Iaido

What is Iaido?

Iaido is the art of drawing and cutting with the Japanese sword in a simultaneous motion. It has often been compared to the "quick draw" gunfighting of the American Wild West. However, in Iaido the emphasis is defensive, although the techniques could easily be used for assassination purposes as well. Unlike Kenjutsu, which concentrates on using the sword when it is out of the scabbard, Iaido kata begin and end in the scabbard and place particular emphasis on the drawing and resheathing of the sword.

Iaido evolved out of the earlier, more combative art of Iaijutsu and may have appeared in its modern form as early as the Muromachi era (1338-1573), when paintings depict the sword thrust through the obi (sash) rather than hung from a suspending cord. When Zen started to have a greater influence on the more combative aspects of the art, Iai's emphasis then shifted from the combative, to a more spiritual approach that some have called "moving meditation".

All Iaido schools follow four basic principles:

When an Iaidoka begins a kata, he enters the formal kneeling position (seiza) and performs a "torei" (bow to the sword). The Japanese have an extremely high regard for the sword and believed the very soul of a samurai resided in his blade. All the rituals in Iaido are very important and symbolic, and must therefore be performed with great accuracy.

Iaido is an exacting art that demands extreme physical and mental concentration, and a student might study the same 10 or 12 techniques for many years before learning others. This can mean repeating the same technique thousands of times in a year. Iai is an art requiring precise motions and split second timing. It is also an individual art involving only the student and the sword, struggling to acheive perfection of form.

Beyond this physical aspect, Iai trains the spirit as well. Studying the art for an extended period of time will provide insight into the practitioner's true nature. As years go by, that spirit manifests itself in the Iaidoka's everyday life.

History of Iaido

The man credited with the foundation of Iaido is Jinsuke Shigenobu (1546-1621 approx). The art he founded between 1601 and 1615 is generally called Batto Jutsu. He has been given the title of the first headmaster of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. Hundreds of Iai schools evolved from his teachings, and 20 to 30 of those still exist today.

The seventh headmaster of the Muso Jikiden line was a man by the name of Hasagawa Chikaranosuke Eishin (approx 1700) who added the Tate Hiza ("half-sitting" position) techniques to the Oku Iai levels of techniques. It was he who first used the name Muso Jikiden, which was the name of an older school of swordsmanship. The full name of the school is Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu.

Omori Rokurozaemon Masamitsu was expelled from the ryu by Eishin for personal reasons. Rokurozaemon developed a set of 11 techiniques named the Omori-Ryu, which were initiated from Seiza. For this innovation, and doubtlessly an apology, Omori was admitted back into the ryu.

In the Taisho era (1912-1926), the 17th headmaster, Oe Masamichi (Shikei), incorporated the Omori-Ryu as the introductory level of techniques. Shikei is the man repsonsible for the name Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, and for organizing it into its present three-level system. These three "levels"; Omori-Ryu, Eishin Ryu, and Oku Iai along with two sets of paired practice and miscellaneous other kata total over 60.

Iaido Today

In 1968, the All Japan Kendo Federation (the governing body of most Iai ryu) released a set of seven techniques to be studied by Iaido students. These techniques were developed by high-ranking sensei from five different Iaido ryu, and consisted of five seiza techniques, one tate hiza technique, and three Tachi-Ai (standing) techniques. The set was named "Seitei Gata", and students from all ryu presently study these techniques in addition to the techniques of their ryu. In 1980, three more Tachi-Ai techniques were added to Seitei to make it represent the strikes and movements of Iaido more effectively.

Information condensed from "Kim's Big Book of Iaido" by Kim Taylor, "Martial Arts" by Peter Lewis, and "Martial Arts: A Complete Illustrated History" by Michael Finn.

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