Iaido is a form of Japanese Swordsmanship, and the techniques practiced within it are referred to as iaijutsu. Kenjutsu, which we also train in Aikido, is another traditional swordsmanship art. The primary distinction between Iaido and Kenjutsu lies in their starting points.

In Kenjutsu, practitioners begin by drawing their swords from the scabbards and engaging in a mutual confrontation or dueling motion known as tachiai. In contrast, Iaido forms are structured around encountering an opponent in everyday situations—such as while seated, standing, or walking—with the sword still sheathed.

Iaido training consists of the repeated practice of prescribed forms, called kata, using an unsharpened training sword known as an iaitō. The emphasis is not on competing with an opponent, but on individual practice and refinement through repetition, with the goal of achieving mastery of the techniques.

At Ryushinjuku, our current curriculum includes the Shoden (Ōmori-ryū), Chūden (Hasegawa Eishin-ryū), and Okuden (Oku-iai) levels of Musō Shinden-ryū, as well as standing forms of Shindō Munen-ryū and Seitei Iai of the All Japan Kendo Federation.