Testing Results - Iaido - February 14, 2024

Takenouchi-Hangan-Ryu-Matsuno-Crandall

School of Iaido/Batto

This traditional sword school has only three levels of skill for students.  They are beginner, intermediate and advanced.  After advanced there is the possibility to test for title positions such as Tashi and Renshi as well as Kyoshi.  A minimal time of one year of training with a bokken is required before a student can be considered for the intermediate testing level.  This is the basic time, but each level can last from 1+ years to 5 or 6 years before testing again.  In traditional Iaido it is truly about the journey, not a rank or change in uniform or status.  With this traditional structure there are few testings, sometimes a year or two can pass before a testing date is set.

That’s what makes last Wednesday, February 14th unique and special this year, besides that it was Valentine’s Day.  A testing was held in traditional bushido Iaido.  Scheduled over three months ago, this testing involved a student testing for intermediate, three students testing for advanced, and two testing for Tashi.   One student from New Hampshire became ill and was unable to travel for this testing. The other students arrived at 6:00 pm and began their written exam. This testing was concluded for the participants and the students who came to watch at 9:00 pm.  Headmaster (Hanshi) Clifford C. Crandall Jr. and his top student Kyoshi Nathan Morris were the judges for this testing.

Areas covered could include some or all of the following:  The style’s traditional 300-year-old Iaido katas, the traditional batto-do katas, Muto Dori (self-defense), Kumi Tachi, body postures, Hatto and Nou-Tou, Tameshigiri-ichi, Tameshigiri-ni, plus the ability to take your sword apart, proper sword cleaning, and the folding of the rice paper for cleaning and ceremonies.

This Test included the following individuals:

Erica Miscione testing for Intermediate status

Matthew Strachen testing for Advanced status

Maria Quintal testing for Advanced status

Sabrina Crandall testing for Tashi position

Eric Stalloch testing for Tashi position

The standards for this school were set by its late Headmaster Tsuneyoshi Matsuno and are diligently maintained and kept by his chosen successor Headmaster Clifford Crandall Jr.  This testing demonstrated the continuation of these high standards not only of skill and knowledge but also desire and heart.

Congratulations to all five of the participants who passed their testing and are maintaining a traditional art form which shapes the body and the mind of the trainee.