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Through the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Eastern martial arts-from karate to taekwondo to aikido-have grown dramatically in popularity in the West. Perhaps no other school has the solemn intensity of iaido, the powerful Japanese sword art. Iaido trains disciples above all to attain the state of being present.
In his now re-released, fully illustrated Iaido Sword, author Richard Babin, M.D. provides an in-depth, practical guide to the legendary art-in particular, its Muso Shinden Ryu school-for novices and experienced martial artists alike. Babin begins with an exploration of iaido's history and lineage, from its founding in feudal Japan by Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu (1546-1621) and its origins in the sword arts of kenjutsu and iaijutsu to its more recent innovations following the Meiji Restoration. He proceeds to a detailed description of the practice, covering its etiquette and uniforms, materials, techniques and positions, safety concerns, and much else of the art's kata, or form. While the physical practice of martial arts is generally best learned through hands-on practice and the aid of an experienced instructor, Babin's manual provides an essential reference work for practitioners to consult as they develop their practice.
As Babin makes clear, iaido's aims are not merely skill with a katana; within the martial art is a philosophy of discipline, self-defense, and courage that renders its training a means to a focused life.
