Raijin Katana

Description

2nd Generation April 16, 2018 onwards: subtle wire brushed hamon, better blade flexibility. See videos below.

Raijin is a god of lightning, thunder, and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology. His name is derived from the Japanese words ‘rai’ (meaning thunder) and ‘shin’ (god or kami). He is typically depicted as a demon-looking spirit beating drums to create thunder.

The design of the tsuba depicts Raijin on the obverse side and lightning on the reverse side. On the kashira, you’ll see Raijin’s companion, the demon Raiju (“thunder animal” or “thunder beast”). Raiju is generally calm and harmless, during thunderstorms, it becomes agitated and leaps about in trees, fields, and even buildings (trees that have been struck by lightning are said to have been scratched by Raiju’s claws).

SPECIFICATIONS
• Blade Material: 2nd Gen 1045 carbon steel (mono-steel)
• Edge: Fully-sharpened
• Treatment: Hand Forged, Through Hardened, Heat Treated & Tempered, Water Quenched
• Overall Length w/ saya: 41 inches
• Blade Length: 28 inches
• Tsuka: 11 inches wood
• Saya: 29.75 inches wood, glossy black lacquered finish
• Tsuba / Fuchi / Kashira / Menuki: Zinc alloy
• Habaki / Seppa: Brass
• Tsukaito: Black synthetic silk
• Sageo: Black silk
• Mekugi: 2 bamboo pegs
• Samegawa: Real ray skin panels
• Nakago: Full tang
• Hamon: Wirebrushed midare (irregular) pattern

NOTES
• Specs may vary slightly from sword to sword
• Can be disassembled
• Includes cloth bag
• Packaging: carton box

Raijin is also known by the following names:
• Yakusa no ikazuchi no kami: Yakusa (八, eight) and ikazuchi (雷, thunder) and kami (神, spirit or deity)
• Kaminari-sama: kaminari (雷, kaminari, thunder) and -sama (様, a Japanese honorific meaning “master”)
• Raiden-sama: rai (雷, thunder), den (電, lightning), and -sama (様, master)
• Narukami: naru (鳴, thundering/rolling) and kami (神, spirit or deity)

The video below shows the difference in flexibility between the 1st Generation and 2nd Generation. The 2nd Gen is more flexible like a 1060 blade.

More subtle wire brushed hamon which looks like a real hamon.