TOYAMA RYU IAIDO KAI
USA BRANCH
What is Toyama Ryu?
Toyama Ryu can trace its roots back to traditional Samurai swordsmanship and it blends classical and modern thinking into progressive 21st Century Japanese swordsmanship. Through this martial art practice, we learn how to honor a mindset of gratitude, forge the spirit, and learn true Japanese sword techniques. Toyama Ryu Iaido is a style that is appropriate for all ages and degrees of physical abilities.
Our Founder
Toyama Ryū Iaidō refers to the military sword method (guntō no sōhō) that was developed at the Toyama Army Academy (Rikugun Toyama Gakkō) and used by the Japanese Army in battlefield combat during the Taisho and Showa eras. Toyama Ryū Iai is also considered the “last Iai”, as it was the last sword methodology to be used in real military combat. Therefore, Toyama Ryū Iaidō is a standing sword methodology, its essence is the practical and daring technique of the cleaving cut (ittō-ryodan) to train both the sword, body, and mind.
After the war, the head instructor of the Kenjutsu Department at the Toyama Army Academy, Morinaga Kiyoshi Sensei, founded the Toyama Ryū Iaidō Kai organization to help preserve this last martial sword method as a cultural heritage for future generations and to promote an effective martial art for developing bushidō spirit (Way of the samurai).
The Toyama Ryū Iaidō Kai is headquartered in Kyotanabe, Japan, and all USA branches are members of this organization.
The Training
The aim of Toyama Ryū Iaidō is to acquire a quick and reliable iai strike, to gain victory over the enemy in the unannounced moment of drawing and striking with the sword. Our goal is to honor a mindset of gratitude (礼), forge the spirit (精神), master the powerful technique of the decisive cleaving cut ittō-ryōdan (一刀両断) and attain the innermost teachings of the life-giving sword (活人剣).
Kiso Iai 基礎居合
Kiso Iai contains the basics of Toyama Ryū Iaidō, and is necessary for general mastery: how to cut with a sword, how to bow, the engagement distance (ma-ai), the way of walking, combat posture, how to unsheathe (battō), how to sheath (nōtō), blood removal (chiburi), how to grip a sword (te-no-uchi), how to slash, how to stab, cutting angle, the sword’s momentum, vocalization, breathing method, eyes (metsuke), and demonstrating remaining awareness (zanshin).
Hon Iai 本居合
Hon Iai is the core of Toyama Ryū Iaidō. This Iai is composed of eight kata, each of which is a combination of two parts: nukitsuke (the first sword movement), and kiritsuke (the second sword movement). Each kata contains sword strategy and the practical theory of sword movement (ken-no-riai) along with technique, and should be studied diligently.
Oku Iai Happo Nuki 奥居合八方抜き
Happō Nuki is nukitsuke, or in other words the training of the first sword movement, and if you do it together with a high level of disciplined training, it possesses the meaning, the characteristic, of “Oku Iai”. It is crucial to endeavor to train hard, to recognize anew that this is the rigor of Iai, the origin of Iai, and the innermost teachings of Iai. A battō that is simultaneously an enemy-killing nukitsuke (the first sword movement), is the special technique that this Iai possesses. To put it bluntly, if nukitsuke is not accompanied with a deadly sword combat force, than it has no value as an Iai.
Kumitachi 組太刀
Performed by two people taking the positions of Uchidachi and Shidachi, “Kumitachi” is prearranged movements allowing the performance of the six basic Kiso Iai finishing cuts as if against actual opponents. It is a characteristic of Toyama Ryū Iaidō that the Uchidachi takes the position of instructor, directing the Shidachi’s practice in realistic lethal cutting and stabbing methodology. So that the Shidachi can perform the Kiso Iai at a refined level, the Uchidachi sets up the technique, supports, helps, and cultivates.
As a training curriculum, Kumitachi includes everything you need to know about budō: how to be present (reihō), ashi-sabaki (way of walking), metsuke (focus of attention), way of breathing, way of vocalizing, how to take ma-ai, the opportunity and method for cutting and stabbing, and how to show zanshin.
The essence of Toyama Ryū Iaidō is expressed in the technique of the Shidachi, so the Shidachi should be sufficiently firm of spirit, and, when adjusted to the spirit and technique of the Uchidachi, will create an elegant Kumitachi.
Renzoku Waza 連続技
Renzoku Waza is performing the 8 Hon Iai kata with a successive drawing technique. Do not complete each kata, but halfway through nōtō draw the sword for the next Iai. Meaning, before the tsuba touches koiguchi when sheathing, quickly battō; this is a subsequent technique linking the 8 kata, a continuous unsheathing technique. For this technique, the principles of chiburi, zanshin, tai-sabaki, and especially ashi-sabaki, are essential.
Tameshigiri 試斬り
Tameshigiri in the Toyama Ryū Iaidō Kai is a disciplined training to ensure the perfection of the techniques included in this sword school. Tameshigiri verifies Toyama Ryū Iaidō Kai’s most important “reliable cuts and stabs”.
Since Toyama Ryū Iaidō Kai is a practical sword method, each and every sword stroke must have an intensity that can reliably dismember an enemy. Whether it is the first sword movement of nukitsuke, the second sword of a killing cut or thrust, or each and every sword stroke against multiple enemies, all are required to have a deadly sword combat strength; it is essential to have the power to cleave through everything you touch.
Tameshigiri is the ideal method to verify that each and every sword stroke is a reliable killing cut or thrust. Through tameshigiri keiko or practice, you can master the cutting angle, te-no-uchi, the tsuka gripping method, how to place power, how to take ma-ai, footwork, unifying ki-ken-tai, and again, how to place power in the lower abdomen. Through tameshigiri, you can check if your sword angle is correct, and you can have confidence in your attack.
