Iaido
Iaido is the Japanese martial art of drawing and cutting in the same motion, or “attacking from the scabbard.” Iaido is considered a method of self-development but is also practiced as a sport, with two competitors performing side by side, and a panel of judges declaring a winner.
History
The idea of cutting from the draw may have originated as early as the 11th century, but modern Iaido dates to about 1600. Iaido is practiced solo with real blades, in set routines called kata.Most styles trace their origin to Jinsuke Shigenobu (ca. 1546-1621), whose followers developed hundreds of different styles,dozens of which are still practiced. Today the two most popular are the Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and the Muso Shinden Ryu.
In the mid-20th century two major governing bodies for iaido were formed; the All Japan Iaido Federation, and the Iaido section of the All Japan Kendo Federation. Both organizations developed common sets of kata to allow students of different styles to practice and compete together.Although not overly common even in its country of origin, iaido has followed the Japanese martial arts around the world.
Rules and Play
The art has had many names over the years, but iaido was accepted about 1930. The “I” comes from the word ite (presence of mind) and the “ai”from an alternate pronunciation of the word awasu (harmonize) in the phrase kyu ni awasu (flexible response in an emergency).
The art is a Japanese budo and as such is intended mainly as a method of self-development and appeals to those looking for something deeper than a set of fighting skills. The concentration and focus needed to perfect the movements of drawing and sheathing a sharp sword while watching an (imaginary) enemy benefit the mind. The art also demands excellent posture and the ability to generate power from many positions. For many years iaido was considered esoteric, and it was often assumed one had to be Japanese to fully understand it. In the past decades that thinking has changed and iaido is now practiced around the world.Apart from its exotic look, iaido does not generally appeal to spectators, being restrained and quiet in its performance.
The main practice is done alone, and iaido kata contain four parts, the draw and initial cut (nuki tsuke), the finishing cut(s) (kiri tsuke), cleaning the blade (chiburi), and replacing the blade in the scabbard
(noto). The swordsman learns many patterns of movement for dealing with enemies who may attack alone or in groups from various angles.
One of the simplest kata is as follows: From a kneeling position the sword is drawn from the left side and a horizontal cut is made from left to right while stepping forward. The sword is raised overhead and a twohanded downward cut is made. The blade is then circled to the right and the imaginary blood is flicked off while standing up.The feet are switched while checking the opponent, and the blade placed back into the scabbard while kneeling.
Various styles of iaido may practice with the long sword (over 60 centimeters [about 2 feet]), the short sword (30-60 centimeters [1-2 feet]), or the knife (under 30 centimeters [less than 1 foot]).Many styles also include partner practice in the form of stylized kata performed with wooden blades for safety.
Iaido has grading systems administered by two governing bodies. The All Japan Kendo Federation (and the International Kendo Federation) bases its curriculum mainly on a common set of 10 techniques, while the All Japan Iaido Federation has a set of 5. The swordsman must perform various techniques from these common sets. For the senior grades, techniques from an old style (koryu) must also be performed. A judging panel observes the performance and passes or fails the challenger. Both organizations use the Kyu-Dan system of ranking, with several student or kyu grades and 10 senior or dan grades.
Some older styles of iaido never joined a major organization. They argue that an organization containing several styles and a common set of techniques will lead to a modification or dilution of the pure movements of the individual style, and that all styles will eventually come to look alike.
Iaido competitions are becoming more common outside Japan. The usual format consists of two competitors performing several kata side by side, with a panel of judges deciding on the winner, who then
moves on to the next round. The major organizations hold a number of competitions each year, and the International Kendo Federation is considering a world championship for iaido.
As in many martial arts, there is an ongoing discussion about whether competition is good in an activity intended to improve the practitioner. Those in favor of competition will point out that all sports benefit the players. Their opponents will suggest that the benefits of martial arts are quite different and incompatible with the benefits derived from competition.As is also true of other martial arts, the dispute is not likely to be resolved soon.
