The Way
of the 打刀
A lifelong journal documenting the pursuit of discipline through Iaido, Ninjutsu, and traditional martial philosophy.
“The sword is not merely a weapon — it is a mirror of one’s discipline. What it reveals cannot be unlearned.”
This is a quiet record of a slow apprenticeship. It is written for no one in particular, and yet it is written to be read — by the person I hope to become, and by anyone else walking a similar path.
From the journal
A slow chronology
Milestones from six years of practice. Each date opens onto an essay — a lesson, a stumble, a small return.
Full timeline →- 2019Beginning Training
Walked into a dojo for the first time. Bowed at the door and understood nothing.
- 2020First Iaido Class
Ten seated bows before drawing the sword. The lesson was never about the sword.
- 2020First Ninjutsu Lesson
Learning to walk before learning to move. Learning to fall before learning to stand.
- 2021Learning Kata
The first form: Mae. Practiced daily. Practiced badly. Practiced anyway.
- 2021Sword Maintenance
The ritual of uchiko and oil. Care as an extension of the practice itself.
- 2022First Seminar
Three days with a visiting shihan. Left with more questions than I arrived with.
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