KENDO AND AIKIKEN

[Ben F.]

Hi,

I have been studying Yoshokai aikido for about eight years now and kendo for about six. The major difference is that aikido buki (weapons) technique is taught to reinforce the principles of the hand techniques. It is not a really viable weapons system in and of itself. Distances are not true, timing is different, the cuts are more exaggerated and finish in a very deep stance unlike kendo which is very shallow.

The good thing about learning aikido buki is that in addition to the bokken we also use the jo and tanto, paired with each other and with the other weapons (eg. jo vs. tanto, bokken vs. jo etc). This teaches us how we need to move our bodies to correctly use the particular weapon we are working with. For example, because the jo is longer you can control more space with it and your movements may not have to be as large whereas with the tanto, because it is so small you really have to enter into your opponent's space to use it effectively. Our head instructor is always presenting us with new and different buki waza to learn so it is a constant and enjoyable challenge to keep up.

My $0.02.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Aikiken varies quite widely between styles and between dojo. From what I've gleaned, 90% of it is simply a training tool for the unarmed techniques. There are not many aikido teachers who understand swordwork for swordwork.

[hibakotaro]

Aikiken varies quite widely between styles and between dojo. From what I've gleaned, 90% of it is simply a training tool for the unarmed techniques. There are not many aikido teachers who understand swordwork for swordwork.

What the heck is this stuff of sensei! Thuogh Aikido is a kind o' Taijutsu,unarmed martial arts but I believe that the Aikido sensei must khnow clearly the footwork as well as swordwork.

[Neil Gendzwill]

What the heck is this stuff of sensei! Thuogh Aikido is a kind o' Taijutsu,unarmed martial arts but I believe that the Aikido sensei must khnow clearly the footwork as well as swordwork.

Nope, there's quite a diversity, or at least this is what I've gotten from online aquaintances who are aikidoka. My own aikido experience was short (under a year) and in that case the instructor was using bokken work to illustrate the empty handed principles. There was never any indication that the drills we performed had any intention of cutting anybody - it was mostly just swinging at each other's bokken. I'm told my experience was not uncommon.

[Paul Kerr]

I've trained in aikido since 1989 and been exposed to a fair amount of aikiken. MOST of it is simply an adjunct to empty hand training and many instructors have never seriously studied sword. This can be quite a shock to an aikidoka who then comes into contact with actual swordwork - they find out that lots of what they've been shown doesn't fit anymore.

There are, of course, exceptions - one of my earlier aikido sensei also trained extensively in TSKSR and his aikiken was an entirely different beast to other teachers who had never been exposed to "real" swordwork.

Shoji Nishio sensei has developed probably the most comprehensive "style" of aikiken that there is, but it's not easy to find a good teacher of that outside Japan (that I know of).

Overall I would not consider most of the aikiken I've seen or experienced to be serious swordwork.