Live blades/Iaito in the Kendo curriculum?

[Pete Knox]

In "standard" Kendo as practiced here in the US (say USKF) at what point, if any, is live blade/iaito training introduced? Is this done only through solo Iaido forms, or is tameshigiri and kumitachi involved as well? Is the practice pretty much standardized (say on the org level) regarding this, or does it vary by club?

[gendzwil]

In standard kendo, only shinai and bokken are normally used. Iaito are used to demonstrate kata once in a while. Shinken are never used. There are no solo kata, only paired kata. There is no tameshigiri.

[Brian Owens]

Recognizing that kendo practice doesn't completely train one in "The Way of the Sword," the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei established the ZNKR Seitei Iai Kata (aka Zen Ken Iai, Ken Ren Iai) and encourages its practice by kendoka. Originally 7 in number, then raised to 10, (and I think recently two more were added) they comprise key sword techniques gleaned from several different koryu.

Also, many kendoka go beyond the Seiteigata and take up Iaido in ernest as an addition to their kendo practice. Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and Muso Shinden Ryu are the two most widely practiced forms of iai in the US, after ZNKR Seitei Iai, although there are increasing numbers of licensed teachers of other sword arts as well.

Iaito or shinken is, of course, required in the practice of iai; however I think iai would not be considered "part of" standard kendo, but rather an adjunct to it.

The two-man kendo kata, as mentioned by gendzwil, are part of the standard kendo curriculum, but I understand that many (most?) kendo dojo don't place a great deal of emphasis on the kata, which I think is too bad.

This is an outsider's opinion, however, because although I looked into kendo a few years back I chose to follow a different path. I could be totally off base.

[gendzwil]

Brian is essentially correct. There are many kendoka who also practice iaido, and it is common to see sensei who hold similar high rank in kendo and iaido. Attaining rank in ZNKR iaido requires not only seitei gata (now called Zen Ken Ren Iai, with 12 kata) but also knowledge of koryu. You are required to demonstrate both during later exams, and 5 dan and up use shinken for exams.

The kendo kata are ignored by many dojo until about a month before the exam, sometimes less. It's a pity, they're interesting and contain a lot of useful technique. I enjoy them quite a bit. Our dojo devotes 30 minutes each week to them starting in January when the beginners have enough hold on their basic movements to handle learning kata.

If kata or handling and use of a real sword are of primary interest to you, I recommend looking elsewhere. However in many places outside of Japan kendo is the only available JSA. It is often dismissed as sports but somehow this "sport" keeps people active and involved into their 80s and 90s. Perhaps because there's much more depth to it than most people realize.

[Charlie Kondek]

Hey, wait a minute! My teacher said I had to fight 100 ninja with shinken for my third dan! Am I being conned?