Kendo is a popular Japanese martial art, but because of its use of shinai, or bamboo swords, it’s not always easy to practice outside of the training halls. Creating a fun solution to that problem is Men-Nari, a training tool shaped like a shinai that will allow you to practice your sword-swinging wherever you want.

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Source: Men-Nari

Compact and portable, the Men-Nari makes a snapping sound when swung with the accurate form, helping your body memorize the right speed, form, balance, and weight shift for when striking an opponent. The snapping sound is caused by a weight inside that slides and hits the end of the Men-Nari when swung correctly.

The product was produced by Hiromitsu Yoshida, a kendo practitioner ranked as kyōshi 8-dan, one of the highest ranks in kendo.

Using the tool is almost like a game, and it can be used by practitioners of every age. To cater to everyone, Men-Nari comes in two types — type L and type S. Type L is 70 cm (28 inches ) long and weighs 630 grams, while type S is 62 cm (24 inches) long and weighs 582 grams. They’re both small enough to be used at home when you can’t head out to the dōjō.

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Source: Men-Nari

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Source: Men-Nari

The Men-Nari has been featured on the Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake, where it has achieved a whopping 241% of their funding goals so far, with 29 more days to go. Both sizes will be available from April for 15,000 yen (131 USD), but you can buy them now in advance at a discounted price.

What’s great about Men-Nari is that it’s equally useful for people who don’t practice kendo but still want the benefits of the training method. In fact, kendo training has been introduced as a way to tone the arms and strengthen pelvic muscles.

See it in action below:


By - grape Japan editorial staff.