Japanese Swordsmanship-Technique and Practice

Iai-do the techniques of drawing, cutting with, and returning the Japanese sword to its scabbard is a modern non-combative discipine that stems from martial practices out of Japan's historic past. The interrelaton between swordsmanship and the socio-economic and political systems of Japan is not

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accidental. For example, the realization is striking that today, in modern Japan, there are hundreds of thousands of persons of both sexes and in a wide range of age levels who make Iai-do an important part of their daily lives. Many of these people are as vigorous as were their counterparts in earlier ages, and a considerable number of the modern exponents of Iai-do are important leaders of Japanese eductional programs and of business and industrial enterprises, or are prominent figures in Japan's numerous social, religious, economic, and political organizations. This, in spite of the intended narrow analysis on the subject, the authors draw connections with the wider flow of national history. In partial answer to F. Montelhet's complaint that 'the noise of battles fills history, but no light shines upon the ways in which people become soldiers,' the text informs about the origins of Japanese swordsmanship and swords, showing how these weapons were fitted into the educational programs of classical warriors. Additionally, it is pointed out that the Japanese sword, which unites exquisite grace and utmost strength by design in spite of being an object of awe and terror when viewed unsheathed, is enhanced by its great cultural and artistic values. The Japanese sword is truly an objet d'art, a vertitable culture symbol without which the Japan that we know today would not be possible. The authors do not intend this book to be a definitive work either on the subject of Japanese swordsmanship in general or on lai-do in particular, nor yet a work that fully details the story of the Japanese sword and its many contributions to history. The publication of this primer should make possible a better understanding of Japanese swords and swordsmanship as representing a unity of thought and action now only imperfectly known to Westerners and to modern-day Japanese as well. Three master swordsman serve as models in this book: Otake Risuke Minamoto no Takeyuki, shihan of the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, who posed for the illustrations in connection with the Iai-justu portions of this book and for the sword-blade cleaning and maintenancce sequences. Mitsuzuka Takeshi, Kyoshi, of eighth-grade black belt as awarded by the All-Japan Kendo Federation, posed for the illustrations of the seitei-gata iai-do of that federation. And Terauchi Kenzo, licensed teacher of the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, posed for the demonstrations of cord-tying, etiquette for sword use, storage and display.

Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part 1 The Sword in Japanese History
1 The Evolution of the Japanese sword--Ancient times: The age of the straight sword; The advent of the curved sword; The sword at its zenith of excellence; The sword in the age of warring provinces; The period of the new sword; The sword from the eihteenth cenury to the present
2 Swordsmanship and Classical Warrior Education--The forging of firm traditions; The rise of the warrior class; Yoritomo and the classical warrior; Warriorship in decline; The Ashikaga age: warriors for hire; The classical warrior in eclipse; Nobunaga and the nadir of warrior morality; Hideyoshi and the new warrior class; Ieyasu and the reconstructed warrior image; Classical warrior traditions in the Tokukgawa period; The essentials of classical training; The etiquette of the sword; Iai-jutsu: The art of drawing the sword; Zanshin: The ideal of alertness
3 Ethics and morality among classical warriors--The origins and basic traits of warrior ethics; Yoritomo and the concept of loyalty; Warrior ethics after Yoritomo; The inception of the Tokugawa moral code; 'Civilizing' the warrior class; The Buke Sho Hatto and patterns of warrior conduct; Kaibara Ekken and the education of warrior youth; Bushido: The way of the warrior; Zen and the way of the warrior; Takuan and the foundations of martial ryu
4 The Background and Development of Iai-do--Early forms and the role of the swordsman Jinsuke; The Iai-do of the Muso Shinden Ryu; The Tamiya ryu; The Muraku ryu; Eishin and the Muso Jikiden ryu; The Tosa warriors; Later successors in the Jinsuke-Eishin line; Iai-do from the Meiji era to the present
5 The Esence of Iai-do--A noncombative physical and mental discipline; The characters for 'Iai-do' and their significance; The general nature of classical martial discipines; The meaning of modern Iai-do
6 Choice and Nomenclature of the Japanese Sword--Acquiring a sword; Component parts of teh Japanese sword
7 The Care and Maintenance of the Japanese Sword--The character of the sword; Essentials of care and maintenance
8 The Swordsman's costume--Costume elements; Wearing the costume; Care of the costume
9 The Etiquette of Iai-do--The importance of formal etiquette; Carrying the sword uncased but sheathed; The carry-ready posture for the sheathed sword; Rules for entering and leaving the dojo training area; Salutation to the Kamiza from a standing posture; Assuming seiza from the carry-ready posture; Sword and seiza in sideline position: Preparation for advance to floor; Positioning the sheathed sword for seated salutation; Opening salutation to sheathed sword from seiza posture; Placing the sheathed sword in the belt while in seiza; Rising form seiza while wearing the sword; Assuming seiza while wearing the sword; Assuming Iai-hiza while wearing the sword; Removing the sheathed sword from the belt; Closing salutation to sword (preparation for exit); Final salutation to kamiza; Exit; The use of the sageo; Shomen, or relative positioning; Placement of athe feet when standing; Control of the handguard; Control of the hakama; Sequence of formal etiquette in Iai-do
10 The Seitei-gata Techniques--The Seitei-gata curriculum; Caveat; Training tips; The first kneeling-sitting technique: Mai; The second kneeling-sitting technique: ushiro; The third kneeling-sitting technique: Uke nagahi; The fourth technique: tsuka-ate; The fifth technique: kesa-giri; The sixth technique: morote-zuki; The seventh technique: sampo-giri; The eighth technique: gammen-atte; The ninth technique: soete-tsuki; The tenth technique: shiho-giri
11 The Meaning of Iai-do Today
12 Ranks and Teaching Licenses in Iai-do
Appendix
Notes
Bibliography
Index

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