I am feeling inspired by reading and practicing techniques from the Battō Mokuroku (抜刀目録) of Ryōi Shintō-ryū.

These historical techniques are very different to the poise and precision of contemporary Iaido.
They come from an era of sword combat, when you might; crash into an opponent and then draw your sword, cut the opponent’s wrists in order to then to cut at his neck, or contest against a mounted opponent.
These were clearly not pretty techniques, but in close quarters they would naturally have shared many characterises with the Jūjutsu techniques of that period.

It caused me to reflect on the fundamental differences between the combative / life and death emphasis of older martial arts and the self-perfection orientation of modern Budō. Neither are wrong, but they are very fundamentally different.

I am also humbled to think that our predecessors in Ryōi Shintō-ryū may have had to potentially employ these techniques in 'kill or be killed' situations.