Battodo

Drawing and cutting with the sword.

The art of drawing the sword and cutting real targets such as rolled straw mats (tameshigiri). Schools like Toyama-ryu and the style of Nakamura Taisaburo test whether each cut is truly correct.

Fact file

Country: Japan
Founder / origin: Nakamura Taizaburo
Year / period: 20th century
Type: Weapons
Main federation: 國際抜刀道連盟 (International Batto-Do Federation) — IBF

Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica

History

Battodo is the art of drawing the sword and cutting real targets, usually rolled straw mats (tameshigiri). It grew from military sword training of the 20th century, including the Toyama-ryu of the Imperial Army school (from 1925).

Nakamura Taizaburo founded Nakamura-ryu battodo, stressing correct blade angle and posture in cutting.