This is a small report of the seminar with Esaka Sensei in Bielefeld Germany as seen by one of my students.

During four days in the beginning of November I had the opportunity to participate in an iaido seminar in Bielefeld, Germany. Together with more than seventy other iaidokas we were taught by Esaka Sensei, 10th Dan and three (in last days even four) other Japanese Senseis, Ishihara Sensei, the founder of the Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu in Germany amongst them.

As I have started with the iaido very recently I was in the group of beginners which compared to the other groups was smaller. As a result of this each of us got quite a lot of attention not to mention the fact that the teaching was done in English and not in Japanese and German as in the other groups. But even the explanations in Japanese and translated into German if accompanied by physical action (i.e. demonstration how to cut, how to hold a sword) did not need any additional translations as they spoke for themselves. The teaching itself was adjusted to the Western brains because as far as I heard in the Japanese dojos there is no explaining, you just see the waza and then you should reproduce it without any explanations where to cut, where the iaito/sword should stop.

What concerns the programme for the beginners it was of course basics: batto ho (7 standing wazas), seiza wazas and basics of dealing with the iaito. I got a lot of information in a very short period of time and it will take me a long time to "digest" it. Some information was of such a detail that I´m not able to make use of it right now. And it will take a long time before I will be able to do it. But it is interesting to know how the position of your molars may affect your cut. It gives you a flavour how complicated and detailed the iaido is.

Last two days were devoted to examinations and demonstrations. The exams in the iaito were of a great interest to me. I presumed that they would be done individually, so when I saw the flock of people getting ready to take the exams I was worried that we would stay in the dojo till midnight. But it was not the case. The last day was the day of demonstrations. All levels including us beginners showed the state of their technique. And again it was very interesting to see the differences in techniques from us - beginners to Esaka Sensei. The level of concentration in the dojo was sometimes even scary.

The iaido is not magic even if it may look like. It is the right technique repeated so often that it becomes natural. Then it may seem magic as in one moment you see the empty hands and in a few seconds there is a sword in them. All that without any abrupt movement and with a mind which is clear as water.

Yana.