Canadian Iaido Association

Seminar Rules & Etiquette

In order for our seminars to run smoothly and to ensure that everyone is able to learn as much as possible from visiting sensei and to ensure that our visiting sensei are as comfortable as possible, some basic Seminar Etiquette should be followed.

1. Fundamental Etiquette
   • During the seminar, you must follow all instructions and requests by the CIA President or Instructors, this includes waza techniques.
2. No shinken in seminars
   • For safety reasons no person shall use a shinken or sharp edged sword in a CIA seminar.
   • All equipment must be in working order and may be inspected at any time during a seminar.
3. Sensei personal room
   • The sensei have a personal room in which they can relax and enjoy tea. Sometimes matters of a private nature are discussed.
   • No-one is permitted entry unless they are invited, even if the sensei are not inside. This must be strictly adhered to.
4. Seminar participation
   • Participants in a seminar are required to follow all rules of conduct, safety, protocol and etiquette.
   • The Japanese sensei, the CIA President and the Kansayaku Surveillance Auditor have the authority to refuse a person’s entry into a seminar and/or remove them from a seminar.
5. General Instructions
   • Please arrive at least 15 min ahead of the seminar starting time and be fully ready to start on time – plan for traffic or other delays.
   • During group gatherings during which sensei describes a specific waza or technique, do not ask questions – your question may be pertinent, but more often than not it is of a personal nature to your own style and so you are wasting the group’s time. Just wait for a private time.
   • Personal questions like “When can I test for ..”, “Could I visit your dojo in Japan?” are not appropriate questions to ask. Please do not directly ask the senseis “Can I take a photo with you?”, ask the CIA President or Kansayaku Surveillance Auditor first, it is inappropriate and very impolite to ask the visiting Japanese senseis directly.
   • During, before, or after the seminar, you can not talk to the senseis freely without an official introduction by CIA President Denton Hewgill Sensei. It is OK to say a simple hello, or good morning, but without authorization, do not ask questions nor have a conversation with the senseis. This is not polite in traditional martial art culture, and you need to make sure you afford a certain amount of respect to the senseis as is common and expected in Japan.
6. Appropriate dress
7. Video filming in seminars
8. Safety concerns
9. Overall:
   • Make sure to keep your eyes and ears open and pay attention.
   • A seminar is a great opportunity to learn and improve your iai and connect with other practitioners from around the world.