What Shinai should i get for being a beginner of kendo? ?

Question

The webpage i am looking at http://www.onlinekendo.com/product.php?proid=106

I was wondering if i should go with the beginner shinai since i am one or if i should go for something you might recommend. Any other webpage will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

What has you experience been like with kendo?

Answer 1

That shinai looks fine. Although I prefer bokken. Kendo is a rather useless in the streets today. Maybe you could consider an art that teaches hand to hand combat as well as biken jutsu. Why don't you check out Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu? Hoppo Biken Jutsu is a great sword style.

Answer 2

I bought one from E-Bogu.com and it has lasted me a whole year! and its one of their beginner shinais too. right now they are having 10percent off for back to school, so you should check it out. the site is really easy to navigate, just click kendo on the side navigation bar, then click the picture that says shinai and then choose the first shinai pic. their called high performance practice shinai.

but you can seriously get any type of shinai you want, but then you could be cataloged as a rich boy show off (RBSO) and a little unhumble if you buy a shinai that is too fancy (ex: dark bamboo shinai).

their located in california and are owned by taro ariga (real famous kenshi) and its very good. if you order over 100 dollars, shipping is free.  

Answer 3

Any 'standard' or beginner shinai will be perfectly fine for a beginner.

As a beginner, you will be mainly practicing suburi only with it, and if you do any cuts, it will be most likely on other shinai's, and not often on a bogu player/bogu/men etc until a little later.  I would say that once you get into bogu, then you can consider getting nicer/better shinai's to use.

Shinai preference is quite a personal thing.  It depends on your style of Kendo, and it is something that you will eventually develop over time, so at the moment, any shinai will do the job for you.

I have been practicing Kendo for a little while now, and I have bought 9 or so shinai's in my time, one standard beginner shinai, two deluxe shinai, two bio-shinais (koto and kai from e-bogu), and three non-standard shinai from Sankei Australia (ittosai, kyoto eizan & bishomon).  Until you try a few here and there, you won't really know what suits you and what you like.  Right now, I have found that the kotou style (even weight distribution with a slightly heavier kensen) is nicer for me than the usual dobari (weight towards the tsuba with a bulge in the bamboo of the shinai) that most standard shinai's are made as.

My experience of Kendo has been great.  A lot of hard work, sweat, a few minor tears, some blood, pains, elations, laughs and other things.  It is something that I hope to continue as I age and develop as I continue down the journey.