Memphis Kendo and Iaido Club. Traditional Japanese Martial Arts Dojo.

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Iaido is the art of drawing the sword. Practice consists of Kata, choreographed forms performed against invisible opponents. All Kata begin and end with the sword sheathed. For some schools, Iaido practice also includes, Tameshigiri, the cutting of materials, such as bamboo or rolled up tatami mats soaked in water, to test a swordsman’s ability to cut.  This also ties into the study of Iaijustu through the practice of the Koryu which are advanced kata attached to the Musō Shinden-ryū style, a form of Traditional Japanese Martial Arts Practice in the Iaido Communinty.

Seitei is a form of modern, standardized Iaido created by the All Japan Kendo Federation, who oversees all of kendo and iaido in Japan, to promote Iaido within Kendo Dojos. It is also designed to give students a strong foundation for Koyru, old, classical styles of Iai. While there are only 12 Kata, the Kata may be studied for over a lifetime alone. Under the All US Kendo Federation, members may test for rank, compete, and participate in seminars year wide. In addition, demonstration of Koryu is required in order for students to receive promotion in the higher Dan, black belt, ranks. 

Iaido is a companion martial art to Kendo. We believe students who are serious about studying swordsmanship should study both Kendo and Iaido. Since a student can always “win” in Iaido against invisible opponents there is no real competition within this form of study outside Iaido Taikai where you put your Iaido skills up against other Iaido practitioners of similar rank. This is why we encourage students to practice both Kendo and Iaido and that they have some kendo experience first as the basics transfer over to Iaido and make the learning transition easier.

Once a student is in uniform in Kendo, the student may begin to study Seitei Iaido. After learning the basics of Seitei Kata, students may begin Muso Shinden Ryu of which there are 4 sets starting with Omori, then Hasegawa Eishin, Okuden Seated and last Okuden Standing. Our dojo practices all of these forms commonly referred to as Koryu.

Iaido is usually practiced with an Iaito, a metal sword with a dull edge and sharp tip. A good, basic Iaito costs around $500. There are a few places you can order an Iaito, the main ones being Nosyudo and Tozando, who are Japanese Martial Arts Suppliers, and The Sword Store. It is imperative that you partner with your instructor to make sure that you order an Iaido appropriate for you, and not just a random one since an Iaito that is either too long or too short can hinder your practice efforts. We recommended beginners start with an Iaito and practice for several years before considering practice with a Katana.  

An Iaido practice starts with some light stretching and warm-ups.  We will also do Kihon, basics which consist of swings and Noto, returning the sword to the Saya, sheath, before diving into Kata practice.  

From here, we will work on Torei, bowing in with the sword, and then Seitei kata.  For beginners, we start with the first Kata, Mae.  This is the single most important part of Seitei Iaido, other than Torei.  Once a beginner can perform Mae well, we will move in order through the other 12 Seitei Kata.  For those who have learned all 12 Seitei Kata and have reached an appropriate enough rank, we will then begin to teach Koryu.

In both Kendo and Iaido, and in all Japanese Martial Arts, you have to have a firm understanding of the basics before you can more on to the more advanced forms like  Koryu.