Still Mind Aikido — dojo

Comparing Kendo vs. Aikido Weapons

Kendo vs.
Aiki Weapons

Japanese
Weapons

“Justice, courage, mercy, respect, honesty, honor, loyalty, character.”

Samurai Code

Kendo

Kendo Competition
Kendo Competition

While many empty-handed martial arts train with weapons to raise the level of awareness and teach the extension of empty-handed technique further into a weapon, the original warrior disciplines still remain as art forms and sports. The ancient arts of Japan, kenjitsu and iaijitsu in particular, were modernized to some degree into kendo and iaido. Kendo specifically became a modern sport rather than maintaining the ancient tradition of sparring with live blades whereby beginners often returned home short one limb. Kendo employs competition with a bamboo practice sword, and kendo focuses largely of the use of katas. Jodo, or training with a staff, and archery also continues to this day. The actual self-defense aspects of these arts may not be immediately obvious, as two swordsmen do not often find themselves engaged in battle to the death on the streets of America in modern times. However, the principle notions of how to use one’s body and train the mind is as beneficial in these forms as empty-handed technique.

Other Japanese Weapons

Iaido - Art of Drawing Sword
Iaido - Art of Drawing Sword

Iaido is the traditional art of drawing sword. Kata is the primary method of training. Aikido was derived from the Yagyu-Shinkage style of kendo and still uses their katas with a wooden sword.

Jodo - Japanese Staff
Jodo - Japanese Staff

Jodo is a Japanese martial art that teaches one how to use a 4-foot wooden staff. The staff was used by some samurai against a sword. The movements are more versatile and a staff can break a sword in two if it is struck from the side. The aikido staff was derived from spear, similar to staff.

Kyudo - Japanese Archery
Kyudo - Japanese Archery

Archery is a also a martial art that requires the utmost concentration. The bow is full body length as opposed to western archery, and breathing is an integral part of the practice.

Kendo, kendo, Jodo, Kyudo Classes in Westchester, NY: Availability

Kendo classes are limited in Westchester County, NY. They are at a minimum available in White Plains. Iaido and jodo appear absent. Kyudo on occasion appears for a seminar class in an upstate monastery annually. NYC might be a better location for some of these arts.

Iwama
Aikido

Holder of Aikido Weapons Tradition

Morihiro Saito Aikido Weapons
Morihiro Saito Aikido Weapons

Initially training weapon vs. weapon ends with a successful strike or thrust in the kata; more advanced they integrate with empty hand technique and end with a throw.

Aikido Uses Kata Training for Weapons

Aikido training includes weapons for roughly 1/3 to 1/2 of practice time. The weapons are split between sword and staff. The training methods are traditional, unlike kendo which uses competition. They would be close to kendo and jodo. However, unlike these weapons programs, the time dedicated to each weapon is significantly less than a system dedicated exclusively to one weapon. In addition, the purpose of weapons training in aikido is not to become a great swordsman, so to speak, but to learn principles to apply to empty-handed techniques. The aikido sword came from Yagyu Shinkage kendo and the staff came from Japanese spear.

Unlike the weapons training in most non-Iwama aikido styles, the weapons practice here has some intensity and rigor. For that reason, greater precision and understanding of principles as they apply to the empty-handed techniques of aikido are allowed. Iwama weapons is the actual system developed by the founder and was only fully taught at the Iwama location. Many other aikido masters such as Sugano Sensei, who studied in Tokyo, only participated in an occasional weapons class with the founder. To teach weapons, he fused his system with the kendo training methods that sportified the practice to some degree. One could learn much from his system, but it was not the system of the founder nor as fully integrated with empty hand training.

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