Iaido Points
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Basic Points
If trainee disturbs himself, it would be a wicked swordplay. If trainee doesn’t have a fighting spirit, it would be only a sword dance. If trainee doesn’t strain, it would be only a fun.
Chiburi (Chiburui)
Shaking the enemy’s blood. One must bear in mind Zanshin during the chiburi and noto.
Noto
The discipline of swordmanship in Iaido fashion provides an easily understood example of the intense concentration demanded by Budo techniques.
The trainee must, in the final stage of wielding the sword, return its razor-sharp blade to the scabbard he wears at his left hip. The action used in accomplishing this brings the operator’s left hand within a fraction of an inch of the keen edge, in itself an unnerving maneuver for the untrained, but one made infinitely more delicate by the fact that the action must be performed without once looking at the scabbard.
Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei Seitei Iaido
All students perhaps study a standard Iaido, commonly known as the Seitei Iai, which is established by the All Japan Kendo Federation (Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei, hereafter ZNKR).
There are 10 established forms of ZNKR Seitei Iaido (hereafter Seitei Iai) which were developed during 1960’s and 70’s by a panel appointed by ZNKR for that purpose. The original intentions in creating Seitei Iai was to produce a standard that could used for gradings nationally and later internationally.
These ten forms belong to three sections. The first to third forms belong to Seiza no bu, which performed from seiza posture. The fourth form belongs to Tatehiza no bu, which performed from tatehiza (low-crouching posture). And the fifth to tenth forms belong to Tachi no bu, which performed from a standing posture.
- Ippon me (The first): Mae (Front)
- Cut kirioroshi an opponent front in seiza.
- Nihon me (The second): Ushiro (Rear)
- Cut kirioroshi an opponent to the rear in seiza.
- Sanhon me (The third): Uke nagashi (Catch and slide off)
- Block ukenagashi (fend, parry) and cut to kesa an opponent in the left standing and approaching.
- Yonhon me (The fourth): Tsuka ate (Strike with the tsuka)
- Cut and thrust two opponents, one sitting in front, the other behind in seiza.
- Gohon me (The fifth): Kesa giri (Cut to kesa)
- Cut to kesa an opponent approaching from front.
- Roppon me (The sixth): Morote tsuki (Thrust with both hands)
- Cut and thrust two opponents, one approaching from front, the other following behind.
- Nanahon me (The seventh): Sanpo kiri (Cut in three directions)
- Cut three opponents, one approaching from front, the others from left and right.
- Hachihon me (The eighth): Ganmen ate (Strike to center of face)
- Cut and thrust two opponents, one approaching from front, the other following behind.
- Kyuhon me (The ninth): Soete tsuki (Thrust with hand alongside the blade)
- Thrust an opponent in right with hand alongside the blade.
- Jyuppon me (The tenth): Shiho kiri (Cut in four directions)
- Cut and thrust four opponents.
In the fall of 2000, ZNKR newly added two forms named “Sou giri” and “Nuki uchi“. So now Seitei Iai consists of twelve forms.
- Jyu-ippon me (The eleventh): Sou giri
- Cut an opponent many times over, who is standing in front. It is taken after “Sou-makuri” of Muso-Shinden-ryu and Muso-Jikiden-Eishin-ryu.
- Jyu-nihon me (The twelfth): Nuki uchi
- Leave space and cut an opponent standing in front. It is taken after “Gyokkou” of Mugai-ryu.
Hoki ryu – one of the oldest Koryu
Hoki ryu is one of the most oldest koryus.
The founder of Hoki ryu is Katayama Hoki-no-kami Hisayasu (1575-1650). In 1610 he was called to the Palace and he showed the Isono-nami, the secret of fencing, in front of the Emperor Goyouzei. For this distinguished services he was rendered Jyu-Goi-Ge (the conferment of a court rank).
The original name for Hisayasu’s tradition was Ikkan ryu. Later the name was changed to Katayama Hoki ryu. At present day the tradition is generally refereed to as just Hoki ryu.
According to Isono-nami the secret in Hoki ryu, he and his disciples developed and established over one hundred forms. But in present, we mainly study the fifteen basic forms as follows. These fifteen forms are divided to two sections, Omote and Chu-dan. In Omote, there are six forms. All forms are started from seiza posture. In Chu-dan, there are nine forms.
Omote (initial set)
- Osae nuki
- Thrust an opponent in left with hand alongside the blade with seiza posture.
- Kote giri
- Thrust an opponent in left with hand alongside the blade with seiza posture.
- Kiri tuke
- Thrust an opponent in right with hand alongside the blade with seiza posture.
- Nuki dome
- Block nukidome an attack from right, and cut an opponent.
- Tsuki dome
- Block tsukidome an attack from front, and cut an opponent.
- Shiho kanakiri
- Cut four opponents with seiza posture.
Chu-dan (middle level)
- Hiza dume
- Nuketsuke to kesa and cut an opponent from front, with seiza posture.
- Mune no katana
- Strike aside the attack of an enemy, and cut, with seiza posture.
- Okkake nuki
- Nuketsuke to kesa and cut an opponent from front, with standing posture.
- Kaeri nuki
- Nuketsuke to kesa and cut an opponent from rear, with standing posture.
- Issa soku
- Jump-up and block ukenagashi from seiza posture, and cut an opponent in the front standing and approaching.
- Mukou dume
- Block ukenagashi from standing posture, and cut an opponent in the front.
- Naga rouka
- Strike aside the attack of an enemy, and cut.
- Kissaki gaeshi
- Block ukenagashi, strike a face of an opponent in the front and thrust.
- Shiho dume
- Cut four opponents with standing posture.
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- History of Iaido
- Origins of Iaido
- The Iaido
- Iaido Techniques and Training Methods
- What is Iaido
