As a beginner, you’ll use it to hone your techniques. The first is a bokken, or wooden practice sword. You should buy at least three swords for your arsenal. A good way to start your search is to inquire at local dojo that teach karate, aikido and other traditional Japanese arts. That makes learning iaido similar to learning how to fish: You have to go where the fish are.
While karate schools can be found in just about every town in the United States, iaido schools are rare. That will ensure that you’re learning proper technique from a qualified instructor in a safe environment, says Miki, who is the chief instructor of the Japan Karate-do Organization. It’s best to enroll in an iaido school that’s internationally recognized and certified. “That helps them control their ego and avoid having to prove themselves as they journey toward enlightenment and a higher level of mental and spiritual development.”įor practitioners of other martial arts who wish to embark upon the iaido journey, Miki offers these eight steps to mastery. “Another reason people like iaido is because instructors usually discourage them from over-emphasizing competition,” says Minobu Miki, a karate master who’s studied the sword art for more than 40 years. They like the formal training the art entails, as well as the ritual and tradition that inspire them to wonder what it would have been like to wield a sword in battle against a warlord’s army.
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