Firstly, this is not Kendo. Kendo simulates battlefield fencing, where pairs of practitioners dressed in armour clatter each other with bamboo weapons called shinai. Iaido differs in several aspects - it was designed for use in a much wider range of social situations, against multiple opponents, and we practice with alloy or sharp steel blades. Consequently, Iaido is made up of kata forms, most of which are practiced solo (we try very hard not to hit people, for obvious reasons).
Iaido, as a distinct martial art, dates back to the beginning of the 17th Century. Many schools have developed over the last 400 years, and most were lost in the Twentieth Century. Our style is Musō Shinden Ryū, which consists of approximately 45 techniques starting from kneeling, sitting and standing positions. It takes several years to become fluent in these techniques. As well as the solo forms, Musō Shinden Ryū also contains sets of two-person forms practiced with wooden swords (bokken).
Like most iai schools worldwide, we also teach Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei Seitei no Gata (often known as Seitei Iai). This is a set of twelve common techniques that teach the principles and foundations of Iai, and provide a common basis for examination and competition.
Iaido is not a sport, although there are occasional competitions, and the techniques are not an effective form of self-defence in the modern world. However, the attitude of self-development and self-examination that Iaido encourages makes the practitioner more able to cope with any situation that life throws at them.
