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Muso Shinden-ryu Iai 1: Tate Hiza: Tora No Issoku
The Muso Shinden-ryu is one of the most widely practiced schools of iai that are derived from the Tosa iai arts which originated with Hayashizaki Junsuke Shigenobu, along with the Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu. In terms of techniques, the two schools are very similar, although there are readily seen and apparent variations between the two schools, as well as from teacher to teacher.
The tate hiza no bu section is learned after the student learns the rudiments of swordsmanship by practicing the seiza no bu. In the tate hiza no bu, most of the kata begin in the tate hiza position, sitting with one knee raised off the ground. This is said to be a form of sitting when dressed in armor, probably in partial armor, as opposed to the seiza no bu, which arose out of indoor sitting in seiza. Drawing, cutting and replacing the sword back into its scabbard are done rapidly and more "realistically."
At the time of this videotape, Kato Kazuo sensei was a seventh dan in iai. He was very active in kendo in his youth, but a major surgery on his chest area forced him to concentrate on iai.