居合道 iaidō Iaido

居合道 is the sword art in which the cut comes in the same act as the draw. Its principle, in the words of a Japanese encyclopedia, is that victory is decided at the moment the point leaves the scabbard. As practiced now, it is forms performed alone, within a time limit, judged by referees. The dictionaries read the first character two ways, as sitting or as being there when the enemy is. A manual of 1938 chose 居合道 over 居合術 as the name for a cultivation of the spirit rather than a technique.

居合道 is composed of the kanji 居 (read i) meaning "exist, be present", 合 (read ai) meaning "fit; join; suit; meet" and 道 (read dō) meaning "teachings, the way".

The art of drawing the sword, 居合, is known from a sword master's license of 1579, where it is written 居相, and is said to go back to Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu of the same age; the name 居合道 is in print by 1933, was argued for in a manual of 1938, is in the Butokukai's titles by 1943, and became the art's general name after the national federation of 1954.

We want you to be as happy with the meaning as you are with Master Takase's art. To learn more, visit Philology of 居合道.

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