Hayasuburi is the technique of executing vertical strikes in the air.

Two more groups of Japanese sword fighting iai techniques are the iwaza, which involves attacking while sitting, and tachi waza, which is used to attack while standing. The basic strikes in kendo are do-uchi (a strike to the body), mein-uchi (a strike to the wrist), and kote-uchi (a strike to the wrist to disarm the opponent).Ī quick-draw move of iaido is the nukitsuke, which involves drawing the blade to cut and place the sword back in its scabbard. The maki waza technique of Japanese sword fighting, involves connecting the shinai with that of your opponent’s, and spinning the shinai in a 360-degree angle. While practicing kenjutsu or kendo, the harai waza technique is used to flip the opponent’s shinai (wooden sword) with your own, and then strike him. The swing is executed by positioning the sword behind you, and making an arc to cut your opponent. The most basic move is the forward slicing cut, that begins from the overhead position until it makes contact with the opponent’s shoulder or head. Japanese sword fighting advocates the practice of one-sword as well as dual-sword techniques.

Having said that, there are many styles that encompass Japanese swordsmanship, like Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu, Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu, Ono-ha Itto-ryu, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, Jigen-ryu, and Tamiya-ryu, to name a few.

You practice with a wooden sword, shinai, or bokken. It has 3 basic styles – kenjutsu (Japanese way of the sword), battoujutsu (art of drawing the sword), and iaijutsu (a quick draw technique). Japanese sword fighting focuses on one-on-one fights.

Iaido quickdraw stance