| Iaido is the art of drawing the sword and striking | | | | the enemy without the sword being drawn in the |
| an armed opponent at lightning speed. It is the art | | | | first place - in other words, to conquer the |
| of strategy, achieving precision in all aspects of | | | | enemy "spiritually", with the sword still in the |
| mental and physical ability, including accurate | | | | sheath, and so resolve problems without having |
| footwork, balanced posture and critical timing. Live | | | | to even resort to violence. There is one quote |
| blades are razor-sharp and experienced | | | | that explains this way of thinking: "The mind is not |
| practitioners are the only ones permitted to use | | | | disturbed by the self being beaten up but by the |
| them. The risk involved is thought to be | | | | self beating up others." |
| worthwhile because this is the only way achieve | | | | History: |
| the ultimate in awareness and concentration, and | | | | Iaido derives from the ancient way of the |
| to unify the mind and the body together in total | | | | Samurai warrior (bushi), and the forerunner of the |
| harmony. | | | | art we know today, Iaijutsu, was used in earnest |
| Although Iaido may be classed as a separate | | | | on the battlefield, whereas Iaido was designed to |
| martial art, it is closely related and complementary | | | | practise "the way of the sword". |
| to Kendo. Kendo practice requires 2 people | | | | Evidence suggests that the bokken used today in |
| fencing each other armed with shinhai (bamboo | | | | Iaido has been used as a weapon since around |
| swords) and wearing armour, whereas Iaido is | | | | 400 AD. The bokken is a solid wooden stick with |
| practised on an individual basis wearing a gi, juban, | | | | the same shape, weight and approximate length |
| hakama and obi. Practitioners use a real or an | | | | as a sword, and is usually made of red or white |
| imitation sword, called an iaito. The aim of the | | | | oak. Bokken technique was followed by the art of |
| exercise is to perform a set of movements | | | | tachikaki (drawing the sword from its scabbard). |
| (kata), in which the sword is drawn, an imaginary | | | | The blade (tachi or katana), was long and straight |
| opponent is cut, and then the sword is | | | | and the Japanese warrior would carry it on his left |
| resheathed. The ultimate purpose of Iaido, | | | | side. A shorter blade was used for quick-draw |
| however, is to master the ability to overcome | | | | techniques known as batto. |