The “Battlefield Swordsmanship” said to have been studied by Hajime Saito,
top swordsman of the Shinsengumi, the shogun’s police force!

From the three aspects -Tameshigiri, Kumitachi and Kata- that make this realistic system, in this video you can study the most pragmatic, Kumitachi, and learn “Iai that can cut”!

The most formidable swordsman in the Shinsengumi, the last shogun’s police force in the Bakumatsu Period, Hajime Saito is said to have studied Mugai-ryu.

Explaining in full detail Mugai-ryu’s “Tameshigiri”, “Kumitachi” and “Kata” aspects is shihan Takeda Hougyoku, President of the International Iaido Organization Hogyokukai, based in Tokyo’s Asakusa Kuramae.

In this second volume of Mugai-ryu Iaido Primer, Takeda shihan is introducing “Jiyu (Free) Kumitachi”, a way to find out if kata work in a real situation.

The second part of a groundbreaking video examining the techniques and philosophy of a truly effective iai.

Takeda Hogyoku
Mugaishinden Mugai-ryu Iai Hyodo 7th-dan Kyoshi, Generation Headmaster. Director of International Iaido Organization Hogyokukai. In 1999 was the Winner of the International Kyokushinkai Karate Association Prefectural Competition in Fukuoka. In 2010 he received the name Hogyoku from Mugairyu Head Master Gyokuso Niina. In January 2017 he became the title of Kyoshi. Appeared in Toshiba Flash Memory Commercial. Iaido Supervisor for Toei Video Stage: Metropolitan Police Iaido Section Vol 1. In 2018 he became the official instructor to the exclusive 90 year old Tokyo American Club. Selected by United States Network Television NBC for a film previewing Japan for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. In 2019 Dedication Iaido Demonstration at Hassaku Shrine in Kyoto, through the introduction of Gion Ittotei. Featured in the Spiritual Kansai Video Series. In 2020 he received the OSS Taisho Award from the Order of the Scottish Samurai and is listed on the Scottish Samurai Award Wall of Fame. Publications include the DVD Introduction to Mugairyu Iaido (BAB Publications).

William Reed
A long-time resident of Japan, he is currently a Professor at the International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA) at Yamanashi Gakuin University, where he teaches Aikido, Nanba, Calligraphy, and Samurai Culture. He holds a 10th-dan in Shodo from the Japan Shodo Rengokai Association, and is Vice Chairman of Japan Calligraphy Education Association. He holds an 8th-dan in Aikido from Yuishinkai Aikido. He is a Tokubetsu Shihan from the Nanba Jutsu Association. Director of International Committee for International Iaido Organization Hogyokukai, and Director of Yamanashi Prefecture Hogyokukai. A regular Commentator for Yamanashi Broadcasting Television Tetete TV, and has appeared in many documentaries including the NHK World Journeys in Japan Series. A prolific author and speaker introducing Japanese Culture to the world in Japanese and English. Performed Calligraphy for the Hogyokukai National Competition in January 2020 at Butokuden, Heian Shrine Kyoto. Dedicated Calligraphy scroll and painting to the Hogyokukai Headquarters Dojo in Asakusa Kuramae, Tokyo. In 2020 he received the OSS Taisho Award from the Order of the Scottish Samurai and is listed on the Scottish Samurai Award Wall of Fame. Publications include World Class Speaking) from KADOKAWA Books. He is author of the Series The Brush is the Sword of the Mind for Budo Japan. He also appears in the DVD on Nanba Walking Honto no Nanba Aruki, and the DVD Introduction to Mugairyu Iaido (BAB Publications).