Drawing a Japanese Sword

It is not easy to draw a Japanese Sword from its wooden scabbard.
Japanese sword has a sharp. thin and light blade comparing to ones in other countries.
They were holded by the belts of Samurais.

The outfits consists of wooden scabbard and wooden hile which has oval shaped cross seciton.
A hilt has a metal hand guard, "Tsuba". A blade can be assembled with the hilt.
Many other swords have all-in-one figure with blade and hilt.

To draw a Japanese sword, a samurai grips the hilt by his right hand. The left hand grip the base of scabbard. The left had is placed between a projection called "Kurikata" to put a cord of scabbard through to his belt.
When he squeeze the grip of his left grip, the blade is slight drawn to widen the the space between "Tsuba" and "Kuritata". Secondly he moves his left hand backward to place the scabbard on his back. Then he draws the blade by his right arm. It is the way to draw the blade.
The scabbard of course, be kept between his body and the belt.

"Kendo" is the first sports to pactice with protectibe gears and a bamboo practice stick "Shinai".
"Shinai" has round shaped cross section. So to pactice "Iai" is for being accoustomed to a real blace.
"Kendo" may be a official category of Olympic Games when it is held at Tokyo someday.

see, http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/japaneseweapons
They have some English title and article with photos.