Samurai Katana
The ancient japanese art of the samurai katana?
I want to get a katana and learn to wield it like a samurai, what is the name if any of the martial art of the katana, and what kind of books can i get on it?
There are three major types of arts that teach the use of Japanese swords. Kendo, Kenjutsu and Iaido.
Kendo is an art that focuses most on actual sparring with the use of the shinai (bamboo sword) and kendo bogu (sparring armor). It is often geared towards competition and point systems, though some do still teach historical battle tactics.
Iaido is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Often times a medetative art, iaido focuses on drawing the sword, striking down an opponent, then returning the blade to the saya (sheath). It makes use of both iaito/mogito (training swords) as well as shinken (sharpened blades). Iaido is comprised mostly of solo kata/forms and technique training. There is rarely free sparring, but tameshigiri (target cutting) is done in most schools.
Kenjutsu is a balance of the two. It focuses on sword use and techniques both in the sense of solo training as well as paired exercises. There is sometimes cutting, sometimes sparring, and sometimes just forms.
Generally, kendo is kendo. You wear armor and you point spar with another person along with rigorous exercise, strength training, and competition directed techniques. Real swords are generally not used.
Iaido is usually solo, focusing on the history and tradition of Japanese swordsmanship, forms, technique and actual cutting application. This is generally the one of the three that teaches the quick draw, known as nukitsuke/nukiuchi. Real swords are used once a student is progressed enough.
Kenjutsu is an alloy of Japanese sword fighting in general. There is solo forms, paired forms, sparring, cutting, etc.
Most often, you will find schools that teach both iaido and kenjutsu as they complement each other well. When searching samurai swordsmanship ryuha, more ofteh than not, they will all be mixed with these two, as well as empty hand combat like karate and judo, sometimes staff, sometimes spear, etc.
Kendo is, more often than not, just competition kendo.
Hope this helps.
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