Iaido

WHAT IS IAIDO?

The art of Iaido would appear to be a simple one. The student sits or stands quietly, draws out a blade and cuts through the air all in one stroke, then puts the sword away again. To the casual observer, there is not a lot to see. Iaido is an exacting art which demands a high level of focus and mental concentration. It is an art of precise motions with only centimetres of tolerance and split second timing. It is also an individual art that involves the student and the sword struggling to achieve perfection of form.

Beyond this physical aspect, Iaido is also a philosophically oriented Japanese budo art. The name “Iaido” itself is composed of three ideograms: “I”, “AI” and “DO”. “I” means to “reside” or “be” in a certain place; “AI” means “harmony”; and “DO” means “road” or “path”. Hence, “Iaido” means the path to finding harmony in any situation in which one finds oneself – to be prepared for any eventuality.

Iaido is a very old traditional martial art. Etiquette, Japanese culture and history are all important aspects of Iaido taught at Rai Un Kai.

Standing Reiho

In Canada, the following is the procedure for standing reiho for ZNKR Iaido.

Opening reiho

Shomen ni rei: (the sword is already in your left hand, sageo over the left thumb so it hangs roughly in thirds, angled slightly towards the center, and the sword overall is 45 degrees)

      • Turn and face the shomen.
      • With your feet together, and your heels touching, transfer the sword to the right hand, by reaching right hand over left hand, and grasping the underside of the sword. Complete the transfer to the right side (the sword edge should be pointing backwards, the tsuba behind your right wrist, and the tip pointing forwards).
      • Bow approximately 30 degrees from the hips - straight back and eyes fixed in the head so you are looking at the floor. Count 1,2
      • Return to standing.
      • Return the sword to the left hand by reaching left hand over right and transferring the sword back to the original starting position (teito).

To Rei (bow to the sword):

      • Starting in teito, move the sword to the right front, bringing the tsuba roughly to the centre line of the body, but still at hip height.
      • Transfer the sageo to the right hand - into the palm, not hooked on the thumb.
      • Transfer the tsuba control to the right thumb.
      • Close the right hand, and move the sword to the right front (about 45 degrees forward, but still flat) allowing the saya to move through the left hand.
      • When there is roughly 2-3 inches of saya protruding from the left hand, rotate the left hand around the end of the saya so it is palm forward.
      • Lift and roll the sword forward so that the edge points forward (away from your head) at the same time lift the sword and arms so that the sword is at eye level, and the arms are parallel to the floor, palms facing up.
      • Bow to the sword, approximately 15 degrees, again eyes fixed in place.
      • Return to standing posture.
      • Drop the left hand to the centre of the body at obi height, and use the thumb to create a space in the obi so that there are 2 wraps of belt in front of the thumb and one behind.
      • Insert the sword kojiri into the obi, and push the sword into the belt so that two straps of the hakama go below the saya. As the sword goes in the left hand is held flat to the belt on the left side, fingers together.
      • Move the sageo over the saya (MJER), and proceed to tie the knot your sensei showed you.

Closing reiho

Torei (bow to the sword):

The sword is in your belt, and you have finished your last kata. In a grading you are standing within about 30 cm behind the tape on the floor.

    • Pull the free end of the sageo to release the knot, and let go of the sageo.
    • Move the left hand to control the tsuba with the thumb. Push the sword forwards to the right front stopping when the tsuba reaches the centre line of the body.
    • Transfer tsuba control to the right hand and thumb.
    • With the left hand gather the sageo into thirds, and lay it across the palm of the right hand.
    • Place the left hand on the left hip, fingers together and flat.
    • Move the sword to the right front with the right hand.
    • when there are 2-3 inches of saya remaining in the belt, grab the saya with the left hand, and pull the sword the remaining way out of the belt.
    • rotate the left hand around the kojiri so it is palm forward.
    • Lift the sword to eye height so that the edge faces forward, and the arms are parallel to the floor, both palms facing up.
    • Bow to the sword approximately 15 degrees, eyes fixed in place.
    • Return to standing position.
    • Lower the sword to the left hip, and bring the left hand to control the tsuba, transferring the sageo to the left thumb control.
    • You should now be in the teito position.

Shomen ni rei:

      • from the teito position, turn and face the shomen.
      • with your feet together, and your heels touching, transfer the sword to the right hand, by reaching right hand over left hand, and grasping the underside of the sword. Complete the transfer to the right side. (the sword edge should be pointing backwards, the tsuba behind your right wrist, and the tip pointing forwards)
      • Bow approximately 30 degrees from the hips - straight back and eyes fixed in the head so you are looking at the floor. Count 1,2
      • return to standing
      • Return the sword to the left hand by reaching left hand over right and transfering the sword back to the original starting position (teito)