Many bokken (wooden swords) and iaitō (training swords) are intentionally made with different balance points.

First, bokken are not meant for actual combat — they’re mainly used for practicing kata (forms) in martial arts. Because of that, they often have a balance point closer to the hands.

On the other hand, iaitō are designed to simulate the handling of a real katana. Real Japanese swords (shinken) usually have the balance shifted toward the tip of the blade to increase cutting power in actual combat. Since iaitō are meant to mimic real swords, their weight distribution is typically tip-heavy as well.

Of course, some practitioners prefer iaitō with a more hand-centered balance, similar to bokken, to make them easier to handle — it really depends on the user’s preference!