hotpopcorncake (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

i'm so glad that I'm learn the sword in my tkd school ,ok here what i think Korean kendo version is faster cause the sword is straight and the Japaneses version its like curves its all just round movements, ive heard both are the same but from what i see the strike seem much faster in Korean stlye idk im just noob and i don't know much about weapons,oh yea i would the the Japanese sword be good for defense cause of the curves of the sword ,idk you tell me i just doing my reseach here

Edgecaliver (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Very good comment I totally agree with you, Japan wasn't the only country to use swords!

Edgecaliver (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Dude OMG get over the whole Kumdo and Kendo thing, it doesn't really matter. He's really skilled as a swordsman and he is also extremely talented, what else matters !

IEKUKATAKA (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

One last entry for your edification. These people carried a four foot razor blade. They could not afford to be careless as a good blade and a good swordsman could take your head and one shoulder/arm with one cut. If one engaged with carelessness he would certainly be killed or gravely wounded. Then, he could not defend his master and became a burden. Not a good situation for an honorable vassal. They wanted to live in order to fight. So, being careful meant life in order to perform duties.

IEKUKATAKA (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Read below comment first. If you really want to understand better, read of the Samurai culture, how they saw themselves, what their mores were, how they were required to behave. Then, read of Iaido, why it is practiced and what it means today. This is an ancient art and nobody is interested in bringing it into todays world. The essence of the art is in yesterdays culture, who they were, why they fought, how they fought. Their arts should be preserved as they were or be lost forever.

IEKUKATAKA (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

No I don't think that at all. There is much to explaining this thoroughly. However, if you have ever been confronted with violence, you experienced a level of zanshin naturally. Please notice the posturing is after a cut and it is symbolic and indicative of assuring the enemy is dead. Had there been others, the swordsman would have prepered himself instantly to re-engage. Keep in mind, this is the artistic element of the art and representative of the Japanese mind and culture during that time.

badsimia (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

"it is a focused effort to keep the mind engaged on the environment and not be killed because of distraction." Don't you think it would be very distracting to try to maintain this zanshin in a combat situation? I think they should teach "Moving quickly and efficiently" if they want to teach their students a way to "not be killed because of distraction"

IEKUKATAKA (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

badsimia, Here is your answer! The Japanese martial arts are now collectively called Budo (warrior way). They have an artistic element and within that element is the style of a particular school. They have a combative element and he is doing that to a degree with the cutting demo and during kumiboken, which is not displayed. The pose you are seeing is zanshin (remaining mind) and it is a focused effort to keep the mind engaged on the environment and not be killed because of distraction. Howsat!

fishstoneqqq (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Absolutely beautiful video!

IEKUKATAKA (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

To those familiar with sword arts and to those that aren't, this guy is phenomenal. I have been around traditional Japanese arts (I don't believe he is Japanese, but Korean) for a long, long time and do not believe I have seen better sword technique. My respect to him and his students, they certainly are fortunate in having him as a teacher. Osu!!