This is second installment in a short series about waza that are rarely used, are pretty much dead, or discussion about kendo theory that is not much talked about nowadays. Enjoy!
”片手面”は左または右の片手で相手の正面または右か左の横面を打つ「業」である。普通には左片手で相手の右横面を打つから、玆ではそれについて述べるが、他の場合もこれに準じて行うのである。
“Katate-men” is a waza where you use your left or right hand to strike your opponents shomen or yokomen (left or right). The technique is usually seen with the attacker striking the opponents migi-yoko-men with their left hand and this is the method I will explain below. However other methods exist and they conform to the rules that I will lay out.
左片手で右面を打つ方法は、相手を攻込み、機を見て”右小手”とか”突”を攻撃すると、相手は自ら構えをくずし、横面に隙を生ずる、そこをすがさず左足から踏み込んで、十分身体を開き、左手を伸ばし、刃筋を正して、左片手で相手の右面を打つのである。
The method of striking migi-yoko-men with your left hand is as follows. Whilst your are pressuring your opponent keep an eye out for opportunities to attack. Should they attempt to attack your kote, tsuki, etc, they will break their kamae in doing so, opening a chance to attack yokomen. In that instant step forward with your left foot, open up your body sideways, stretch out your left arm, and with your shinai at the correct angle, strike their migi-yokomen with your shinai.
もう一つの方法は、相手が右小手を打ってきた場合、右手を竹刀から離して、それを外しながら右足を左足の後方に退いて身体を開くと、同時に左片手で相手の右面うぃ打つのである、
Let me explain another method. When your opponent attempts to attack your kote, remove your right hand from the shinai and simultaneously move your right foot behind your left one, opening up your body sideways, and strike your opponents men.
注意
(1) 片手打ちが、”打ち”が定り難く横振りになり易いから横に払うのではなく、斜め下に打ちおろすようにすること。
(2) 相手が右小手を打ってきた場合には、右手を離してそれを外すのと、左手で振りかぶる動作とが同時に行われること。
(3) 左胸は十分に伸ばすこと。右手は腰なり腹なりにつけ、胸を張る心持で打つこと。
(4) 片手打ちは十分に打てないものであるから、身体全体で打つように心がけること。
Points to take care of
1. Its very easy for one-handed strikes to come from the side, please ensure that the strikes go diagonally down into your opponents men.
2. When countering a kote attack with this waza, ensure that the releasing of the right hand from the shinai and the swinging around of the shinai happen simultaneously.
3. Be sure and put your right hand on your hips/stomach and ensure that you stretch out your left chest when striking.
4. One handed strikes are very hard to do, so please take care to attack with your entire body.
Warning
Although this waza is pretty rare nowadays, its far from dead. However, used incorrectly it can be a very dangerous technique as there is a strong chance that you might hit the men around the area your opponents ears are at. This can cause not only pain but – I have heard – severe and permanent damage to the ear.
Note
As always, please remember that these translation is done by a non-professional. Any and all mistakes are my own.
Source
剣道の学び方。柴田範士、柏木範士。昭和四十五年発行。
It’s definitely far from dead but usually only the old boys who pull this one out on me. I absolutely love this technique. I think it is pretty effective and I really couldn’t imagine it going the way of orishiki-do. I can’t remember who but somebody in my dojo has a blown out eardrum from being hit in the ear with this when he was young(er).
I am a fan of this as well. Hard to pull of convincingly though!
What I am not a fan of is having my right ear hit hard, especially when my left ear is in a bad state already (not kendo related). If the hearing my my right ear goes even 1/2 the way of my left ear, then I will be unable to continue my job. So please don’t try this on me…. !!!
No worries there mate! I’m still struggle to do a halfway decent shomenuchi! Maybe when we’re old and crusty and our hearing has already gone to shit.
My one and only jigeiko with Nakakura sensei he did about 10 of these on me. The one I remember best hit me on the ear… from behind! I had passed through after another botched attempt at datotsu and he whacked me! b
First time i hear or read about the waza, was thinking i should try it but then i read your warning, thanks for mentioning how dangerous it can be if done the wrong way.
Ben – I get it every so often, but its very rarely a satisfying strike. Something i’d like to be able to have in my bag of tricks but i’m in the same boat as Leiv!
Hishaam – by all means practise it, but make sure you are good at it before whipping it out… and be prepared for the wrath of some sensei if you use it against them!!!!!
Hmm… I wonder if katate-yoko-men has a place in kihon practice near hidari do and tsuki.
I do gyaku-do and tsuki (katate/morote) as part of kihon everyday …. why not katate-yoko men?!
I wonder if katate-men is less used because of stricter judging? Another thing is that if modern kenshi generally stick to the shinai, it seems like they would have less wrist strength than kenshi who also practiced with bokuto/mogito/shinken.
Didn’t katate-men feature prominently in the 56th AJKC? I wonder if that will make it more popular.
What do you mean by “feature prominently” ? Maybe jodan people (or nito) doing it, but what is being described here is from chudan (without the follow through that we see in kendo nowadays). You almost never see this in competition… keiko yes, shiai no.
I wasn’t being facetious.
There a seem to be a lot of “advanced” waza that become more and more “advanced” because no one practices them. They’re hard to do, so they don’t get practiced, so they’re hard to do.
I have a small cauliflower ear from this. Permanent reminder.
I pulled this one of recently with a nito player. He never expected it. He punished me afterwards for this feat but that’s a different story……..
About the subject, found this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSlr2ww0cU0&feature=channel
(from 3rd on)
3rd minute, I meant. Sorry.
Usagi-san, nice catch!! Thats a good illustration of the article. Cheers.
Given the potential for causing injury with a lateral yokomen strike, I wonder if it might be prudent to approach this waza with a determination to strike downwards at a slight angle (as with kirikaeshi or sa-yu-men). I’ve tried this a few times recently, and I like the way my right kote snaps to my waist, avoiding the opponent’s kote strike.