Iaidō

Martial art of Japanese origin is a being focused on the act to declad the saber and to slice in only one movement. Just like for the others Budō , this school is focused more on the harmony of the movements and the spiritual step (influence of the Zen), that on the technical effectiveness.
Le blow of the iai is regarded as very fast because the force which the withdrawal of the saber requires all along its sleeve increases speed.
Le Wakizashi was the weapon of predilection of the followers of the position of the iai .

History

Around the practice of the saber of the samurais existed two types of complementary schools, the ken-jutsu or techniques of handling of the saber, and the iai-jutsu , techniques consisting in slicing while decladding. The iai was codified at the end of the 16th century by Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu, and quickly widespread through the traditional schools. It is only at the 20th century that the term iaidō makes its appearance, and becomes a more philosophical art, devoted to the research of the pure gesture and the spiritual awakening. A name important to quote for these modification is Nakayama Hakudo (amongst other things 29ième soke of Muso Shinden Ryu Iaidō, soke of Shinto Muso Ryu Jodo).

Iaijutsu/Iaido: Why kata? In the beginning, a recruited samurai was to be effective as soon as possible, in all the situations which it was suitable for meet a saber with the sleeve. " séries" taught by the schools indexed them by providing technical solutions. Today, the iaidō proves to be the reflection of these times by counting these situations, these places, this last company.

The two schools which count the most pupils in the world are musō jikiden eishin-ryū and Musō shinden ryū . Like the very great majority of the schools of iai , they result from hayashizaki-ryū , style suggested by the founder who then subdivided himself in multiple schools. Although resulting from only one and even school, the two lesson separated in 1936. There thus exist also many other active schools, some teaching only the iai like hoki-ryū , the other multidisciplinary ones like katori shintō ryū , sui O ryū , Take No Uchi, Kashima Shinto Ryu . The tradition of these schools has remained without interruption of teaching sometimes for several centuries.

The Japanese federation of Kendo ( Zen Nihon Kendō Renmei , known as ZNKR) proposes a series of twelve Kata S (forms) named Zen ken ren iai or seitei iai . In the beginning, the leaders of the various Japanese martial traditions wished to make so that their frameworks acquire a certain multidisciplinarity. This series of kata , picked in several historical traditions, was to make it possible - it was almost a required passage starting from 5th daN… - to the high level practitioners to have an outline of Iai (Seitei OJ was also born, etc). Today, this series aims at offering to the practitioners kendo and to the beginners in the iaidō a coherent unit giving an outline of the techniques of iai without to begin in a school. She is also judged by the " puristes" like a beef stew, makes indignant at a long-term practice. Indeed, with long, practiced in a homogeneous way, the katas of origin lose a good part of their direction and their richness, when one refers to the spirit of the school from which they come. Comprising with its creation in 1968 seven kata proposed primarily by the schools Muso Shinden Ryū and Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryū , the series grew rich into 1980 by three additional forms, then into 2001 of two news. This series allows the meeting of the traditional schools around a style which, for artificial and contemporary that it is, is common. It also offers the possibility of passages of federal ranks, which only are currently recognized by International Kendo Federation (IKF) and the adapted national ministries, like Jeunesse and Sports in France.

The iaijutsu and the iaidō

Two terms are proposed to indicate the teaching of the techniques of saber since the sleeve: the iaijutsu and the iaidō . The iaijutsu (of jutsu , technique) stresses the speed and the realism of the cut. The iaidō (of dō/michi , way) insists on the fluidity and the accuracy of the movement. Nowadays, the majority of the teachers admit this distinction all while recognizing little relevance to him, because jutsu implies the concept of martial effectiveness (to get rid as fast as possible of its enemy). If, in general, the term iaidō is logically preferred for the everyday usage insofar as, today, all the practices have the vocation of the C , of personal blooming, the knowledge of this concept jutsu is essential for the good comprehension of the historical schools, or KB Ryu kneaded essentially of this concept. To practice Muso Shinden Ryū with the spirit jutsu does not have more direction than to carry out kata of Katori Shinto Ryu without the idea jutsu essential component of this Ryu, the katas then losing a good part of their technical and historical substance. Lastly, these old, respectful schools of the tradition and the historical transmission, name they-even practices Iai Jutsu to them. To respect this concept in practice causes gestures, seizures of saber and attentions different of Do which privileges fluidity, esthetism, sobriety. For example Te-No-uchi (Position of the hands on the saber) of the Katori is completely different from Muso Shinden Ryu; this is due to the fact that the practice Katori was born for and by practitioner in armor. In addition, one notes same differentiation in Judo & Jujutsu, Jodo & Jojutsu. The extreme of distance is given by the disciplines, which diverged in a way even more radical to authorize the competition. For example, the kenjutsu sign how to touch the adversary at the point weak of the armor, whereas Kendo grants points for " touches" at the strong points of this one, thus making safe the competitions.

One can as consider more prosaically, as, if these principles crossed the century just like the Label ( Rei Shiki ) for example, it is that they are used for the good assimilation of what they convey. Such impact strengths of Jutsu tradition which do not make any concession with any modernity constitute one of the principal common denominators of the Budō.

Description

The term is composed of three Kanji S roughly meaning:

Iaidō can thus result in “the way of the life into harmony”, or “exist in union with the way”. The prefix “I” can also be interpreted by figure 1, the unit: The way of the unit of the individual, in him to even be “well in its skin” and with the others: adversary it to overcome, company to serve it. In fact, its Bio-psycho-social integrity.

The essence of the practice of the iaidō consists of the training and the execution of kata, sequences of precise movements, being carried out most of the time only and correspondent with a scenario. Certain schools propose series of kata with two. These forms constitute as many supports to teaching and allow the transmission of the whole of the techniques of a school.

The katas are composed at the base of the four same stages:

decladded and first cut ( nukitsuke or nukiuchi )
principal cut ( kiri oroshi )
cleaning of the blade ( chiburi )
arrangement of the blade in the sleeve ( notō )

One distinguishes also an important part suitable for many kata: Furikabuto , the action “to hold up the saber”.

Many alternatives, cuts, strike tuck, strike with the handle of the saber, are added in certain kata. The kata start either upright ( tachi iai ), or with knees on the ground ( seiza ), or in a position with only one knee on the ground ( touches hiza ).

These kata must be “inhabited” by the practitioner, and induces basic concepts specific to all the Budō :

Zanshin : active vigilance. Felt, the perception of the environment.
Sows : the threat, construction of the attitude expressing the capacity of instantaneous reaction.
Metsuke : the total glance, not focused, broad visual perception.

The drive with the iaidō can describe as practice individual - collective .

Individual , because without direct partner, except in the virtual situation of the kata. Intellectually, it is mainly a work detailed on the concentration. Physically, under often calm aspect, the drive - especially for the departures in seiza (with knees) or touches hiza (knees on the ground, sitted hard the heel) - fact of intervening muscles powerful of the legs - glutei, supply mains, psoas iliaque, twins, isquiaux-leg, greedy in energy, as all the abdominal belt, starting from positions in maximum inflection, provided an effort suitable for the endurance and the powerful one (force-speed). This well carried out practice does not cause any traumatism, and can continue without problem until a advanced age, with however concerning the knees. One notes indeed that certain schools require the standard port of protections knuckles, at the time of the practice of the kata in particular.

Collective , because the exercise of training requires a specific rate/rhythm for each level of study and each school. This rate/rhythm, this collective deployment of energy, called Ki awase , carries the practitioner, well beyond the stage where it would have stopped if it were alone. Moreover, the exercise consisting in following exactly the rate/rhythm of the professor or a advanced pupil, fact part of the study in the objective of the setting in essential instantaneous harmony at the time of a duel ( I - unit, have - harmony).

See too

DVD

Kenki put in scene by Kenji Misumi (1964). the Trilogy of the saber at Wild Side Video.
Zatoichi , a series of Japanese films where the actor Shintarō Katsu uses this Article
After the rain the last posthumous film of Akira Kurosawa very appreciated by all the iaidōka .

Martial arts
Budō
Musō shinden ryū

External bonds

Dojo of SHINKAGERYU in PARIS, affiliated FFJDA-CNK.
Federation Belgian of Kendo, Iaido and Jodo
the National committee of Kendo, affiliated to the ZNKR
the European Federation of Iaïdo, affiliated in Muso Shinden Ryü
the Circle of Iaido
Belgian Federation Takeda-ryu Maroto-ha
Shoshinkan Dôjô
Teaching iaido and aikido: ''' free training courses '''
Site of the Practical Aïki-Club of Cannes
of Iaïdo to the Circle of Aikido Montpelliérain

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