Ono-Ha Itto Ryu Bokken & Shoto (Daisho Set) masterpieces, made of red oak or white oak
Both bokken and shoto are made from a single piece of Japanese oak (red or white) and are manufactured in the southern islands of Kyushu (Japan). They are slightly shorter than the standard versions and also thicker and heavier (especially the shoto). These models are intended for Ono-Ha Itto Ryu Kenjutsu practitioners, so they are not suitable for general practice, but are particularly interesting for hard contact practice.
For the Bokken we recommend using a round leather tsuba (self-assembly).
This model should not be confused with the Hokushin Itto Ryu Bokken, which is used in another line of Itto Ryu.
Weapons made in the Aramaki workshop are completely handmade; neither a machine nor a guide is used for the curve. These models are therefore significantly more expensive. The bokken were made by a master weapon maker.
- Wood type: red oak, white oak
- Available finish: Special Finish
- Manufacturing workshop: Aramaki
- Made in Japan
- Only a few sets available
Bokken
Full length: 98 cm
Blade length: 73.5 cm
Tsuka length: 24.5 cm
Tsuka diameter: 38 x 29 mm
Tsukagashira: Taira (Flat butt)
Kissaki: short Kissaki
Mine: Marumine (round back)
Weight - Red Oak: 550 ~ 600g
Weight - White Oak: 650 ~ 750 g
Shoto
Full length: 51.5 cm
Blade length: 40.5 cm
Tsuka length: 12 cm
Tsuka diameter: 36 x 27 mm
Tsukagashira: Taira (Flat butt)
Kissaki: short Kissaki
Mine: Marumine (round back)
Weight - Red Oak: ~ 260 g
Weight - White Oak: ~ 340 g
Wood is a living material, color and weight vary from weapon to weapon.
Special finish: For this special finish, a Camelia oil polish is first applied (oiling and sanding the guns with oiled sandpaper), then the gun is finished with high-quality beeswax. This finish makes the wood as smooth as possible and guarantees excellent protection for several months. For maintenance, we recommend oiling your guns at least once a month. You can also apply wax a few hours after oiling your guns (if some oil remains on the wood, remove it with a piece of cloth or tissue).
About the Ono-Ha Itto Ryu school:
The original Itto Ryu, founded in the late 16th century by Ito Ittosai Kagehisa, is now gone, but its techniques and legacy are still alive in many styles such as the Ono-Ha Itto Ryu, Mizoguchi Ha Itto Ryu, Hokushin Itto Ryu and many more. The Ono-Ha Itto Ryu is the oldest of these schools and was founded by Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki, the direct successor of Ittosai. Ono was more duel-oriented and was known as a remarkable swordsman, but also as a very difficult person. Although he shared the role of Shogun's combat instructor with Yagyu Munenori (Yagyu Shinkage Ryu), his bad character played against him in favor of Yagyu. Ono-Ha Itto Ryu focuses on fighting without armor and remains famous for training with "Onigote", a giant protective glove that can withstand powerful blows from a bokken. Although the transmission quickly left the Ono family, the school has an unbroken line of guardians of the tradition who guarantee the historical legacy and efficiency of the techniques taught. It is interesting to note that Ono-Ha Itto Ryu is fully integrated into the Daito Ryu school of Takeda Sokaku. Since Takeda was the main teacher of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, it is often said that Ono-Ha had a significant influence on Aikido. However, it has neither been officially confirmed nor denied that Ueshiba learned Ono-Ha Itto Ryu from Takeda Sokaku. In addition, Ueshiba never taught Ono-Ha Itto Ryu and studied various other Kenjutsu styles, making it difficult to assess the true influence of the Ono-Ha Itto Ryu on Aikido.