Agassiz Dojo is set to provide a demonstration of the following Japanese swordsmanship forms at the Fargo Meets Japan event:
Iaido is the art of drawing and cutting with a Japanese katana (sword). In iaido, a practitioner executes set forms, or kata, against one or multiple imaginary opponents. Each kata describes how a swordsman should respond to a specific situation, such as when you encounter a surprise attack from an opponent seated in front of you or an attack from multiple opponents as you are walking. The roots of iaido date back some 400 years. Today, it is primarily a method of self-refinement.
At the Agassiz Dojo we practice the approved All Japan Kendo Federation seitei iaido katas, as well as the older koryu Musoshindenryu. There are 12 seitei kata, and close to 50 of the MSR kata. There are 12 Jodo kata, and additionally 10 kenjutsu kata. It's a lot!
Students wear traditional "hakama" uniforms, and practice with either a wooden sword called a bokuto, or with a dull-bladed katana called an iaito.
Instructor Bradley Anderson currently holds the rank of 4dan iaido and 3dan in jodo and practices with an authentic (sharp) Japanese-made katana.
Check out the Agassiz Dojo website for more info.
