Japanese Sword Arts

Over the centuries, there have been hundreds, if not thousands of different styles of sword fighting. Some have lasted through the ages, and some have died out. It would take a PHD to describe all of the similarities and differences in the various sword practices.

In the old days of the samurai, there was really only one major philosophy of sword: learn how to kill your opponent before he kills you.

Today, in the modern world, the need for imminent battle has become extinct. The Japanese sword arts that have survived the ages focus on varying levels of martial and spiritual knowledge.

Basically, Japanese sword arts can be classified into three major branches: Kendo, Kenjutsu, and Iaido.

Kendo

In a nutshell, Kendo is a sport that retains the fundamental elements of sword practice, but without the emphasis on "killing" with real strikes.

Kenjutsu
Anything with the suffix "jutsu" generally (but not always) refers to anything relating to actual battle techniques: killing strikes that would really work with a real sword.

Iaido
Iaido is much more about the soul of the swordsman. It places the emphasis on utilizing the samurai sword as a means to better the self (all sword arts do this, but generally speaking, Iaido emphasizes this philosophy more than the details of actual battlefield or dueling strategy).
(read more about Iaido here...)

Of course, there are no hard and fast rules for what a modern sword school can or should teach. Since carrying around a sword in real life is essentially obsolete in today's society, Japanese sword arts can be seen as a discipline to train the body and mind to work in harmony together.

Samurai

Keep in mind that there are lots of Japanese martial art schools that focus on empty-hand techniques, but retain some lineage of sword techniques as a supporting training method (such as Bujinkan, Jinenkan, and some Aikido styles).

For a very comprehensive list of known sword styles throughout the ages, click here. Depending on the details of the era in which they were founded, each style emphasized different practices than their predecessors or their followers. Each style would generally focus on sword fighting as their core practice, but would also include all things martial (such as archery, spear, halberd, and hand-to-hand fighting).

*Disclaimer: Swords are very dangerous weapons that can hurt, maim, or kill people if not handled properly. Handle swords with care in every circumstance. If you don't know how to handle a sword properly, don't touch it. Use every safety precaution available when handling any weapon. This website claims no responsibility for any of the information or links provided within these pages. This website is not responsible for any accident, injury, or dissatisfied purchase from links that originate from this site. Handle swords at your own risk. Purchase swords at your own risk. Always obey the laws of your state or area regarding sword purchase and sword use.