Battōjutsu


Battōjutsu is an old term for iaijutsu. Battōjutsu is often used interchangeably with the terms iaijutsu and battō.
Generally, battōjutsu is practiced as a part of a classical ryū and is closely integrated with the tradition of kenjutsu. It is practised with a live blade, often simply as solo kata. The training is for combative effectiveness, through factors such as distancing, timing and targeting. As such, battōjutsu is not intended for sport-like kendo.

List of schools

Koryu school:
Gendai schools developed after the beginning of the Meiji era:
  • Toyama-ryū, was founded in 1925 at the Rikugun Toyama Gakkō . This system of swordsmanship was developed for the military by a committee including sword masters Nakayama Hakudō and Takano Sasaburo, and Lieutenant Colonel Morinaga Kiyoshi. Morinaga selected 5 kata produced by Nakayama arranged in tachi-iai. Toyama-ryu was not taught generally but was reserved for officers, as they still carried swords. In 1940, Mochida Seiji and Saimura Goro added and revised the kata. In November of 1941, an official manual on Toyama-ryu was distributed widely within the Japanese Army. In 1942, a running slash-type kata geared toward cavalry charges was added.
  • Nakamura-ryū, founded in the mid-20th century by Nakamura Taizaburō, who had previously taught Gunto no Soho at the Toyama Academy.
  • Zen Nihon Batto Do Renmei or ZNBDR was created in 1977 under Nakamura Taizaburo which practice 5 Shoden Seitei and 8 Chuden Seitei Kata.
  • Dai Nihon Batto Ho was created in 1939 by Kono Hyakuren for the Japanese Naval Academy. It contains 12 Waza, 7 Shoden Kata and 5 Okuden Kata. Today it is taught as Eishin Ryu Batto Ho and included 10 Eishin-ryu kumitachi.
  • Enshin Itto Ryu Battojutsu was created in 1936 by Machita Genshinsai and his Father. It contains 6 Levels. The main roots came from Kashima Shinto Ryu and Hokushin Itto Ryu, and some else. The ancestors of Machita Sensei served under the famous Aizu Clan and fought in the Boshin War. From their mother's side the roots date back to the Satake Clan. Nowadays the Ryuha is a part of the Enbukan, under the guidance by Machita Fudoshin Soke.