Chie means wisdom — and there is wisdom in starting on the right sword. This entry-level katana is built to teach: a forgiving blue manganese blade that tolerates the missteps every beginner makes, mounted simply and honestly for intensive practice rather than the display cabinet.
Forging & Steel
The blade is forged from manganese steel, an alloy chosen for its balance of hardness and flexibility. That balance is exactly what a beginner wants: hard enough to hold an edge, springy enough to forgive a poor angle or an off-line cut without taking damage. It is finished in a clean blue and built full-tang, secured with two bamboo mekugi for a sword you can train on hard.
The Katate-Maki wrap is a practical choice for a learner’s sword: tighter and lower-profile than a full tsuka-ito, it keeps the grip secure through long repetitive drills where the hands tire. Weighing 1.4 kg over a 103 cm frame, the Chie is built to be swung again and again without precious handling, the manganese blade absorbing the off-line cuts that mark any beginner’s first months. We mount it full-tang with two bamboo mekugi so it can be stripped and checked like a real sword — because a training katana that cannot be maintained is no training tool at all.
Fittings
An iron tsuba grounds the mounting in restrained, traditional style. The saya is blue-lacquered wood with a sageo, and the tsuka uses a galuchat reproduction (imitation ray skin) under a Katate-Maki wrap with an iron menuki set — a single-hand-friendly wrap that suits drilling and repetition.
Specifications
| Blade steel | Manganese steel |
|---|---|
| Blade color | Blue |
| Tsuba | Iron |
| Saya | Blue-lacquered wood with sageo |
| Tsuka | Galuchat reproduction, Katate-Maki wrap |
| Menuki | Iron set |
| Mekugi | 2 bamboo |
| Tang | Full tang |
Dimensions
| Total length | 103 cm |
|---|---|
| Blade length | 72 cm |
| Blade width | 3.2 cm |
| Blade thickness | 0.7 cm |
| Handle length | 27 cm |
| Weight | 1.4 kg |
Is it battle-ready?
Yes — and that is the point. The full-tang manganese blade is forgiving and durable enough for intensive beginner training, both practical and decorative for those starting out. Explore the katana collection, or other entry options like Katana Tengu and Katana Dairiseki.
Verified owner
This is a fantastic piece! It arrived well oiled and it’s sharp! Even though it’s more for decorative purposes, it moves beautifully while you handle it. I went with the Chie as my first one since I’m a beginner, but I’m looking forward to upgrading somewhere down the line. I’ve already recommended this place because I’m so pleased with it.
The sword is a lot lighter than I expected and the build quality is genuinely excellent.