Martial Arts
Aikido
Aikikai Hombu Dojo
Aikido Association of America
Iaido
Aiki Toho Iaido
- The Nishikaze Aikido Society of America is the "Official Organization of Aikido In The Nishio Tradition"
- The Society sponsors a subscription-based archive of video related to Aikido and Aiki Toho Iaido in the Nishio tradition.
- Temecula Aikido is Philip Greenwood's dojo. Since he is President of the Nishikaze Aikido Society of America, several of the student resources from his dojo are of special interest
- Aiki Toho kata: https://greenwoodaikido.com/AikiTohoIaido.pdf
- Aiki Toho grading requirements: https://greenwoodaikido.com/AikiTohoIaiGradingSystem2019.pdf
- Don’t Cut the Person with your Sword: Philip Greenwood on Nishio and Aikido Philosophy; an interview and discussion with Sensei Greenwood published in the Aikido Journal
Iaito and Katana
Judo
Japanese Dress
Japanese Dress for General Martial Arts Practice
- https://weblog.tozando.com/how-to-choose-tie-an-obi/ This is a discussion of tying a standard martial arts obi, but is interesting because it shows another way to tie it-other than the way I've been doing it for years, anyway. It's nice because it gives a flatter knot, which is especially useful under hakama.
Japanese Dress (with specific application to iai)
In general, iaido is practiced and demonstrated wearing more formal dress than general martial arts practice. In fact, many iaidoka demonstrate in formal kimono. But even in less formal dojo, it's common for students to wear hakama regardless of rank, and not unknown for them to wear kimono obi rather than the usual martial arts obi.
- Men's Kimono (oldjapan.org) Top page for general notes on the wear of kimono for men. From what I can tell, this also applies to women in the context of iaido; certainly it would be challenging to do sword work while wearing formal women's kimono.
- Men's kaku obi
- Old Japan musubi page General instructions on tying a man's obi)
- Katabasami musubi, also called samurai musubi, is an Edo period knot that is easy to tie and supposedly very secure for holding a katana/wakisashi. I'd add that it is also not especially bulky in back, which is nice if you need to sit in a chair.
Interesting Tidbits
- Namba aruki is a stylized way of walking, asserted to be practiced by Edo period samurai