America Tosa Jikiden Shigetsukai
San Diego Iaido
Iaido is a very old art, some 450+ years of age, that has survived into modern times. Modern iaido is mainly focused on the mental and spiritual aspects of the art. We practice the koryu form of iaido that comes from the early techniques that were distilled into the current forms by Oe Masamichi in the late 1800s. Our focus is more on iaido as a combat skill, rather than one for meditation or spiritual perfection.
Our sensei is Miki Minobu a student of Iwata Norikazu-sensei, one of the best-known and most highly skilled recent masters of the samurai sword. Iwata-sensei was a powerful and respected swordsman in the direct lineage of Oe-sensei. He was a scholar and perfectionist, always focused on the art as a connection to old ways of swordfighting.
Miki-sensei continues Iwata-sensei’s methods and maintains iaido as a way of true katana combat. He teaches the MJER waza, preset forms with the katana, as well as the kumitachi, paired practice. Miki-sensei also brings his expertise in karatedo and Okinawan weapons (kobudo) into the training to demonstrate how the katana works in the larger concept of fighting. Miki-sensei also holds the rank of hachi-dan hanshi in karatedo, so he is referred to as "Hanshi".
Miki-sensei continues Iwata-sensei’s methods and maintains iaido as a way of true katana combat. He teaches the MJER waza, preset forms with the katana, as well as the kumitachi, paired practice. Miki-sensei also brings his expertise in karatedo and Okinawan weapons (kobudo) into the training to demonstrate how the katana works in the larger concept of fighting. Miki-sensei also holds the rank of hachi-dan hanshi in karatedo, so he is referred to as "Hanshi".