The Kisai Katana Watch By TokyoJapan Is a Distinguished Take on the Smartwatch

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One thing you can be certain when you get a product from Tokyoflash is that you are getting something original, and you’ll probably need instructions to figure out exactly what you’re dealing with. That’s no different with the Kisai Katana watch that I received to review.

Tokyoflash sent over the watch, and although the packing isn’t that spectacular — just a silver box with the watch and a “follow us” card — the watch makes up for that a bit. My first impression of the watch I received, which is all silver, was “wait, there’s only one hand?”. Because you see, the Kisai Katana has a backstory which reflects in its name. Designed to work like, you guessed it… a Japanese katana sword, the beautiful watch is worth the $160 price tag.

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There are two different versions of the watch, with and without Bluetooth. The Bluetooth function has features that I love. With the Kasai Katana, you are able to receive alerts about calls, texts, emails, and if you are the type to leave your phone wedged between your couch cushions, there’s even an alert for that. You do all of this through the accompanying app which is a bit dated now that we’re working with iOS 9, but you can run the app on any iDevice (iPhone, iP, iPad touch) running iOS 8.1.2 or higher.

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Now the battery life of the Kisai is one thing I really really enjoyed because even though it says there’s a five-day battery life for the alerts, mine actually went about a full week with certain things toggled off.

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I receive a lot of texts and I do not like being bugged about them, so I obviously turned that feature off. And even though you can have social media alerts for Twitter and Facebook, these two I turned off as well.

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The watch itself is more than just its ability to keep you connected to your phone like those kid leashes you see parents have at the mall though. The Katana is just great to look at. There’s three different colorways for it, Sliver, Black or Blue, but they are honestly all great to look at. The face of the Kisai Katana has a mineral crystal lens so not only is it clear, but it will hold up over time, unlike some competitors. I had to go and actually adjust the wrist however as it’s a big on me the way it came. But it’s very lightweight once you get it on, it’s just slim, sleek, and overall great to look at. Don’t go taking it for a swim however because even though it’s water-resistant up to three meters, I wouldn’t chance it.

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Interestingly enough, the watch has a battery that must be changed yearly, which might turn a few of you off. It comes with a limited one year warranty though so if you happen to have any malfunctions in the first calendar year, Tokyoflash has you covered. If you’re in the market for a new watch and want something innovative, and overall cool, get a Kisai Katana for $159 today from TokyoFlash.

 

Source: manufacturer supplied review unit

What I Like: The silver is great, and the notifications work as expected

What Needs Improvement: There has to be a battery that lasts longer than twelve months

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About the Author

Greg Alston
Diehard Apple fanboy, and lover of all things tech. Born and raised in Washington, DC, Greg enjoys spending time with his wife, family, and friends, live sporting events, good bourbon, Tetris, and pizza. In that order.