Iaido and Kenjutsu

The Best Version of Yourself

The Budo Academy is the official USA Branch of the

Yamato-Ryu Nippon Budo Kai (YNBK)

Iaido

The Art of Drawing the Sword

The focus, balance and control from Iaido dramatically enhances you as an individual.

Unlike other forms of exercise, Iaido gives you both mental and physical benefits. It improves the practitioner’s powers of concentration, and physical control. This is the reason Iaido is often described as “Moving Zen”

At the Academy, we offer several styles of Iaido for both beginners and experienced:

• Zenkenren/Seitei Iaido
• Dai Nippon Battō Hō
• Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaijutsu

Iaido practice utilizes the solo use of unsharpened metal Katana swords called Iaito. The actual techniques (waza) are developed from orthodox teachings and have been handed down from teacher to student for centuries. We seek to maintain the preservation of the teachings of the late Masayuki Shimabukuro to new generations of Martial Art Students in order to preserve these arts.

Kenjutsu

The Art of the Sword After it Has Been Drawn

The curriculum of Kenjutsu is partner practice in which we use traditional wooden swords called Bokken. It is not “free fighting” and there is no competition involved as it would be too dangerous. Training is done through Kata or pre-arranged movements. Both individuals benefit from this training.

At the Academy, we offer several styles of Kenjutsu for both beginners and experienced

• Batto Ho Kumitachi
• Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Kumitachi
• Kasumi Shintō-ryū Kenjutsu

Why Study The Japanese Sword?

Training at first is about the physical skills, and we measure our progress by our satisfaction of performing physical practice with others. After a considerable amount of time, Budo then takes us to a spiritual pursuit in which we deal with personal conflictions within us which no one else can see. The weapons are then used philosophically to cut these internal demons down. This is the lifelong pursuit of the Budo practitioner.

Budo training is “spiritual practice” because there are no tangible benefits, no rewards, no glory or fame. Superficially, these arts may look like they have no practical use other than light exercise. However there are many personal benefits. The spiritual aspect of Budo, involve a great amount of self-reflection and awareness of who we are by not comparing ourselves with others as this is the birth of inner demons.

For our distance Sword program click here!

The History of These Sword Arts

Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido is one of the most widely practiced schools of Iai (Sword Drawing art)and Kenjutsu in the world. It claims an unbroken lineage dating back from the sixteenth century to the early 20th century. One of the reasons is because the 17th undisputed headmaster, Oe Masamichi, awarded at least 16 licenses of full transmission. This resulted in multiple legitimate branches and teachers. It is this reason that Eishin Ryu still thrives.

The founder of the earliest Iai school was Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu.(1546-1621). He is considered the founder of sword drawing by most historians. Many of the historical details of Hayashizaki’s life are unclear and widely made up of legend due to wartime. According to legend, Hayashizaki’s father was killed and to take revenge he began training. He went to the Hayashizaki Meijin shrine to pray for guidance and received divine inspiration for a new technique of drawing the sword and cutting in one movement. Legend says that he eventually defeated his father’s killer and got his revenge.

Hayashizaki’s art has had many names since it was established, such as Hayashizaki-ryu. It is considered the foundation for many of the major styles of sword Drawing practiced today, in particular the style we practice, Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū.

The seventh generation headmaster of Hayashizaki’s school, Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Hidenobu (Eishin), was an important headmaster. His techniques evolved the art from the Tachi (long sword) to the contemporary shorter Katana. His influence and adaptation led to the style being named Hasegawa Eishin-ryū. It was also referred to as Hasegawa-ryū or simply Eishin-ryū as it is today.

The ninth Headmaster, Hayashi Rokudayū Morimasa, introduced a set of techniques executed from the formal seated position seiza. They are said to be influenced by Ogasawara-ryū etiquette, which starts from seiza (Knee sitting position). They were taught alongside the Eishin-ryu techniques and is the reason many folks see this very popular Seiza position for Eishin ryu. This is a also a very popular position for other hand arts such as Kempo and Aikido

One of the most important headmasters was the seventeenth, Ōe Masaji. Born in Asahi (nakasuka) Tosa in 1852. Ōe studied Kokuri-ryū and Oishi Shinkage-ryu kenjutsu along with Shimomura-ha Eishin-ryū. At the age of 15 he took part in the Battle of Toba–Fushimi, following which he studied Tanimura-ha Eishin-ryū. Ōe inherited leadership of the Tanimura-ha, becoming its 17th headmaster. He combined the school’s teachings with those of the Shimomura-ha and restructured the curriculum. Ōe reduced the number of techniques and reorganized them into the Seiza (Shoden), Tachihiza (Chūden), Okuiai (Okuden) and kumitachi waza sets practiced today.

Although he retained the original techniques, he changed the names of some waza to aid understanding.^[10] Ōe named the re-organized school Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū during the Taishō era (1912-1926). In 1924 he became the second person to be awarded Hanshi in Iaidō by the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. He died on April 18, 1926. His many students went on to spread Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū Iai beyond Tosa and throughout Japan. He is one of the reasons Eishin-Ryu is widely practiced today.

Eishin-ryū uses a system of indiscriminate transmission, allowing anyone in possession of full-transmission to award licenses to any number of his students Therefore, it is possible that there were multiple, unlisted holders of menkyo kaiden, known in Eishin-ryū as Kongen no Maki, in any generation. Due in part to Ōe Masaji’s more open and inclusive approach to teaching Eishin-ryū, the lineages of groups practicing the art are fairly diverse and complex.

Our club seeks to maintain the preservation of the teachings of the late Masayuki Shimabukuro Sensei through our teachers in the Yamato-Ryu Nippon Budo Kai (YNBK) to new generations of Martial Art Students in order to preserve these arts. Feel free to contact us with any questions at all about our sword program, our authentic lineage, and it’s modern day benefits for you!