An iaito is a practice sword shaped like a Japanese katana but made without a cutting edge. It is used in iaido, the art of drawing, cutting and re-sheathing the sword in a single flowing sequence, so students can train the full motion without a blade that could injure anyone nearby.
Most iaito are made from a zinc alloy or aluminium bronze rather than steel, which keeps the weight and balance close to a real sword while removing the sharpness. Weight, length and handle size are chosen to match the practitioner's height and grip, since a sword that is too long or too heavy will change the form and can strain the wrist over time. Many schools ask beginners to start with a lighter model before moving to a heavier one as technique improves.
Because an iaito is unsharpened, it is generally considered safer than a shinken, a live blade, and is the standard tool for everyday practice and grading in most iaido dojos. A bokken, a solid wooden sword, is sometimes used alongside it for partner work. See our weapons training guide for how these tools fit into a wider training path.
