Concerning Iaido

It was not until 20 th. century that the term laido came into use and that its practice came to be considered as a discipline its own right, among other Budo. Up until that time, the terms lai-juts or Batto-jutsu, were most commonly used to designate this discipline. However, there exists a basic difference in that, fl the practice of lai-jutsu, the important point was to develop combat effectiveness above all else, while in the practice of lai-do, the spiritual and moral development of the individual comes first, and, theoretically, effectiveness is secondary. Otake Risuke, in his book on the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, defines lai-jutsu: "lai-Jutsu is an art with which to kill an enemy". Many people today ignore this reminder about the origins of the art and content themselves with the execution of beautiful, but too often, empty "figures"; barring this, they delude themselves into thinking that what they are reproducing is exactly the same exercise that the Bushi of olden times practised (a delusion one might call - "Samurai Psychosis"). Both of these circumstances are born of insufficient experience and understanding of that student's particular martial art.

And the idea that "Budo", is above all, a "spiritual" discipline and has "Higher" aims than "Bu-Jutsu", and, therefore, tolerates (and even encourages) practical ineptitude is the result not only of incomplete comprehension but even intentional misdirected ignorance on the part of the trainee or the teacher. There is no contradiction between Jutsu and Do.

The discipline of lai-do was introduced by certain individuals who understood that the sword and the art of drawing the sword could become instruments by which the spiritual development of a man might be undertaken. t is in this way that the concept of Seishi Tanner, or literally, forging of the spirit, introduces a situation where by the technical methods required to attain the spiritual enlightenment of the individual may or may not be the same as those dictated by the necessity for combat effectiveness. The attainment of one method is no guarantee of the attainment of the second, but neither does one exclude the other. Because of this fact, the student of laido, must somehow bring together within himself, through proper understanding, the seemingly opposite aspects of this martial art as a means of defeating and adversary on the one hand, and as a way to spiritual development on the other. The practical basis and origin of the discipline cannot be overlooked, omitted or ignored, simply because one is led into thinking that the way to one's spiritual development can have no connection with the "unrefined" and determined behaviour necessary to bring down an adversary.

The History of Muso Shinden Ryu

The founder of what is today known as the Muso Shinden Ryu, was a man named Hojo Jinsuke Shigenobu, or, Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu. His life is rather obscure, and many stories have been invented concerning this man. We know that he was born in the province of Sagami (Shoshu) somewhere in the middle of the sixteenth century. It is said that he later lived in the province of Mutsu in the northern part of Japan. It is not known just exactly how good a swordsman he actually was, but he did study swordsmanship intensively from about 1596-1601, and, thereafter, devised a series of lai techniques which he called Batto-Jutsu. His style came to be known by various different names : Junpaku Den, Hayashizaki Ryu, Shin Muso Hayashizaki Ryu, Shigenobu Ryu, etc.

We know also that he made a tour of Japan in Musha-Shugyo fashion, and that, at that time, he attracted many disciples to his system. The exact techniques that he taught remain as obscure as his own life,but it is more or less agreed that they must have been relatively simple, practical, and highly combative, in their essence.

It is said that in 1616 at the age of 73, he made a second tour of Japan, during which, he disappeared. Under his pioneering influence, many different schools of Iai emerged.

After his death, the tradition of the Shinmuso Hayashizaki Ryu was carried on by Tamiya Taira-no-Hyoe Narimasa who, it is said, was teacher to Tokugawa leyasu, Hidetada and lemitsu. This fact would most certainly have contributed to the popularity of this style.

Tamiya Narimasa was followed by Nagano Murakusai Kinro, 3rd, Sokei; -- Momo Gumbei Mitsushige, 4th. Sokei -- Arikawa Shozaemon Munetsugu, 5th. Sokei -- Manno Danuemon Nobusada, 6th. Sokei.

The seventh Sokei was Hasegawa Chikara no Suke Eishin. He studied Hayashizaki Ryu under Nobusada, in Edo, during the Kyoho period (1716-1735), and he gained the reputation of being an exceptionally highly skilled swordsman. It is said that he transformed many techniques, and that it was he, who devised the style, where techniques were performed with the cutting-edge upwards in the obi. He took his style back to the province of Tosa and called it Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, and there it was preserved up until modern times.

The ninth Sokei Hayashi Rokudayu Morimasa was a vassal of Yamanouchi Toyomasa, 4th. Hanshu (chief of a province), and while living in Edo, he studied Eishin Ryu lai under the eighth Sokei Arai Seitatsu. He also studied Shinkage Ryu under the direction of Omori Rokuro Saemon Masamitsu. This man had devised a method of lai, which was praticed from the seiza position (Zashiki), and he taught it to Hayashi Morimasa, who later incorporated it into Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. This is what is known today as Shoden Omori Ryu.

After the eleventh Sokei, there is a split in the teachings, and two branches were created the Shimomura branch (Shimomura-ha) and the Tanimura branch (Tanimura- ha).

The sixteenth Sokei of the Shimomura-ha, was Nakayama Hakudo Sensei. He studied Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu in the province of Tosa, under the direction of Hosokawa Yoshimasa, 15th, Sokei of the Shimomura-ha, as well as, with Morimoto Tokumi, 17th Sokei of Tanimura-ha.

In 1933 he adopted the name Muso Shinden Ryu Batto-Jutsu for his teachings, and they steadily grew in popularity, thanks to his own unceasing efforts and the steady devotion of his disciples.

(* From the book of Malcolm T. Shewan, Iai, the Art of Japanise Swordsmanship, © éd. E.I.F. Cannes 1983)

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