Iaido Terms

Front 1

Ipponme – Mae

Back 1

Front - First Kata

Front 2

Nihonme - Ushiro

Back 2

Behind - Second Kata

Front 3

Sanbonme - Ukenagashi

Back 3

Receive and deflect - Third Kata

Front 4

Yonhonme - Tsaka-ate

Back 4

Hilt strike - Fourth Kata

Front 5

Gohonme - Kesa giri

Back 5

Priet's robe cut - Fifth Kata

Front 6

Ropponme - Morotezuki

Back 6

Two-handed thrust - Sixth Kata

Front 7

Nanahonme - sanpo giri

Back 7

Three directional cuts - Seventh Kata

Front 8

Hachihonme - Ganmen-ate

Back 8

Face strike - Eighth Kata

Front 9

Kyuhonme – Soete Zuki

Back 9

Joined hands thrust - Ninth Kata

Front 10

Jupponme - Shiho giri

Back 10

Four directional cuts - Tenth Kata

Front 11

Juipponme - Sou giri

Back 11

Complete cuts - Eleventh Kata

Front 12

Junihonme - Nukiuchi

Back 12

Sticking closely - Twelfth Kata

Front 13

Ichi

Back 13

one

Front 14

Ni

Back 14

two

Front 15

San

Back 15

three

Front 16

Shi

Back 16

four

Front 17

Go

Back 17

five

Front 18

Roku

Back 18

six

Front 19

Shechi

Back 19

seven

Front 20

Hachi

Back 20

eight

Front 21

Kyuu

Back 21

nine

Front 22

Juu

Back 22

ten

Front 23

Mo ichi do

Back 23

Do it again

Front 24

Chakuza

Back 24

Sit in a seiza or tata hiza

Front 25

Hajime

Back 25

Begin

Front 26

Yame

Back 26

Stop

Front 27

Nukitsuke

Back 27

Initial drawing cut

Front 28

Yoko giri

Back 28

Horizontal cut

Front 29

Makko

Back 29

Vertical strike (head to abdomen)

Front 30

Men

Back 30

Cut to the forehead

Front 31

Furi kaburi

Back 31

Swinging sword overhead in preparation for a cut

Front 32

Saya biki

Back 32

Pulling the saya behind you to stabilize a cut or to facilitate noto

Front 33

Saya banare

Back 33

The snapping action of the sword leaving the saya during nukisuke

Front 34

Te no uchi

Back 34

Proper grip and control of the sword

Front 35

Hikki giri

Back 35

Cut that slices as you step away from opponent

Front 36

Chiburi

Back 36

Snapping the blade to clean it

Front 37

O-chiburi

Back 37

Overhead swing of blade to clean it (literally, large or great chiburi)

Front 38

Ko-chiburi

Back 38

Sideways snap of blade to clean it

Front 39

Noto

Back 39

Resheathing

Front 40

Ashi-sabaki

Back 40

Footwork

Front 41

Tachi waza

Back 41

Standing techniques

Front 42

Okuri-ashi

Back 42

Front foot moves first if moving forward, rear foot moves first if backing up

Front 43

Tsugi-ashi

Back 43

The back foot steps up close to the front foot, then the front foot moves forward

Front 44

Ayumi-ashi

Back 44

Crossing step. Normal walking

Front 45

Hiraki-ashi

Back 45

Diagonal or opening step to side

Front 46

Maai

Back 46

Distance from yourself to your opponent

Front 47

Issoku itto no maai

Back 47

Distance of “one step, one cut”

Front 48

To no maai

Back 48

Great distance

Front 49

Chika no maai

Back 49

Close distance

Front 50

Metsuke

Back 50

Directing your gaze or focus

Front 51

Saho

Back 51

Etiquette

Front 52

Reiho

Back 52

Way of bowing

Front 53

Ritsu re

Back 53

standing bow

Front 54

Za re

Back 54

Sitting bow (from seiza)

Front 55

To re

Back 55

Bow to the sword

Front 56

Sage to

Back 56

Standing position with the sheathed sword held in the left hand

Front 57

Tei to

Back 57

Holding the sword on the left hip

Front 58

Tai to

Back 58

Insertion of sword into obi

Front 59

Dat to

Back 59

Removal of sword from obi

Front 60

Enzan no metsuke

Back 60

All encompassing gaze (literally: Looking at a distant mountain)

Front 61

Seme

Back 61

Projecting your ki strongly at your opponent

Front 62

Zanshin

Back 62

Maintaining a state of alertness or awareness

Front 63

Mushin

Back 63

The unselfconscious mind

Front 64

Saya no uchi

Back 64

The ability to stop violence before it can happen (literally: Sword never leaves the saya)

Front 65

Chudan no kamae

Back 65

sword at navel, tip toward opponents throat.

Front 66

Gedan no kamae

Back 66

Sword at navel, tip slightly down

Front 67

Jodan no kamae

Back 67

hands above forehead, sword slightly back from vertical

Front 68

Hasso no kamae

Back 68

hands to right of head, sword slightly back from vertical and slightly out to side

Front 69

Waki gamae

Back 69

body turned slightly to right, sword down below obi facing back with edge down

Front 70

Ze retz

Back 70

Line up

Front 71

Joza nie

Back 71

face front, move sword in front of body to right side. Edge down.

Front 72

Re

Back 72

bow

Front 73

Sensei nie

Back 73

face the Sensei

Front 74

Onogei shimasu

Back 74

let us practice

Front 75

Tsuka

Back 75

hilt

Front 76

Kashira

Back 76

pommel

Front 77

Tsukagashira

Back 77

pommel

Front 78

Menuki

Back 78

hilt ornament

Front 79

Mekugi

Back 79

retaining peg

Front 80

Tsuba

Back 80

guard

Front 81

Fuchi or Fuchi gane

Back 81

retaining band

Front 82

Habaki

Back 82

collar

Front 83

Ji

Back 83

Lower surface

Front 84

Shinogi

Back 84

ridge line

Front 85

Shinogi ji

Back 85

upper surface

Front 86

Ha

Back 86

edge

Front 87

Mune or mine

Back 87

back

Front 88

Mono uchi

Back 88

main cutting area

Front 89

Kissaki

Back 89

point

Front 90

Koi guchi

Back 90

opening

Front 91

Kurikata

Back 91

cord holder

Front 92

Saya

Back 92

scabbard

Front 93

Sageo

Back 93

Cord

Front 94

Kojiri

Back 94

end of saya