Styles
Kenjutsu
There are three major systems which employ the Japanese sword or katana. I-ai jutsu concerns itself exclusively with drawing the sword, making a few quick cuts and returning it to the scabbard. It is the quick-draw version of sword-fighting. The modern-day sport of kendo grew out of the pacification movement imposed on post-World War II Japan. Although it is beneficial for reflexes, strength and timing, it bears little resemblance to actual combat. Ken jutsu, the most combat-oriented system, trains the practitioner in all aspects of wielding the sword. Through individual and group kata and free-sparring, it best simulates the battle-field art employed by the samurai of medieval Japan. While the necessity for skill with a blade has been consigned to times past, the related benefits, both martial and personal, endure.
Hobart Sensei teaches monthly sword classes and occasional seminars at MKA Karate.