About Us

Our Art - What defines Us

The following technical points distinguish dojos of the Nakayamakai:

  1. the short form of the iai kata as transmitted;

  2. the nine movement jo kata;

  3. the five awase (kumitachi);

  4. 7/8 of a circle as happo fifth movement;

  5. iai goshi as the official ending of each iai waza;

  6. the avoidance of modern chiburi, sword angles, grips and footwork;

  7. the kihon dosa practiced through as kata, the second tai no henko involving a 180 degree turn.

The Arts

Nakayamakai KoAikido consists of three major arts:

  • kenho [剣法] (also called kenjutsu [剣術]), the use of the Japanese sword;

  • joho [杖法 ] (jojutsu [杖術]), the four foot stick;

  • and taiho[体法] (taijutsu [体術]), empty hand work.

The use of other weapons (長刀 naginata, 槍 yari, 小刀 shoto, 短刀 tanto, 六勺棒 rokushakubo, 半棒 hanbo,柔杖 yawarajo etc.) is subsumed under each of these categories.

The primary modes of learning are

  1. kata [型], the pre-arranged forms, and

  2. interactive practice of techniques with a partner [双体練習, sotai renshu].

Our kenho consists of suburi [素振り] (practice cuts), kumitachi [組太刀] (paired forms), iai [居合] (sword drawing, cutting, and return, never referred to in our tradition as iaido), and practice against armed and unarmed partners.

Our joho includes five kata, kumijo[ 組杖], and paired practice as above.

Our taiho comprises nage-waza [投技] (projections); oase-waza [押技] (immobilizations); taoshi-waza [倒し技] (body dropping techniques); kansetsu-waza [関節技] (joint locking techniques); and shinkei chusu kogeki [神経中枢攻撃] (stimulation of nerve centres).

The Kata

The following seiteigata [制定型] (established forms) both major and minor, are to be learned and mastered by a lifetime of practice.

  1. Iai kata [居合型]

  2. 5 kumitachi [組太刀] (awase [合わせ])

  3. 5 kumitachi (awase) kara iai renshu [組太刀から居合練習]

  4. Ki musubi no tachi [氣結びの太刀]

  5. Happo giri [八法切り]

  6. 31 no jo [三十一の杖]

  7. 9 no jo [九の杖]

  8. 22 no jo Koho [二十二の杖古 法]

  9. 13 no jo [十三の杖]

  10. 22 no jo Shinpo [二十二の杖新 法] (optional)

  11. 5 kumijo [組杖]

  12. 5 kumijo kara tandoku renshu [組杖から単独練習]

  13. Dojo misogi [道場禊]

  14. Kihon dosa tandoku renshu [基本動作単独練習]

  15. 3 Kokyuho undo: Ten, Tenchi, Chi [ 天(天地)(地)呼吸法運動]