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Aiki Toho Iaido: Module 4  Lesson 3

Aihanmi Nikyo: A Deeper Look

NOTES:

We can also express this form all the way through to the katame waza, bringing the opponent all the way to the floor for the final nikyo pin. We can use the Eishin-ryu chiburi. Or we can use this O-chiburi. We can also kneel during the noto which is reminiscent of Omori-ryu.

Here is the ken tai ken for aihanmi nikyo demonstrated by Nishio Sensei.

We will modify this ken tai ken slightly to perform it without touching the blades in the way that the ken tai ken did. We sometimes call this otonashi or silent form. Instead of contacting the opponent’s blade with ours, we cut below it as they raise their sword.

Now I’ll show this as an iaido form. Each cut expresses a key control point or atemi in the aikido aihanmi nikyo technique.

This is an intermediate level of the same form where we finish stepping 90 degrees to the side of the opponent.

Now I’ll express this form as katsujinken, the life sparing sword. We don’t finish by cutting the opponent. Instead, we place our hand on the back of our blade and guide them without cutting them.