FAQs

  1. How much does it cost?
  2. Is that a real sword?
  3. Isn’t that dangerous?
  4. What can I expect as a new Iaido student?
  5. Recommended Reading

How much does it cost?

Iaido Tanshinjuku is a proud member of the One Dojo, and all monthly dues are handled through them. Prices vary depending on the package selected. Discounts are available for seniors, first responders, and family rates, etc.. If you are only interested in Iaido let them know they can work with you. There are no contracts.

For the first month you may wear loose clothing and borrow a bokken. Afterwards a proper uniform and training sword required. Your instructor or senpai can let you know where they can be purchased online. Training uniforms with hakama usually start around $250.

Beginners usually start with a bokken (wooden sword, usually around $50-$90) and learn the basics before investing in an iaito. A proper iaito, training sword, starts around $600 and should not be purchased without the assistance of your instructor.

Interested students should contact Iaido Tanshinjuku to set up an appointment to watch a class before beginning training.

Is that a real sword?

No. Though a shinken, or real sword, can be used, most practitioners here use a mogito.

A mogito allows the practitioner to experience the weight and balance of a real sword without the risk of cutting herself. There is no sharpened edge on a mo gito, making it a safer tool for self-development.

Some beginners even use a bokken, wooden sword.

Isn’t that dangerous?

No more than leaving one’s home every day.

Since Iaido’s focus is on self-development using the sword as a tool, there is no need for contact. Injuries from a mogito or bokken are rare.

What can I expect as a new Iaido student?

All interested students should set up an appointment to come and watch a class first.

After a student decides it is right for him/her, then that student can expect to start training with a bokken(wooden sword) until proficiency is demonstrated.

When the student is ready, a training sword (iaito) should be used to develop further. Iaido is not easy and its complexities continually unfold for all practitioners. Expect to be discouraged from time to time, but know that training is worth its rewards.

Nagayama, Kokan, The Connoisseur’s Book of Japanese Swords, Kodansha International, 1997.

Nakahara, Nobuo, Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords A Collector’s Guide, Kodansha International, 2010.

Sesko, Markus, Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords, Lulu Enterprises, Inc, 2014,