居合道 iaidō Iaido

Iaido in Japanese is 居合道 which is read iaidō

居合道 (iaidō): the way of drawing the sword.

居合道 is the sword art in which the cut comes in the same motion as the draw. All its schools share one aim: the match is decided as the point leaves the scabbard. The first character is read two ways, as sitting or as simply being there when the enemy appears. Both describe a swordsman whose blade is still sheathed, and that is what sets the art apart from fencing. Whether you hang it in a dojo or at home is yours.

The art of drawing the sword, 居合, is first 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 first known as the title of a book of 1939, 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.

Your scroll is brushed when you order it and completed within 1 to 3 business days. It ships by USPS Priority Mail from Master Takase's studio in Washington State, boxed and ready to hang, with a printed page giving the art's English, romaji and Japanese.

Sending it as a gift? Tell us when you order and we will include your message.

Shipping is calculated at checkout from your address; within the United States it is $13 to $22. We ship worldwide, and any import charges for your country are shown at checkout before you pay.

Every order is covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee. If your scroll arrives damaged, or we made an error, we replace it or refund you in full, including shipping. Refund policy

Master Japanese Calligrapher Eri Takase brushes your scroll by hand when you order it. Each scroll bears her red seal, 英利, and her signature.

The scrolls are 12 1/4" W × 43" H (31 × 109 cm) with real silk borders and Japanese paper that are layered so the scroll hangs straight and will not warp over time. The scrolls themselves are made by Sankō (株式会社三幸) in Gifu prefecture, which has been making high quality scrolls since 1947, and we have worked with Sankō for over two decades.

Eri Takase was born and raised in Osaka, Japan, and holds the rank of Shihan, the highest rank in Japanese calligraphy, from the Bokuteki-kai and the Bunka-shodo. About Master Takase