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Men's and ladies' size 39 usually ship in 1 to 2 business days. Junior size 38 usually ships in 7 to 10 business days.
An all-round Shinai with an oval grip that settles the hands naturally and helps keep the correct angle, or Hasuji, in every strike, for Kendoka who want a sword-like feel in everyday Keiko.
The KENSEI Black Oval Grip Shinai pairs the neutral, all-round balance of the standard KENSEI with an oval Tsuka, known in Japan as a Koban grip. The oval shape lets the hands feel how the Shinai is turned, so the grip settles into place and each strike keeps the correct Hasuji.
Within the KENSEI Standard range, each model is identified by the colour of its 剣星 mark, and this model carries the mark in black, 黒.
A round Tsuka feels the same whichever way it is turned. An oval Tsuka does not: its shape tells the hands how the Shinai is angled, helping Kendoka hold it correctly and strike with the right Hasuji, the angle a sword's cutting edge would take.
The balance is the standard all-round pattern, so the grip is the only change. KENSEI Black feels familiar in every part of regular Keiko, from Kihon to Ji-Geiko.
This product includes 1 x KENSEI Black Oval Grip Shinai, supplied fully assembled and ready to use.
The oval Tsuka makes correct hand placement easy to find and repeat, which makes it a strong choice for beginners and juniors.
For experienced Kendoka who like to feel the angle of the Shinai in their hands in every strike.
The standard all-round balance means only the grip changes, so there is little to get used to.
All our Shinai are made according to the All Japan Kendo Federation and International Kendo Federation standards. The weights below are the minimum and the lengths the maximum set out in the All Japan Kendo Federation guidelines for each size.
Bamboo contains natural oil that dries out over time. To help your Shinai keep its proper weight, please oil it regularly.
| Size | Suitable For | Guideline Weight | Guideline Max. Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39 Men's | Men, university age and adult | 510g+ | 120cm |
| 39 Ladies' | Women, university age and adult | 440g+ | 120cm |
| 38 | High school, approx. age 15 to 18 | 480g+ | 117cm |
KENSEI Black is for Kendoka who want a Shinai that helps them keep the correct Hasuji. It suits beginners and juniors building correct grip habits, and experienced Kendoka who prefer strong directional feedback and a sword-like grip shape.
It is the successor to our TOUKON Shinai, and the best pick if you appreciate TOUKON. If you like the balance of the standard KENSEI but want more feel for the angle of the Shinai through your hands, KENSEI Black is the natural choice.
Please note: Shinai are made from natural bamboo, so slight variations in colour, grain, weight, and finish are normal. The product received may vary slightly from the product images. Please inspect your Shinai regularly and maintain it correctly before and after practice.
Overall rating: 4.9 / 5 from 69 reviews.
![Customer photo review of [EXTRA 10% OFF AT CHECKOUT] - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*](http://images.loox.io/uploads/2026/7/14/bEDxsqE7i_mid.jpg)
It has very nice balance and feel and for me as doing Nito and need to modify the lenght it's perfect. I specifically like that its oval handle and not so thick it really helps when doing Nito to have a oval grip and good controll of the shinai when doing katate. I will for sure by more of this bundle and model of shinai! Always great service and perfect with the free shipment! Thank you Kendostar!
[EXTRA 10% OFF AT CHECKOUT] - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Toukon is the perfect oval grip shinai for everyday practice. Quality construction, comfortable feel in the hands, and evenly balanced in the hands.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Strong, flexible multi-purpose shinai with a comfortable oval grip that fits perfectly in the hand. Instantly feel your hasuji.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Beautiful shinai for the price, the difference in quality between the all purpose model, for just a little bit more cost is outstanding. Many thanks Andy and team .
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
It is a fantastic shinai! I bought this one after only using the round grip shinais from our dojo after watching Andy‘s whole video on the different shinais. The oval grip really helped me fixing my hand position when gripping the shinai. It is top quality and feels really good! Highly recommend it :)
I never had a koban-gata shinai before, so I'm not sure how the Toukon would compare to other shinai with a comparable tsuka shape. What I can say is that the Toukon feels intuitive to use and is easy to get used to. I have small hands, but that's not an issue with this shinai. Any shinai with a non-standard tsuka shape has limited options to rotate the take, but I'll have to wait and see how this will actually affect the shinai's life-span.
I had an excellent experience with my KendoStar order. It arrived on time, with the products I bought in excellent condition and conforming to their description on KendoStar’s website. Great to know that there is a reliable supplier that can ship to the UAE.
[EXTRA 10% OFF AT CHECKOUT] - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
These shinai have good balance and the oval grip helps with my awkward hypermobile fingers. I wish the tsukagawa was a little shorter, but it's something I can fix on my own as well. The default length seems really large for women's arms.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Moved to oval grip to help control my strikes, loving the results so far. Good balance, quality shinai.
perfect, thanks
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Perfect !
Great shinai, exactly as advertised!
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
At first sight, without practising, it is rather heavy and for me not easy enough to handle, but I should concentrate even better on this subject so I will be more precise for the next time, Yours D.Cocca
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
I ordered a jodan tengu shinai. Was received amazingly packaged . Shinai is really comfortable in my hands. Quality is best ever. Well finished and increíble balanced for jodan no kamae
Definitely helps keep correct hasuji. That said, I do miss the balance of the ichigeki model, which now appears to be gone for good.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
fast delivery and good shinai quality, thanks for the service !
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Been meaning to write a review on the Toukon Oval Grip Shinai for a while. Started off on recommendation buying three different shinai so I could find my preference, so opted for a special three-set of the great Toukon Oval grip; the Kouron Dobari; and the Tonba Octagonal. Thanks to KS for allowing me to make this customized three set. Firstly, going to say the Octagonal grip is my favourite. However the Toukon Oval Grip has it's purpose which I'll explain now. It took a while for me to adjust my own grip to this shinai and work out what it was better for. I use this when I want to focus on oji-waza, as the adjustment in grip, helps me to analyse the correct positioning of my wrists, over emphasising on wrist movement and tenouchi, which helped me to improve overall, so when trying the same with other shinai it now comes more naturally. It also helps me with straighter cutting for chiisai men/kote as I am more aware of the positioning of my hands and I end up using my left a lot more and keeping my right static (I think so anyway). So in summary, this is my second favourite shinai, but I often get it out when I know what I'll be working on and will buy again.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Love these oval grip shinai, balance and weight is great. From order to deliver, service was brilliant as always.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Great day to day training shinai
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Everything shipped really fast from England to NY!
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *10*
Great shinai. Just what I need to help train my grip correctly.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
First received them in the lucky bundle this year and now my go to shinai for practice, testing, and competition. Great feel in the hands and definitely helps with hasuji. Only issue is they seem more prone to cracking than round shinai. Broke two since January.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Totally awesome super speedy delivery!!
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Awesome
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Unbeatable Precision and Durability The Oval Grip Shinai exceeded my expectations with its remarkable durability and excellent balance. The oval grip not only enhances posture but also ensures a secure hold for precise maneuvers. Investing in a set for the future is a wise decision, given the outstanding quality and the likelihood of future price increases.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Super durable I use it for nito, it keeps surprising me with its durability.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Surprisingly effective I was curious about how the oval grip would affect my ability to wield the shinai in general, so I bought it to try it out. At first it was a bit weird, but I almost immediately got used to it and realized how much easier it was to align my strikes, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a more "katana-like" feeling to give to their shinai
Highly recommended Great balance and handle. Oval grip definitely improves posture and helps one to hold shinai in the correct way.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Nice ! Very Good shinaï. The grip is perfect and good balanced.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
it's like marriage I ve used different style of Shinai over the years, only bought one per style and decided this style of grip is my favourite. onece I lock my mind on this, I decide to invest my money by buying set for future prove. as price will only goes up in the future. and also, if you only have one and then it breaks, it's not guarantee there always in stock when u need it.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
good my second Shinai, I actually prefer this over hachiman as it feels easier to handle
Another Oval It's the second time I bought Oval and not last time.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
Very good shinai A well balanced and very well built shinai. The oval shape makes a world of a difference to handle it and the leather is soft enough not to hurt your hands during long training sessions
Great deal on my favourite shinais! Bought a box of 10 just for myself as these have become my favourite shinai! Awesome grip and has really helped with my tennis elbow issues! Might even buy another 10 just in case ! 😛
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *10*
Very pleased Always loved oval grip shinai, this one feels great to handle
Very nice Shinai I like these a lot. They feel very nice and the quality is extremely good. Also for it's price it's very worth it in my opinion.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
I am very pleased The shinai feels very good and comfortable in my hands. In my case, the oval grip leads to more accurate and confident strokes than with a round grip. The weight also feels well balanced, for me as a beginner, so I'm hoping for good progress in my training. Overall, really well done. Thank you!
Perfectly fits in the hands Very convenient
Easy to grip correctly As a beginner, this is only the 3rd shinai I try. The oval grip really helps to hold the shinai correctly when during geiko it may move uncorrectly.
Great shinai I buy this 3 shinai set for me because my Sensei like to his students experiment a real katana grip, for me i think it´s little heavy, but i love the oval grip to make my shots better.
*SPECIAL OFFER* - QUALITY Oval Grip Shinai ‘TOUKON’ - Set of *3*
