- The ancient Japanese art of Iai-do is studied at the Genshin Kai dojo.
Time table
Sundays 5-7pm (Seniors Only 16+)
The History of Iaido
Japan has a long military history, which cannot be imagined without the sword and the
development of martial arts. The development of the sword goes back more than
2,000 years, when the first swords came into use. One of the earliest blades was
called “chukuto” or “upright straight sword”, since the blade was not bent. Not earlier
than about 700 A.D. did a smith named Amakuni find out that it was easier to
draw a curved sword, and yet the remained long ones, called “taichi“. It was
the right weapon for people fighting from horseback, not, however, for
foot soldiers. That is why the “katana“, in use today, was later developed.
The “katana”, used in Iaido nowadays, may well be the most prestiguous
forged weapon worldwide. The samurai were very often involved in individual
skismishes; that is why the systems of sword fighting were developed
throughout the centuries. The first to develop a system of teaching and
training in Iaido was Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto Shigenobu (1546-1621), the founder
of Sigenobu ryu. This style developed into Muso Jikiden Eishin ryu and Muso Shinden ryu,
which are practised today.
At the end of the last century, after the Meiji Restauration (1868), sword fighting
lost its importance, since the public wearing of swords was no longer permitted and
the warrior class abolished. And yet, the original arts of Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu or Batto
jutsu were taught in individual schools. Sword fighting having lost its practical use,
and the spiritual aspect of Zen gaining more and more relevance, the
art was renamed as Iaido after World War II, during the time when the practice of martial
arts was forbidden by the americans. The term “jutsu” (technique) was replaced
by “do” (way) to emphasize the present peaceful background to this unique martial art.
Thus, today, Iaido is a way of human perfection and not a technique for military conflicts.
