This beautiful katana is from the Dojo Pro line by Ronin, with a black bat motif on the tuba, based on authentic antique samurai swords. The perfectly fitted black lacquered scabbard is as striking as it is functional. The bat motifs combines with the buffalo horn and brass brass trim really make this sword stand out. This is a ko-katana, which is just slightly shorter than a standard katana, making it more manueverable and fast to deploy in tight spaces.
The dojo pro line features through Hardened 1060 Steel, with sold iron tsuba (guard) modeled after actual Japanese antiques. The dojo pro line is extensively tested annually, and is considered one of the best production swords in its class. This blade is in the dōtanuki style, and is ready for cutting practice right out of the box.
What is a Dōtanuki katana?
Dōtanuki is a Japanese swordsmithing school developed in the Higo province of Kyūshū during the Kamakura period. The Japanese kanji for dōtanuki translates to, “sword that cuts through torsos”. While samurai routinely tested their blades on the bodies of convicted criminals to judge their cutting ability, dōtanuki blades were renowned for cutting through the bodies of armored opponents.
The thick wide body blades were forged in both bohi (with groove) and no hi (without groove) styles, although the solid no hi blades were by far the most common. The dōtanuki’s thickness and durability helped them obtain their vicious reputation during the Japanese conquest of Korea where they were heavily used by daimyō Katō Kiyomasa’s personal samurai. Their popularity peaked during the Azuchi-Momoyama (1568-1600) period, and began to fade rapidly thereafter as Japan entered a period of relative peace and stability.
The dōtanuki style was all but forgotten until Japanese manga writer Kazuo Koike reintroduced it n the famous 70’s magna series Lone Wolf and Cub. The ronin Ogami Ittō uses a dōtanuki blade in his quest for revenge on the Yagyū clan.
Steel: Through hardened 1060 steel samurai sword
Saya: Hand cut and polished buffalo horn Kurikata, Koguchi and Kojiri.
Weight: 2.1 pounds
POB: 3 1/2- 4 inches
Length in saya: 36 inches
Tsuka: 11 inches
Blade: 24 inches
Habaki to tip: 22 inches
Ito: Silk
Sageo: Synthetic silk
Fuchi: Blackened iron
Kashira: Blackened iron
Menuki: Brass
(Stand and mat showing in photos are not included)
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