Prefacetothe3rdEditionDue to the success of the first editions of this book I have

been asked on numerous occasions to update and expand on theinformation in it.With the recent introduction of two new kata totheZNKRcurriculumandchanges ingradingrequirements the timenowseemsrighttodoso.Thisneweditiondrawsheavilyonthefirstandsecond.InformationconceningKoryuhasnotbeenchanged,butappendices have been brought up to date, the descriptions of ZenKenRenkatahavebeen revisedandexpandedwithphotographs toassistininterpretingthedescriptions.Alsothefirstchapter,particularlythat concerning ettiquette has been considerably enlarged, withphotographs of torei, and drawings ofmethods of foldingHakama,tyingobietc.Explanationsoftermshavebeenexpandedtoo.

Thedecision to includephotographswasmadeunderpressurefromtheconsiderablenumberofpeoplewhoaskedfor themin thisedition.Iamnotconvincedthatitisagoodidea.Photographsaretoofixed,donotchangewithmychanging interpretationand increasedlearning.They get out of date even faster than abrief description. IknowIwilllookatacopyofthisin10yearstimeandbeembarrassed,andwonderwhyIeverallowedit.Butfornow,Ihaveincludedwhatusersseemtowant.

The previous issues were spiral bound. There have beennumerous requests tomake this issuemore flexible.Thereforewhatyouhavenow ispunched forbinding in variousmethods.Theneweditionallowsyoutodispersethepageamongstyourownnotes,oradd your ownnotes to thebook. Pages canbe easily removed andreplaced for study,photocopied forannotationswithout spoiling theoriginal,etc.

Included with this edition is an order form for obtaining anoptionalCDROMversion of the book.The disk contains the bookexactlyasyouseeithere,ininteractivepdfformatforeasyreferenceonyourcomputer,whiletheprintedcopycanremainhandyinyourkitbagforreferenceatthedojo.

Goodlucktoyouall.Ihopethatthisreferenceremainshelpfulthroughoutyourstudy

PETERWESTRokudanRenshiMYOKENDOJO

Foreword

Manymodernsystemsofeducationdevelopwaysforpeopletobroadentheirmindsandexplorethevariedfieldsofart,scienceandtechnology.However,traininginIaidosharpensthefacilitytobelieveinoneselfandatthesametimeactivatesthewillingnesstoseekforthehighest personal ideals.Accordingly, the studyof Iaidohasbecometheobjectofrapidlyincreasinginternationalinterestasavaluablewayofdevelopingspiritualstrengthandphysicalpower.ThoughoriginallydevelopedinJapan,Iaidohasbecomepartoftheculturalheritageofthewholeworldanditismysincerehopethatthisbookwillserveasausefulguidetoboththebeginnerandtheexperiencedpractitionerintheirsearchforknowledge.

ISHIDOSHIZUFUMIHachidanKyoshiJanuary1995

The term ‘Iai’ is taken from the phrase ‘Tsune ni itte, kyu niawasu’.Themeaningofthisis,whateverwemaybedoingorwhereverwemaybe,wemustalwaysbepreparedforanyeventuality.

Through the swordwe seek to improveour spirit andbecomebetterpeople,topromotepeaceandgoodfeelingbeyondthewallsoftheDojoandintoourdailylives.TherearemanystylesofIai,manyways to cut, tomove, and as one learns one improves technically.However,wetrainnotonlytolearntechniques,butalsotocultivatetheheart and spirit, and in this respect all ‘styles’ lead to the samegoal.

Onemust bear inmind the higher goals to achieve and takeeachstepandovercomeeachobstacle,butatthesametime,thoughthepathmaybeadifficultonetofollow,onemustrelishandenjoythechallenges.

HARUNAMATSUONanadanKyoshiDecember1994

Perceptionisstrongandsightisweak.

MiyamotoMusashi

ContentsAcknowledgements

Preface

Foreword

Chapter1.General..................................... 3

1. Safety,EtiquetteandDojoBehaviour 2. CleaningtheSword 3. Saho–Etiquette 4.PartsoftheBody 5. ItemsofClothing 6. PartsoftheSword 7.Kamae,Shisei,FootandHandTechniques 8.GeneralDojoVocabulary 9. ConceptsinIaido 10. SeiteiIaido 11. Koryu 12. GenealogyoftheMusoRyu

Chapter2.ZenNihonKendoRenmeiIaido ................. 31

1. Introduction 2. GeneralPoints 3. TechnicalPoints 4. Torei 5. TheForms

Chapter3.MusoShindenRyu ........................... 75

1. Shoden 2. Chuden 3. Okuden 4. TachiUchinoKurai 5. TsumiainoKurai

Chapter4.MusoJikidenEishinRyu ....................... 84

1. OmoriRyu 2. EishinRyu 3. TachiUchinoKurai 4. Okuiai 5. TsumiainoKurai 6. NewForms

Chapter5.GradingsandCompetitions..................... 97

1. Shinsa 2. Shinsa-in 3. Taikai 4. TeamTaikaiAppendices ........................................ 111

1. SampleKyuGradeSyllabus 2. SomeKaeWazaandHenkaWaza 3. SampleDanGradingWrittenQuestions 4.CriteriaforJudgingandGradingPanelMembers

CHAPTER1

General

Thereisatimeandaplacefortheuseofweapons.

MiyamotoMusashi

1.SAFETY,ETIQUETTEANDDOJOBEHAVIOUR

SafetySafety

WhenhandlingpotentiallydangerousweaponsIthinkno-onewilldisagreethatsafetymustalwaysbe a major consideration.When we are training with others wemust consider safety as a threefoldstrategy:avoiding injury toothers,avoidingothers injuringourselves,andavoidingself-inflicted injury.Thiscanalsobebrokendownas:

1.EquipmentSafety

•Areclothescorrectlyfitting?•Arehimo(chords)correctlytiedandtuckedaway?•Hasanysplinteringorchippingofbokkenbeenrepaired?•Isthesword/Iaitocrackedorbent?•Isthemekugisecure?•Isthetsukaitosecure?•Arethetsubaandseppacorrectlyfitting?•Isthesayaundamaged(koiguchioranyotherjoinsplit)?•Doesthehabakifitwellontothekoiguchi?

2.PersonalSafety

•Doesyourhairobscureyourvision?•Arefingerandtoenailsadequatelytrimmed?•Areanyinjuriescorrectlybandagedetc.?•Doyouhaveinjurieswhichshouldrequirerest?•Doyouhaveenoughspacetopracticein?•Areyouinanyoneelse’sway?•Doyouknowwhatformsthepeoplearoundyouarepractising?

3.SafetyofPremises

•Isthehalllargeenough?•Istheceilinghighenough?•Isthefloorsurfacesecureandsuitable?•Isthelightingadequate?•Isfirstaidavailable?•Doesanyoneinthedojohavefirstaidtrainingforthemostlikelyinjuries?•Isthereaccesstoorforemergencytransport?•DoyouknowwherethenearestAccidentandEmergencyDepartmentis?•Whereisthenearestphone,doesanyoneintheclasscarryamobilephone?

1GENERAL

3

5.ITEMSOFCLOTHING

Embuigi display/demonstrationclothesHakamawide/pleatedtrousersHaori overjacketHera peginsiderearofhakamaHimo cordorlaceKeikogi trainingjacketKesa lapel/partofmonkscostumehangingfromleftshoulder(notusedin Iaido, butmentionedinkatanames)Koshiita boardatbackofhakamaMatadachi splitatsideofhakamaMontsuki widesleevetopwithmononchest,sleeveandbackObi beltSode sleeveTabi formalsoftfootwearforgeneraluseandinthedojoZekken chestpatchembroideredwithownname,dojoname,nationality,etc.Zori sandalsforuseoutsideDojodesignedtobeslippedontoeitherbarefeet orovertabi

1GENERAL

9

FoldingaGi

Keiko Gi Juban

6.PARTSOFTHESWORD

Thislistisbynomeanscomplete,therearemanymoredetailseachwiththeirownname

Boshi curveleadingtokissakiFuchigane metalbandaroundtsukanexttotsubaHa cuttingedgeHabaki collar(usuallycopper)reinforcingjoinbetweenbladeandtsubaHamachi ‘step’atendofcuttingedgewheretheblasemeetsthehabakiHamon lineoftemperedsectionHanami cuttinglineofsword(frommunetoha)Hasuji pointinglineofsword(frommunemachitokissaki)Hi groovesHira faceofbladefromshinogitohaHitoe topoftangwhichmeetsmuneatmunemachiKashira endoftsukaKatahaba measureofthickestpartofbladeKissaki pointKoiguchi openendofsayaKojiri closedendofsayaKurigata deviceonsayathroughwhichsageopassesMei signatureontangMekugi bamboopinthroughtsukaMekugiana holethroughwhichmekugipassesMenuki decorationsundertsukaitotoaidgripMonouchi cuttingpart(approx.6inchsectionuptokissakiMune backedgeofbladeMunemachi ‘step’atendofmunewheretheblademeetsthehabakiNagasa measureofthelengthofthebladefromkissakitomunemachiina straightlineNakago tangNakagojiri endoftangSageo cord,tiesintohakamahimoSame rayskinundertsukaitoSaya scabbardSeppa washerseithersideoftsubaShinogi ridgeatwidestpointalongbladeShinogiji faceofbladefromshinogitomuneSori measureofthecurveoftheblade,measuredfromthemunetotheNagasa lineatthedeepestpointTsuba handguardTsubamoto backedgeofthebladeclosetothehandguardTsukaito/Makiito tsukabindingYasurime filemarksleftontang

1GENERAL

14

1GENERAL

15

5.THEFORMS

Ipponme Mae

Scenario:

Oneenemy,frontinseiza.

Method:

Riseonto thekneesasyoudraw, thenstepping forwardwith the right foot,cuthorizontallyacross theenemy’seyes.Repositiontheswordovertheheadbypushingthekissakibackalongthelineofthecutandroundpasttheleftearwhilesimultaneouslyslidingforwardontheleftkneetoclosethedistance.Withoutstoppingtakethetsukawiththelefthandandcutkirioroshiwhilepushingtherightfootforwardtorecovertheposture.Standasyouperformochiburi.Bringthebackfootuptothefronttomovecloserwhereyoucanbetterobservetheenemy.Pulltherightfootbacktorecoverthepreviousposturewithfeetreversed.Performnoto,slowlysinkingtotheleftknee.Standandreturntothestartline.

Specificgradingpoints,basic:

Isnukitsukeeffective?(height,direction,depth,speed,strength,kime).Isshiseiofnukitsukecorrect?Isfurikaburistrong,maintainingsemewithadequatebutnotexcessiveforwardmovement?Iskirioroshieffective?Isthestandinchiburistable?Isshiseiofchiburicorrect?Isthereafeelingofmeaninginthechangeoffeet?Isnotosmoothandsonkyocontrolled?

Moreadvancedpoints:

Isthedrawdirectedtothecentrelineoftheopponent’sface?Arethetoesliftedintimeforthecut,butwithoutinterruptingtheflowoftheoverallattack?Istheslideforwardtothecorrectdistancetoensurethatthekirioroshicutsanenemywhoisinexactlythesameplaceastheonecutwithnukitsuke?Iskaburiperformedwithcontrolofhanamiandhasuji,withthebladeremaininghigherthanhorizontalbeforethekirioroshi?Areseme,zanshinandmetsukesustainedthroughoutthekatawithoutlossoffocus?

Higherpoints:

Are the feet and back leg consistently in the same line, maintaining the same centre, and the hipsconsistentlysquare?Doestheoveralltimingshowcalmnessandcontrol?DoestheperformancedemonstrateJohakyuandKankyu?DoestheperformancedemonstrateunfalteringKigurai?Isthebreathingkeptundercontrol,anddoesthebreathingsupporttheflowofthekata?

2.Z.N.K.R.(SEITEI)IAIDO

42

2.Z.N.K.R.(SEITEI)IAIDO

43

5.GRADINGSANDCOMPETITIONS

106

TAIKAI

(Foramoreindepthstudy,see‘TheRegulationsofIaidoShiaiandShimpan’.AllJapanKendoFederation,1996).

LayoutofthecourtforShiaitype.

Thereare2rectangularcourts,eachmeasuring3mby7m.Eachhasastartmark30cmlongpositioned4mfromthefrontofthecourt.The2courtsareseparatedbyagapof1m.Thereisaclearspaceof2maroundthecourt.ThedistancefromthecourttotheShimpanzaisabout1m.ThecourttotheShinpan’srightisAka(Red),andthetheirleftisShiro(White).Eachcourtis,forpreference,markedoutintheappropriatecolour.Thetapeusedtomarkoutthecourtsandthestartlineshouldbebetween5and10cm,wide.

RefereeDirector

SubReferee

➝

➝about1m

➝

➝about1m

2morlonger

WhiteLine

➝

➝2morlonger

➝

orlonger

➝

➝orlonger➝StartingLine

30cm

➝

➝

BoundaryLine

➝

➝

RedLine

7m

4m

➝➝➝➝

➝➝ 1mor

longer

RedLine

WaitingLine

TimeKeeperTimeKeeper

➝

➝

➝

➝➝ 1m

SubReferee

ChiefReferee

BoundaryLine

3m

WhiteLine

WaitingLine