new one

i am new at the sword wielding styles and what not. can someone tell me the styles and were i can find some basic info?

Shadow

What styles are you looking for?

Chinese? Japanese? Western?

You looking for in the States? GB?

looking for more of the japanese styles. i am in the U.S. if thats what you are asking.

Well you could start by checking out http://www.koryu.com

Shadow

Yep, thats what I was asking.

Maybe someone here knows of a school near you.

Charles is right koryu.com would be a good place to start.

so, this Koryu style uses katana or bokken? which is a wooden katana?

Shadow

"Koryu" is generic or "umbrella" term for the classical Japanese fighting arts.

"Koryu" sort of means "old school." Or the schools that date back to the days of actual warfare and dueling.

(rough explaination)

You would find both katana AND bokken in many koryu schools.

A bokken is a wooden practice sword of the appox size and weight of a "real" blade.
Although dangerous in and of itself, its generally used in place of a katana for training purposes.

Some koryu use spears or staff or a wide range of other weapons.
Some also teach weaponless/empty hand skills.

The website listed is one that has information about MANY extent koryu schools, some information on what they teach and some even have some info on where they are taught.

yes but what is kendo, i heard it was just like fencing only more japanese-like?

Shadow

In general terms--very general.

Kendo is art using a shinai (using a "sword" const of several slats of split bamboo) and body armor.

Kendo is practiced as a comptetive sport, and in contrast to koryu arts (which are generally not practiced in ANY type of competative format)is heavily regulted in terms of rules and legal target areas.

Kendo also does some training with two person exercises and some "live" blade work.

Mainly though its a competitve sport. Fast Paced and bulids great stamina.

So its kinda like a fenceing with a "japanese" flavor

[This message has been edited by cxt (edited 03-07-2005).]

[This message has been edited by cxt (edited 03-07-2005).]

I went to ebay and searched for bokken swords and they all say stuff like kendo of Diato or laido what is diato and laido?

Shadow

Have you tried the link Charles suggested?

Iaido, is a method of sword drawing and cutting.
Iaido is sometimes practiced in kendo schools.

Some of it is taught as its own art, with its own ryu's or "schools."

There are specifc blades used for Iaido. Which depending on your skill level are generally either un-sharpend or sharp.




[This message has been edited by cxt (edited 03-07-2005).]

diato are the long swords or katana, iaido focuses on the drawing of the sword and cutting in a swift motion..

look at this
www.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~baba/iaido/

Another shadow creature huh? Nah, just kidding. If you really want to know about these I suggest looking at yahoo.com's search. Use stuff like "kendo in wherever you are" OH, I mean if you want into any dojos!?!

A suggestion for you: before asking questions that have been asked hundreds of times already, either use the search function or read the japanese sword arts faq at http://www.kendo-sask.com/swordfaq.htm .