Kata & suburi video library
31 no jo kata
The 31-count solo kata — the backbone of aiki-jo practice.
Aiki-joHappo giri
Shomen cuts to eight directions; feet turn first, sword follows.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Irimi
Entering straight past the line of attack.
AikidoMae
Seitei Iai kata 1 — draw and cut against an opponent in front, from seiza.
IaidoNihon Kendō Kata 1 (Ipponme)
Kendō kata 1 — tachi (long sword) form, uchidachi vs shidachi.
KendoOkul kataları hakkında
Kenjutsu kata are school-specific; without a school, invest in cut quality or use the standardised Iaido/Kendo kata.
KenjutsuTsukizue
Seitei Jōdō kata 1 — 'leaning on the staff'; opens the set.
Jodo13 no jo kata
The 13-count solo kata; compact and rhythm-focused.
Aiki-joKumitachi 1-5 (solo hali)
The five paired sword forms; practise the attacking side solo as shadow work, keeping the pauses.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Nihon Kendō Kata 2 (Nihonme)
Kendō kata 2 — tachi (long sword) form, uchidachi vs shidachi.
KendoShomen giri
Vertical centre cut braked by the core, not the wrists.
KenjutsuSuigetsu
Seitei Jōdō kata 2 — thrust to the solar plexus (suigetsu).
JodoTenkan
Pivot 180° around the front foot.
AikidoUshiro
Seitei Iai kata 2 — turning draw against an opponent behind.
IaidoAiki-ken suburi 1 — Ichi no suburi
Full overhead cut finishing at belly height; body drops with the cut.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Happo giri
Cutting to eight directions in sequence — the best warm-up for footwork and balance.
Aiki-joHissage
Seitei Jōdō kata 3 — the jo held hidden, drawn at the last moment.
JodoIrimi-tenkan
Enter then pivot — aikido's fundamental 'walk'.
AikidoKesa giri
Diagonal cut along the monk's-robe line, both sides equally.
KenjutsuNihon Kendō Kata 3 (Sanbonme)
Kendō kata 3 — tachi (long sword) form, uchidachi vs shidachi.
KendoUkenagashi
Seitei Iai kata 3 — flowing parry that turns into a cut.
IaidoAiki-ken suburi 2 — Ni no suburi
Step back to jodan, step in and cut.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Choku tsuki
Straight thrust; rear hand drives, front hand aims. Target chudan.
Aiki-joGyaku kesa giri
Rising reverse diagonal cut.
KenjutsuNihon Kendō Kata 4 (Yonhonme)
Kendō kata 4 — tachi (long sword) form, uchidachi vs shidachi.
KendoShamen
Seitei Jōdō kata 4 — strike to the side of the head.
JodoShikko
Knee walking — the base of seated techniques.
AikidoTsuka-ate
Seitei Iai kata 4 — strike with the hilt, then cut; from tatehiza.
IaidoAiki-ken suburi 3 — San no suburi
Low sweep then overhead cut.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Do giri (yoko ichimonji)
Horizontal torso cut driven by the hips.
KenjutsuKaeshi tsuki
Turning thrust: the tip deflects, then thrusts. Drill the hand change slowly.
Aiki-joKesagiri
Seitei Iai kata 5 — rising and descending diagonal cuts.
IaidoMae ukemi (öne yuvarlanma)
Forward roll along the arm and across the back.
AikidoNihon Kendō Kata 5 (Gohonme)
Kendō kata 5 — tachi (long sword) form, uchidachi vs shidachi.
KendoSakan
Seitei Jōdō kata 5 — controlling the sword from the left side.
JodoAiki-ken suburi 4 — Yon no suburi
Walking continuous shomen cuts, one per step.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Monomi
Seitei Jōdō kata 6 — 'the lookout'; watching, then intercepting.
JodoMorote-tsuki
Seitei Iai kata 6 — two-handed thrust between cuts.
IaidoNihon Kendō Kata 6 (Ropponme)
Kendō kata 6 — tachi (long sword) form, uchidachi vs shidachi.
KendoTsuki
Thrust to the throat — line over power.
KenjutsuUshiro tsuki
Rear thrust — look first, then rotate the hips.
Aiki-joUshiro ukemi (geriye)
Backward roll — progress from sitting to standing.
AikidoAiki-ken suburi 5 — Go no suburi
Side deflection returning to a centre cut.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Beş kamae
The five guards (see Bokken); names and angles vary by school.
KenjutsuKasumi
Seitei Jōdō kata 7 — 'mist'; deceptive covering movement.
JodoNihon Kendō Kata 7 (Nanahonme)
Kendō kata 7 — tachi (long sword) form, uchidachi vs shidachi.
KendoSanpōgiri
Seitei Iai kata 7 — cutting three opponents in three directions.
IaidoTsuki gedan gaeshi
Thrust then low sweep at knee height; power from the torso, not the arms.
Aiki-joYoko ukemi (yana)
Side breakfall — arm and leg strike together.
AikidoAiki-ken suburi 6 — Roku no suburi
Deflection finishing with a thrust.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Ganmen-ate
Seitei Iai kata 8 — strike to the face with the hilt, thrust behind.
IaidoKodachi Kata 1
Kendō kodachi kata 1 — short sword against long sword.
KendoShomen uchi
Overhead strike with the hand blade; same mechanics as a sword cut.
AikidoSuburi rutini
30 vertical, 20+20 diagonal, 10+10 horizontal, 20 thrusts; check form in a mirror weekly.
KenjutsuTachi otoshi
Seitei Jōdō kata 8 — dropping the sword with a strike.
JodoTsuki jodan gaeshi uchi
Thrust, high turn, overhead strike — practise in three parts.
Aiki-joAiki-ken suburi 7 — Nana no suburi
Combines deflection, cut and thrust — the series in one flow.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Kodachi Kata 2
Kendō kodachi kata 2 — short sword against long sword.
KendoRai uchi
Seitei Jōdō kata 9 — 'thunder strike'; from the chūdan series.
JodoShomen uchikomi
Overhead centre strike; finish with the tip at eye level.
Aiki-joSoete-tsuki
Seitei Iai kata 9 — supported thrust with the hand on the blade.
IaidoYokomen uchi
Diagonal strike to the temple.
AikidoKodachi Kata 3
Kendō kodachi kata 3 — short sword against long sword.
KendoRenzoku uchikomi
Continuous alternating strikes — a rhythm drill.
Aiki-joSeigan
Seitei Jōdō kata 10 — thrust toward the eyes from chūdan.
JodoSeigan / Chudan no kamae
The basic guard — tip at the opponent's throat.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Shihōgiri
Seitei Iai kata 10 — cutting four opponents in four directions.
IaidoTsuki
Straight punch to the abdomen, stepping in.
AikidoIkkyo
First principle — arm pin through the elbow.
AikidoJodan no kamae
Sword overhead, ready to strike.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Men uchi
Strike to the head — the first of kendo's four target strikes.
KendoMen uchi gedan gaeshi
Head strike flowing into a low sweep on the same step.
Aiki-joMidare dome
Seitei Jōdō kata 11 — 'stopping the disorder'; complex exchanges.
JodoSōgiri
Seitei Iai kata 11 — series of five complete cuts.
IaidoHasso no kamae
Vertical sword at the shoulder — an observing posture.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Kote uchi
Strike to the wrist.
KendoMen uchi ushiro tsuki
Head strike forward, thrust to the rear — two-opponent assumption.
Aiki-joNikyo
Second principle — wrist turn that takes the balance.
AikidoNukiuchi
Seitei Iai kata 12 — sudden draw-and-cut; closes the set.
IaidoRan ai
Seitei Jōdō kata 12 — the longest kata of the set; closes the series.
JodoDo uchi
Strike to the trunk.
KendoGyaku yokomen ushiro tsuki
Reverse side strike to the temple, then rear thrust.
Aiki-joHonte uchi
Basic strike with the standard grip.
JodoNukitsuke
The draw that cuts; half the speed is the scabbard pulling back.
IaidoSankyo
Third principle — spiral wrist control.
AikidoWaki gamae
Sword hidden behind — striking 'from nowhere'.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Gedan no kamae
Tip low — an inviting guard from which rising deflections grow.
Bokken (Aiki-ken)Gyakute uchi
Strike with the reversed grip — both ends are weapons.
JodoKatate gedan gaeshi
One-handed low sweep; mind the wrist load.
Aiki-joKirioroshi
The main descending cut.
IaidoTsuki
Thrust to the throat guard.
KendoYonkyo
Fourth principle — pressure control on the forearm.
AikidoChiburi
Shaking the blood off — a zanshin phase, never rushed.
IaidoGokyo
Fifth principle — pin used against weapon attacks.
AikidoHiki otoshi uchi
The signature technique: sliding strike that drops the sword.
JodoJoge buri
Large full swings opening the shoulders.
KendoKatate toma uchi
One-handed long-range strike from the very end of the jo.
Aiki-joKaeshi tsuki
Turning thrust to the throat.
JodoKatate hachi no ji gaeshi
One-handed figure-eight — the basis of jo spinning.
Aiki-joNoto
Re-sheathing without looking; slow noto is the hard one.
IaidoShiho nage
Four-direction throw; drill the footwork with a bokken.
AikidoShomen suburi
Centre cuts finishing at men height.
KendoGyakute tsuki
Reversed-grip thrust.
JodoHasso gaeshi uchi
Turn the jo up to hasso at the shoulder, strike from there.
Aiki-joIrimi nage
Entering throw — moving through the attack line.
AikidoSayu men
Alternating diagonal men cuts.
KendoSeiza / tate hiza kalkışları
Rising from seiza in one motion, 10 reps daily.
IaidoHasso gaeshi tsuki
Thrust from hasso.
Aiki-joHaya suburi
Jumping fast suburi — the conditioning benchmark.
KendoKote gaeshi
Outward wrist-turn throw; the tai sabaki patterns are 80% of the throw.
AikidoMaki otoshi
Spiral wrap that drops the sword — angle over speed.
JodoSuburi (bokken)
Cut mechanics with a bokken when no iaito is available.
IaidoHasso gaeshi ushiro tsuki
Rear thrust from hasso.
Aiki-joKaiten nage
Rotary throw.
AikidoKuri tsuke
Pinning sword and hands downward.
JodoOkuri ashi
The sliding step underlying all kendo movement.
KendoFumikomi
The stamping step at the moment of the strike.
KendoHasso gaeshi ushiro uchi
Rear strike from hasso.
Aiki-joKuri hanashi
Pinning then casting away.
JodoTenchi nage
Heaven-and-earth throw — one hand high, one low.
AikidoHasso gaeshi ushiro barai
Rear sweep from hasso — impossible without hip rotation.
Aiki-joKirikaeshi (solo)
Shomen + nine alternating men + shomen; solo it is a breath-and-rhythm drill.
KendoKoshi nage
Hip throw.
AikidoTai atari
Body check through the jo.
JodoHidari nagare gaeshi uchi
Flowing left deflection merging into a strike.
Aiki-joKokyu nage
Breath throw — off-balance and cast without a joint lock; the umbrella term for a whole family of throws with no single fixed form.
AikidoTsuki hazushi uchi
Evading a thrust into a strike.
JodoDou barai uchi
Parrying a torso cut into a strike.
JodoKokyu-ho (kokyu dosa)
Seated power-extension exercise: unbalance a two-hand grip using the centre, not arm strength — distinct from the kokyu-nage throw.
AikidoMigi nagare gaeshi tsuki
Flowing right deflection into a thrust; chains into freestyle work.
Aiki-joJuji nage (juji garami)
Cross-arm throw — the arms are locked into an X shape before the throw.
AikidoTai hazushi uchi
Off-line evasion merging into a strike.
JodoSumi otoshi
Corner drop — off-balance straight back into the rear corner; deceptively simple, easy to muscle instead of blend.
Aikido