One thing that stands out about a sword is sori. And if it's a good sword, it is also beautiful. But why?

The Ittō Tenshin-ryū is a powerful tradition!

Its unwavering purpose has informed deshi since its inception. While the words pointing to essence may change from time to time, the development of a powerful and orderly being remains.

While the majority of techniques from the Ittō Tenshin-ryū® are what you might expect from a school of kenjutsu, there is one group of kata that most newcomers to the art find frightening, foreign, and fascinating: Gekken, the “Severe Sword.”

It is very easy to think of different martial arts as being different only in technique—“In karatedo they hit and kick, but in aikido they throw and pin”— and assume that this is the end of it. There are, however, some profound fundamental differences between the major martial arts groups and until you come to understand these differences and their philosophical implications, even if you study for a hundred years, you will never master the art.