Battojutsu
- Translation: Extract Sword Art/Technique
- Japanese: 抜刀術
Battojutsu is the art of drawing and cutting in one fluid motion for the purpose of ending a conflict with one decisive cut.
While many can confuse Battoujutsu with Iaido, as both involve rapid sword drawing, there are some distinct differences. For one, Battoujutsu is mainly a defensive made up of counter attacks, while Iaido only uses the sword draw to start off a kata with an attack. Battou styles don't really have any Katas to begin with, as they are a series of sword drawing and resheathing techniques. As with many battou techniques, the sheathed katana is either belted at the waist, or held in the left hand with the right hand on the handle. This allows the user not only to attack with the sword, but also follow up with a blow by the sheath as well as easier re-sheathing.
Source: http://www.kobushinryu.net/
References Obata, Toshishiro. Crimson Steel. Essex, UK: Dragon Books, 1987. Obata, Toshishiro. Naked Blade. Essex, UK: Dragon Books, 1985. Wagner, Gordon, Donn F. Draeger. Japanese Swordsmanship: Technique and Practice. New York and Tokyo: Weatherhill Inc., 2001.
