• Do I need special equipment to start training? You can start with a T-shirt and sweatpants but there are particular items of clothing and equipment that must be used for this martial art. Iaido practitioners wear a jacket similar to those used for karate but they are longer and more sturdy. A hakama covers the lower part of the jacket from the waist down and is worn over the legs. This is a traditional men's garment similar to long pleated culottes. It is not a skirt; it is divided into separate sections for the legs. A long, wide cotton or silk belt (kakuobi) is wrapped around the waist to secure the sword. It is longer and wider than the simple belts used for karate. Rank is not displayed by a specific belt color.
• Do I need a sword to start training? A sword is required for more advanced practice but beginners are encouraged to buy a a wooden sword with a plastic sheath: this is an economical way to train until you are ready to make the investment in a metal weapon. Knee pads are also recommended because much of iaido is done from a kneeling position. That said, beginners are typically taught from the standing position and special accommodations can be made for students with knee problems moving forward.
• Are dan ranks (black belts) awarded? Iaido is a quirky martial art. In the ZNIR/ZNKR systems, dan ranking is a given. In Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaido, some schools award dan rankings and some do not. Classical MJER iaido offers rank based on the curriculum that has been mastered and does not have dan rankings. Some modern MJER schools will offer dan rankings; this is more or less a bow to modernity. Few of us can become wandering swordsmen and most of us have to go to work the day after training, so ranks can more realistically be awarded in the dan system in the modern day. That said, we do not worry about any of this and only ask for people to commit to training and witness their own development over time

1. Is there sparring in iaido? Iaido is primarily the practice of sword waza. These are pre-established patterns representing specific​ situations and are performed alone. There is no sparring with live swords in our school. We do paired exercises with bokuto (wooden swords) and occasionally practice the waza with a partner to demonstrate what an opponent would be doing in that situation.

• How frequent is training?  Classes are currently offered twice a week. Please see the homepage for current times and contact information. Upper level students occasionally train on their own after hours or on extra days during the week. Arrangements can be made to join them if more training time is desired.
• What does training cost? Monthly class fees are $75 for training once a week and are $125 for twice a week.