Practice of Iaido

Iaido is a Kata based Martial Way, where cuts and thrusts of the sword are aimed at an imaginary opponent. Most practice, therefore, takes the form of repitition of a given kata [prescribed set of movements in an effort to make constant refinement to the movements used. !ll Iaido practices begin and end with formal etti"uette [#aho and all Kata are made up of four essential elements$

%ukitsuke & 'he draw [leading to the initial cut or thrust

Kiritsuke & 'he decisive cut

(hiburi & #ymbolic removal of blood from the sword

%oto & 'he resheathing of the sword

!t )o #hin Ken *u Kai we practice two forms of Iaido, the +.%.K.,. #ei 'ei -ata and Muso #hinden ,yu, the latter being a Koryu or .ld 'radition of Iai. Most newcomers to Iai will begin their practice with #eitei Iaido and in time will gradually learn the Koryu kata.

#ei 'ei Iaido

'here are currently 'welve kata contained in the #eitei system [ see /istory , the first four performed from a seated position and the remaining eight from a standing position. 'hese kata are named$

Ipponme & Mae %ihonme & 0shiro #anbonme & 0ke %agashi *onhonme & 'suka !te -ohonme & Kesa -iri

,opponme & Morote 'suki %anahonme & #anpo -iri /apponme & -an Men !te Kyuhonme & #oete 'suki 1upponme & #hiho -iri 1yuipponme & #ou -iri 1yunihonme & %uki 0chi

Most of these kata are representative of the central 1insuke &2ishin line [ see /istory with the e3ception of 4Kesa -iri4 and 4#oete 'suki4, both Kata showing elements of practice from the /oki ryu.

23aminations to determine rank are held in this country by the 5ritish kendo !ssociation who are in turn affiliated to the International kendo 6ederation and the e3aminations are based upon ability in and knowledge of the #eitei kata, with the e3ception that in e3aminations for higher ranks some knowledge of and ability in Koryu kata will be re"uired. 'he benefit of this system is that it gives common ground to the various traditional schools [,yuha , allowing individuals to be 7udged on kata that are common to all schools rather than those of their own ,yuha which obviously differ from those of other ,yuha. 23aminations for rank are in no way compulsory or essential to the practice of Iaido, but they do form a means of 7udging improvement and can form the basis for further improvement.

Muso #hinden ,yu

'he Koryu form of Iaido practiced at )o #hin Ken*u Kai is Muso #hinden ,yu. 'he Muso #hinden ,yu was founded by %akayama /akudo /iromichi [see /istory in the early 89::4s and is the most commonly practiced Koryu both in 1apan and worldwide. It has it4s own etti"uette which is distinct from that used in #eitei Iai and the syllabus of the schools is as follows$

#hoden & (onsists of twelve kata taken from the teachings of the 4.mori ,yu4

(huden & (onsists of ten kata taken from the teachings of the 42ishin ryu4

.kuden & (onsists of twenty one kata taken from the central line teachings of the 4#himmei Muso ,yu4

!ll the above kata are practiced and performed on a solo basis, but in addition to these there are two other elements to the syllabus, 4'achi 0chi no Kurai4 and 4'sumi Iai no Kurai4, both consisting of ten kata which are practiced with a partner.