Basic Iaido terms
- Iaido, 居合道
- I (居) is being, Ai (合) is correspondence and Do (道) grows from attitude to life, becomes a path.
- Budo
- Way of martial arts.
- Bushido
- Exercise way of a warrior, soldiers.
- Ryu
- School, style.
- Seitei-Iai
- the twelve Iai forms of the Japanese umbrella organization, also known as ›Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei Iai‹.
- Koryu
- traditionell (old) style/training.
- Muso Shinden Ryu
- the school found in inspiration.
- Shoshin
- Beginner spirit, openness; also and especially for experienced people
- Fushin
- Still mind: limited by ideas, fear or doubt, unfree, blocked.
- Heijoshin
- Resting mind.
- Mushin (無心)
- Unconsciousness. State of mind of an experienced martial artist during a fight – immediate answers without stressful thinking.
- Muga
- Non-person.
Dojo orientation
- Dojo
- Place where the do is practiced, training hall.
- Shomen
- Agreed main practice direction.
- Regi
- Behavior in the dojo (training room).
- Reishiki
- Etiquette, manners.
- Reiho
- Systematics of manners especially in Iaido.
- Rei
- Greetings or farewell.
- Tachirei
- Bowing while standing.
- Seiza
- Sit in the kneeling position.
- Iaihiza
- Seiza, right leg standing.
- Tatehiza
- Posture with right leg standing, hip raised.
- Zarei
- Bow while sitting.
- To/To ni Rei
- Sword / bow to the sword.
- Kamiza/ni Rei
- Place of honor, shrine / bow to Kamiza.
- Sensei/Sensei ni Rei
- Teacher / bow to the teacher.
- Kohai
- Junior student.
- Sempai
- Senior student.
- Kyu
- Student graduation.
- Dan
- Learning graduation, according to the black belt.
Dojo language
- Onegaishimasu
- I / we ask (for instruction).
- Arigatogozaimashita
- I / we thank (for the instruction).
- Hajime /Hajimemasho
- Start, go! / Let’s start!
- Owari/Yame, Owarimasho
- End / end, let’s finish!
- Hai
- Yes, understood.
- Dame
- Not so, wrong.
- Mo hitotsu
- Once again.
- Datto
- Put down the sword.
- Kiritsu
- Get up.
- Suburi
- Technique exercise.
- Taiso
- Gymnastics.
- Keiko
- Training; Midori Keiko: training by watching.
- Embu
- Demonstration.
- Kotai
- Change (of partner).
- Taikai
- WCompetition event.
- Shiai
- Competition, comparison.
- Shobu ari
- Result of a competition.
- Gogi
- Interruption of competition (may be of an injury).
- Hante
- End of competition.
- Shinpan
- Referee.
Techniques
- Tategiri
- Straight cut.
- Nukitsuke (抜き付け)
- Drawing of the sword, first action.
- Sayabiki/Sayabanare
- Pulling the saya / saya movement.
- Kakaru Ashi
- Preparing foot posture before nukitsuke.
- Te no uchi (手ノ内)
- The inward turning of the hands and forearms to achieve a controlled cut.
- Sae (冴え)
- Sharpness, clarity and precision of a strike or cut.
- Hasuji
- (Perceived) cutting line, accuracy of the cut.
- Sayanouchi
- Victory without drawing the sword.
- Furikaburi
- Guiding the sword to the next cut.
- Kiritsuke
- To cut (= killing someone).
- Chiburi
- Shaking the blood (also: last cut, mercy-dead).
- Chinugui
- Put down the blade before cleaning (eg kata Ukenagashi).
- Hikinuki
- Pull out and lift the blade (eg kata Kesagiri).
- Noto
- Returning the sword to the saya.
Body
- Men
- Head.
- Te
- Hand.
- Me
- Eye.
- Do
- Belly, under the ribs.
- Hara
- Abdominal cavity, sun braid, Tantien, Center of gravity.
- Harakiri
- Cut belly = Seppuko.
- Kesa
- Lower abdomen.
Kata
- Kata
- Full fight movement, form of training.
- Ikita Kata
- Fully lived, understood and true kata.
- Waza
- Technique.
- Tachiwaza
- Standing technique.
- Renzokuwaza
- Continuous, connected technique(s).
- Kokyu
- Breathing. Breathe three times before kata, do the kata in one breath.
- Kihon (基本)
- Basic techniques; to practice constantly, for example through the Seitei-Iai forms.
- Ki Ken Tai Ichi
- Ki-, sword, body (movement) in one. Kata with seamless interplay.
Position
- Kamae
- Keeping awake, different positions are possible.
- Hasso no Kamae
- Left foot in front, sword to the right of the head.
- Chudan no Kamae
- Posture with sword forward in the middle position.
- Jodan no Kamae
- Posture with sword in the upper position. From this can follow …
- Katate Uchi/Waza
- One-handed technique, such as lashing the sword forward.
- Gedan no Kamae
- Posture with sword forward in the lower position (eg kata Shihogiri, Gyakuto).
- Waki no Kamae
- Position of the sword at the side (migi = right, hidari = left) hidden behind the body.
- Shizentai
- Standing posture, sideways.
- Sayaate
- Touching the sayas of two people (avoid! – or use as a provocation/duel …).
- Ma-ai
- Distance to the opponent.
- Kami no ashi
- Foot closest to Kamiza.
Orientation
- Embusen, Enbusen
- Imaginary line of the kata process.
- Seichusen
- Correct, central line to the opponent, good for the fighter, bad for the opponent.
- Ma
- Rhythm, time interval of actions and movements.
- Metsuke
- Direction of view, attention of the gaze.
- Kan Ken no Metsuke
- 2 types of gaze: Kan = looking, seeing; Ken = feeling, reading the truth.
- Enzan no Metsuke
- View of distant mountains = holistic perception.
Equipment
- Keikogi
- Tracksuit, all the parts that follow now.
- Gi
- Jacket, top in a Japanese kimono cut.
- Obi
- Long and wide belt, about 4 m long.
- Hakama
- Wide trousers.
- Hakamasabaki
- Move the Hakama to the left and right to sit.
- Koshiita
- Back part of the hakama.
- Zori
- Sandals for dojo area.
- Mon
- Family crest (signet on clothing).
Sword
- Saya
- Wooden sword sheath.
- Tsuba
- Sword hand sheet.
- Tsuka
- Handle.
- Sageo
- Sword band made of silk, cotton or leather.
- Koiguchi
- Saya opening, »carp mouth« (should be covered with fingers if possible = Koiguchi o kiru).
- Monouchi (物打ち
- The upper, cutting part of the sword.
- Kissaki
- Point of the sword.
- Bokken, Bokuden
- Wooden sword.
- Shinai
- Bamboo stick as a sword substitute; used in kendo.
- Iaito
- Sword replica for Iaido practice.
- Shaku
- 30,3 cm, length measurement for swords; Lengths from 2,4 to 2,8 Shaku.
- Mekugi
- Bamboo safety pin in the handle (must be checked for a secure fit before each use of the sword!).
- Katana, Shinken
- Sharp, forged sword.
- Tameshigiri
- Cutting test with sharp sword.
Understanding
- Shuren
- Discipline of training.
- Zanshin
- Attention.
- Mushin
- Empty (unblocked) mind.
- Jiri-Ichi
- Theory and practice are one.
- Shishin
- Fixed & blocked mind.
- Heijoshin
- Everyday spirit: master of the situation in every situation.
- Dai-kyo-soku-kei
- Large, powerful, fast, soft: desired body and sword movement.
- Jo-ha-kyu
- Gradation slow, medium, fast, compare Kata Mae Nukitsuke.
- Kan-kyu-kyo-jaku
- Variations: hard-soft, fast-slow, weak-strong.
- Meri-hari
- Binding tension between extremes, modulation.
- Kigurai
- Rest and presence in knowledge.
- Fukaku
- Character.
- Hin-I
- Dignity, in the sense of the opposite of brutality.
- Kokoro
- Heart. Also means the character of the person.
- Seme
- Exert pressure on the opponent; control the timing of the fight to hide your nakedness.
- Kasōteki (仮想敵)
- Clear idea of the enemy.
- Shuhari
- Learning progress in three levels 1) Shu = imitation, 2) Ha = understanding 3) Ri = innovation.
- Saya no uchi no kachi saya
- Victory without having to draw the sword.