I am the person in black doing Shato from Batto ho. To my right is Hanshi Esaka Sensei, 10th dan ZNIR
Iaido is a martial art that was created about four hundred years ago in Japan by a warrior named Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto Shigenobu. It was developed during a period in Japanese history when the country was divided by warring clans who relied on samurai, the warrior class to enforce their rule. Although the samurai learned to use a number of weapons (including unarmed combat) their main weapon was the katana, or long sword. The katana was probably the most advanced Japanese weapon and the sharpest sword in the world. Iaido was developed as a method to draw the sword, strike, and resheath in as few motions as possible. The art of drawing the sword greatly reflected the philosophy of Zen to which many of the warriors adhered.
I began my study of Iaido at a workshop conducted by Renshi Philippe Sabatier in October 1998. I have since studied the art under his student Sensei Andrej Diamantstein, Yondan (4th dan). I currently hold the rank of Shodan (1st dan) under the Canadian Iaido Association, but I hope to test under the All-Japan Iaido Federation (ZNIR) someday.
Here are some pictures from the workshop in Canada in May, 2000:
I am the person in black doing Shato from Batto ho. To my right is Hanshi Esaka Sensei, 10th dan ZNIR
Practicing Mae, the first waza (form) in the Seiza no bu set. I have been taught the Batto (7 waza), Seiza (waza), Oku no Kata (4 waza), and Zen Nihon Iaido Toho (5 waza) sets, and the first waza in Tatehiza
The test for Shodan. With me is Raquel Willey who belongs to my dojo. We were the two from our dojo who tested that year.
Receiving the certificate of Shodan from Ted Davis, 6th dan. Esaka Sensei and Hinago Sensei, 8th dan (and Esaka Sensei's #1 student) supervised the test.
Hal Malmud, Andrej Diamantstein, Esaka Sensei, Betta Fregoso, Hinago Sensei, me, and Raquel (left to right)
This page is dedicated to Sensei Andrej Diamantstein and my fellow members of the Nishi Kaigan dojo.