This is a Shinai with an Oval Grip. Suzaku's oval grip imitates the oval shaped grip of a "real sword".
The oval shaped grip is said to be great for Suburi as it's said that this shape promotes and makes it easier to remember the correct way to grip the Shinai.
This model is recommended for people with less grip strength or high level practitioners that wants a firm grip of the Shinai. This is a model that's popular among high level practitioners.
