HI Christmas Kothimoda Katana

If you want to learn to use that beautiful blade properly as you asked about then you need to consider how you would use it. In Japan there are 4 styles of fighting with the sword.

Japanese Martial arts using Katanas

1. Kenjutsu

Kenjutsu means “the art of the sword” and is often used as a general term for all Japanese sword arts. It teaches combative swordsmanship. Choreographed patterns of defensive and offensive movements (kata) in kenjutsu are said to be the expression of the hidden techniques and attributes of the katana sword.
Basic things to learn:
a. Developing reflexes or quick responses to attacks
b. Becoming aware of the movements of the opponent to develop an intuitive understanding of his next attack
c. Learning the proper way of cutting with a katana sword
d. Making the best use of the practitioner’s personal skills in katana handling

The kenjutsu primarily uses a wooden sword (bokken) in training while some schools make use of bamboo sword (shinai).

2. Iaido
Iaido is the art of smooth, controlled movement of drawing a katana from its sheath, cutting an opponent, removing the blood off the blade, and placing the sword back to the sheath. It teaches the use of real or actual weapons and includes training in Japanese prearranged exercises called kata.

The word iaido means “the way of mental presence and immediate action”. This martial art trains a practitioner (iaidoka) to quickly respond to attacks. It does not perform sparring of any kind but only involves practicing against imaginary opponents.

Practice weapons in iaido include bokken, unsharpened katanas, and the katana replica iaito. More advanced iaido practitioners would also use a real Japanese sword

3. Aikido
Aikido is the art that aims to “control aggression without inflicting injury” as declared by its founder Morihei Ueshiba. To synthesize his philosophy of extending peace, love, and compassion, he intended Aikido to be an art to defend one’s self without harming the opponent.

This martial art is performed by redirecting the attacker’s force rather than opposing it with your own strength. This technique, thus, requires less physical energy. Some martial art schools include firearm disarming techniques in their aikido training.

Weapons used in aikido training are short wooden staff, bokken, and tanto knife while the big rectangular bat (tanren bo) is used to develop strength.

4. Kendo
Kendo is a sword fighting martial art which means “Way of the Sword”.

This sword art aims to discipline the human character by following the principles of the katana including proper stance, distance (from the opponent), and proper cutting. Kendo first developed a strong influence in Zen Buddhism wherein the kendo practitioners (kendoka) observe deep meditation to attain awakening or enlightenment.
Modern kendo techniques would include sparring, strikes, and thrusts targeting the wrist, head, and body which are all protected by the armor bogu. Practitioners use a shout every time they make a strike to express their fighting spirit. The bamboo sword (shinai) is the primary training weapon for this martial art.

Kendo is the one I have chosen as it makes the most sense for someone my size and aggression LOL. If you want to be able to show it off properly. I might recommend learning Iaido, It is very picturesque as you take the sword out of it's sheath and you can stop short of cutting your guests then re-sheath it with a flourish :)

Glad some old thoughts brought this up as still available so it could go to a good home. Sad I didn't have the funds to adopt it myself.
 
Actually there's a 5th style, I'd call it the bawanna style but I got enough stuff named after me so I call it the "Stayin Alive" style. I learned and adapted it from the John Travolta movie. Even though Disco is officially dead, (thank god) I've kept the fighting style alive.

It's basically all of the styles you mentioned above along with a 1911 and a couple extra mags. When the fight begins, if your opponent looks like he knows what he's doing, shoot him. In the immortal words of Clint Smith, always cheat, always win.
 
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Thanks Shavru! Bunch of good info! Im not too sure about that Aikido? I guess it has its place but the love and compassion part just seems to me like shooting someone in the buttock. You know they are going to come back a later day and seek revenge. If someones trying to kill me seems like a lights out approach is in order. Guess they could come back seeking compassion because you didnt kill them in the heat of the moment?? Who knows? Kenjutsu and Kendo sound more intersting to me but I guess there is something to be learned in all of them. Im going to have to go back and see who brought this Katana thread up in the first place and beat them with a big rectangular bat:D That sounds like a two by four to me! Now that I can do!

Bawanna: Yes agreed! Disco still sucks! And no.5 is probably what I know best at this point in time.
 
You'll have to come a far piece with that 2x4 son. Sorry but you'll like me again in a few days after the bruising and sores heal some.
 
When the fight begins, if your opponent looks like he knows what he's doing, shoot him.

I was wondering where Spielberg got his inspiration (The scene I posted earlier today in another thread)

Mr Bawanna, you are a Legend.
 
Do you know the true story about that scene? Or at least what I heard was the true story. Which was my favorite part of the movie.
 
I know it was you:D I already thank you! Im sure ill thank you again when I pull it out of the sheath! That will be a special moment!

You'll have to come a far piece with that 2x4 son. Sorry but you'll like me again in a few days after the bruising and sores heal some.
Im gonna have a talk with you wife an see how she issues them no-bruise blunt trauma blows!
 
I definately agree that Aikido as a stand alone style is not my particular preference. My husband and I spar quite frequently and when I see something his training has taught him that I think will be effective I adapt it into my style. I have lost competitions in the past because I do not use any "pure" techniques. I do not believe in using only the minimum necessary force. I believe in meeting force with significant overwhelming force. So if someone brings a fist, I bring at least a BIG knife. If they bring a small knife, I bring at least a sword up and up. If I go to fight someone other than when sparring, my goal is to survive and make sure the opponent won't have a chance to either sue me for everything they tried to steal to begin with and make sure they never have a chance to ever retaliate in the future. As I mentioned my basic style for Japanese sword is Kendo, but I bring elements of all the martial arts I have studied and many that I have fought against have led to specific forms I have added and adapted. Avoid fights when possible but if not possible to avoid, end them quickly and decisively however you can.
 
Shavru sounds like you are the kind of wife a husband better not mess with :thumbup:
 
LOL, Hubby wins about 60% of the time and I rarely have to "let" him. :devilish:
hehe, never really grew out of that tomboy stage where ultra competetiveness is important. I do my best to be quiet and unassuming but I listen and I learn from everything. Fortunately my husband is one of those guys who is pretty comfortable in his masculinity so he doesn't consider it a problem. He likes that if I work late and have to walk to my car in downtown Seattle at night that I have trained to defend myself. He still worries about it, because after all no training negates all risk. But he is glad I have the most chance of surviving something possible including the fact that if available I will ask a security guard to walk me to my car. (Even with all the training) I feel the same way about him, so we encourage each other to continue to improve. But when it comes to who changes the channel on the remote he is in charge... and he has my permission to do so...
 
Just being in downtown Seattle Day or Night is a badge of honor. I haven't been down there in years, used to work in south Seattle down by the first south bridge, long ago. Had to go to Virgina Mason each day for 6 days. The traffic, the people, the roads, took 10 years off my life I'm sure.
I think the wife got better just knowing we were getting out of town.
I had two guns, 3 mags, and my bawanna bowie and I'm not ashamed to admit I was skeered. Almost petrified.

If you work there, you win in the guts category.
 
Yep, I hate the place. If I could afford to turn down jobs that is one place I would never go. Since I can't I unfortunately work up there quite often. Everything you mention about it taking years off your life is exactly the reasons I hate it. I carry a 1911 in a carry purse strapped across my body, a ppks as my bug, as large a knife as I can get away with legally (not much in Seattle 3inches) a kubotan on my key ring and all the training I can cram into my reflexes and I still feel my skin crawling whenever I walk to my car at night in the parking garages up there. Like I said, I am not a fool. If there is a uniformed security guard or a male coworker I know pretty well heading out close to the same time, I will ask them to walk with me but frequently no such option.

I can imagine how happy your wife must be to not have to go there now. I certainly would not mind the same feeling soon.
 
Actually she was the lucky one. She was inside for the whole time, I had to come and go for 6 days. She has to go back down in a few weeks for a followup. I told her to do a follow up up here in civilization but her local doctor said she should go back down there.

I got new brakes on the van and still have plenty of ammo so I guess we'll have to go.
 
LOl, I got to do the same thing when hubby was at VM for his "rebuilding". I found it worthwhile to use the valet service Virginia Mason offers at the front door. Safer and only about $2 a day more than park it yourself. For security I felt the $14 a week difference well worth having the car brought to the front entrance when I needed it. Might be more now as that was about 3 years ago.
Amazing how hospitals around this state seem to specialize so they don't compete and bring prices down. Seems suspicious to me but what else can ya do... not going wasn't an option.
 
Here it is, it think: (oops, crossed posts with Bawanna)
Ah! So your partly to blame for this thread coming back up too Steve! Was actually perfect timing. I had been eyeballing it for a while. Ive been looking around and and cannot find any more of these around? Are Bawanna and I the only ones that are lucky enough to own one? Maybe aunti has one in her collection? I just dont see any more post about them. Thanks again Steve and Bawanna! More pics or history wouldnt hurt my feelings!
 
Mr. Talls post was much more thorough with pictures and all. I think we should put all the blame on him and pretend I wasn't here that day. Make sure you wife spells his name right and everything.
I seem to recall at least 1 or 2 other conversations about these but I don't remember who it was.
 
Ive been looking around and and cannot find any more of these around? Are Bawanna and I the only ones that are lucky enough to own one?
No, you're not.;)

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I knew there was another, that's a beauty Berk. Love the handle to blade transition on that one.
 
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