Tsukahara Bokuden's Rai Kunitoshi Koshirae

Historical Background

Tsukahara Bokuden was a famous swordsman of the Sengoku period, widely known as Kensei(剣聖), the sword saint. He served as an instructor to the Shogun of Ahikaga Shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshiteru. He learned the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto school and traveled throughout Japan to face most of the skillful and knowledgeable swordsmen in those days. After allegedly receiving divine inspiration from Takemikazuchi no kami, the deity of Kashima Shrine, he named his original style as Kashima Shinto ryu.
 
He was fond of using a sword made by Rai Kunitoshi, a son of Rai Kuniyuki. His work is mostly in the same style as Kuniyuki's, and yet many consider Rai Kunitoshi's sword to be more elegant and less flamboyant than his father's, often featuring the style of Suguba and a tapering blade. 

Specifications

This Bokuden Rai Kunitoshi Koshirae features the bold, big, and unique Awabi style Tsuba, produced by the legendary Tsuba craftsman, Nobuiye. The black gloss-finished Sendan Kizami Saya features the O-Kuwagata style Kojiri. Fuchi/Kashira and Menuki feature a powerful tiger in gold color. Blackened brass Fuchi/Kashira is also with a gold-plated tiger. Black leather is wrapped over white stingray skin.

A sand-casted, single grooved extra wide blade made of reinforced zinc/aluminum alloy with reproduction of Rai Kunitoshi's Suguha Hamon. The blade weighs approximately 845 grams without the Saya(for 2.45 Shaku). Proudly made in Japan.

*Iaito are made with an aluminum-zinc alloy blade and cannot be sharpened.