South West Budokan

04/06/2024

組太刀 - Kumitachi　
Paired practice (two man forms)
The Ono-ha Ittô-ryû's 'Tsumeza Battou' has an article that states: “Solitairy practice without an assitant, no matter how neatly you pull out the sword, no matter how skilfull you draw it or how skillfully you cut the imaginary opponent, you will end up with a sword dance or just some sword handling techniques, and you will never fully capture the essence of Iai.”
Kumitachi (paired practice) is a good addition.
Iaido is, of course, a sword technique against an enemy, but if you think about it, most of the Iaido we practice today is solo practice (on one’s own) even though we set up virtual enemies.
When practicing iai with a real opponent, it is quite difficult in the beginning to draw the sword with the right timing.
It would therefore be a good idea to regularly incorporate kumitachi into one’s practice.
One’s Iai level & performance will certainly go up all the more.
[Translated from: Odawara Tamiya Ryu blog]

23/05/2024

⛩ Maai ⛩

Es la distancia entre Shi y Uchi, forma parte esencial para el trabajo correcto en Jodo, sin el manejo de distancias las técnicas no serán efectivas y las katas perderán su sentido, en Jodo se trabaja principalmente con las distancia:

Issoku Itto no Maai

Nissoku Itto no Maai

04/05/2024

We interviewed Yuko Kimura, a 29-year-old Iaido practitioner from Tokyo, Japan.Video production and Eedit　Masahiko Furue（古江正彦）↓Please contact me for work re...

10/03/2024

24/02/2024

知不足 – Shi(ru) fusoku
Lack of knowledge.
In our daily practice, we often find that there are many things we don't know or understand.
I think this is true for both those who teach and those who are taught.
There is a Chinese saying: “Insufficient knowledge after learning, lack of knowledge after teaching.'' The source is the “Li Ji” or “Book of Rites” (one of the five Chinese classics). If one writes this saying down as a sentence, it becomes: “After learning, I know that I am not good enough, and after teaching, I realise that I am not good enough.''
If both teacher and student train hard every time with this kind of mindset, they will be able to improve together.
Practice with humility.
Translated from: Odawara Tamiya Ryu blog

20/01/2024

A mostly happy, but exhausted group of Iaido and Jodo students attending the first State Seminar and Shinsa of the year. Kicked off from 0800 this morning for extensive training for tomorrow’s Shinsa (gradings).

This January, there are four candidates for Iaido Yondan (4th Dan). One from WA (Budokan Academy), two from Brisbane, and one from Melbourne.

Overall, there are a total of 25 people grading, with only one person doing a grading in both arts (both Nidan).

Anyone interested in watching the gradings, they will start at about 1130 Sunday 21st, at Southern River College (Budokan Academy). Dojo will open at 0800 for free practice, with registrations starting at 1030. Gradings will start with Jodo, followed directly by Iaido.

02/01/2024

三角の規矩 - Sankaku no kiku
Triangular standard ruler。
There is a Tamiya Ryu road song that teaches how to draw the sword: “The standard for drawing the sword into a triangle shape, above the right kneecap and with the cutting edge ponting forward, is important.”
When the sword is being drawn while advancing the right hand straight forward, it can be blocked or pushed down. But when the sword is drawn sideways, the opponent cannot reach it ...
It is a standard rule in the Tamiya Ryu sword style to pul the sword across the right kneecap in a triangular shape (三角のかね – misumi/sankaku no kane) and with the cutting edge pointing forward.
In Tamiya Ryu this way of drawing is the basis.
Translated from: Odawara Tamiya Ryu blog