A Japanese Katana Trainee Reacts to “$200 Katana VS $2000 Katana - How to Spot a FAKE!”
Вставка
- Опубліковано 4 лют 2023
- （概要欄）
The video I reacted to: $200 Katana VS $2000 Katana - How to Spot a FAKE!
• $200 Katana VS $2000 K...
*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects
▼My New Channel: Let’s ask Seki Sensei | Kobudo Asayama Ichiden Ryu▼
/ @letsasksekisensei
Are you a Japanese budo martial art lover watching this video? I am now running the best channel for you to learn more about samurai, katana, and budo martial arts from a Kobudo master who is running a 400-year-old Ryuha. Our goal is to achieve 100,000 subscribers by 2023, so please check it out!
▼Please support me through Ko-fi (a donation platform like Patreon)▼
ko-fi.com/letsaskshogo
The management (filming, editing, etc.) of the new Asayama Ichiden Ryu's English Channel "Let's ask Seki Sensei" is completely my voluntary work. If I am not able to pay for the expensive bullet train fare from Kyoto to Ibaraki Prefecture (where the main Dojo is located), and hotel/filming expenses, this activity will cease. Please help us spread and preserve this 400-year-old martial art. In return, I will try my best to create the most educational and exciting content about Japanese Kobudo.
▼The BEST online katana shop for martial arts (Iaido, Kendo, etc.): Tozando▼
tozandoshop.com/letsaskshogo
Everything I use for my katana training is bought at this shop! I still use the first training katana I bought in 2016, and it is still in good shape!
▼The recommended online katana shop for decorations and cosplay: Mini Katana▼
minikatana.com/SHOGO
*Get 15% OFF off all their products by purchasing through my affiliate link
▼Where you can meet me in Kyoto, Japan | Yushinkan Samurai Experience with Modern-day Musashi▼
A 90-minute experience in Japan where beginners can learn how to wield, draw, sheath, and swing the katana from the modern-day Musashi! I, Shogo, will be your interpreter to lead you into the wonderful world of samurai martial arts!
Make your reservation here: www.airbnb.com/experiences/45...
A video of me visiting this experience: • Chopping Up Mats with ...
▼Let's ask Shogo Merchandise Shop▼
Where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, etc. of cute Ukiyoe animal characters and logos of Let’s ask Shogo:
suzuri.jp/lets_ask_shogo
▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼
• Who is Let's ask Shogo...
▼Related videos on this channel▼
-6 Real KATANA Recommended by Kyoto’s Iaido Dojo | The Very First Real Katana of My Life
• 6 Real KATANA Recommen...
-What Does a Japanese Katana Trainee Think About Mini Katana’s Videos?
• What Does a Japanese K...
-Why I Will Never Buy Katana From Websites Overseas
• Why I Will Never Buy K...
▼MY DREAM▼
• Let's ask Shogo's Ulti...
“To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in”
▼Join our Membership▼
/ @letsaskshogo
The ticket to the front row seats to Shogo's rapid adventure to make his dream come true! Through the limited videos and live streams, your ideas and opinions will be adopted for Shogo to make the right decisions for his challenges!
●Membership benefits
-Limited behind-the-scene videos every week
-Limited live streams every two weeks
-Priority reply to comments
▼Sub-channel: “Shogo’s Podcast”▼
/ @shogospodcast
▼Instagram▼
/ lets_ask_shogo
*Please ask me questions through the DM here!（⚠️I do not use e-mail）
♪Music♪
おとわび
otowabi.com/category/material...
♪Sound effects♪
効果音ラボ
soundeffect-lab.info/
♪Pictures♪
かわいいフリー素材屋 いらすとや
www.irasutoya.com/
#katana #iaito #japanesereact #japanesereaction #minikatana - Розваги
Shogo is the guy, who can just flex all his katanas and budget on us, and we won't even complain
@@LeaOyarzunIsObsessedWithMe Trap question. Colored katana is not authentic. :V
@Victoria Zero
me: Laugh's in itomaki no tachi
who is that on your pfp?
@@Axomio123 Tomio- wait, i see what you doing
@Mynameisredacted1111 I feel the same at people with cars and houses. Or people with $600 sneakers. It's a matter of perspective.
Really cool seeing your reaction to my video! When I made this video and said "real katana" I meant ones that are for actual cutting and use as opposed to wallhangers meant for only display because in America there are a ton of those. I completely agree a true Japanese made nihonto would cost minimum $3000.
I have a Tozando Iaito as well for training and the difference in quality of the koshirae is night and day even when compared to $2000 non-Japanese katana. The quality of Japanese swords and fittings really put everything else to shame. One day I hope to own a real nihonto, thanks Shogo!
Love you D
I wonder how much Japanese gov't regulation adds to the cost. Generally, the more barriers to the marketplace means more distortion and the higher the cost. Only certain shops may sell, which probably has a knock-on effect to the cost of applications, premise security, type of insurance, extra paperwork, etc. Police certificates are needed. Regulations apply to the katana makers as well. All of these cascade. It may even add to the katana's mystique and desirability, i.e. cachet, two aspects that affect price as well.
@@gagamba9198 You're absolutely right about those points in other industries, so I'm sure it's also largely applicable to this case.
We love you D
My friend's cousin co-owns and works part-time at a place where they make katanas; he has also lived in Japan for five years. I asked him why katanas were so much more expensive in Japan, and he said katanas are so much more in Japan because there are more restrictions, taxes, and costs on every part of making an authentic katana. For example, permits, quality requirements (due to laws), and a higher demand that drives up the price. In Japan, there are restrictions on how katanas are made, so swords are made of a much higher quality because of weapon restriction laws, which is also why you can't find 200-dollar katanas in Japan. The same katana could be made in America and Japan, but the one in Japan would cost way more. The same thing can also be seen with firearms in Japan vs firearms in America because of all the aforementioned reasons I stated. In America, it is very easy to get scammed when buying a katana because there are no restrictions, so people can make them however they want (which also just drives the price down). Those are my thoughts. Thanks Shogo and Cerberusarms for the videos.
I think maybe the reason why japanese katana are so much more expensive might be because of the restrictions you mentioned. With modern technology and materials, it isn't all that expensive or that hard to make a decent blade, hence why there are so many "cheap" swords in the west.
Yup and you're paying for art and tradition (and papers). Doesn't matter which one has better quality.
@@szysi3k But mostly you are just paying for the lack of competition due to how heavily regulated weapons are in Japan the handful that can sell weapons can set the price as high as they want. Which is also why weapons are so cheap in the US even if they are much higher quality. You can get a high quality katana in the US for 350$ or less, that would cost 6000$ + in Japan.
@@Nioclas64 You are also paying for the enormous amount of work that goes in traditional sword making. Japanese swords are made of traditional materials that are difficult to work and they will be hand forged then ground to shape.
A western maker could simply buy sheets of laminated steel, cut out a shape on a waterjet machine then grind it using jigs. This would still be a lot of work but 10 times less than the traditional process.
@@Nioclas64 no, u are paying for traditional forging and craftsmanship. an authentically made katana (not using any plasma cutting/machining) is gonna take anywhere from 15-30 days at 10 hrs a day to make (source: illya from that works, for any sword really, not just katanas) . at minimum wage, thats gonna be at least 1000-3000$ in labor alone, but of course i dont expect smiths to work at minimum wage. so its likely more in the 2000-10000$ range for JUST labor
US sword makers might advertise "authentic" processes, but there's absolutely gonna be some sort of machining in the process. whether or not it's worth buying a sword forged with 100% authentic techniques is debatable. probably though, the reality is that you couldnt tell a meaningful difference in quality, and using all those manual labor hours for japanese sword smiths is just for novelty
@@iotaje1 in my country they sell hand made traditionally made katanas with materials imported from japan, cost around 1,5k... In Japan you pay for regulations.
I am a blade maker, and my practice swords, including katana are at least $200. Sword prices in the U.S. are way less expensive to produce, because of the lack of restrictions on materials, and price of steels.
makes sense, i feel like a 3000 dollar japanese katana is probably only worth like 400-500 here in usa since he said the quality is extremely shifty already, but here in the usa, you can easily get a top notch quality blade for like 800 only.
AND...this is America...we value GUNS over any other type of weapon.
🤣😂
RE: price of steels --
Not just the price of steels, but the variety of steels you can use to make the blades. As Shogo pointed out, official Japanese-made katanas are tightly regulated as to the materials used; the blades must be made of tamahagane. Tamahagane is difficult and labor-intensive to produce.
In the U.S., even the "exotic" alloy steels are rarely as expensive, and you're not limited as to what metals you can forge into a katana.
@@madhatten00 What you're paying for in Japan is things around the blade like the tsuba, tsuka-ito (handle wrap), and the sageo (Mounting string thing). The handle quality is definitely the biggest difference between Japanese, and non-Japanese. Non-Japanese swords even on the high end like the one in the vid tend to have much looser tsuka-ito. They also put more effort into the smithing process of the blade to make up for lower quality steel, as high quality steel was harder to make in Japan. They were originally made with tamahamagane as it was what they had at the time, and they eventually made it law to be tamahamagane to be a true katana. Not sure why, but it was probably because swords weren't really used anymore so they didn't need to improve, and they'd prefer to uphold the culture of their smithing traditions. So the blade quality has more room to be better in other countries because there's no restriction on steel type. which is probably why they put so much more effort in other aspects, and treating the steel than non-Japanese katanas,. Less money spent on steel, more spent on craftsmanship
Also allow for much stronger blades made of s5 tool steel almost unbreakable might need to sharpen after 20 years of use.@@blindarcher1651
Many of the high quality katanas available outside of Japan are higher quality steel than the Japanese ones. The reason 2 types of steel are laminated in traditional Japanese swords is because they didn't have crucible spring steel. But, buying the spring steel blades kind of ignores the history and amazing craftsmanship found in traditional katanas.
Hook line and sinker. They are scamming people who don’t know anything about katana. They make money sending replicas mass produced like kitchen knives.
A true nihonto (Japanese blade) is not considered a weapon but an artwork, hence it has actual certification and each blade is different to another. This is all about legal codes.
Also, the Tamahagane used for their construction is artificially restricted and is very expensive.
I paid 90$ for one and it served me well for over 10 years and still going. I’m glad I didn’t pay $3000. I can sharpen it without worrying.
You raise a valid point. Typically craftspeople are all about innovation... until that innovation makes it easier for others to enter the marketplace and compete. The Luddites, for example. Then they fall back on regulation. Whether it's sparkling wine, tomatoes, lager, or katana, strict regulations lock things into place. You gain a fixed standard and lose some types of innovation - trade-offs. For example, if the making of the blade is strictly regulated, makers may shift to less regulated artistic aspects. Sure, having dragonflies on the tsuba look nice, but they do nothing to enhance the protective aspect of it. Unless one's opponent is scared of dragonflies, I suppose. When swords were actually important in one's daily life - a life and death matter pre-Edo - all kinds of innovation occurred, such as length and curve.
@@victoriazero8869 _'A true nihonto (Japanese blade) is not considered a weapon but an artwork'_ Nonsense. The gov't and police consider it a weapon, which is why it's strictly regulated. You think artists have to take their brushes, canvasses, and easels to the police box for examination, certification, and approval of ownership? No way.
It's a weapon that has artistic aspects made by craftspeople who employ their artistic creativity to differentiate one from the other. (The same can be said of a wooden table made by a furniture woodwooker.) It may be a bespoke weapon, made to the customer's precise instructions (that conform to the laws on its making) or it may be made on speculation in the hope of catching a customer's eye later. Either way, it's still a weapon. Always has been. Always will be.
As always, your courtesy and kindness in the way you react to these videos is an example to follow for all martial arts practitioners.
The reason for the plastic is to keep the oils on the blade and keep it from tarnishing and rusting during shipping, but most importantly while sitting in warehouses. In Japan, they would be cared for and cleaned regularly between being made and being sold
But why wrap only the blade?
Legit and reputable sellers wrap the entire sword in plastic then the a sword cloth over before putting it in a box
You will never see it like this plastic inside the scabbard
I love that you reviewed this video, I watched this video a year or two back and it really helped me understand how intricate, complex, and beautiful a Katana truly is. Thanks for the awesome content once again Shogo
The plastic is to keep the oils on the blade and from soaking them into the scabbard. When you ship a blade overseas they are typically sent on freight ships in shipping containers. These containers allow salty air from the ocean into them which can cause rust on steels. Not only do you tend to find this on cheaper sword but ALSO high quality sword especially that are shipped over from Japan because high carbon steel is highly susceptible to rusting.
Not just that, its for all the handling. People always want to look at and play with swords. Touch them. I've had non-covered swords arrive with finger-print rust spots on the blade I had to polish off.
Also, some katana sellers have one katana made by different contractors. One contractor forges the blade, another assembles the sword.
I actually ordered a katana from Tozando from your recommendation. I can't wait for it too come in and as soon as I saw this sword I KNEW I had too have it prices mean nothing in the face of beauty.
i have one custom iaito from tozando too and its beautiful, you wont be disappointed!
I strongly recommend that if you want to understand why a true Japanese-made uchigatana is so pricey compared to a sword of similar quality sold elsewhere you look up the laws and regulations the Japanese government has concerning their production. Very short version: a traditionally trained Japanese blacksmith is limited on how many he can even produce in a year, so the supply is very low. But that limit makes it difficult to make a living in the profession, so they often supplement their income making kitchen knives or even traveling to Taiwan to produce swords there that won't be certified as authentic but don't have a production limit.
A little clarity for others that don't read history that much. Uchigatana were swords between 70-90cm long and were used when the samurai first came into being during the Kamakura period that began in 1185. The katana did not make an appearance until 1336 during the Nanboku-chō period. The two had completely different forging techniques. Early Japanese swords had a tendency to break at which point the samurai just obtained a new one. The katana was designed to be an improvement on the older style swords. One thing that didn't change was samurai still used 2 swords known as a 'daisho' (big and small). Early samurai used the odachi/tachi along with a 'kodach' then transitioned to the katana/wakizashi which most are familiar with today.
The primary cause is the weapon treaty with the USA. They were allowed sword making to continue only under art preservation, so construction and production cannot modernize. Japanese Tamahagane is really rare and expensive and quality is divided based on status and favoritism. Also these swords in fact take about 6-12 months to make. Then another 3-6 months to polish and have fittings.
Kitchen Knives are actually where their metal art goes into. They are allowed the freedom to use modern steel, tools and construction methods.
I can’t believe how much your channel has grown, I remember when you where first getting things off the ground. Great video as always 😊
I love how constrast and humility shogo refers to himself as "trainee" whereas overseas, with shogo's level of knowledge and amount of time of training, people will refer to themself as "master"
Thank you Shogo for your thoughts on the Katana video and your insight on traditional Japanese Katana blades. Very informative. I hope your family is doing well and take care of yourself also. Tom from the US
It’s so cool how frequently the person Shogo is reacting to comes to watch the video as well! Great video Shogo!
Shogo is the best and so knowledgeable. Great video!
Even though it was 20 years ago, I still remember the biggest price I saw was the basic, unpolished blade with a standard, non-customized handle set for around 300,000 JPY (at the time, roughly 2,400 USD), and the finished blade with polish and oiling, plus personalized handle set and scabbard upwards of 700,000 JPY (about 5,600 USD at the time). But that was 20 years ago, things could be WAY different now.
My friend's cousin co-owns and works part-time at a place where they make katanas; he has also lived in Japan for five years. I asked him why katanas were so much more expensive in Japan, and he said katanas are so much more in Japan because there are more restrictions, taxes, and costs on every part of making an authentic katana. For example, permits, quality requirements (due to laws), and a higher demand that drives up the price. In Japan, there are restrictions on how katanas are made, so swords are made of a much higher quality because of weapon restriction laws, which is also why you can't find 200-dollar katanas in Japan. The same katana could be made in America and Japan, but the one in Japan would cost way more. The same thing can also be seen with firearms in Japan vs firearms in America because of all the aforementioned reasons I stated. In America, it is very easy to get scammed when buying a katana because there are no restrictions, so people can make them however they want (which also just drives the price down). Those are my thoughts. Thanks Shogo and Cerberusarms for the videos.
love the consistent & solid contents 💪
just finished this video, very nice, everything well explained and very informative, thank you!
The idea behind the plastic is to retain the shipping oil. So that when being shipped over seas very corrosive salty sea air isn't drawn into the unlaqured wood on the inside scabbard.
But why wrap only the blade?
Legit and reputable sellers wrap the entire sword in plastic then the a sword cloth over.
You will never see it like this plastic inside the scabbard
I appreciate your review. Like in research going to quality sources is very important too. Thank you!
Love watching this channel, and Shogo, grow. I only learned the basics of care and handling from Sword Manual in the Marine Corps so this content has revived an old spark.
Thank you Shogo for introducing us to Seki Sensei, much respect and love from Egypt.
Seki Sensei is a legend and we love him.
Thank you you did it again shogo san.
its great to learn more about japan culture through you guys, without any prejudice and soo open to the other cultures and at the same time with great respect for japanese culture aswell.🙂🙂
Sometimes I wonder if we could survive in Japan because he didn't prepare us for prejudices 😂
“$3,000 is cheap”
Me sitting here barely able to afford a $3,000 1 room small apartment each month:
You live in downtown Seattle or something?
@@Rikushio17 definitely lives in new york in a studio
Or California
Dude thank you very much! I appreciate your dedication and sharing your knowledge!
Wow, this video is incredible. Thank you for all your information! I'm purchasing my first Bokken to begin practicing before I buy a real katana. Will definitely be watching more videos in the future!
Thank you for sharing your insight on this topic. I have always been interested in the cultural significance and rituals involved in forging and wielding Katana.
Thank You for clearing up the difference in Katana. A very well presented interesting video. Thank You 😊.
Thanks for the info Shogo!
Always super interesting and something to learn from Shogo!!
I’m glad you say so!
Hi Shogo! The reason for the plastic film is purely for overseas shipping; to prevent oils from coming off during the shipping process and causing rust. Some companies also put thicker grease over the blade to make sure this doesn't happen. I'm sure that in Japan you don't experience this because your swords are locally made =)
Thank you for the great video!
I didn't scroll all the way down to read if someone mentioned this, but the brief clip where the guy was banging the blade against the table and it broke was from the Home Shopping Network a long time ago. The blade was made from stainless steel. Stainless steel can get very brittle when made into a long blade like that. Breaking it and stabbing himself was the end result of cheap steel.
Very interesting video Shogo , I didn't watch you for a while and I can say I missed your positive vibe , have a great day 🙂
Your video was really informative.
As a non Japanese I appreciate your input on such products. Thank you.
I’m curious if the difference in price has anything to do with the stricter regulation in Japan, or if it is just down to the crafting techniques that are used elsewhere being cheaper and with less manual labor?
Kanata made in japan have to abide by a series of standards in order to even be considered "katana" at all. See, japan has very strict no weapons laws, but they want to keep their own heritage alive. They make sure that a katana made easily and cheaply are not considered katana at all - the only way they'd be considered real katana is if they conform to certain standards. Those standards include being handmade, from start to finish. There aren't any power tools used in the making of a traditional katana. This means that making the katanas is a much more labor-intensive practice. A katana made in the west in a workshop might be made with power tools at every step, and then finished up with hand sanding or polishing. This would make the katana cheaper.
Also, I'd imagine that there's also tax laws in japan that probably inflate the price a bit as well. It's a lot harder to justify using a killing tool when it costs 6000 dollars than if it costs 500, right?
A true nihonto (Japanese blade) is not considered a weapon but an artwork, hence it has actual certification and each blade is different to another. This is all about legal codes.
Also, the Tamahagane used for their construction is artificially restricted and is very expensive.
Japan has a really strong economy, that's definitely part of it. Having said that, I think this is one of those rare cases where you really do get what you pay for.
or maybe the standards are just so high that nobody makes low quality cheap katanas because nobody would buy them
@@jsullivan2112 their economy is kinda in shambles right now
React to $200 katana vs $2000 katana cutting challenge
Honestly i learned a lot from this video, Thanks!
in america, a "Real Katana" (or sword in general) is just one that won't fall apart when you hit something with it
I think this boils down to an open market and closed market on why katanas outside Japan can be found cheaper. Lack of traditional swordsmiths and the strict policing of katanas make them extremely expensive, while outside of Japan you don't have people concerned with traditional methods just the foundation of the blade and the design. Using higher purity steel in a folded-single edge is much cheaper to do than going the route of producing tamahagane and forging essentially what is a 1:1 work of art. It's like the difference between a reprint and an original.
I appreciate how nice you were to our imitations, thanks for the positive informative video
Now I feel like I actually learned something, thank you very much, great content.
I love how humble Shogo’s reaction is. Very calm, polite & gentle.💯💯🙏🏼
The plastic on the blade is to ensure it stays oiled to prevent rust during long term storage before being sold.
Shogo , great work and great video! Im watching a lot of your Iaido videos because I have a wooden katana and I want to start training myself to be an Iaido Trainee!
In my experience the swords that have plastic on the blade were shipped overseas. They wrap the bade to protect it from salt in the air over the ocean as well as changes in humidity from international shipping.
Question: When you go to your Iaido training, do/can you just walk around in the streets with a katana on your waist, or are there any special containers to carry a katana, so not to scare anyone on the street or so?
Great vid!
awesome video beo thanks a lot for sharing!
Could you do a video about japanese castles (history, structure...)? I've always been curious about them. My image of a japanese castle is just the prominent keep. I know there is more to it and I'd love to learn about it.
A lot of these swords tend cheaper in the U.S. because of a few factors.
1. Mass production: A lot of these on the really cheap end aren't forged by hand, they're largely machined, and may not even be assembled especially well. They're often fit together with epoxy and little to no mechanical connection when you really delve deep in price.
2. Materials: Instead of tamahagane, even the hand-forged examples are almost universally made out of modern steels.
3. I feel as though the appraisal and certification process Japanese swords go through as well as the general regulations surrounding their sale and ownership elevate their value.
Very true. Seems the Japanese versions are just bloated in price and could be made the same quality for cheaper without all the status stuff.
nice vid, keep up the work! (first like btw)
I love how enthusiastic you are
I think maybe a great sword for you to investigate is the Ronin Dojo pro. They are the go-to budget katana for people actually practicing martial arts in North America and they’re around $300. I’d be curious to know what you think.
If I ever decide to get a katana I don’t think I ever could buy from the shops in Japan just because of the price. But I think the price is more than deserved considering how much effort it takes to forge the katana in Japan compared to other places that more than likely aren’t using any sort of traditional methods or the same metal.
Fascinating video. Thank you
Thank you that was very informative
I guess when you don't need to worry about strict guidelines and handmade traditional techniques and only specific types of steel, then you can get a decent sword without spending thousands. Great video btw.
I have a question Shogo. I know that in Japan, only traditionally made Katana can get legal papers and be rated by the NBTHK or NTHK, but recently, there seem to have been some Mantetsu swords that have been papered too, yet those are only partially traditional since they didn’t use Tamahagane but Mantetsu steel Did you know that and if so, do you know why?
cool katanas either way. thanks for reacting, shogo!
Thank you for your Video i have been looking for a video like this for ages you have got a subscribe from me😊
I have a pretty well made musashi katana that I bought and it was like 300 bucks it’s a very well made sword that cuts very well. I’m sure it would be very expensive in Japan because it fits the qualifications to be considered a well made blade. It has a Damascus steel blade though
As the "problem" of what we call Katana outside of Japan I'd say that it is similar to what we do to almost every single sword, we call katana to every japanese single edged sword, same happens with the concept of longsword, rapier etc.
Great video!
this video was really cool and informative.
Hey shogo! Can you grind your own sword? Or you have to send it to a professional?
I got a zinc alloy katana in Japan a few years ago for $500. I love it but I have a full sharp steel katana I got in the us for $200 and it pretty sweet as well I could shave with that sucker. (I don’t remember the specifics of that blade however as I got it back in 2004.) all that said I wouldn’t really call either of these “real katana” but I do hope to buy one someday.
I remember seeing that intro video, cringing, and turning it off. Fun times. Always love learning from you Shogo
Shogo! Thanks for being so open minded. I'm subbed on multiple accounts and have been following you since you had maybe 2000 subs.. I don't know why I thought there was a chance of you being unfair. 😂
You should do a reaction to his "Katana vs Long Sword" video that he did! It can be insightful when it comes to swords of different prominent cultures.
I believe the plastic on the blade is a protective layer between the heavily oiled blade and the scabbard.
I seriously doubt that blade is oiled, which would explain the plastic.
What great commentary on another’s video for education purposes. Thank you.
Sweet video brother ❤️
It's honestly really sad that a place with such an amazing sword culture doesn't allow there citizens to freely explore other forms of swords as well as creates an environment that has such a huge barrier to entry as far as real cutting is concerned.
I remember the sword shop in the malls. I bought an aikuchi 20 years ago for around $100. It had plastic on the blade too. A steak knife was sharper than it and it looked like it was made from melted silverware. Live and learn. 🤣🤣🤣
Love your video, very kind and up.
Thank you for your videos
I purchased my first katana for $350. It's a beautiful weapon and will certainly perform its intended purpose. I'm learning how to use it.
I have an Iaitō from Kyoto. and have loved it. Spent ¥60k on it. somewhere around 600 USD at the time.
But outside Japan real authentic Tamahagane is more rare. what makes these katana real to foreigners is that we can actually buy them. Due to the steel being more available it is cheaper to make. Tamahagane is extremely rare outside of Japan. You could likely fetch upwards of 10k USD. Iaitō are usually only seen among Iaidoka outside Japan. But you can still bring them outside Japan. I had heard it is very difficult for foreignera to buy real Tamahagane from Japan when I visited.
I don’t know why, but whenever he smiles it makes my day.
Shogo just seems like a chill guy to talk with
If you wanted to get a foreign sword in Japan (messer or longsword for example) how would you go about doing that?
They have to be blunt and display only.
Outside Japan, a katana is a katana. There is no knowledge about the difference of iaito and katana and they consider it as a mere weapon that can be made by literally anything with any methods, effectively removing the cultural aspect behind the making of a katana. I've seen Skallagrim's response video, and now Shogo with his own perspective. I feel complete now. XD
Well is like umm for example the European blades that have similar design but different names and different uses like broadsword and two handed sword
@@RadiantCloudSky Not really? You’re referring to labels invented to differentiate blades that historically were just called “swords” in both contexts. OP is talking about how they’ve been removed from their original cultural context in order to appeal and cater to modern budgets and popularity.
I learned so much about katanas, thank you!
So happy to see this reaction 🤩🤩🤩🤩
I think the pushback to the pricing for the Japanese made katanas is because, while the $200-300 swords are generally quite cheaply made you can get a very functional high quality sword for between $600-1000, it won't be made with tamahagane, because the traditional methods are very labour intensive and high quality steel is available and legal for non japanese swordmakers to use. The pricing for the Japanese made swords is largely due to the traditional methods used, and is absolutely justified, but not everyone buying a sword is looking for that.
A lot of manufacturer put oil/grease etc. and wrap the blades on swords in plastic to prevent them from rusting. If you buy a sword which usually must be shipped (which can take a while), many swords which are left bare in their scabbards can start to rust (depends on what sort of steel and what condition they are exposed to). Thus, greasing or oiling the blades and wrap them in plastic will prevent rust from forming, and prevent the oil/grease to spill all over inside the scabbard or elsewhere.
I assume one reason why the Japanese goverment will not allow swords/katanas made abroad into the country is to protect the entire industry which produces Japanese katanas, both for historical and cultural purposes, as well as the people related to it (swordsmiths, those who produces tamahagene, etc.). If the Japanese sword marked was exposed and flooded with 200$ sharp katanas (or cheaper), then the amount of Japanese swordsmiths would probably plummet since they won't be able to compete with such a low price and they would not be able to make a living making historically Japanese katanas.
The difference though would also be quality but I get what you mean a lot aren't afraid to sacrifice quality if it means they keep money in their pockets.
Thank you for your videos.
Thank you for this video, I always enjoy learning something new about Katana or Japan.
Ever since I was young there was always three swords that just spoke to my soul and the Japanese Katana was one of them!
A few experiences i obtained as a sword Enthusiast 🤔
👉 In relation to any type of Swords, There's a "few" details (Authenticity) that none of the outsiders from that certain culture could replicate (😅 and i have observed such detail for a few years).
👉 As for Katanas in outside of Japan, it's true that you need a few "experiences" to choose what kind of Swords you wished. Ranging from price, and Quality.
🙏 You get what you Pay for 😅👍
Note : the plastic wrappings from the blade is not only used to protect the saya, but to Prevent Rust, and Tarnishing (and Possibly, deformation by Humidity).
Just letting you know the plastic covering the blade is because they apply protective oil to the blade. And to keep it from rusting because they don't sell immediately. I have about 30 katanas and some were a little above $100.00 dollar's while some I have are around 300.00, and I enjoy every one of them. But I would love to have one like the ones you own. I love your videos they are so informative. Thank you
so are 200-300$ katanas genuinely legit? im guessing the price differences between japan and western katana sellers are due to the restrictions in japan compared to overseas
Is this the newest thing? Reaction videos for subjects that would maybe do better with collaboration?
That said, I still enjoy your channel! Take care!
I needed to know this because I'm planning on starting my own collection
This is a perfect example of market matters.
In Japan, a traditional Katana is a work of art with legal controls that are both cultural and legal. It is an educated market were even if most don’t really care about having one, it is not hard to find an actual practical expert or a shop that really understands quality.
In the US, a Katana is just a “form factor” so the weapon can be made out of anything as long as it has the general shape of a traditional Japanese blade.
Also, while there are some that use them for martial arts training in the US, a lot of them are made for what we call “wall hanging”. And this is true of all kinds of blades and weapons.
In Japanese, stores and homes I bet you never get to see a cutlas on the wall much less a firearm. In the US, you get that for fashion or cause it is cool. A katana is treated in much the same way. And in some more cringe setups it is part of a home decorating style to make the room look more “Japanese” or “Asian” styled. Of course, that is sorta funny because they are so anachronistic if you think about it.
(Small point for those in Japan. yes you still can see a gun on a wall or on the side of rooms in the US because some people actually rely on them for “defense” for reasons. But smart people usually keep them in Gun safes - we are not all irresponsible. )
I keep a gun on my wall. It’s my great grandfather’s SMG from his time in the Polish Underground Government’s Military. Now, mind you it is unloaded and doesn’t have a firing pin but it’s a gun.
Can you react to mini katana? There a company that makes multiple different kinds of katanas from anime and custom katanas. They even make multiple shorts about how to properly wield a katana, how to properly display one, and they even suggest that you buy one of their cleaning kids to make sure that the katanas never rust.
I’ve already made a react video to their shorts!✨
@@LetsaskShogo oh! I’ll go check it out!!!
Shogo's videos are the only UA-cam videos I trust as far as sourcing and price for katana.
17:45 "You would not make a bad quality sword and sell it at an expensive price" - Why yes. Yes, you would.
Shogo you the man we love you