It’s a not uncommon sight on sword-related forums these days. An aspiring student of the Japanese sword arts, left-handed, joins the forum and asks about studying ken (be it kendo, iaido, or aiki-ken) with a left-handed grip. He is quickly informed that no, Japanese swordsmanship is a right-handed affair, that all Japanese swordsman were right-handed, saya were worn on the right and saya-ate avoided at all costs, and trying to learn it left-handed would be weird at best, uncouth and disrespectful at worst. Veteran lefties give him “Ganbare! I’ve been there, too!” encouragement. Righties tell him about all the things he’ll find easier because he’s lefty. Sometimes the lefty responds with resignation, and sometimes he rages against the system. The left-handed grip is natural for them! This adherence to right-handed grip only is outmoded, discriminatory, and stupid! This, predictably, turns just about everyone against him, lefty and righty alike.
The following rule changes will probably not impact your kendo training any time soon nor in the near future. However, implementation of them in competition for young Japanese kenshi ensures that there will be a stylistic change in the kendo leaders of the future and it is also strongly hints at what the kendo leaders of today see as bad style.
The changes have been in discussion and trial over quite a while here in Japan (implementation was decided in May 2009, and I have personally seen the rules been applied in shiai), but it is only from this month (October 2009) where competitiors will get a hansoku rather than a warning, i.e. the rules go into full implementation.
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The Musashi-kai are a group of experienced kenshi based in Japan that seek to promote the systematic training of nito in modern kendo. Up until their creation nito practitioners often had to invent their own methods of fighting using two shinai, often resulting in haphazard, random, or just plain bad technique. They have changed this.
This is the 3rd year that Musashi-kai have taken a delegation abroad (all 3 times to the US) and attendance is guaranteed to be invaluable to people seeking to further their study of nito kendo.
All the information here is subject to change, so please be sure to bookmark the official event page on facebook to ensure up to date and accurate information.
Dates: from Thursday 29th April 2010 until Wednesday 5th May 2010
Location: Boise, Idaho, USA
Host: Idaho kendo club(facebook)
For information about last years seminar please check out: the article on kenshi247.net, the videos on youtube, and the great pictures by Adrian Jones
銃剣に対しては普通の構より右肩を前に、體を稍々平身にし切先を下げ心地にして構へ、機を見て剣先を押へ飛込んで相手の面を撃つか、左足より左斜前に飛込んで、左片手を似て、相手の右横面を撃つのである。相手が突いて来た場合は身を交し、はらふか押へて直に正面を撃つか左右の片手を似って相手の横面をうつか、或は左胴をとろもよい方法である。突は不利で面を撃つが良法である。
When facing someone armed with a Juken (bayonet) you should slightly put your right shoulder forward, drop the tip of your shinai, and have the sensation of a more flattened posture than normal. Looking for a chance to attack, strongly jump foward and attack your opponents men, or jump diagonally to the right with your left foot and attack their migi-yoko-men with your hidari-kakate waza. When your opponent attempts to tsuki you, dodge their attack with your body and sweep or push their Juken with your shinai, then attack their shomen, yokomen, or left do. Since tsuki is difficult to do against this type of opponent, its advisable to aim for men.
Note
As always, please remember that these translation is done by a non-professional. Any and all mistakes are my own.
Source
剣道指南。小澤愛次郎範士。昭和二年発行。
So, Fujimoto Kaoru… have you heard his name before? Probably not. I hadn’t until quite recently. But like myself, almost everyone reading this website has seen his picture (above). So who was he and – if he was was strong enough to fight in front of the Emperor – why isn’t he more widely known today (in Japanese kendo circles at least) ?
Fujimoto took part in the second of three Tenran shiai (competition held before the Emperor) in 1934 as a Kagawa prefecture representative. In the final he fought – and lost to – the famous son of Kodansha publishing company’s owner Noma Seiji, and one of the countries strongest young kenshi: Noma Hisashi.
Despite coming in 2nd place, and only 21 years old at the time (and in face of supposed opposition to his use of gyaku-nito-ryu), his standing in the kendo community was secured. However the times were turbulent, and he died in 1942, at the age of 28, whilst serving as a soldier in Burma.
(Note: Noma Hisashi is mostly known in the English speaking kendo world as the writer of The Kendo Reader)
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槍は左手を先に右手を手許にして構へるものである。體形は左半身になって、右に開いておる、故に攻める時は向つて槍の左方から攻めるが常である、槍は突くものであるから其の穂先さへ避ければよい、穂先より打ちへ入れば、槍は施す術のないものである故に、隙あれば手許へ入ることが肝要である。
The spear is usually held with the left hand in the front, and the right hand behind. The body is held in a sideways stance with right at the rear. The normal seme from someone using a spear is from the left hand side. Spears are fundamentally thrusting weapons, so you should aim to avoid the spear tip and enter into the space beyond it (this is how i’ve chosen to translate 手許へ入る). If you see an opening where you can enter into this space then its essential that you take it, as it will render your opponents weapon useless.
Read More Post a comment (5)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.
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This is the first 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!
相手が我が面を打つて来た時、右足を後に引き、體（たい）を稍々右にひねつて右膝を折り敷さそれと共に太刀を左に廻はて敵の右胴を打つのである。又體を左にかはし、折敷いて敵の左胴を打つ。又右足を前にしたらまま左足を折り敷いて、敵の右左胴を打つ場合もある。我が體を低くすれば、敵の太刀が仮令我が頭上に落る共、充分の効を奏することなく、我は見事に敵の胴を打つ得ると云ふ手段である。
When your opponent tries to attack your men, pull your right leg back, twist your body slightly to the right and – at the same instant as you go down on your right knee – swing your shinai to the left and strike your opponents right DO. You could also move quickly to the left and strike your opponents left DO. Another method is to leave your right foot forward and simply sink your left knee, allowing you to hit their left or right DO.
我が體を低くすれば、敵の太刀が仮令我が頭上に落る共、充分の効を奏することなく、我は見事に敵の胴を打つ得ると云ふ手段である。
Lower your body in such a way that the sword of your opponent might fall on your head from above. At the same time, without allowing the opponent to make an effective attack, you may skilfully strike do.
Note
As always, please remember that these translation is done by a non-professional. Any and all mistakes are my own.
Source
剣道指南。小澤愛次郎範士。昭和二年発行。
In the first four parts of this series, I translated the sections of Takano Sasaburo’s Kendo Kyohan concerning techniques for men, tsuki, kote, and do. As I wrote in part one, I originally planned to make a fifth entry translating the sections on tsubazeriai, taiatari, and grappling (kumiuchi). However, the section on grappling was long enough that I decided to make it into its own entry. Thus part five will cover tsubazeriai and taiatari.
Tsubazeriai, taiatari, and kumiuchi are sections three through five of the chapter titled “Information about Shiai” [仕合心得]. Sections one and two of that chapter are “Normal Information” [一般の心得], which covers things like reigi and the notion of fighting fair and square, and “Preparations at Tachiai” [立合の支度].
鍔糶合
Tsubazeriai
（一）離方
敵に接近して鍔糶合となつた時は、速に離れるやうにする。離れ際が大切であつて、必ず敵の?を撃つて引くか、太刀を押へて、敵に手の出せぬやうにして、迅速に引き離れるのである。此の心得なくして、空しく引く時は、敵に乘ぜられ敗を取ることになるのである。
(1) How to Separate
When you have come to tsubazeriai, coming close to the enemy, separate quickly. The moment of separation is worthy of attention, so separate pull back quickly, either striking where the enemy is unprepared or suppressing his sword so that the enemy cannot extend his hands. If you don’t know this and pull back ineffectively, you will be defeated by the enemy.
Event: Musashi Kai Nito Kendo Seminar
Host: North Virginia Budokai, Washington DC
Pictures: See pictures of the seminar by the Adrian Jones on flickr.
‘Yes we can!’
This is the second Musashi Kai Seminar I have attended in the United States, the first was organised as part of a Japanese cultural event in Salt Lake City, Utah. For those not in the know the Musashi Kai, it is a Non Profit Organisation dedicated to the systematic learning and application of Nito kendo. They are led under the main instruction of Nakamura Tenshin. And probably most well known for their book ‘Nito-Ryu no Waza to Riron’. Which is, as far as I’m aware the only systemised guide to the application of nito in shinai kendo. They do not have a dojo as such but meet once a month for keiko. All members practice at other kendo clubs and all practice Itto kendo alongside nito kendo.
The seminar was led by Sato Futoshi, Rokudan Renshi, Chief Director of Musashi Kai NPO and Fujii Ryoichi, Nanadan, Kyoshi, Fukuoka Branch President. They were assisted by two 4th dan members of the club. The seminar programme was much more extensive than previously, due to the 2 day, 10am-6pm schedule. Needless to say as soon as I received an invite I was swiftly looking for cheap flights to Washington.
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In the first three parts of this series, I translated the sections of Takano Sasaburo’s Kendo Kyohan describing techniques for men, tsuki, and kote. In this part, I translate the section for do techniques.
As in part two, I have included the section on how to strike do [胴の撃方] from the chapter on basic practice [基本練習]. Note that for basic migi do, Takano sensei uses ayumi ashi, striking with the left foot forward.
右胴
兩臂の間より敵胴の見える程振冠り，左足から稍左斜前方に進み，右足は之に伴ひ、斜左上から兩臂を伸ばして敵の右胴に撃込む。此の場合，兩腕の交叉點は體の中央前に來るやうにし、且兩腕で抱き挾み、刀の動搖せぬやうに心掛ける。刃は右に向ける。
Migi Do
Swing up until you can see the enemy’s do between your arms. Advance slightly diagonally left with the left foot, and accompany it with the right foot. Stretching out both arms, strike the enemy’s right do diagonally from the upper left. In this case, the crossing of your arms comes directly in front of your body, but bear in mind not to let your sword stray, holding it between your arms. Turn the edge to the right.
左胴
兩臂の間より敵胴の見える程振冠り，右足から右斜前方に進み，左足は之に伴ひ、斜右上から兩臂を伸ばして敵の左胴に撃込む。刃は左に向ける。
Hidari Do
Swing up until you can see the enemy’s do between your arms. Advance diagonally to the right with the right foot, and accompany it with the left foot. Stretching out both arms, strike the enemy’s left do diagonally from the upper right. Turn the edge to the left.
Among some of the top kendo manuals that are said to have had an impact on the development of modern kendo we have BUDO KYOSHI (1895), by Kumamoto (Keishicho Battotai), KENDO (1915) by Takano Sasaburo (the infamous Koto Shihan Gakko’s kendo teacher), and KENDO NO HATATSU (1912/1926) by Shimokawa (Budo Senmon Gakko’s head of the literary/arts dept.).
The table below is an interesting section from the earlier book of the three mentioned above. It shows a point scoring system for kendo. The translation is liberal, and the original is left for those with Japanese ability.
| Area struck | Description | Points |
| Men | A strong cut to shomen or yoko men | 10 |
| Men | Slightly weak, too deep, or otherwise imperfect men | 9 |
| Kote from jodan* | Fully out streched cut or hikiwaza | 8 |
| Kote from jodan* | A cut that is a little bit light | 7 |
| Do | A string cut to the left or right do or hiki do | 6 |
| Do | Slightly light cut or one that brushes the tare | 5 |
| Men tare | A strong 1 or 2 handed cut | 4 |
| Men tare | Slightly weak cut or one that glances off the mengane | 3 |
| Seigan kote# | Makikomi or slightly tapping cut | 2 |
| Seigan kote# | A light cut or one that strikes the fist stongly | 1 |
* Heiji(?) kote (兵字小手): Based on an article written by Nagao (近世・近代における剣術・剣道の変質過程に関する研究：面技の重視と技術の変容) this is a kote scored from jodan.
# Seigan kote (精眼小手): based on * above, I think its a safe guess that this refers kote scored from seigan/chudan kamae.
Its hard to know exactly how popular this scoring system was at the time (or if it was indeed even used), but it is fact that kendo competition in years gone by were sometimes fought for many points (the most on record was 12 – see 剣道を知る事典). Although discussion of the matter is purely academic, it is interesting to imagine how kendo could have developed had a point system as the above been enforced early in the 20th century. Anyway, just a piece of interesting kendo history for you to put in the knowledge bank!!
In parts one and two of this series, I translated the sections of Takano Sasaburo’s Kendo Kyohan describing techniques for men and tsuki. In this part, I translate the section for kote techniques.
As in part two, I have included the section on how to strike kote [籠手の撃方] from the chapter on basic practice [基本練習].
籠手撃
兩臂の間から敵の籠手の見える程振上げて、正面から籠手へ撃込む。右足から進み、左足は之に伴ふのであるが、腹で進む心持で進むことが肝要である。籠手撃の場合は、手先だけで撃つやうになり易いからである。
Kote Uchi
Swing up until you can see the enemy’s kote between your arms, and strike kote from the front. Advance from the right foot, and follow it with the left, but the feeling of advancing with your abdomen is essential. This is because in the case of kote uchi it is easy to strike as if using just your fingers.
巻籠手撃
手元で小圓を描く心持で、切先で巻込むやうに敵の右籠手に撃込む。足の運方は前と同様。
Maki Kote Uchi
With the feeling of drawing a small circle, spiral in with your sword tip and strike the enemy’s right kote. The footwork is the same as above.
抜籠手撃
左足を左方に踏出し、右足も之に伴つて左足の前に進め，劍尖は敵刀の下から半圓を描き、初歩の間は大きく抜き、敵の右籠手に撃込む。
Nuki Kote Uchi
Step to the left with the left foot. Accompany it with the right foot, and advance the right foot in front of the left. Describe a half circle under the enemy’s sword with your sword tip. During the first step make a large evasion, then strike the enemy’s right kote.
In part one, I translated the section of Takano Sasaburo’s Kendo Kyohon describing 18 techniques for striking men. Part two is 13 techniques for thrusting. One important point not included in this section is that Takano sensei considers tsuki to contain three distinct techniques—mae zuki, omote zuki, and ura zuki—in the same way that men is divided into shomen, hidari men, and migi men. Because of this, I will include his section on how to thrust [突方] from the early chapter on basic practice [基本練習] that describes these three variations.
前突
両手をを一様に絞り、體を進めると同時に両腕を伸ばし、敵の咽喉部を突く。
Mae Zuki
Thrust at the enemy’s throat, wringing both hands equally and stretching out your arms at the same time you move your body forward.
表突
両手を絞り、刃を稍右方に向け、同時に両腕を伸ばし、敵の表(左方)より體を進めると同時に咽喉部を突く。少しく右斜前方に右足より進み、左足の之に伴ふことが肝要である。
Omote Zuki
Wring both your hands, and turn the edge slightly to the right. At the same time, stretch out your arms, and thrust to the throat while advancing your body towards the enemy’s omote (left side). It is essential to advance your right foot slightly diagonally to the right and to accompany it with the left.
This is the first in a series that looks at techniques done by those that are as acknowledged as the best executors of them.
The individual final of the 1st world kendo championships (1970) was between Toda sensei, twice winner of the All Japan Kendo Championships (1962 and 64, using jodan), and Osaka police’s Kobayashi Mitsuru sensei (3rd place in the same competition, 1963). The ippon that secured Kobayashi sensei’s historic win, 33 years before Eiga Naoki saved the Japanese team from defeat by using the same technique: katatezuki.
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Discussions of pre-war kendo pop up from time to time with people proposing what it was like. It seems that those proposals are often supposition based on what someone wishes or imagines it was like instead of the sources that are available. To that end, I’m translating portions of Takano Sasaburo’s Kendo Kyohon into English.
Kendo Kyohon was originally published in 1930, and much of it is repetition from his prior work, Kendo, published in 1915.
I plan to make five entries. The first four will be his “fifty varieties of technique” broken into four sections: men, tsuki, kote, and do. The fifth will be taiatari, grappling, and throwing. The curriculum of 50 techniques is a reduction and reworking of a curriculum of 68 techniques described by Chiba Shusaku. The 50-technique version also appears Kendo, with the only differences being slight differences in phrasing and more old-fashioned grammar.
I’d like to make one note on the translation. Takano sensei describes the two participants as “I” [我] and “the enemy” [敵]. I have switched first-person declaratives to second-person imperatives, as that is much more natural in moden English.
技法五十種
劍道では、或一二の特に熟練した得意の技を持つてゐることは、頗る有利なものであるが、得意な技に偏して、技に變化がなかつたり、他の技に不熟練なのは宜しくない。種々なる技法に習熟して、場合に應じて巧みに之を用ふるやうにしなければならぬ。次に最も基本的で、且普通に應用し得る技五十種を擧げる。漸次是等の技法を試み、之を習熟するやうに努むべきである。
Fifty Varieties of Technique
In kendo, having a certain one or two favorite techniques at which you are proficient is advantageous, but it is not good to be biased toward your favorite techniques, without any variety or being skilled at other techniques. You must master many techniques, so that they can be used skillfully to respond to the situation. The 50 most basic yet typically easy to use techniques are listed below. You should gradually try these techniques and work to master them.
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Introduction
A couple of years ago I made my first ever home made tsuki-pad for my house (instructions are on posted on this blog). Its still holding up well despite beatings from myself and various kendo visitors. However, its not designed to be used heavily nor repeatedly (although I was doing 50 katatezukis a day for a few months), so when I got the idea in my head to make a heavy duty tsuki pad that could take persistent strong beatings and would have to have a long life, I realised a rethink was in order.
This redesigned DIY heavy duty tsuki pad is for use in a high school kendojo. It was made/designed with the purpose of being abused 6 days a week repeatedly and heavily. Once nailed to the dojo wall I don’t want to have to remove it for repair.
What you need
- Strong wood squares, thicker being better
- Carpeting (you can normally buy cheaply in big squares)
- Plastic coasters (shape and thickness is up to you)
- Hammer and nails
Directions
- Take your coaster and place it on the carpeting. Cut the carpeting up so that you have a larger piece than the coaster. Prepare three pieces of carpeting the same size;
- Place the three pieces of carpeting on top of each other and nail it to the wood. I used about 8 nails to secure them firmly;
- Nail the coaster into the middle of the carpeting;
- Attach the tsuki-pad to the dojo wall, either by nailing it in (preferably) or by using strong adhesive.
- Try it out!
After many encouraging comments on a previous article published on kote, I have gained the confidence to revisit the topic
and look a little more closely on some of the fundamentals of kote, from a less cryptic, hazy perspective. I have gone through several translations I made a couple of years ago and I offer the following words of wisdom from several of Japan’s top sensei. I hope these little nuggets of gold can help you, as they have begun to help me (I wish I would have reviewed them before the gaijin bash in Tokyo last month!). Happy keiko.
Hojo Masaomi 6 Dan, Renshi (北條将臣 錬士六段)
1) In order to create the chance to make a effective kote strike, try to craft a situation that allows the opponent to wants to attack, instead of you just waiting for the chance to attack. This is to say create an opening for your opponent to want to attack. In order to do so, try to attack your opponent’s right foot first, not directly trying to attack by kote, because if you do so, your opponent will do their best to defend kote.
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In one of the first weeks, after I just had started practicing jodan, I went up to thank a teacher, as per usual, after finishing a practice and he gave me the following advice:
“It’s a brave path you are starting on and a difficult one. If you really want to learn it, you have to commit to it fully and not just play around.”
He continued: “In order to fully understand whether this kamae is suitable for you, you have to practice it for 4 years, before you can truly judge whether it’s for your or not.
You have to be brave, proud and never show any fear, pain or frustration. If they hit you (and they will), maintain your posture, maintain your kamae and shake it off and do it again. After 2 years, you will be able to score a proper ippon”.
Now, back then, in my almost-nidan mind, I was already scoring ippons, although in hindsight the only reason my shinai got anywhere near peoples head, was probably because my swing was so wobbly that it threw their timing off. But still, I didn’t pay too much attention to the time-line thing, although the rest of the advise was very helpful and I still use it today.
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This year Kanagawa-kenkei’s (Kanagawa prefecture police force) Shodai Kenji won the 56th All Japan Championships. As a young policeman on his prefectural A-team, a 4th time entrant to the competition, and an extremely serious contender for being in the Japan national side for next years World Championships there is nothing surprising here. What might be surprising, however, is that he is a JODAN kenshi, and is the first to win the title using this kamae since 1983. Thats 25 years.
Some of my friends have said “if he wins, it will be the start of a new jodan boom” and the such like, but as someone on the ground here in Japan who goes to many shiai, i’d say we are well into a boom as we speak. For the last few years I have been noting that in shiai here – from high school level up – there are increasing numbers of jodan people, both male and female. Shodai’s win might help to accentuate things (or to validate peoples selection of the kamae) but I suggest that he is not the reason for it.
So what is? And why have I chosen to call it a “renaissance” rather than an “emergence?” Well, the second question is much easier to answer than the first, so let me start with that.
Read More Post a comment (6)Last week during class, I was practicing with Mizutani-sensei and he offered me the following advice regarding Kote-uchi (小手内). Sensei explained that kote-uchi can be understood through by three key principles: fumi-komi (踏み込み), te-no-uchi (手の内) and zanshin (残心).
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Inspired by George’s recent translations, I decided to be bold (and possibly foolish!) and offer up one of my own. As most of us know, kuzushi (崩し) is a very important concept in Japanese budo (武道). Kuzushi goes beyond merely unbalancing an opponent; it drives to the heart of destroying the opponent’s mental and physical composure so that a telling blow can be struck.
The following is a translation of the April, 2007 issue of Kendo Jidai (剣道時代2007年4月) “Kuzushi Taizen”(崩し大全).
末野栄二, 八段
1. 恐怖心を与えて崩す
2. 剣先で相手のクセを察知する
3. 剣先の円運動で攻め崩す
4. 手首の使い分けを意識する
Sueno Eiji, 8 Dan
1) Frighten your opponent so that their balance is broken
2) Uncover your opponent’s habits with your kensen
3) Create a offense by using a circling movement with your kensen
4) Be aware of the different uses of the wrist
攻め
一足一刀の間合よりやや遠い間合で構え、相手の竹刀に表・裏から付けたり、軽く押せたりして相手の「心」・「気」に触れてみる。そこから、さらに竹刀の表・裏を力強く、短く張って中心を抑えながら一足一刀の間合に入り、時に剣先をわずかに突き出したり、グッと下にしたりして強い攻めをみせ、相手の手元の動きを見る。この時、足の動きは含み足で行なう。含み足とは、足指の全てを使って這うようにして一寸きざみに間合を詰める動きである。この攻めを何回かくり返し、相手の気分と剣先の動きを見ながら、攻め方と技の組み立てを考える。
- 古川和男、剣道時代の「名選手、錬磨の日々」（1983ー84）からの抜粋です。「錬磨の日々」の本は1989発行。
Seme
Taking your kamae from a little bit outside issoku-itto-no-ma, lightly feel out your opponents shinai on both sides, all the time testing and looking at his KOKORO (心) and KI (気). From there, strongly press both sides of your opponents shinai and – whilst taking control of the center line – enter into issoku-itto-no-ma, pushing his shinai out of the way. In particular try slightly thrusting your kensaki or quickly adjusting moving your kamae down. Whilst moving in strongly, observe your opponents hands closely. During this time, use FUKUMI-ASHI (含み足). “Fukumi-ashi” is when you use the toes in your feet to slowly creep forward, slowly and bit-by-bit taking ground and moving into a good distance. SEME like this many times and – while continually observing your opponents feeling (気分) and kensaki – think about the method of SEME and what technique(s) you can use to defeat them.
- Furukawa Kazuo, from the Kendo Jidai article series called “Mei senshu, renma no hibi” that was originally published in 1983-84. The series was published in a two book format called “renma no hibi” in 1989.
This is the first in a serious of short translations about kendo concepts from renowned sensei. I am not an expert in Japanese nor in translation, so I have left the original Japanese in place for the Japanese readers out there. If you have comments on the translation, please get in touch.
Introduction
I am terrible at making things, but the following came out pretty good… so I will quickly share this simple DIY tsuki-pad solution with you. It should take no more than 5 mins to put together, and will provide hours of at-home-entertainment. Enjoy.
What you need
- foam for a sander/polisher (as thick as you need)
- sticky back square velcro patches (front and back, a little bit bigger or smaller than the foam should work)
- sticky back tape (1 square piece around the same size as the coasters)
- soft/flexible coasters (I used 4)
- strong tape
- strong post/area to put the tsuki-pad
- beer (1 or more)
Directions
- take your coasters and tape them together as shown in the diagram. Leave a small area in the middle to aim at if you like (as I did);
- take the sticky backed square tape and stick the coasters and the sander foam together;
- on the strong post / area you have selected to place your tsuki pad work out exactly the height you wish to place the tsuki pad. Ensure that the area can take impact and also that you have enough distance to correctly practise your footwork;
- stick the back piece of the sticky backed velcro onto your selected area;
- place the other piece of sticky backed velcro on the clean side of the sander foam;
- using the velcro, stick the foam to your selected area;
- practise a few tsukis. How is it?
- drink your beer in satisfaction.
Bonus
Since you’ve used velcro patches to stick the pad to your wall or wherever, you can easily make multiple height targets… for tsuki practise against people who are taller/shorter than you.
