Iaido / Iai Batto-Ho

The peculiarity of Japanese sword fighting lies in one of the first moments. Drawing the sword is also the first cut. This art was initially called Iai-Jutsu to distinguish itself from Ken-Jutsu, the general sword arts with a drawn sword.

In the course of history, this ‘art of drawing the sword’ was also called Battojutsu and Batto-Ho. At the end of the 16th century, Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu laid the foundation for the spread of this style by founding Musō Shinden Ryū.

It was not until the 20th century that the art was called Iaido, thus shifting the focus from the martial to the mental level.

This change, however, carries the risk of practising pure forms without content. It should not be forgotten why these techniques, which are the basis of both Iaido and Iai-Jutsu, were developed.

To underline this idea, T. K. Chiba Sensei uses the traditional term Iai Batto-Ho. This potentially highly dangerous art requires determination, great attention and concentration in every moment of practice. The determination without hesitation is based on the ’emptiness’ that we are trying to achieve. This emptiness corresponds to that which one strives for in meditation.

In Kan Zen In we practice the Musō Shinden Ryū and Shindō Munen Ryū schools.


		Iaido / Iai Batto-Ho The peculiarity of Japanese sword fighting lies in one of the first moments. Drawing the sword is also the first cut. This art was initially called Iai-Jutsu to distinguish itself from Ken-Jutsu, the general sword arts with a drawn sword. In the course of history, this ‘art of drawing the sword’ was also called Battojutsu and Batto-Ho. At the end of the 16th century, Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu laid the foundation for the spread of this style by founding Musō Shinden Ryū. It was not until the 20th century that the art was called Iaido, thus shifting the focus from the martial to the mental level. This change, however, carries the risk of practising pure forms without content. It should not be forgotten why these techniques, which are the basis of both Iaido and Iai-Jutsu, were developed. To underline this idea, T. K. Chiba Sensei uses the traditional term Iai Batto-Ho. This potentially highly dangerous art requires determination, great attention and concentration in every moment of practice. The determination without hesitation is based on the ’emptiness’ that we are trying to achieve. This emptiness corresponds to that which one strives for in meditation. In Kan Zen In we practice the Musō Shinden Ryū and Shindō Munen Ryū schools.
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