained with katana, and trained with a straight sword to all swing at some sort of cut resistant target to truly gage cutting ability.
@@dudemanguy1492 the difference between a Kanata and a European straight sword is far from negligible. European swords were far higher quality metal and were far more resilient, not to mention more flexible. They were for both cutting and thrusting, and were designed to work against much heavier armor.
@@SexiestSnowLeopard you never use swords against armor unless in very specific situations or using certain techniques like half swording or using the crossguard as a mace or hammer.
@@Auster9376 Well, you don't swing it against heavy armor. Stabbing on the other hand, is generally the more viable option. Of course swords did pretty well against lighter armors too.
I always shop at Tozando, when in Kyoto I love going in their shop.
Very enlightening video. I have seen fights in Japanese film where they use the back of the katana and where they hit the opponent with the sheathed katana where they don't intend to kill the opponent. I am interested in your opinion as both, to me, would have some problems.
Ay! I was just thinking, “Hey, what would shogo think of this? 🤔“ as I saw mini-katana on my shorts a month back
The "auto-alignment" experiment is a scam, you can see where he pre-tore the cardboard
All of this channel is a scam it's purpose is to sell their products.
That might have just been other tests
@@dirge44 fair but it still stands that he used that same section. If he wanted to demonstrate the katana's cutting ability he'd have demonstrated it on multiple sections, not the single spot. It comes off as extremely shady to me
@@WolffangLightwood my issue with that test is the geometry of the handles. The curved sword is clearly chunkier and squared off on the butt of the handle, and the straight one is round.
@@kdolo1887 another excellent point. But the short of it is that was far from a fair comparison/experiment
never get bored.. watch till end🤣, so many information. thank you👍👍👍
From a forging standpoint, the groove in the blade also functions as reinforcement. It provides shape and rigidity to the blade, which can prevent warping and flexing during a swing. Imagine it like an arch way, supporting everything on top of it. Even though you remove material, it actually creates a stress pattern that is stronger than the whole piece was before. This would be in addition to all the other reasons mentioned in the video.
same concept as the I-Beam in contstruction isn't it?
You impress me everytime when I listen to you speak english! It sounds super perfect! And great video - 1 year later!
For the Tsuba thumb thing allow me to verify what Shogo said about it. I have a katana from Amazon (Yes I got this from there because I still am looking for a proper battle ready sword) and it fell out of the sheath. My dumbass instinctively tried to catch the Tsuba with my thumb and cut myself. Thankfully didn't hit anything too important but learned a valuable lesson.
Thank you for the help Shogo! 🙏
First! Happy that you’re reviewing one of my favorite youtubers
This channel is so awesome. Ty brother
The sharp one is also great for display. Add to the mental checklist of what house you wouldn’t wanna break into.
People also just like seeing a sharp blade I guess. I once had my brother in law over when he was checking out my sword he was surprised that it was actually real.
I find it very interesting that you Explain everything properly and comfirm if smth is true or not I like your channel and I am a big fan of Katanas so thank you for your content And I am german btw Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita!
This guy is always happy it's so contagious
mini katana: *explains something about katanas*
Shogo: "yes that is correct (but also....)"
mini katana: "also check this out" *shows aot sword, inosuke sword and small swords*
Shogo: "aww they have those too 🥺?"
He can't own anything that isn't traditionally made inside Japan. It's illegal. Well unless you don't mind alluminium zinc alloy that isn't and can't ever be sharp.
It's kind of a bummer about Japan.
@@bmxriderforlife1234 what?
@@fishyfish6236 in Japan the only functional swords allowed myst be made from steel that is made the same way it was in the edo period and forged the traditional way.
Mini katana swords aren't. They are made of modern steel and one type of steel. Traditional swords are laminated various types of steel.
Shogo would go to jail for owning a minikatana sword in Japan. The little Keychain mini props are fine. Their actual swords no. The cheapest swords legal in Japan start at like a couple grand.
They are called nihonto. Anything else is classified as gunto.
Nihon Japanese or Japan. To swords.
Gun military. Basically.
Smith's in Japan must study for 5 years then work for 3 years before being fully recognized.
it's nice that the tips are consolidated together with your additional ones!
You can argue that in 二天一流 (ni ten ichi ryu) they draw the katana or wakizashi with the left hand. However that's only when dual wielding, and when they only use a katana they draw with their right hand.
Displaying the katana with out saya is actually worth noting for new collectors, because Among collectors of European style swords, it actually pretty common to display swords with out the sheath, among higher end collectors it's actually considered a luxury to have a woodcore scabbard made with your longsword as it's quite expensive and the craftsman who make scabbards for medieval swords usually have long wait times so most people just get use to displaying the swords out in the open with a generous layer of wax to keep them from rusting
My poor Albion arming sword still doesn't have a scabbard after 4 years
this was a very interesting video, and there was many things I did learn, that I never considered before. You also did a great job explaining the info in the shorts!
My friend tried to catch a $250 "katana" the way you described and ended up with a 2 inch gash in his hand. I can't imagine what a real katana would do.
Once I tryed to have the sword on my right and to draw it with my left hand. It wasn't difficult. The most difficult part actually was when I had to sheath the weapon in the saya. Generally it's not difficult at all.
This is such a crazy crossover episode! Love it sm
I can't believe it could take 10 years to learn to swing a real Katana...The Samurai were soldiers...one thing that hasn't changed much over the centuries is the fact that armies particularly your basic enlisted men are largely young people...I would think they are taught all the basic essentials in less than a year...of course they can spend a decade perfecting...but if I'm in the business of winning battles I need to train warriors fast...guessing they also started their training a lot younger.
The majority of the armies weren't samurais, but simple footsoldiers. It's similar to knights in the west.
Well it took him a decade to prefect it like u said? Anyone can swing a katana but not everyone can do it correctly.
You're doing a great job, Shogo! Keep it up and thank you for your interesting and entertaining videos.
As a comparison, ancient Roman gladius were short enough to wear hanging down on the right side so they can be drawn swiftly without reaching across the left side. So... superior, you plebeians!
baby range
21:00 exactly what happened to me, needless to say I learned my lesson after that and now hold it correctly and be wary of the dangers of the katana at all times
21:13 that happened to me the minute I got it, I broke the skin on my thumb.
That uragiru tidbits is absolutely interesting! Please make more tradition - language connection story like that
17:25 Basically, the katana is not your servant, the katana is your ally. You rely on the katana as much as the katana relies on you. If you abuse the katana, the katana will reject you, and you won’t be able to defend yourself properly.
You don't intentionally put comedy into your videos, yet they're still incredibly entertaining and informative!
I was never in a Katana fighting school.
I'm self-taught katana lover inspired by old kenjutsu and tameshigiri videos.
I taught those secrets myself just by pure logical thinking and years of practice.
The truth is that the martial arts are based on a logic and experience.
So if you're feeling "the way" - you become the one with your weapon, tool and your limbs. It becomes natural.
loved the "Ura-giru" explanation that is soo interesting very nice video 👍
1:33 all I read was “My content is *based”*
I just flipped my display katanas over becaus i was displaying them blade-side down before this. I Didn't know it could dull the blade before watching this, so thank you for teaching me!
Huh, even katana has "trigger discipline", i suppose all weapon should have it then
The school of Iaido and Iaijutsu that I attend has recently started exploring and trying this, where you set the katana on your right hip and do "mirrored" versions of kata we already know.
It's more of an immensely difficult mental challenge than for practicality and is a lot of fun.
I encourage anybody who is very comfortable with their Iaido kata to give it a try at least once :)
Thank's for your video's. They have been very informative! I wish to learn more, So please keep making them! Thank you!
and at 2 min in, you have earned my sub. anyone who can understand that different mindsets and theory's can apply differently and thus there can be several correct answers is someone i am willing to fallow
Yo the katana in the clip at the very beginning which you are looking at is dope. That light effect that makes it glow reddish... OUMF, nice.
I have always wanted to learn Iaido, but have never had the chance. I have a few katana, and my favorite is one that is in the Unokubi Zukuri blade pattern. I’d love to see a video about different blade designs on katana!
Thank you for the insight into the subtle language of where 'betray' comes from. 'Ura-Giru' or cut from the other side. Very cool.
I'm doing research on a trip to japan and I dont know how I ended up here but I'm glad I did. great channel.
I love your videos.
Always so respectful with your views and opinions.
Can’t wait to visit Japan and finally buy a real katana!
New subscribe here. The reason I have subbed to you is because I have intresset in culture and history, when hearing the Japanese culture and history I was fascinated and wanted to learn a little bit more about it.
I got a katana for my birthday yesterday. Thank you mini katana and Shogo for teaching me these rules.
These two channel is my favorite when im trying to learn Katana
Another way of handing the katana to someone is to hold it horizontally with both of your hands (preferably with the scabbard on) with the blade facing towards you. Doing this shows that you trust and respect the person receiving the katana.
i love ur videos, so wholesome and informative at the same time!
shogo inspecting a katana looking all wide-eyed like that is so endearing and adorable
Thank you. Your posts are very insightful. I usually do the historical research you mention in your video's.
Side note on the Katana retention point: This point is applicable to other sharp weapons and firearms as well. With firearms specifically, attempting to catch them in midair can cause a negligent discharge from unintentionally pulling the trigger. Practically all modern firearms are drop safe, so one should not have to worry about them hitting the floor and discharging.
Just found your channel, I love martial arts, and you are very humble and this is very interesting 👊🙏
Not sure why this came up in my recommend, mayb because I recently been looking up Japanese culture possibly... but I've always had a huge respect for the katakana I even have a set myself (which after watching you video now know their yaitos as their non sharpened) very informative and learned something new along the way... arigato 🙏