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Iaido

Starting Iaido

Aikido de la Montagne, in addition to teaching aikido, follows the tradition of teaching iaido as an independent art. The dojo regularly offers introductory sessions in iaido to beginners from 15 years of age and up. These sessions start on a fixed date and last for 3 months. Please consult our schedule, and if necessary, contact us to find out whether it is possible to start at another time.

Under the direction of the chief instructor, Claude Berthiaume, the introductory sessions allow you to develop a solid base to progress in the art of drawing the sword, attacking an adversary, and sheathing the sword again. Beyond physical exercise, iaido demands intense mental concentration.

During the introductory period you have access to two classes per week. After a first trial class, it is necessary to only wear a white gi (judo or karate style) but if you continue a hakama (skirt-pants worn by the samourai class) will be necessary. As for the iaito (steel-bladed sword), we encourage you to get one relatively soon to deepen your practice. If you do not have an iaito, we can lend you a bokken (wooden sword) until you get one.

Schedule and Fees

HOW TO REGISTER

To register in the introductory program, please send us an email. Please fill the release form at the dojo or download it here and bring it filled out, and pay your membership fees. You must wear a gi (judo or karate style) and hakama, except when you do the one free trial class. The dojo has gis for sale. We can order hakamas and iaitos for you as well. Children under 18 years of age must have a release form signed by their parent or guardian before participating in any dojo activities, even trial classes.

Click here for the registration form.

FEES AND SESSION DATES

IAIDO 3 mos 6 mos 1 yr
Regular $240 $420 $760
Introduction / Student $160

AIKIDO+IAIDO 3 mos 6 mos 1 yr
Regular $470 $840 $1520

For a complete list of fees and equipment, click here.

FREE TRIAL CLASS
To discover what iaido practice can bring you will take more than one class and we encourage you to judge for yourself, to watch a class, or even better to take a free trial class.

You can take a free trial class once, any Saturday (1:00pm – 2:00pm) or Wednesday (5:30pm – 6:30pm). Please email us before coming to the dojo, as we have a limit the number of participants due to Covid-19 health measures.

Please arrive at the desk near the dojo entrance 15 minutes prior to beginning of the class, and bring a white martial arts uniform (gi) or sports clothing with long sleeves and that covers your legs entirely. You must sign a release form. For the trial class we will lend you a bokken (wooden sword).

Bring a pair of slippers or zori. When you enter, you remove your shoes and use your zori to walk around in the dojo. Remove your zori (heels towards mat) when you enter the tatami (training mats). Please use no-one else’s zori but yours.

Being on time is important. Do not be late as it is not polite nor is it a good idea to miss the warm-ups at the start of class that prepare you for practice. Leave yourself around 20 minutes to familiarize yourself with the space, change into your gi and to be ready before class. Waiting for the start of class, take advantage of the time to relax and to make the physical and mental preparations you need.

Class Program

Each class starts (and ends) with a bow, signalling respect to previous instructors.

Classes start with a warm-up in which different ways of drawing, striking, and sheathing the sword are practiced.

Students then practice a series of katas (sequences of movements) individually under the supervision of the Sensei.

Forms taught

Aikido de la Montagne teaches the Muso Shinden Ryu style of iaido.

Shoden (Omori Ryu)

  1. Shohato – opponent in front
  2. Sato – opponent to the left
  3. Uto – opponent to the right
  4. Atarito – opponent behind
  5. Inyoshintai – in front and behind
  6. Ryuto – the blade leads
  7. Junto – follow the sword
  8. Gyakuto – reversal
  9. Seichuto – force the sword
  10. Koranto – tiger walk
  11. Kaete Inyoshintai – alternative version of #5
  12. Batto – pull the sword or rapid drawing

Chuden (Hasegawa Eishin ryu)

  1. Yokogumo – misty cloud
  2. Tora Issoku – tiger step
  3. Inazuma – lightning
  4. Ukigomo -floating cloud
  5. Yama Oroshi – the wind from the mountain
  6. Iwanami – waves on the rocks
  7. Uroko Gaeshi – return of the dragon
  8. Nami Gaeshi – the breaking wave
  9. Taki Otoshi – waterfall
  10. Nuki Uchi – draw and cut

Okuden (Kugesa)

  1. Kasumi – fog
  2. Sunegakoi – stop the mind
  3. Tosume – narrow door
  4. Towaki – along the door
  5. Shiho Giri – four direction cut
  6. Tanashita – under the shelf
  7. Ryozume – narrow border
  8. Torabashiri – the tiger’s run

Okuden (Tachi waza)

  1. Yukitsure – to go together
  2. Turedachi – take somewhere
  3. Somakuri (Gohogiri) – global attack or 5 different cuts
  4. Sodome (Hanashiushi) – block everything or explode
  5. Shinobu (Yorunotachi) – hide or night sword
  6. Yukichigai – passing through
  7. Sodesurikaeshi (Kennokoto) – rolled sleeves or be sly
  8. Moniri (Kakuretsu) – pass through the door
  9. Kabesoi (Hitinaka) – next to the wall or in the crowd
  10. Uke Nagashi (Yuriminuki) – stop and lead
  11. Ittomagoi – good-bye

In addition, complimentary styles are taught.

Eishin Ryu

Batto no Kata

    1. Junto
    1. Tsuigekito – the chase
    1. Shato – tilted
    1. Shihoto
  1. Zantotsuto

Oku no Kata

  1. Zenteki Gyakuto
  2. Tatekito – several enemies
  3. Koteki Gyakuto – opponent behind

Bangai no Kata

  1. Haya Nami
  2. Rai Den
  3. Jin Rai
  4. Shiho Giri

Hosoda Ryu

  1. Iwanami – waves on the rocks
  2. Ukifune Gaeshi – the return of the floating boat
  3. Noarashi Gaeshi – the wind in the country changed directions
  4. Utsusemi – emptiness
  5. Matsukaze – the wind in the pines
  6. Zangetsu Hidari – morning moon to the left
  7. Zangetsu Migi – morning moon to the right
  8. Do To Gaeshi – the large wave turns around
  9. Rai To Gaeshi – lightning turns around
  10. Yo To – force the blade or the living blade
  11. In To – passive blade
  12. Inazuma Gaeshi – lightning turns around

Keishi Ryu

  1. Maegoshi (Asayama Ichidan Ryu) – pass in front
  2. Musogaeshi (Shindo Munen Ryu) – the void turns around
  3. Migi No Teki (Kyoshin Miyashi Ryu) – opponent to the right
  4. Mawarigake (Tamiya Ryu) – rotating attack
  5. Shiho (Tatsume Ryu) – the four directions

Shindo Munen Ryu

  1. st series, 10 mouvements
  2. nd series, 20 mouvements

Seitei Iai ZNKR

  1. Mae – in front
  2. Ushiro – behind
  3. Ukenagashi – block and lead
  4. Tsuka Ate – hit with the handle
  5. Kesa Giri – directed cut
  6. Morote Tsuki – jab with two hands
  7. Sampogiri – three direction cut
  8. Ganmen Ate – strike to face
  9. Soete Tsuki – hand and blade together
  10. Shiho Giri – four direction cut
  11. So Giri
  12. Nuki Uchi

Seitei Iai Iaïdo

  1. Maegiri (Eishin Ryu)
  2. Zengogiri ou Mae Atogiri (Mugai Ryu)
  3. Kiriage (Shindo Munen Ryu)
  4. Shihogiri (Suio Ryu)
  5. Kissakigaishi (Hoki Ryu)

Toyama Ryu

  1. Mae No Teki – opponent in front
  2. Migi No Teki – opponent to right
  3. Hidari No Teki – opponent to left
  4. Ushiro No Teki – opponent behind
  5. Chokusen No Teki – opponent near in front
  6. Ushiro Mae No Teki – opponents in front and behind
  7. Migi, Hidari, Mae No Teki – opponents to the right, the left and in fronts
  8. Ittoryodan

Compter en japonais

  1. Ichi / Ipponme
  2. Ni / Nihonme
  3. San / Sanhonme
  4. Shi / Yohonme
  5. Go / Gohonme
  6. Roku / Ropponme
  7. Shichi / Shichihonme
  8. Hachi / Happonme
  9. Kyu / Kyuhonme
  10. Ju / Jupponme
  11. Juichi / Juiponme
  12. Juni / Junihonme
Testing Requirements
List of techniques

There are no “kyu” levels in iaido. The first exam is for shodan and it awards you a black belt. To take an exam you must have a minimum number of days of practice and have the approval of the chief instructor. There is an attendence sheet on a bulletin board in the dojo and you should mark and keep track of your hours.

Shodan (300 hours, minimum 2 years)

  • Shoden 12 forms

Nidan (350 hours, minimum 2 years after shodan)

  • Chuden 10 forms
  • Toyama Ryu 8 forms

Sandan (450 hours, minimum 3 years after nidan)

  • Okuden kugesa 8 forms
  • Before the test, the examiner will choose one of the following two combinations:
  • Shindo Munen Ryu 10 and Keishi Ryu 10+5 = 15 forms
  • Eishin Ryu and Seitei Iai Iaido 12 + 5 = 17 forms

Yondan (600 hours, minimum 4 years years after sandan)

  • Okuden tachi waza 11 forms
  • Before the test, the examiner will choose one of the following two combinations:
  • Hosoda Ryu and Seitei Iai ZNKR 24 forms
  • Shindo Munen Ryu 20 20 forms

Godan (750 hours, minimum 5 years years after yondan)

  • By recommendation

Rokudan (900 hours, minimum 6 years years after godan)

  • By recommendation
History of Iaido

Iaido is the art of drawing the sword and striking in a single movement. Originating in feudal Japan, it was systematized by Jinsuke Hayashizaki in 16th century. Iaido is practiced through katas (set sequences of movements).

The dojo honors the memory of Mitsunari Kanai Sensei, Shihan (grand master) of iaido. In addition to the strong ties that he had with Claude Berthiaume, his student for thirty years, Kanai Sensei came several times each year to teach iaido at the dojo. Today, Berthiaume Sensei is the technical director of the Kiyoikaze Iaido Federation and is known as the successor of Kanai Sensei and he is called upon to transmit Kanai Sensei’s teachings.

To find out more about iaido, its origins and its links with aikido, please visit the Kiyoikaze Iaido Federation website at www.kiyoikaze.org and look for the interview with Mitsunari Kanai.

Kanai Mitsunari Sensei

Iaido is the art of drawing the sword and striking in a single movement. Originating in feudal Japan, it was systematized by Jinsuke Hayashizaki in 16th century. Iaido is practiced through katas (set sequences of movements).

The dojo honors the memory of Mitsunari Kanai Sensei, Shihan (grand master) of iaido. In addition to the strong ties that he had with Claude Berthiaume, his student for thirty years, Kanai Sensei came several times each year to teach iaido at the dojo. Today, Berthiaume Sensei is the technical director of the Kiyoikaze Iaido Federation and is known as the successor of Kanai Sensei and he is called upon to transmit Kanai Sensei’s teachings.

To find out more about iaido, its origins and its links with aikido, please visit the Kiyoikaze Iaido Federation website at www.kiyoikaze.org and look for the interview with Mitsunari Kanai.

Kiyoikaze Federation

The japanese word “Kiyoikaze” means “pure wind”.

Its purpose is to develop and guide the instruction of Iaido as established by Mitsunari Kanai Sensei and carried on by Technical Director, Claude Berthiaume Shihan, Chief Instructor of Aikido de la Montagne, Montreal, Canada.

For additional information, please visit the Kiyoikaze Iaido Federation website. www.kiyoikaze.org