Syllabus

The Shin Bu Kan Dojo at Bognor Regis has one training session a week, on Mondays.  (Regular students are encouraged to travel to the Shin Bu Kan dojo in Portsmouth on Tuesdays for supplemental training). In a typical session, time will be spent on studying basic techniques (kihon) on using the Japanese long sword (katana) in its application to iaido. Time will also be spent studying either the twelve forms (kata) that make up the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Seitei no Gata, a series of kata that is practiced worldwide by ZNKR affiliated dojos, or the forty-three kata that make up the traditional school (koryu) syllabus of Muso Shinden Ryu iaido – a style that has developed over the past three hundred years.

ZEN NIPPON KENDO REMEI IAIDO

SEITAI KATA

The Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei Seitei no Gata were devised during the 1960s by the international governing body for kendo and iaido to provide an international standard for grading and competition. Initially there were seven forms; another three were added later in 1980 and finally two extra forms were added c.2000/1. It contains the following techniques:

Katas 1-3: SEIZA NO BU (Performed from kneeling position)

Kata 4: IAI-HIZA NO BU (Performed from an alternative kneeling position)

Katas 5-12: TACHI-IAI NO BU (Performed standing)

  1. IPPONME—MAE (FRONT)
  2. NIHONME—USHIRO (REAR)
  3. SANBONME—UKENAGASHI (RECEIVE, PARRY & CUT)
  4. YONHONME—TSUKAATE (STRIKING WITH THE HILT)
  5. GOHONME—KESAGIRI (DIAGONAL CUT)
  6. ROPPONME—MOROTEZUKI (TWO HANDED THRUST)
  7. NANAHONME—SANPOGIRI (THREE DIRECTION CUTTING)
  8. HAPPONME—GANMENATE (HIT TO THE FACE)
  9. KYUHONME—SOETEZUKI (JOINED HAND THRUST)
  10. JU PPONME—SHIHOGIRI (FOUR DIRECTION CUTTING)
  11. JU IPPONME—SOUGIRI (COMPLETE CUTS)
  12. JU NIHONME—NUKIUCHI (SUDDEN DRAW)

KIHON KATA

Developed to help kendo practitioners to understand that the shinai represents a katana, and nurture a deeper appreciation of the sword. Kihon kata helps iaido students learn fundamental techniques which provide a foundation for developing the more advanced skills.

  1. IPPON UCHI NO WAZA— “SHOMEN” / “KOTE” / “DO” / “ TSUKI”
  2. RENZOKU WAZA – (NI/SAN NO WAZA) “KOTE-MEN”
  3. HARAI WAZA— “HARAI-MEN” (OMOTE)
  4. HIKI WAZA—“HIKI-DO” (MIGI DO)
  5. NUKI WAZA—“MEN-NUKI-DO” (MIGI DO)
  6. SURIAGE WAZA—”KOTE-SURIAGE-MEN” (URA)
  7. DEBANA WAZA— ”DEBANA-KOTE”
  8. KAESHI WAZA— ”MEN-KAESHI-DO” (MIGI DO)
  9. UCHIOTOSHI WAZA— ”DO (MIGI DO) – UCHIOTOSHI-MEN”

TACHI NO KATA

Consists of paired structured forms using wooden swords (Bokuto) to practice fundamental techniques, distance, and timing between and an attacker (Uchidachi) and a receiver (Shidachi). It focuses is on precise movement, proper posture and mental focus.

  1. IPPONME – “MEN-NUKI-MEN” (Dodge head, strike to head)
  2. NIHONME – “KOTE-NUKI-KOTE” (Dodge wrist, strike to wrist)
  3. SANBONME – “TSUKI-KAESHI-TSUKI” (Parry thrust, thrust)
  4. YONHONME – TSUKI-KAESHI-MEN” (Parry thrust, strike to head)
  5. GOHONME – MEN-SURIAGE-MEN” (Slide up, strike head)
  6. ROPPONME – “KOTE-SURINAGE-KOTE” (Slide up, strike wrist)
  7. NANAHONME – “NUKI-DO” (Dodge to strike torso)

KODACHI NO KATA

Consists of paired structured forms using wooden short sword (Kodachi) vrs Wooden long sword (Bokuto) to practice fundamental techniques, distance, and timing between and an attacker (Uchidachi) and a receiver (Shidachi). It focuses is on precise movement, proper posture and mental focus.

  1. IPPONME – UKENAGASHI “MEN-KAESHI-MEN” (Parry Strike, Strike head)
  2. NIHONME – UKENAGASHI (Ura) “MEN-IRIMI/KAESHI-MEN” (Close/Parry Strike, Strike head)
  3. SANBONME – SURINAGE / ARMLOCK “MEN-KAESHI-SURINAGE-DO-SURINAGE” (Parry head strike, block torso strike, slide, Control)

MUSO SHINDEN RYU IAIDO

Muso Shinden Ryu is a branch of the discipline iaido which can be traced back to the originator of iaido, a samurai named Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu, in some traditions known as Hojo Jinsuke Shigenobu. This unique school of swordsmanship (iai) which grew out of the day to day life of the samurai during the Edo period, was preserved in an unbroken line of headmasters through the centuries. It was codified by Master Nakayama Hakudo (1869 – 1958), and taught worldwide by Takeshi Mitsuzuka Sensei and others.

Muso Shinden Ryu have divided the curriculum to several sections. 

SHODAN KATA

The word “Shoden” can be translated as the “entry-transmission”, and was derived from the Omori-ryu iaido. Omori Ryu was said to have been created by Hayashi Rokudayu Morimasa, the ninth headmaster of the Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, who lived from 1661 until 1732. It has been included in the Muso Shinden Ryu at the entry level, and contains the following techniques (names and ordering can vary between different branches of the ryu):

  1. SHOHATTO (FRONT SWORD)
  2. SATO (LEFT SIDE SWORD)
  3. UTO (RIGHT SIDE SWORD)
  4. ATARITO (REAR TO FRONT SWORD)
  5. IN’YOSHINTAI (ATTACK & RETREAT)
  6. RYUTO (FLOWING SWORD)
  7. JUNTO (SECONDER’S SWORD)
  8. GYAKUTO (REVERSE SWORD)
  9. SEICHU TO (CENTRE SWORD)
  10. KORANTO (TIGER SWORD)
  11. IN’YOSHINTAI* (ATTACK & RETREAT)* KAEWAZA
  12. NUKIUCHI (SUDDEN DRAW)

CHUDAN KATA

The word “Chuden” can be translated as the “middle-transmission”, and was derived from the Hasegawa Eishin Ryu iaido. Originally created in the seventeenth century by Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Eishin (Hidenobu), who was the seventh undisputed headmaster of the Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. Hasegawa Eishin Ryu has been included in the Muso Shinden Ryu at the middle level. It contains the following techniques:

  1. YOKOGUMO (FLAT CLOUDS)
  2. TORAISSOKU (TIGER ONE STEP)
  3. INAZUMA (LIGHTNING)
  4. UKIGUMO (FLOATING CLOUDS)
  5. OROSHI (MOUNTAIN WIND)
  6. IWANAMI (ROCK AMIDST WAVES)
  7. UROKOGAESHI (RETURN SCALE CUT)
  8. NAMIGAESHI (RETURNING WAVE)
  9. TAKIOTOSHI (WATERFALL)
  10. NUKIUCHI (SURPRISE DRAW)
  11. HAYANUKI (ORIGINAL METHOD)
  12. HAYANUKI (PRESENT DAY METHOD)

OKUDEN KATA

The word “Okuden” can be translated as the “inner-transmission”. Nakayama’s oku-iai is divided into two groups, suwari-waza, and tachi-waza; sitting and standing techniques:

Suwari-waza (seated forms):

  1. KASUMI (MIST OR HAZE)
  2. SUNEGAKOI (TO GUARD THE KNEES)
  3. SHIHO GIRI (FOUR DIRECTION CUTS)
  4. TOZUME (BLOCKED AT THE DOOR)
  5. TOWAKI (BY THE SIDE OF THE DOOR)
  6. TANASHITA (BELOW THE LINTEL)
  7. RYOZUME (TWO HAND THRUST ATTACK)
  8. TORABASHIRI (TIGHER STALKING)

Tachi-waza (standing forms):

  1. YUIZURE (SIDE BY SIDE)
  2. TSUREDACHI (BEING ACCOMPANIED)
  3. SOMAKURI (DEFEAT ALL)
  4. SODOME (STOP ALL)
  5. SHINOBU (STEALTH SWORD)
  6. YUKICHIGAI (CHANGING DIRECTIONS)
  7. SODESURIGAESHI (BRUSH ASIDE WITH THE ARMS)
  8. MONIRI (ENTRY THROUGH A GATE)
  9. KABEZOE (AGAINST A WALL)
  10. UKENAGASHI (RECEIVING & PARRYING)
  11. ITOMAGOI (BID FAREWELL)

TACHI UCHI NO KURAI

A set of paired structured sword forms using wooden long sword (Bokuto) and sometimes include the use of a saya (Scabbard) to simulate drawing from the Obi (belt). The practice of fundamental techniques, distance, and timing between an attacker (Uchidachi) and a receiver (Shidachi). It focuses is on precise movement, control, proper posture, mental focus and seme (pressure) against a physical opponent instead of the primarily known solo sword drawing techniques. It takes knowledge gained from years of dedicated iai training to start practicing these kata, which are normally reserved for more experienced Iaidoka.

  1. DEIAI (ENCOUNTER/MEETING)
  2. TSUKEKOMI (EXPLOIT)
  3. UKENAGASHI (CUTTING & PARRYING)
  4. UKEKOMI / UKEIRI (DEFENCE AND ATTACK BY ENTERING)
  5. TSUKIKAGE (MOON SHADOWS)
  6. SUIGETSUTO (WATER MOOON SWORD)
  7. DOKUMYOKEN (SINGULARLY UNIQUE SWORD)
  8. ZETSU MYO KEN (EXQUISITE SWORD)
  9. SHINMYOKEN (ENLIGHTENED SWORD)
  10. UCHIKOMI (STRIKE THROUGH)

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