Hello everyone. Thank you for reading this article. I’m Shogo, the manager of this website and the interpreter/instructor at Yushikan Kyoto’s Samurai Training Activity.
There is an opinion in the iaido world that Shizan (mat cutting) training are not practical. In our Ryuha school, Yushin-ryu, we practice Shizan (mat cutting) and have our students try it out during their practice sessions. I would like to share my thoughts on this opinion.
First of all, Shizan (mat cutting) is definitely not suited for actual combat. In a real battle, the opponent is always moving and will counterattack. The spacing is different, and how you swing your katana, etc., will also change. Then, is the Shizan (mat cutting) training meaningless? I don’t think so. In this day and age, where you never really get to fight someone with a katana, it is the only opportunity to actually cut something. It is also an opportunity to practice aligning the blade line correctly. Simply, Shizan (mat cutting) is fun and requires a lot of skill.
Today, no one actually fights with a katana. In that sense, Iaitō and Kenjutsu are not all that practical, and there is no point in competing to see if you can “really fight with a katana.” What I believe is important is that the culture of katana is passed on and that people can connect and be happy through the martial arts. In that sense, Shizan (mat cutting) is an important modern training method that is well worth practicing.
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