This glossary is primarily a listing of vocabulary in Iaido.
Though there are overlapping terms, the other
Glossary of
Weapons Terms in the Portal Library lists mainly terms from the
Aikido weapons arts, such as the wooden weapons used in Aikido throws.
|
| Iaido Term |
| English |
日本語 |
Definition |
Examples or Description |
| Chiburi |
血振り |
lit. "Flicking blood" |
Final action after completing cuts before sheathing the sword. See:
- Omori Ryu （大森流）chiburi ( Default, esp. in Shoden )
- Hasegawa Eishin Ryu（長谷川栄進流） chiburi
|
|---|
| Chuden |
中伝 |
Lit. "Middle Tradition" |
Intermediate level of 10 Iai techniques, performed from
iaihiza or tatehiza position
|
| Chudan (or Seigan ) Kamae |
中段・青眼（構え） |
Middle stance |
Kamae with sword at belt level and swordpoint at chest level
iaihiza position
|
| Den |
伝 |
Lit. "Tradition" |
Sword art tradition, as in:
- Shoden - "Starting" tradition
- Chuden - "Middle" tradition
- Okuden - "Secret" or Inner tradition
|
| Eishin Ryu Chiburi |
栄進流血振り |
Advanced chiburi style |
From chudan or seigan kamae, cut down with the arm extending
straight in front, sword pointing diagonally to the floor |
|---|
| Furikaburi |
振りかぶり |
Sweeping sword horizontally to the left or right rear |
Preparation for horizontal cut ( ichimonji or ichi no ji（一文字・一の字） |
|---|
| Furikamuri |
振りかむり |
Raising sword overhead |
Raising sword to jodan kamae prior to kirioroshi |
|---|
| Gedan Kamae |
下段構え |
Lower stance |
Kamae with sword at belt level and swordpoint to the ground
|
| Hasso or Hasso Kamae |
発想（構え） |
Sword held at right or left shoulder |
Sword held vertically or slanting directly backward, depending on Ryu |
| Iaido |
居合道 |
Art of drawing the Japanese sword |
Sword art, the solitary practice and philosophy, of drawing the sword in
self-defense, disabling the (imaginary) opponent and sheathing the
sword. Also called Iainuki, Battojutsu, Iaijutsu（居合抜き、抜刀術、居合術） and other
names. The latter two are so-called jutsu（術）, emphasizing
technique and combat more than the philosophy of self-control and
self-improvement |
|---|
| Iaihiza or Tatehiza |
居合膝・立て膝 |
Sitting with one leg raised |
Sit on left leg with right leg bent and foot next to left foot |
| Jodan Kamae |
上段構え |
Upper stance |
Kamae with sword overhead and pointing diagonally back
|
| Kamae |
構え |
Stance with one foot forward, the other back |
See:- Jodan kamae
- Chudan or Seigan kamae
- Gedan kamae
- Hasso kamae
|
|---|
| Katana, Ken or To |
刀、剣、刀 |
Sword |
|
| Kesagiri |
袈裟斬り |
Diagonal cut |
Four types:
- Kesagiri or migi (right) kesagiri ( Default )
- Hidari ( left ) kesagiri
- Gyaku migi ( right ) kesagiri
- Gyaku hidari ( left ) kesagiri
|
| Kirioroshi |
切り下ろし |
Overhead cut |
Cut straight down to waist level |
|---|
| Noto ( Chuden ) |
納刀(（中伝） |
Sheathing the sword |
From chudan kamae,
- Bring mouth of scabbard and middle of the hilt of blade together
directly in front of the hara ( = navel )
- Slide back of blade to the right over the semicircle formed by thumb and
forefinger while sliding the scabbard back into the sash ( obi )
- Form a single line with sword and scabbard when the sword point is right
over the mouth of the scabbard
- Sheathe blade by lowly bringing mouth of scabbard and blade together
|
|---|
| Noto ( Okuden ) |
納刀(（奧伝） |
Sheathing the sword |
From chudan kamae,
- Bring mouth of scabbard and tip of blade together directly in front
of the hara ( = navel )
- Form a single line with sword and scabbard when the sword point is right
over the mouth of the scabbard
- Sheathe blade by lowly bringing mouth of scabbard and blade together
|
|---|
| Noto ( Shoden ) |
納刀(（初伝） |
Sheathing the sword |
From chudan kamae,
- Bring mouth of scabbard and hilt of blade together directly in front
of the hara ( = navel )
- Slide back of blade to the right over the semicircle formed by thumb and
forefinger while sliding the scabbard back into the sash
- Form a single line with sword and scabbard when the sword point is right
over the mouth of the scabbard
- Sheathe blade by lowly bringing mouth of scabbard and blade together
|
|---|
| Nukitsuke or Nukiuchi |
抜き付け・抜き打ち |
Drawing the sword |
May be horizontal, diagonal, straight up or even with scabbard
( saya（鞘）) turned downward |
| Okuden |
奥伝 |
Lit. "Inner or Secret Tradition" |
Secret, or advanced, level of Iai training:
- Tachiwaza: 12
standing techniques; and,
- Suwariwaza: 8 iaihiza
seated techniques
|
| Omori Ryu Chiburi |
大森流血振り |
Basic chiburi style |
Turn the blade with edge to the left
Extend the arm straight from the shoulder
Bend the arm at the elbow pointing the sword straight back
Bring the sword hand to the side of the head
Cut down with the arm extending straight in front, sword pointing
diagonally to the floor |
|---|
| Reverse Noto |
逆納刀 |
"reverse" sheathing |
Reverse sheathing by reversing right hand's hold on sword hilt (
tsuka ) |
| Ryu or Ryuha |
流派 |
Style or school |
Style of sword or other martial arts schools, e.g. Shinkage Ryu（新陰流）, Muso Shinden Ryu（夢想神伝流）,
Katori Shinto Ryu（香取新道流）, Muso Eishin Jikiden Ryu（無双栄進直伝流）, Suio Ryu（水鴎流）
|
| Sanpogiri |
三方切り |
Lit. "Three-direction cut" |
Technique with 3 attackers |
| Saya |
鞘 |
Scabbard |
|
|---|
| Seiteigata |
制定形 |
All Japan Kendo Society (ZNKR: 全日本剣道連盟）sword drawing techniques |
12 techniques drawn from major and older
sword style Ryu
|
|---|
| Seiza |
正座 |
Sitting samurai style |
Sit between heels with knees slightly spread |
|---|
| Shihogiri |
四方切り |
Lit. "Four-direction cut" |
Technique with 4 attackers |
| Shoden |
初伝 |
Lit. "Starting tradition" |
Basic or introductory level of 12 Iai techniques |
| Shomen |
正面 |
Front of the dojo |
Generally where calligraphy, founder's picture, shrine ( kamiza （上座）)
is placed |
| Suburi |
素振り |
Lit. "Single Cut" |
Single cut or stroke with a sword or bokken（木剣） as solo practice |
|---|
| Suwariwaza |
座り技 |
Seated techniques |
Techniques started from seiza or iaihiza seated positions |
|---|
| Tachiwaza |
立ち技 |
Standing techniques |
|
|---|
| Tatehiza or Iaihiza |
立て膝、居合膝 |
Sitting with one leg raised |
Sit on left leg with right leg bent and foot next to left foot |
| Tsuka |
塚 |
Sword hilt |
|
|---|
| Ukenagashi |
受け流し |
Overhead parry |
Parry with sword slightly in front of face, blade pointing to the left
and slightly downward |
