Iaido Curriculum and Test Requirements

Muso Shinden Ryu

Shoden (Omori Ryu)

1. Shohato - first draw
2. Sato - left draw
3. Uto - right draw
4. Atarito - smash
5. Inyoshintai - forward and backward
6. Ryuto - leading blade
7. Junto - follow the sword
8. Gyakuto - reversed
9. Seichuto - forcing the sword
10. Koranto - tiger run
11. Kaete Inyoshintai - another way to do #5
12. Batto - draw the sword or quick draw

Chuden (Hasegawa Eishin ryu)

1. Yokogumo - cloud bank
2. Tora Issoku - tiger step
3. Inazuma - lightning
4. Ukigomo - floating cloud
5. Yama Oroshi - wind down from the mountain
6. Iwanami - wave hitting rocks
7. Uroko Gaeshi - dragon turns
8. Nami Gaeshi - wave turns
9. Taki Otoshi - waterfall
10. Nuki Uchi - draw and cut

Okuden (Kugesa)

1. Kasumi - foggy
2. Sunegakoi - block the shin
3. Tosume - narrow door
4. Towaki - beside the door
5. Shiho Giri - cut in 4 directions
6. Tanashita - under the shelf
7. Ryozume - narrow side
8. Torabashiri - tiger run

Okuden (Tachi waza)

1. Yukitsure - go together
2. Tsuredachi - go together or take you somewhere
3. Somaguri (Gohogiri) - total attack or 5 different cuts
4. Sodome (Hanashiushi) - total block or blast off
5. Shinobu (Yorunotachi) - hiding or sword of the night
6. Yukichigai - passing
7. Sodesurikaeshi (Kennokoto) - turn the sleeve or be smart
8. Moniri (Kakuretsu) - pass the gate
9. Kabesoi (Hitinaka) - beside a wall or among a crowd
10. Uke Nagashi (Yuriminuki) - block and lead
11. Ittomagoi - goodbye

Eishin Ryu

Batto no Kata

1. Junto
2. Tsuigekito - pursue
3. Shato - inclined
4. Shihoto
5. Zantotsuto

Oku no Kata

1. Zenteki Gyakuto
2. Tatekito - several enemies
3. Koteki Gyakuto - enemy in the back

Bangai no Kata

1. Haya Nami
2. Rai Den
3. Jin Rai
4. Shiho Giri

Hosoda Ryu

1. Iwanami - waves hitting rocks
2. Ukifune Gaeshi - floating boat turning back
3. Noarashi Gaeshi - wind in the field turns back
4. Utsusemi - empty (void)
5. Matsukaze - pine wind
6. Zangetsu Hidari - morning moon left
7. Zangetsu Migi - morning moon right
8. Do To Gaeshi - great wave turns back
9. Rai To Gaeshi - lightning turns back
10. Yo To - forcing the blade or active blade
11. In To - passive blade
12. Inazuma Gaeshi - lightning turns back

Keishi Ryu

1. Maegoshi (Asayama Ichidan Ryu) - passing in front
2. Musogaeshi (Shindo Munen Ryu) - emptyness turns
3. Mawarigake (Tamiya Ryu) - turning attack
4. Migi No Teki (Kyoshin Miyashi Ryu) - enemy on the right
5. Shiho (Tatsume Ryu) - 4 directions

Shindo Munen Ryu

1. 1st series, 10 movements
2. 2nd series, 20 movements

Seitei Iai ZNKR

1. Mae - front
2. Ushiro - behind
3. Ukenagashi - block and lead
4. Tsuka Ate - hit with the handle
5. Kesa Giri - directional cut
6. Morote Tsuki - stab with both hands
7. Sampogiri - cut in 3 directions
8. Ganmen Ate - hit the face
9. Soete Tsuki - blade and hand together
10. Shiho Giri - cut in 4 directions
11. So Giri
12. Nuki Uchi

Seitei Iai Iaido

1. Maegiri (Eishin Ryu)
2. Zengogiri ou Mae Atogiri (Mugai Ryu)
3. Kiriage (Shindo Munen Ryu)
4. Shihogiri (Suio Ryu)
5. Kissakigaishi (Hoki Ryu)

Toyama Ryu

1. Mae No Teki - enemy to the front
2. Migi No Teki - enemy to the right
3. Hidari No Teki - enemy to the left
4. Ushiro No Teki - enemy to the rear
5. Chokusen No Teki - enemy close in front
6. Ushiro Mae No Teki - enemies to front and rear
7. Migi, Hidari, Mae No Teki - enemies right, left, front
8. Ittoryodan

2nd kyu

Prerequisites

• At least 4 months of practice and 60 practice days

Test requirements

• Starting bow and sword preparation
• 100 suburi cuts
• Noto movements from warm up for Shoden, Chuden and Toyama Ryu
• From Shoden: Shohato and Koranto
• Final bow and putting sword away

1st kyu

Prerequisites

• 2nd kyu or equivalent
• At least 8 months of practice and 90 practice days since the last test

Test requirements

• Starting bow and sword preparation
• 100 suburi cuts
• All noto movements from warm up (Shoden, Shindo Munen Ryu, Toyama Ryu, Ryuto, Hosoda Ryu, Chuden, Keishi Ryu, Eishin Ryu, and Okuden)
• From Shoden: Shohato, Sato, Uto, Atarito, Koranto
• Final bow and putting sword away

Shodan

Prerequisites

• 1st kyu or equivalent
• At least 2 years of practice and 180 practice days since the last test

Test requirements

• Shoden

Nidan

Prerequisites

• Shodan or equivalent
• At least 2 years of practice and 180 practice days since the last test

Test requirements

• 2 katas from Shoden, 1 selected by the chief examiner on the day of the test and 1 selected by the candidate
• Chuden
• Toyama Ryu

Sandan

Prerequisites

• Nidan or equivalent, at least 3 years of practice and 270 practice days since the last test

Test requirements

• 3 katas selected from Shoden and Chuden; 2 selected by the chief examiner on the day of the test and 1 selected by the candidate
• Okuden Tachiwaza
• Shindo Munen Ryu (10 movements)
• 1 series selected by the chief examiner on the day of the test among the following: Keishi Ryu (5 movements), Seitei Iai Iaido (5 movements)

Yondan

Prerequisites

• Sandan or equivalent, at least 4 years of practice and 360 practice days since the last test

Test requirements

• 3 katas selected from Shoden, Chuden, and Okuden Tachiwaza; 2 selected by the chief examiner on the day of the test and 1 selected by the candidate
• Okuden Kugeza
• 1 series selected by the Chief examiner on the day of the test among the following: Shindo Munen Ryu (20 movements), Eishin Ryu (13 movements), Hosoda Ryu (12 movements), Seitei Iai ZNKR (12 movements)

Godan

Prerequisites

• Yondan or equivalent
• At least 5 years of practice and 450 practice days since the last test

Test requirements

• 1 series selected by the candidate
• 2 series selected by the chief examiner on the day of the test from among the curriculum

Assessment of Prior Learning

Prerequisites

• At least 5 years of regular practice in Iaido

Test requirements

• 1 series selected by the candidate
• Other series selected by the chief examiner, in discussion with the candidate, and announced to the candidate two months before the day of the test