In the first four parts of this series, I translated the sections of Takano Sasabuo’s Kendo Kyohan concerning waza for men, tsuki, kote, and do. In part five I translated the sections about tsubazeriai and taiatari. In this section, I translate the section on grappling (kumiuchi).
組打
Grappling
（一）劍を打落し又は打落された場合
組打は敵から組み附いて來る時、又は劍を打落された場合に行ふものである。敵の劍を打落した場合には、其の機に乘じ直に撃込むのである。若し撃ち遲れたなら、敵を近寄らせず、壓迫して行く。我が劍を撃落された場合には、敵が次の技を起さない間に、直に飛び込んで組み附くのである。直に飛び込めぬ場合は一時飛び退き、隙を見て飛び込ものである。
(1) Striking Down the Enemy’s Sword and When Your Sword is Struck Down
Grappling is something that happens when the enemy closes to wrestle or when your sword is struck out of your hands. In the case of knocking the sword out of the enemy’s hands, take advantage of the opportunity and strike directly. If you delay in striking, even though you don’t draw close to the enemy, he may be pressured into grappling. In the case where your sword is knocked out of your hands, fly in straight away to wrestle before the enemy can perform another technique. In the case where you can’t do that, jump back for a moment. When you see an opening, fly in.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Read More Post a comment (13)This small article intriduces the “Showa no kensei (昭和の剣聖)” or “The Sword Saints of the Showa period.” All of these kenshi are widely known within the Japanese kendo community, and abroad as well, but I thought a quick article in here would serve as a useful reference.
I hope to expand on this and write longer and more in-depth articles about various kenshi from by-gone years (and not limited to just kendo or renowned personages).
In particular, I feel that Takano Sasaburo’s impact on kendo is not fully understood by many modern practitioners, myself included. Doing research for these articles gives me the chance to learn more and clarify my own thoughts and ideas about kendo, which can only be a good thing!
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Takano Sasaburo (高野佐三郎) 1862 or 3 – 1950. Ono-ha itto-ryu, kendo hanshi. Notable events in his career: 1879 – Entered Yamaoka Tesshu’s Yubukan |
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