What is the difference between a ninjato and a shikomizue practice sword?
Updated Feb 2026
A ninjato and a shikomizue are two distinct straight-blade formats within the shinobi sword tradition, and both are represented in this practice sword collection. A ninjato is the standard straight-bladed short to medium sword associated with the shinobi tradition - it features a visible blade, tsuba guard, wrapped handle, and matching scabbard in the traditional Japanese sword configuration, and is the most familiar format for ninjato collectors and practitioners. A shikomizue, by contrast, is a concealment sword where the blade is housed inside a plain wooden cane or staff exterior that conceals its nature entirely. The wooden staff serves as the scabbard, and the blade can be drawn from the staff when needed. This format is associated in Japanese history and fiction with traveling warriors and blind swordsmen who needed to carry a blade without advertising its presence. For practice and display, a shikomizue presents a fascinating and unusual collecting option that contrasts sharply with the more conventional ninjato configuration.