I don't believe this Jo is made from hardwood. It is very lightweight and dimples easily. After I received the Jo it felt as if it wasn't very solid. To test this, I wrapped my white oak bokken onto the Jo with just a little force and it put a large indent into the wood of the Jo. I am not an expert on wood by any means, but it certain doesn't seem to perform like the Jo at the Dojo, be it weight or hardness.