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Shinai (she-nigh): The completely assembled bamboo dummy sword used in the practice of kendo. Anyone practicing kendo should have at least one when they start. When you get to the point where you actually get to strike an opponent, you should have at least two in case one is damaged. Shinai made of carbon are fine for keiko but are frowned upon if used in shiai or shinsa.
Take (tahkay): Bamboo. The body of the shinai is made up of four staves of well-seasoned bamboo. Today there are also Shinai made with a single piece of bamboo split from the top down into the area of the tsukagawa and Shinai made of four staves of a carbon composite that is very difficult to break.
Chigiri (chee-gee-ree): A small metal plate that cuts into the inside of the bamboo staves inside the area of the tsukagawa and holds the them apart and in the proper position.
Nakayui (naka-you-ee): A strip of leather that slides over the tsuru and is wrapped around the shinai at roughly one third the distance down from the tip.
Tsubadome (tsoo-ba-doh-may): A rubber or leather ring used to hold the tsuba in place.
Tsuba (tsoo-ba): The hilt of the shinai. It is usually made of plastic or leather but can also be made of materials as exotic as sharkskin.
Sakigawa (sah-key-gawah): Leather cover for the tip of the shinai. It is also the distal attachment point for the tsuru.
Tsukagawa (tsoo-ka-gawah): Leather sleeve that covers the gripping end of the Shinai. The tsuba and tsubadome slide over it and it also serves as the proximal attachment point for the tsuru.
Tsuru (tsoo-roo): A string that ties both ends of the shinai together and represents the back of the sword.
Sakigomu (sah-key-go-moo): A rubber tip, mushroom shaped, that fits into the end of the shinai holding the bamboo staves apart and sitting inside the sakigawa to help pad blows from the tip of the shinai.
The size and weight of the shinai is governed by the AJKF/IKF. For safety even the minimum diameter of the sakigawa is regulated. The table below outlines these requirements.
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Sex
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Junior High School
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Senior High School
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Adult
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Using Two Swords (ni-tou)
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Longer
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Shorter
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Length1
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M & F
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114cm
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117cm
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120cm
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114cm
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62cm
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Weight2
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Male
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425g
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470g
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500g
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425g
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280-300g
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Female
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400g
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410g
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420g
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400g
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250-280g
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Sakigawa3
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Male
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2.5cm
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2.6cm
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2.6cm
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2.5cm
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2.4cm
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Female
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2.4cm
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2.5cm
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2.5cm
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2.4cm
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2.4cm
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Notes:
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1. Maximum length.
2. Minimum weight.
3. This rule is to make sure the kensen or tip of the shinai cannot pass through the space between the bars of the men.
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Shinai are normally labeled in Japan at least by their size in an old system of measurement. The adult shinai for example is of size 39 (pronounced san-koo). This is a length of 3 shaku and 9 sun (1 shaku is = to 10 sun, 1 sun is about 3.03cm)
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Maintenance Tips:
- Check the shinai thoroughly before each and every use. You want to examine the following:
- Flexibility. Press the shinai against the floor or wall and note where it bends. A bend along the length is indicative of a strong shinai. A bend close to the hilt end indicates a weak shinai that is ready for replacement.
- Splinters. If the shinai develops splinters they can come off and cause severe injuries to you and others. Remove splinters by disassembling the shinai and shaving the splinters off with a sharp knife. Cut from hilt to tip. Cutting the other way can cause you to dig deeper into the bamboo and ruining it. Once removed, sand the area smooth with 100-150 grain sandpaper. Then wipe the area with some wax, shinai oil, Vaseline, or vegetable oil.
- Cracks. If any of the bamboo staves are actually cracked or split with or against the grain it must not be used. You can replace it with another stave if you have one with matching length and joints. If not, replace the entire shinai.
- Sakigawa. Examine the sakigawa for gaps. If you can see the sakigomu inside it, the sakigawa is coming apart and must be replaced.
- Tsuru. The tsuru should have a fair amount of tension on it. Do not pull it so tight that it bends the bamboo, but make sure it does have a firm amount of tension on it on both sides of the nakayui. A good way to learn how to do this is ask one of your seniors or sensei to do theirs while you do yours. They can make sure you get it right step by step.
- Nakayui. Make sure the nakayui is tightly tied around the shinai about one third the distance between the tip and hilt measured from the hilt. If the nakayui can slide up and down it is too loose and needs to be retied. As with the tsuru, ask a sensei or senior student to show you how to do this properly.
- At least once a year, disassemble the shinai and rub all sides of the bamboo with a small amount of shinai oil or vegetable oil. If you live in a dry climate or dry home do this more than once a year. As winter tends to be dryer than summer it is best to do this at least every year in the autumn.
- Rotate the bamboo to promote even wear. Your shinai will last longer and look better if you rotate the bamboo every few months. This simply means to move the sakigawa, tsukagawa, nakayui, and tsuru so that a different bamboo stave is now the striking surface.
- Make sure the tsukagawa fits snuggly. If you can easily rotate the tsukagawa around the bamboo, or if during practice you find that is has moved significantly off its starting point, it is too loose. You can tighten up the leather by soaking it in a bucket of water and then letting it set to dry. This should shrink the leather enough to keep it in place during use.
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Equipment
