Demonstration of Kendo (Japanese fencing), Iaido (Japanese swordsmanship), Jodo (sword vs stick), and Kenjutsu (sword vs sword). Kendo is free-form Japanese fencing where two armor-wearing opponents try to score points to specific targets on the body. 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. Students wear traditional "hakama" uniforms, and practice with either a wooden sword called a bokuto, or with a dull-bladed katana called an iaito. The instructor, Bradley Anderson, currently holds the rank of 5dan iaido, 3dan in jodo, and 1dan in kendo and practices with an authentic (sharp) Japanese-made katana. More information can be found on the dojo website:
www.fargosword.com
