Iaito and Gi

Below is some of the equipment used in iaido.

Uniform
The uniform for iaido is similar to the one used in kendo however there is no bogu (armor) worn in iaido. A belt (obi) is also worn in iaido that is not a part of the typical kendo-ka’s uniform.

Equipment:
Beginners will often start with a wood sword (bokuto). Most do not come with a saya (sheath) and that makes it a bit different than practicing with an iaito. An iaito is a sword that typically is not fully sharpened, and by that I mean it will still cut you but it is not fully honed. Iaito come in a variety of construction including iron like a real katana as well as alloys that are easier to take care of.

Different than an iaito or katana either one are swords made of stainless steel or poor quality metal. These are typically referred to as ‘wallhangers’. Often times these swords are not put together to withstand the rigors of use and can be dangerous to use.