iaijutsu
Iaijutsu is a traditional Japanese martial art focused on the rapid drawing of a sword and immediate cutting or thrusting attack from the saya. Practitioners train to initiate a combat encounter by drawing the blade in one fluid motion and to deliver a decisive strike before an opponent can respond. The practice emphasizes timing, posture, breathing, and precise alignment of the body to maximize speed and control. Historically, iaijutsu developed among kenjutsu schools in feudal Japan, reaching a distinctive form during the Edo period. Several lines of transmission, or ryu, taught the technique as part of battlefield readiness, often using wooden or blunt blades in training. In many schools the method is taught as kata—prearranged sequences that simulate real encounters—and, less commonly, as paired or free-sparring work with appropriate safety equipment.
The term iaijutsu is sometimes used to describe the older, combat-oriented techniques, while iaido is the modern,