Parts one, two and three of this series are already available, and the translation concludes with part four below. Thank you for reading.

Tachiumare

Tachiumare [lit. the birth/origin of a sword strike]* is explained as follows. Put simply, in today’s shiai, when facing off with your opponent or dealing with them, both parties’ swords cannot be said to be tense: they are only waiting. When your opponent intends to strike, their sword tip will tense up and become firm. This is the moment at which they will strike. Knowing this, you should wait within attacking, and attack within waiting. This is known as ken-chū-tai, tai-chū-ken (懸中待　待中懸)**. The key point is where the sword of the opponent rises or falls and becomes tense. When the opponent intends to strike he will raise his sword tip slightly. When he intends to thrust he will lower his sword tip slightly. From this, you can understand tachiumare. If you understand the above and put　it to use, you should progress until you naturally understand the point of respiration (kokyū).

*Tachiumare is an important Ittō-ryū teaching which appears, in different forms, in both the Kanaji Mokuroku and the Hon Mokuroku, the second and third tiers of transmission respectively.

**This teaching also appears in the Hon Mokuroku.

During shiai

In shiai, the mind is false but the shinai is truthful (if the mind is false, the truth will be apparent through the techniques on the surface). This is because the shinai is always poised to immediately cut or thrust.

This is one case where, while maintaining respect for the [Ittō-ryū] school, it is acceptable to deviate from its teachings. When young, you should regard technique as everything, even to the point of failure. Passing beyond this, when you are over forty years old you should make use of your spirit and presence. In the same way, [young] people do as they please, but as they get older they become more mindful and thrifty.

Takayanagi sensei

A man asked Takayanagi*: “Sensei, you say that we must be able to defeat a strong point weakly and a weak point strongly. But what does it mean to win with strength?” Takayanagi replied, “I do not yet know.”

* Takayanagi Matashirō was a student of the third generation headmaster of the Nakanishi line of Ittō-ryū (and Tanemasa’s father), Nakanishi Tanehiro. Takayanagi’s family transmitted a branch of Toda-ryū that came to be known as ‘Takayanagi-ha.’ He was one of the so-called ‘three crows’ of Nakanishi dojo, the other two being Terada Muneari and Shirai Tōru, respectively the first and second-generation headmasters of Tenshin Ittō-ryū. Together these three acted as guardians for the young Nakanishi Tanemasa following Tanehiro’s death. Takayanagi was famous for his ‘silent sword’ technique, where he would defeat opponents without letting their shinai touch his.

The moon on water

The moon on water is explained as follows. You make yourself like the moon and shine light upon your opponent. Or, if you make yourself as water and allow your opponent to become like the moon, you will see the points where the light they cast is insufficient. In other words, you will realise their areas of falsehood.

Put your feeling into the belly of your opponent and act as if no swords are involved. Allow this to assist your use of the sword.

The ability to fight is something that no-one can teach, but even a child has it. At first, our school teaches sō and gyō [see above] without any connection to fighting, and exclusively teaches to remain calm and suppress the urge to fight. At first, students learn by paying no mind to swords conveying to the opponent their spirit alone. Thus, when they allow this approach to assist their use of the sword they will be able to attain victory.

The nature of a spark

The nature of a spark (sekka no kurai, 石火の位) is the feeling of a sickle striking a stone: it is sharp and fierce. When you and your opponent’s swords meet, the nature of a spark is the moment of sharpness where you transfer your feeling and your sword to the opponent.

Adhere to doctrine

Even if a purse is dirty, you should not throw away the coins it holds. Even if you are of lowly stature, you should not discard propriety and doctrine*.

*The word used here is hō(法). This indicates law, dharma, reason, natural order, propriety and doctrine.

The three natures

The nature of dew (tsuyu no kurai, 露の位), the nature of a spark (sekka no kurai) and the nature of a temple bell (bonshō no kurai, 梵鐘の位) can be understood as follows. With blunted swords (habiki, 刃引) stand far apart from your opponent, calmly and unhurriedly approach them and with a fullness of spirit cut down their sword with kiriotoshi. When you cut down their sword, it is with the nature of dew. When your sword connects with theirs, it is with the nature of a spark. Once you have struck down their sword, immediately you assume the nature of the temple bell, and send out a resounding echo that engulfs your opponent.

The nature of dew (tsuyu no kurai) is like a drop of dew collecting on a leaf. Although it is constantly on the verge of falling from the leaf it hangs on, then plops from the leaf as the tension breaks. Standing away from your opponent, as you approach them you must amass a fullness of spirit, then like a drop of dew falling from a leaf cut down their sword with kiriotoshi. The point of cutting down their sword has the nature of a spark [see above].

The master and the amateur

A skilled bowman, when using a noisemaker arrow* to exorcise someone possessed by a fox spirit**, stood facing the target with the intent to shoot the shoulder, where the possession was located. As he aimed at the shoulder and went to shoot the swelling, it shifted to the waist. When he aimed at the waist, it shifted elsewhere. As a poor shot would have killed the person, the bowman passed his bow and arrow to his servant and commanded him to shoot, but the servant declined. The command was issued strongly, and the servant reluctantly stepped forward to face the target with an arrow on his bowstring. In that instant the fox possession was dispelled. The master was so skilled he could not miss where he aimed for, but it was impossible to know where the unskilled servant’s arrow would have struck. Thus, the fox spirit took fright, and vanished.

When someone has trained a little with a sword and knows something of kiriotoshi and methods for winning bouts, it is good to engage them. A complete amateur who knows nothing of how to cut with a sword will attack randomly and without logic, and it is not good to engage with them.

*A noisemaker arrow (hikime or kaburaya) refers to a blunt arrow with a conical device fitted at its tip, designed to make a loud noise when shot. These kinds of arrows were used to scare away animals, and presumably, as this tale shows, were also used in exorcism.

**Fox possession (kitsunetsuki, 狐憑き) was a condition believed to affect young women who had been possessed by the spirit of a fox, which was viewed as a supernatural creature in Japanese folklore. Symptoms were varied but often included fox-like behaviour, frothing at the mouth, developing a huge appetite and the presence of a lump under the skin that would shift when touched or pricked with needles. Exorcism usually took place at Shintō shrines. The fox possession myth is to some extent analogous with lycanthropy in European folklore.

Woman possessed by a fox spirit

Growth and maturation

The three methods shin, gyō and sō* have nothing to do with physical technique, and are methods of the mind. When your technique has matured, your sword, body and mind will be unified.

For example, if you view plum blossom, you may paint a picture of the flowers you see, but you cannot capture their scent. A plum tree draws up moisture from the earth, grows tall, its flowers bloom and its fruit ripens. The painting is lacking the shin of the earth, so it merely looks pleasing to the eye. Swordsmanship too is like a plant growing from the earth. Solid ground, shin, is vital. You cannot train in swordsmanship without a determined focus. You should have a strong appreciation for this.

*Shin, gyō and sō, as explained previously, refer to timings in Ittō-ryū. However their scope is much broader than this. They can also refer to speed, shape or how close a technique is to the basic model, amongst other things. In the above description the meaning is close to that used in calligraphy: shin denotes precise, standard characters, sō very loose, flowing characters, and gyō is somewhere in between. Without learning shin it is not possible to progress to gyō and sō.

Turning the self

“Turning the self” has the following meaning. A lamp that shines its light directly upon you is a hindrance, but if you try to shield yourself from the light, it will still seep through the gaps between your fingers. If you close the lamp’s shutters, the light will still stream through the cracks between them. If you turn so that the lamp is not in front of you but to the side, it becomes an even greater hindrance.

It is best to turn to face away from the light, so you cannot see it at all. You will not be aware that the light is shining upon your back, and will be unperturbed by it. This is what is known as “turning the self.”

Although I know little*, I believe the above description of shielding yourself from light means that if you put yourself through great pains in training the kumitachi, acquiring skill, learning to read the tells in an opponent’s mood and sword movement, and become able to shine your own light on the opponent, you may progress further, to the point of extinguishing your opponent’s light. At this point you will no longer be perturbed by anything.

*This line suggests that this paragraph is written from the perspective of Takano Mitsumasa.

The other side of victory

A die is a cube, with faces numbered one to six. Six is the highest number attainable. When you win totally, the reverse of that victory is a singular defeat of one. When you win with a five, the reverse is two defeats. When you win with a four, the reverse is three defeats. This is the point of life and death.

Note: For clarity’s sake, it should be noted that a die has six and one, five and two and four and three on opposite sides.

Adapting to circumstance

Using the hardness of chopsticks, you can hold the softness of a bean. You do not set out to use the chopsticks stiffly because they are hard, nor softly because the bean is soft. You must use them adaptively, according to circumstance. Swordsmanship is the same.

Mountain foot, river mouth

At the mountain, its foot. At the river, its mouth.* This means that when you see an opponent intends to thrust at you, you should leave the target of your throat open while protecting all other targets, then defend the throat when he makes his thrust.
If you try to prevent him from making this thrust from the beginning, he will change the target he is attacking. To leave yourself open when the opponent intends to thrust is what is called “mountain foot, river mouth.”

*This phrase appears in the Kanaji Mokuroku.

Yin and Yang in Itto-ryu and other schools

Naganuma Jikishinkage-ryū* teaches to use jodan no kamae with the spirit of ‘activeness within activeness’ [yang within yang, 陽中の陽]. Ittō-ryū teaches to use gedan with a spirit of passiveness [yin, 陰]. With a spirit of ‘activeness within activeness,’ if you do not issue forth [i.e. be proactive, attack] then you will fall into passiveness. In our school, when you issue forth the passiveness within your passiveness becomes active, and you are able to apply yourself.

Munen-ryū** takes a position between activeness and passiveness, and utilises a slightly distorted seigan no kamae.

*‘Naganuma’ refers to the main branch of Jikishinkage-ryū swordsmanship. Naganuma Kunigo, the seventh-generation headmaster of Jikishinkage-ryū is credited with introducing practice with shinai and bogu, as pioneered by Nakanishi Chūta of Ittō-ryū. The Naganuma branch, in contrast with the Otani branch, was said to favour jodan no kamae.

**Shindo Munen-ryū, founded by Fukui Hyōemon, was another prominent swordsmanship school in this period.

Do not use physical strength

Neither striking nor cutting requires physical strength. When an experienced drummer strikes a drum, he does so with crispness and the sound resounds cleanly.

Chuta sensei

Chūta sensei* said:

“When children are playing beside a well, and a child looks like they will fall in, any onlooker, no matter who, will be startled. This is the vital point in an engagement. Not only is it very interesting, it has a profound meaning.”

* Nakanishi Chūta, the first head of the Nakanishi line of Ittō-ryū.

Compare natural ability, hard work and enjoyment of training: of the three, the latter is most important for becoming skilled.*

Although a cow may walk slowly, its pace is fine. It will continue onwards for a thousand leagues, never resting nor taking its eyes from the path.

This is the way of strategy: to attack the heart is best; to attack city walls is worst. Battling with hearts is better than battling with soldiers.
- Zhuge Liang, Marquis of Zhongwu**

*These are regarded as the three necessary elements for mastery of an art.

**This is a quotation from the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sangokushi, 三国志 in Japanese). It is advice given to Zhuge Liang by Ma Su during his campaign to subdue the southern tribes. When considering which strategy to employ against the city of Nanzhong, Zhuge Liang asked Ma Su’s advice, and was told that he should win the hearts of the people in the city rather than conquer them using military might.

Sources and further reading:

『剣道』　高野佐三郎〈著〉　島津書房発行　1982 ( 1915)
『兵法一刀流』　高野弘正〈著〉　講談社発行　1985
『一刀流極意』　笹森順造〈著〉　礼楽堂発行　1986 (1965)
『剣禅話』　山岡鉄舟〈著〉　高野登〈編訳〉　徳間書店発行　1971
『高野佐三郎 剣道遺稿集』　高野佐三郎〈著〉　堂本昭彦〈編〉　スキージャーナル株式会社発行　2007 (1989)
『剣道の発達』　下川潮〈著〉　梓川書房発行　1976 (1925)
『日本剣道史』　山田次郎吉〈著〉　一橋剣友会発行　1976 (1925)
『剣道五百年史』　富永堅吾〈著〉　百泉書房発行　1971
『増補大改訂　武芸流派大事典』　綿谷雪、山田忠史〈著〉　株式会社東京コピー出版部発行　1978

If you haven’t already, please read part one and part two of this series first. Part three continues below.

Embracing death

If participating in a fight with real swords, you must go into it with the conviction that you will be killed. If you can do this you will be able to act decisively and remain physically strong. If you do not think that you will be killed, you will not be able to attain victory. This is a point of profound significance.

In a fight with real swords, you cannot prevail if you do not have a firm knowledge of the duality of life and death. For example, when the day is over night will fall. When night is over it always becomes light again.* When your life reaches its limit, you will meet death. Likewise, when the threat of death is exhausted, you will surely live.

There is an Ittō-ryū teaching:

Like a horse chestnut husk carried on the mountain river’s rapids
Discard your body and float upon the current**

* Here “day” and “night” are described with yin (in, 陰) and yang (yō, 陽), which indicates a much broader meaning incorporating negative and positive, west and east, passiveness and activeness and so on. Yin and yang are used to express many important concepts in Ittō-ryū, as well as in other schools of Japanese swordsmanship.

** This poem is a major teaching of Ittō-ryū. The key phrase “mi wo tsutete” literally means ‘discarding one’s body.’ This means to commit fully to an attack with a preparedness to die in the attempt. The same idea is commonly referred to as sutemi (捨て身) in modern kendo. In the poem, this line is a play on words. The horse chestnut husk has discarded its seed (mi, 実 in Japanese) and has become light, floating on the water. The swordsman who discards his body (also pronounced mi, 身 in Japanese) and is prepared to die in a fight will in fact be more likely to prevail in an encounter.

Facing the opponent

When your sword tip is not touching that of your opponent (i.e. you are too far away) you cannot cut him. A bout will be decided when the point of each sword has passed the other by 5 sun (approx. 15cm).

A cultured man [i.e. a samurai] who is determined to kill his opponent will approach them directly, facing them squarely. A person of lower class will approach his enemy diagonally, in a hanmi stance. Even if you are a member of the warrior class, sidling up to an opponent indirectly makes you no better than a boorish peasant.

If you try to raise your spirit above that of an opponent whose spirit is higher than yours, you will not be successful. If you try to lower your spirit beneath that of an opponent who is operating lower than you, your actions will become crude and lose substance. Instead, you must stay in the very centre, the ‘true centre,’ and never stray from it. The ‘true centre’ means you act so as not to lose*, without excess or deficiency in any area. If you simply carry out your daily training in this way, when you have to fight for real, simply act so as not to lose, and you will naturally be able to utilise the teachings Shinken and Dokumyoken.* If you stray from the true centre, then you will not be able to make use of these teachings.

* This is an ideal of swordsmanship in Ittō-ryū.

** Shinken and Dokumyōken are two of the highest teachings of Ittō-ryū. They are part of the Kōjō Gokui Goten, a set of kata which are said to originally come from Chūjō-ryū (via Toda Seigen and his student Kanemaki Jisai, who subsequently taught them to Itō Ittōsai).

True victory

True victory means to be sincere and act according to your true feelings. If, no matter what occurs, you remain unshaken and maintain a clear and composed sense of dignity, you will be able to grasp victory. The feeling you should have is that described by the Buddha: “throughout heaven and earth, I alone am holy.”*

When inquiring of your sensei, if you ask with the feeling described above, you will receive an equally direct and sincere answer. In this way students can come to receive the most secret teachings from their teacher. This is a concept that is very difficult to put into words.

*When the Shakyamuni Buddha was born, he raised one hand to heaven, stretched one hand towards the floor, took seven steps and proclaimed that there was no-one more exalted than him in all of heaven and earth.

Training is a journey

Your training is like a journey. If you have business in Kyoto, first you set out from Shinagawa, walk until you reach Hakone, continue past Oigawa, travel through Nansho and finally you will arrive in the Kyoto area. Instead of taking this winding route, you may think it is better to travel directly to Kyoto, but if you do so, even though an event may still occur along the way, your journey will not be filled with many trials and tribulations.

In training and competition, you should allow the fifty kumitachi* to lead you through many trials and tribulations until you become proficient. Other approaches are useless. If you approach them in this way, competition and kumitachi will never become tiresome.

* The core fifty techniques of Ittō-ryū.

Matching of spirit

In Noh drama, performers only wear a single mask. To show happiness or sadness, an actor does not change his mask, but expresses the emotion through his performance. A skilled performer is able to make an audience cry when they express sadness in this way. This is empathic – a direct connection between the minds of the performer and the audience.*

If you do not understand the points at which your spirit and the spirit of your opponent match, then you will not be able to attain victory.

** The phrase used here, 以心伝心, is a Buddhist expression referring to a telepathic communication or tacit understanding. In Zen Buddhism particularly, it indicates the nonverbal transmission of an inexpressible truth or understanding from teacher to student.

Owlish swordsmanship

There is such a thing as ‘owlish swordsmanship.’ Like an owl that can see in the darkness of night but which is rendered blind in the brightness of day, such a swordsman cannot comprehend the bright areas of opportunity.

Students who go through a process of gradual cultivation through training based on teachings and written documents they receive, and – in recent years – who take the true centre in shiai, who have reached the point where, more so than winning they focus on not losing, and are able to utilise the highest teachings very rarely have this kind of problem; however, even if you deliberately pay close attention to it, when facing an opponent your sword tip is liable to raise slightly. If you are not facing an opponent, this will not occur. You must be mindful of this and work to correct your sword tip accordingly.

Adherence to the master’s teachings

In Ono Jirōemon’s* dojo it is written:

“The Ittō-ryū school of strategy taught by this house strictly adheres to the teachings of the founder teacher, Itō [Ittōsai] Kagehisa, and transmits these teachings to students, never adding personal ideas, but simply passing down the teachings of Ittōsai sensei.”

*Itō Ittōsai’s successor and the founder of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū. Nakanishi Tanemasa’s line of Ittō-ryu (which originated from the Ono family tradition) is today called ‘Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū,’ but well into the twentieth century its official name was simply ‘Ittō-ryū’ and it was colloquially known as ‘Ono-ha Ittō-ryū.’ This naming denoted that it was the same tradition as that of the Ono family, albeit continued by a separate line of teachers. There was a great deal of interaction between various lines of Ittō-ryū in the Edo and Meiji periods. The full delineation of present-day Ono-ha and Nakanishi-ha occurred in modern times.

Itō Ittōsai presenting Ono Jirōemon Tadaaki with the Kamewaritō, a sword that was a symbol of succession in Ittō-ryu. Source: Honchō Bugei Hyakunin Isshu, 1851

Grounding

Even if you erect a fine, solid pillar, if the ground* is poor the pillar will twist and fail to stand straight. If the ground is solid then even if the pillar itself is poor, it will stand straight and true. In swordsmanship, even if a person is skilled at techniques they will not amount to anything if their grounding is poor. Conversely, a person who is unskilled but has a solid grounding can become truly capable. This “grounding” is extremely important.

* The word used here is chigyō (地形). This term appears in the Jūnikajō Mokuroku, where it refers in practical terms to adopting advantageous tactical positioning and movement corresponding to the terrain. Yamaoka Tesshū writes of two positions: junchi (順地) and gyakuchi (逆地). Junchi is an advantageous position where you are uphill from your opponent, and gyakuchi is the opposite. This teaching states that it is also important to place the elements (e.g. the sun, wind and rain) at your rear. The essential goal is to take an advantageous position while forcing your opponent into the disadvantageous position. This clearly parallels the teachings of Sun Tzu. In both immediately practical and philosophical terms, chigyō is a key teaching in Ittō-ryū.

Developing courage

A person who tempers their courage* will naturally improve the use of their hands (i.e. techniques). A person who focuses on training the hands will not develop courage. Courage is tempered by coming face to face with death.

Like a shell ladle: discard the body, to save the body**

*Tan (胆): literally “liver,” this can be interpreted in a similar way to “guts” in colloquial English.

** A shell ladle is made from an empty clamshell. The body of the shellfish has been discarded, but the empty shell can be used to fish out food from a pot. Hence, the swordsman must strike at the risk of his life (with sutemi) in order to avoid death.

Distance and closeness

A skilled person understands closeness and feels difficulty at a distance. An unskilled person understands distance but not closeness.* If you construct a box, first you prepare your saw, sharpen your plane, and gather your tools – you organise all the things you need to put the box together. If you try to make a box without undergoing this preparation, your saw will not cut, your plane will not smooth, and you will be unable to make a decent box. In swordsmanship, if you aim to defeat someone you must scrutinise the situation deeply in preparation. Only after you have done this will you understand how to win.

* ‘Distance and Closeness’ (遠近之事) is a teaching contained in the Jūnikajō Mokuroku which states that the distance between you and the opponent should be far for him, and close for you. Of course, physically speaking this is not necessarily possible. Rather, this teaching refers to perception of distance, and to adopting maai in a way that establishes victory before you make a strike.

Be calm and decisive

It is vital to be unhurried and to remain calm. If a fire breaks out, if you panic you will forget to rescue important things, and you will lose them. In swordsmanship, you face a similar situation. If you lose your cool and rush, you have already lost the mental battle. Without panicking or hurrying and without fear, take a single step without stopping, to reach the point of victory.*

*Although the kanji used here are different, this recalls the Ittō-ryū teaching “a single step, without stopping” (一歩不留). In simple terms this means to act without pause, doubt or hesitation, and advance at a smooth pace, avoiding stagnation. This can be interpreted on both a raw technical and philosophical level. See this article for more information.

The heart

The heart* should be rounded, but still have one corner
Too round, and the heart will turn over too easily
To keep a corner on a heart that feels round:
The harder it is for the men of today’s world,
The more they must strive to do so

*Kokoro (心) in Japanese: this is perceived as the seat of consciousness.

Click here for part four.

Sources and further reading:

『剣道』　高野佐三郎〈著〉　島津書房発行　1982 ( 1915)
『兵法一刀流』　高野弘正〈著〉　講談社発行　1985
『一刀流極意』　笹森順造〈著〉　礼楽堂発行　1986 (1965)
『剣禅話』　山岡鉄舟〈著〉　高野登〈編訳〉　徳間書店発行　1971
『高野佐三郎 剣道遺稿集』　高野佐三郎〈著〉　堂本昭彦〈編〉　スキージャーナル株式会社発行　2007 (1989)
『剣道の発達』　下川潮〈著〉　梓川書房発行　1976 (1925)
『日本剣道史』　山田次郎吉〈著〉　一橋剣友会発行　1976 (1925)
『剣道五百年史』　富永堅吾〈著〉　百泉書房発行　1971
『増補大改訂　武芸流派大事典』　綿谷雪、山田忠史〈著〉　株式会社東京コピー出版部発行　1978

Part two continues below.

The two metsuke

When facing an opponent in shiai, the two metsuke* are as follows. For opponents in jōdan, you should watch the point from which they raise and lower their weapon [i.e. the hands]. Opponents in seigan will raise and lower their kissaki, attempting to hide their intent. When they are going to strike, they will raise the kissaki, and when they are going to thrust, they will lower it. Observing the kissaki, you should watch for when the opponent moves the sword in a real attack**. In this way, the truth will make itself known to you.

*‘Two Metsuke’ (futatsu no metsuke no koto, 二之目付之事) is an important teaching in Ittō-ryū and is the first recorded in the Jūnikajō Mokuroku (the first document of transmission issued to students of Ittō-ryū). On a basic level, it teaches that students should watch the hands and kissaki of the opponent. What is described above is one application of the concept. Takano Sasaburō’s own writings contain the same teaching – to look at the hands in jōdan, and at the kissaki in chūdan or gedan.

**Jitsu (実) in Japanese, meaning literally “truth.” Its counterpart is kyo (虚), “falsehood.” The ability to discern between these two is the ability to read the intentions of one’s opponent.

Extract from a Hokushin Itto-ryu document explaining the teaching ‘Two Metsuke’

Do not rely on spirit alone

The Kanaji Mokuroku* contains the line: “do not favour jōdan if you lack ability.” This means that if you attempt to use confidence and a strong spirit to overcome a lack of sufficient training in a technique, you will not be successful.

* The second of the major documents of transmission in Ittō-ryū.

Strong and weak points

Observe your sword and the opponent’s sword as a single entity, and pay attention to the strong points and weak points. Observing thus, you should put pressure on the weak point of the opponent’s sword using the strong point of your own weapon.

Sticking to the opponent

When sticking to your opponent* you should see them as being like sticky boiled rice, and be without stickiness yourself. When you are engaged with the opponent’s stickiness and attack naturally, even if you match with the opponent exactly, you will have points where you are stuck to the opponent and where you are not. This should be studied carefully.

* In Ittō-ryū, ‘sticking’ to the opponent’s sword is often referred to as sokui-tsuke. In some ways, this is similar in concept to tsubazeriai in kendo. However the position typically taken in Ittō-ryū is further out, vying for control of the centre with your sword ‘stuck to’ the opponent’s. There are a number of ways of writing sokui-tsuke but here the characters used are those for “quickly [prepared] rice.” More precisely, ‘sokui’ usually refers to rice that is boiled and then mashed to form a thick glutinous paste.

The three methods – so, gyo and shin

The three methods are as follows.* With sō you convey to the opponent, “that does not bother me, that is no good,” smother his attack and defeat him. With gyō you immediately show the opponent, “that is no good,” confront him aggressively and defeat him. With shin you immediately strike down the opponent.

*The “three methods” (note: this term appears in the English translation for clarity’s sake; the original text simply reads, “methods”) are known as sō (草), gyō (行) and shin (真) in Ittō-ryū and correspond to gosen no sen, senzen no sen and sensen no sen** respectively. Sō, gyō and shin have a much broader meaning than this in Ittō-ryū: in this case, however, they appear to refer to these three timings. The terms are originally taken from calligraphy, where shin denotes standard, precise characters (kaishotai), gyō denotes slightly looser, freer characters (gyōshotai) and sō denotes flowing script where the form of the characters is very free (sōshotai).

** These methods have different names in different schools of swordsmanship. Here they are defined as follows:
– Gosen no sen: you allow the opponent to move and then counter his attack.
– Senzen no sen: you strike in the instant the opponent begins his attack.
– Sensen no sen: you strike in the instant that the opponent thinks to attack, but before he can move.

Swordsmanship and aging

If older swordsmen try to compete with younger opponents and make large attacks, their posture and grip will fail. This looks very poor. You should not care about being struck, and fence your opponent using correct technique. If you do not conceal physical frailties in this way, others will take notice and your status will suffer.

Older people may exert pressure with their sword tip but find their opponent’s mood and spirit does not become tense. In this case you should make an opening with a technique and thrust, strike men, or strike the left or right kote. In other words you should be able to adapt according to the opponent.

As you age, you will stop competing as much, and simply pay attention to surikomi [entering by sliding in], harikomi [entering by slapping] and uchikomi [entering with a strike], becoming acquainted with what you can and can’t do and only using the techniques you are capable with. This leads to areas of excess and deficiency.

At the age of sixty-two I competed in a shiai. Somehow, my younger opponent managed to knock me over with a thrust. Some people said that this was dangerous and that I should have been more cautious. While they may not find themselves knocked over with thrusts as I was, these types of people will be hit with strikes and thrusts at trifling moments. This is a ridiculous attitude which proves they know nothing about fighting with a sword.

Various teaching points

When working to raise the level of beginners, you should not worry about their footwork and so on, but teach them about the correct position of the sword, the correct method of kiriotoshi and so on, so they can smoothly and effectively perform these techniques. If you try to correct their footwork and body movement, they will pay too much attention to this. It will make them have a tension in their chest and be unable to use their hands smoothly. If you teach them to move their hands smoothly their footwork and body movement will naturally become smooth too.

There is a saying: a one-eyed monkey laughs at a monkey that sees clearly. A teacher who sees things in an unbalanced way will raise his students with the same biases, even though they may come to him without biases of their own.*

If your frame of mind is corrected, your physical posture will become correct also. If your physical posture becomes correct, the way you use your sword will become correct also.

People with the habit of raising their sword tip should correct their footwork and their sword tip will naturally lower.

People with stiff shoulders should correct their footwork and their shoulders will naturally become less tense.

People who become excessively fixated on observing the opponent’s state should correct their use of the sword tip, and their observation of the opponent will naturally become correct.

*Takano Sasaburō explains this concept in terms of a one-eyed monkey whose children have two eyes, but who keep one closed out of sympathy for their parent.

The vital point

People who are overly worried or concerned about a certain element of swordsmanship should stop thinking about that point in particular, and look to correct the basics underpinning that element.

A folding fan* is the same – the pin that holds the fan together is vital, and must reach through all the spines to secure them. This is why the pin of a fan is known as “the essential point.”**

*In Japanese, a folding fan (ōgi, 扇) is pronounced in the same way as ‘highest/secret teaching’ (ōgi, 奥義) – this metaphor is likely a play on words to indicate that the basics underpin everything, even the highest teachings.

**The word for the pin of a folding fan (kaname, 要) is also used to refer ‘the essential point’ of something. It is written with the character for ‘necessary.’

Act according to your opponent

If you are stronger, act weaker. If you are weaker, act stronger. This means that if your opponent is more skilled than you are, you should strike at them strongly and aggressively. If your opponent is less skilled than you are, you should allow them to strike at you.

The process of teaching

In swordsmanship, the process of teaching is as follows: first, teach students to relax and lose tension; when in the middle of their training, subject them to many hardships; finally, foster in them a courageous spirit.

Beginners should be taught to strictly adhere to the correct kamae for the start of a kata (be it gedan or seigan), the correct kamae for the end of a kata (be it gedan or jōdan), and the points where the kata begins and ends.

Meanwhile, although it is the most important part, the point of attaining victory should at first be ignored. Beginners should be made to focus strictly on the start and end of the kata. If from the start they are fixated only on the point of victory they will acquire bad habits.

To use an example, if an inexperienced person constructs a box, prepares tobacco or a makes a plate, even if they are very skilled, an expert will still be able to tell that it was made by an amateur.

Natural skill and correct methodology

In swordsmanship, including the swordsmanship popular today*, even if a novice has a lot of natural skill, they will not act in accordance with the correct methods of swordsmanship. They will therefore not be able to handle a real sword effectively.

* Possibly a reference to the spread in shinai competition.

Striking and cutting

When a senior practitioner cuts the opening in an opponent’s kamae with a blade, we call this cut a ‘strike.’ Today, people do not understand the meaning of this and try to imitate the cutting motion of a sword. This is of no use and does not aid in training.

Controlling the pace

When learning to play the flute, at first the calmer elements are taught. Later, the faster-paced elements are progressively introduced. Contrary to what one might expect, the timing of the calmer and more leisurely-paced elements is more difficult. In swordsmanship too, at first students should be made to engage at a comfortable pace. When using a real sword anyone will be able to strike instantly and decisively if they have learned to act without apprehension or delay.

Teacher and student

A teacher should know how to look at what a person is doing, thus grasp their mood, physical condition, method of striking with the sword, level of training, use of tenouchi and so on, and be able to correct the appropriate elements.

Regardless of how naturally skilled or unskilled someone is, and even if they fight very crudely, they may still be able to attain victory. Even if someone looks bad when training or if teaching them is extremely difficult, you should begin by carefully instilling in them the essential points of victory for a real sword fight.

If you learn from someone who is fundamentally bad, your development will be affected and you are likely to acquire bad habits.

On sparring with shinai

Since long ago, it has been stipulated in the kishōmon* that a student must be granted permission before they may participate in sparring using shinai. These days there is a trend for teachers to give all their students permission to participate in shinai training, and many in fact think that experience in shinai bouts is advantageous in a fight. However when I see students doing shinai practice, they look to me just like rank amateurs hacking away at each other. They do not show a desire to learn, and merely act according to their own whims.

In addition, the kishōmon of course absolutely forbids practicing with shinai in secret away from the dojo. However, many people commit this indiscretion. This current state of affairs calls for even more prudence by students.

*A kishōmon (起請文) is a written oath to adhere to the rules of a traditional school, signed by a student upon admission – in this case, the school in question is Ittō-ryū. This oath usually carries the penalty of celestial punishment from various deities for disobeying the rules.

To be continued in part three.

Sources and further reading:

『剣道』　高野佐三郎〈著〉　島津書房発行　1982 ( 1915)
『兵法一刀流』　高野弘正〈著〉　講談社発行　1985
『一刀流極意』　笹森順造〈著〉　礼楽堂発行　1986 (1965)
『剣禅話』　山岡鉄舟〈著〉　高野登〈編訳〉　徳間書店発行　1971
『高野佐三郎 剣道遺稿集』　高野佐三郎〈著〉　堂本昭彦〈編〉　スキージャーナル株式会社発行　2007 (1989)
『剣道の発達』　下川潮〈著〉　梓川書房発行　1976 (1925)
『日本剣道史』　山田次郎吉〈著〉　一橋剣友会発行　1976 (1925)
『剣道五百年史』　富永堅吾〈著〉　百泉書房発行　1971
『増補大改訂　武芸流派大事典』　綿谷雪、山田忠史〈著〉　株式会社東京コピー出版部発行　1978

The man who had perhaps the strongest influence on the formation of kendo, Takano Sasaburō, was an Ittō-ryū swordsman. The Ittō-ryū Book of Oral Recollections (Ittō-ryū Kikigaki, 一刀流聞書) was written by Sasaburō’s grandfather, Takano Mitsumasa, and is a record of the teachings of Mitsumasa’s Ittō-ryū instructor, Nakanishi Chūbei Tanemasa. Nakanishi Tanemasa was the head of the Nakanishi line of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū (today known as Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū) and taught a number of students who went on to become very famous in their own right, including Chiba Shūsaku (founder of Hokushin Ittō-ryū) and Asari Matashichirō Yoshinobu, whose successor taught Yamaoka Tesshū.

Takano Mitsumasa

The Ittō-ryū Book of Oral Recollections was written in the 19th century and was edited and published by Takano Sasaburo in the early 20th. As far as I am aware, this is the first ever English translation of the work to be published. Needless to say, this was not an easy piece to translate. The language used is archaic and often vague, and the text contains many references to inner teachings, densho, classical literature, folklore, and Buddhist and Confucian philosophy. As such, this translation very likely contains some errors. Any errors that do come to light after publication will be corrected in due course.

This translation project was initiated by Tsujimura Yosuke sensei, who wanted to make the work available to a wider audience. Some sections of this first instalment were originally translated by kenshi247.net contributor Leiv Harstad, and I have largely retained his work, as I failed to see how I could improve on it. As a number of people have put a lot of time and effort into this translation, I hope that people will respect that fact by linking to the original article on kenshi247.net rather than copying and pasting wholesale.

Finally, it should be noted that the original work is very much aimed at students of Ittō-ryū, and as such some parts may initially seem quite alien to modern kendo practitioners. However, I believe that this oft-overlooked treatise on classical swordsmanship is just as relevant to kendoka, and probably more so, than famous and widely-read works like Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings. I hope you agree.

The Itto-ryu Book of Oral Recollections

Foreword

The Ittō-ryū Book of Oral Recollections (Ittō-ryū Kikigaki, 一刀流聞書) was written by my grandfather, Takano Mitsumasa. It records things said by his distinguished teacher of Ittō-ryū swordsmanship, Nakanishi Chūbei Tanemasa, while my grandfather was studying under his tutelage.

The book covers all areas of teaching, is very detailed, and contains many useful sections, but parts of it are repetitions of earlier sections or are incomprehensible to non-Ittō-ryū students. For this reason I have chosen to exclude sections that are out of line with today’s modern way of life, and publish only selected extracts.

- Takano Sasaburō

The sequence of training

You should train sword techniques obediently and sincerely, with no stiffness in the body or limbs.

In shiai [sparring with shinai], the body and hands should be kept relaxed and free from tension. In kata [using bokutō], you should pay close attention to the techniques, feeling and maai.

Moreover, after training in this way, practise with habiki [blunt blades] should be conducted as though you are engaged in combat using a sharp sword.

If you do not strictly train the body and harden the mind, then you will not be able to reach the level where you can train freely with habiki. Training with habiki is only one step away from a fight with real swords, so this training must be taken very seriously.

Maai

In your everyday practice, you should pay close attention to maai. Even when you have no opponent, you have maai. Although maai is of course affected by the length of your sword, it does not depend solely upon it.

Maai may be difficult to understand, but it is simply one’s own kamae. It is the distance from within which you can successfully strike and thrust.

When ippon-shōbu takes a long time, it is because combatants are taking care to establish correct maai without rashly entering their opponent’s striking range.

Maai with real swords

If you were to use a shinai of 2 shaku 3 sun 5 bu*, it would feel short for a shinai.

A bokutō of the above standard length feels longer than a shinai of the same length. Furthermore, if you use a habiki of this length, it will once again seem longer than the bokutō.

You should be aware of this when studying maai with a shinken.

* The same length as a standard Ittō-ryū bokutō (not including the tsuka) – approx. 71.2cm. The length of a adult’s modern kendo shinai is 3 shaku 9 sun (including the tsuka).

Ittō-ryū bokutō and shinai cut to the same length

How to act as uchidachi

When practising with a partner of greater skill, you should make it appear as if you are avoiding making contact, but in reality strike with full intent.

When practising with a partner of lesser skill, you should act as if you are really trying to strike them, whilst in fact you are avoiding making contact.

Various technical points

When the opponent steps forward with their right foot and cuts, you can strike them by moving to the right and cutting them from that side.

When facing an opponent who strikes powerfully, you should attack them first.

Proper use of the sword tip to pressure your opponent is good for your own training. However, it can be very unpleasant for your training partners.

If the opponent makes a shallow cut at your hands [i.e. with a short step in], your counter should be to evade by stepping back. This is because stepping back is a shallow [i.e. short range] motion.

If the opponent makes a deep cut [i.e. with a long step in], you should counter with kiriotoshi.* In this case, even if you try to evade, the opponent’s attack will still connect. Therefore, kiriotoshi should be used.

In shiai, even if your mind and sword are both correct, you may still be struck by the opponent. When the opponent initiates an attack, if you try too hard to utilise your own sword, it will stray to the side and the opponent can use this opportunity to successfully strike. This should be studied deeply.

While you are facing off against an opponent and applying pressure, it is bad to impatiently attack openings as soon as they present themselves. You should be patient, and keep firm pressure on the opponent, forcing them into making an attack. If you initiate an attack, you open yourself up to a strike from the opponent.

When your opponent is acting in a limp and unresponsive manner, if you adopt a similar facade without allowing your mind to become dull and languid, your opponent’s resolve will weaken. During a long bout, you should make your mind increasingly intense and focused. Then, while matching your actions with the opponent, you should keenly apply pressure with the sword tip.

* Kiriotoshi is the core principle that underpins Ittō-ryū technique, strategy and philosophy. It is a method of cutting ‘through’ an opponent’s strike, rendering it ineffective whilst delivering a strike of one’s own. Ittō-ryū’s kiriotoshi is different to what is commonly referred to as kiriotoshi in kendo today.

Avoid defensiveness

It is vital to look at the opponent as though you are trying to kill him with your glare. However, this does not mean looking at him with forceful eyes. Rather, you should brace your abdomen with a grunt, filling it with power.

The essential point is to communicate to the opponent that you have power in your abdomen with this grunt. Shouting at the opponent just means you will receive an attack. To merely hold your ground is to go on the defensive, and should be avoided.

Kakegoe

In shiai, kakegoe is used to indicate that you have found an opening to strike or thrust and are attacking it. Kakegoe should not be used to try and draw an opponent out; rather, it ought to be used when you have spotted an opening to strike or thrust. Simply shouting at your opponent is disrespectful and should be avoided.

Taiatari

During shiai, when you receive taiatari from your opponent, put power into your hips and make your body light, like a piece of floating driftwood. Remain flexible so that you can smoothly deflect your opponent to the left or right, diverting the force of their taiatari.

Regardless of if your opponent is large or powerful, you must not be in the least afraid of him. You must always believe you can best him.

Also, if attempting to knock your opponent down or get him under your control, you must remain calm and maintain the feeling that you can do as you please, whilst at the same time not letting your opponent feel that he can act freely.

Points of victory

Most people think only of cutting an opponent with their sword, and are completely ignorant of how to actually win in a duel. They are focused only on cutting the enemy.

It is dangerous to think only of cutting the opponent, while remaining oblivious of winning strategies such as controlling the opponent’s sword with harikomi [entering by slapping], osae [pressing] or makikomi [entering by winding]. After studying these points thoroughly, you will be able to attain victory.

There is an Ittō-ryū teaching*:

Do not think merely of striking the enemy
Protect yourself and openings will naturally appear
Like shafts of moonlight through a hovel’s tattered roof

*This teaching is a poem attributed to Itō Ittōsai Kagehisa, the founder of Ittō-ryū.

Strike large, counter small

During training, it is said that when striking, you should make a large strike, and when stopping an enemy’s strike, you must do so with a modest movement. If you do not, then when involved in a fight with live blades, anxiousness will naturally make your attacks smaller, and your movements to counter the strikes of your opponent will be too large.

Controlling your opponent with feeling

In shiai, if you utilise your sword tip freely, the opponent will unable to tolerate it. They will feel like they cannot act freely, and will feel very uncomfortable.

If you suppress your opponent with feeling in this way, and give them a little leeway in which to retreat, they will feel utterly powerless and will yield.

Respiration rhythm

Respiration rhythm [kokyū – this indicates a relationship between the respiration of both participants] is something you can come to understand through shiai.
When you strongly apply pressure from gedan your opponent will think you are going to thrust. If you then deliberately hold back, in the opponent’s ensuing moment of doubt you have an opening in which you can make a real thrust. This is the point of respiration rhythm.

Tanemasa sensei said:
“Watch a child sleeping. Think about how they are breathing, and how you are breathing. If your breath out does not match when the child is breathing in, you are not controlling the point of respiration.”

Don’t make others come to you

In your training, you should deliberately practise with difficult opponents. You should go to these people and request to do keiko with them. If you allow them to ask first, you may feel unable to do keiko with them, and wish you could postpone it until a later date. This will lend your opponent extra confidence and vigour, and you will end up feeling completely overwhelmed.

In your training, you should not try to make other people come to you. Even if you do not know anything about your opponent’s condition or technique, you should request to do keiko with them first.

Click here for part two.

Sources and further reading:

『剣道』　高野佐三郎〈著〉　島津書房発行　1982 ( 1915)
『兵法一刀流』　高野弘正〈著〉　講談社発行　1985
『一刀流極意』　笹森順造〈著〉　礼楽堂発行　1986 (1965)
『剣禅話』　山岡鉄舟〈著〉　高野登〈編訳〉　徳間書店発行　1971
『高野佐三郎 剣道遺稿集』　高野佐三郎〈著〉　堂本昭彦〈編〉　スキージャーナル株式会社発行　2007 (1989)
『剣道の発達』　下川潮〈著〉　梓川書房発行　1976 (1925)
『日本剣道史』　山田次郎吉〈著〉　一橋剣友会発行　1976 (1925)
『剣道五百年史』　富永堅吾〈著〉　百泉書房発行　1971
『増補大改訂　武芸流派大事典』　綿谷雪、山田忠史〈著〉　株式会社東京コピー出版部発行　1978

This is the final tanka translation in this series. I hope to follow it up with a short article looking at the poems as a group, the similarities between them, and how they relate to each other.

Kyuhon-me: Takiotoshi

Takiotoshi is the ninth technique in Hasegawa Eishin-ryū, and the last of the tatehiza techniques in the set as taught in Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū and Musō Shinden-ryū. It is one of the more complex of the nine waza.

Takiotoshi (瀧落 or 滝落) translates approximately as “a cascading waterfall.” As a simile it is used to describe rain falling heavily in sheets, like a waterfall. The same word can also be used to mean swimming down a waterfall, although I don’t believe this is relevant to how the word is used in Eishin-ryū.

In the tanka below, a description of a rushing waterfall and its rapids being unhindered by rocks is used as a metaphor for the motion and feeling of the practitioner.

Below is the waza Takiotoshi as it appears in Musō Shinden-ryū:

Once more, I will introduce a version of the waza for both Eishin-ryū and Shinden-ryū. Again, my description of the Shinden waza comes from the Japanese edition of Musō Shinden-ryū Iaidō by Yamatsuta Shigeyoshi (Airyūdō, 2002).

Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu:

The practitioner is sat with his back to the opponent. The opponent takes hold of the practitoner’s saya at the kojiri. The practitioner stands and pulls the kojiri of his saya back and up, before returning it swiftly in the opposite direction while stepping forward with his left foot and bringing the koiguchi to chest height. This breaks the grip of the opponent and throws him off balance. The practitioner steps through with his right foot and draws his sword while opening the body and looking at the opponent. The sword is drawn and held at hip height with the blade horizontal. The practitioner turns to face the opponent, thrusting the sword forward and stabbing him in the chest. This is followed by a step in and a drop to a kneeling position while delivering a kirioroshi.

Note that the exact method of making the opponent let go of the saya differs depending on whether the opponent grabs it with his left hand, right hand or with both hands.

Muso Shinden-ryu:

The practitioner is sat with his back to the opponent. The opponent, seated behind, takes hold of the saya’s kojiri. The practitioner stands and the opponent does so too. The practitioner turns to face the left before sharply turning back and taking a short step through. Without placing his left foot on the floor, he brings the tsuka to his chest and breaks the opponent’s grip. Planting his left foot, he takes a short step forwards with his right and turns, drawing the sword at chest height and holding it at that height with the blade pointed upwards. The practitioner stabs the opponent with the sword in this position before raising the sword into jodan, stepping through and making a kirioroshi while standing. After this the practitioner drops to one knee to perform chiburui and nōtō.

Between the two schools, the technical details of the waza are slightly different, but fundamentally the technique remains the same in terms of feeling and application.

瀧落

たきつ瀬の崩るる如く流るれば
水とあらそふ岩もなきかな

Takiotoshi

Taki tsu se no
Kuzururu gotoku
Nagarureba
Mizu to arasou
Iwa mo naki ka na

As the waterfall
Flows like an avalanche
Its rapids seethe fiercely
In a powerful torrent
With which no rock can contend

First, a few notes on the language used in the poem.

The title of the poem clearly describes a waterfall flowing downwards. However the first line, taki tsu se no is worth exploring in a little more depth. This epithet is traditionally used in Japanese poetry to indicate speed. It can be be read as simply indicating a waterfall: however the meaning is deeper than this. It can be written as 瀧つ瀬 in kanji, in which case the direct translation would be “the waterfall’s (瀧つ) rapids (瀬).” But if we look at the root of the phrase, we find that originally the taki tsu part did not strictly mean “of the waterfall” (瀧つ), but comes from the verb tagitsu (滾つ or 激つ), meaning “violent” or “seething.” The word taki for “waterfall” comes from this root. In modern Japanese taki usually refers to water falling from the top of a cliff; however, in old Japanese it can also mean simply a fast, powerful flow.

Yōrō Waterfall, by Hokusai

In the Heian period and earlier, taki was used to refer to the rapids at the base of a waterfall rather than the waterfall itself, which was instead called tarumi (垂水). However, following the Heian period taki came to refer to the waterfall as a whole. As Eishin-ryū was founded in the Edo period, its tanka were almost certainly written after this shift occurred. Despite this, I believe it is important to think of the waterfall in the poem not just as falling from high to low, but as rushing down a surface and forming fast-flowing rapids.
 

The word kuzururu (崩るる) is an old form of the modern Japanese kuzureru, meaning “to break apart” or “to collapse.” Because this is usually used to refer to solid objects like rocks and buildings falling apart, I have translated it as “avalanche.” It seems to describe the waterfall tumbling down from a high point. It may be useful to note that this is an intransitive form of kuzusu. Practitioners of kendo, judo and other budo should be familiar with this word in its noun form kuzushi, meaning to break your opponent’s physical or mental posture and throw him into disarray. If we relate kuzururu to the waza Takiotoshi, it could be describing in particular the initial movement used to break the opponent’s grip on the saya. Although we might be inclined to take this to mean that the opponent is the one being broken apart, I would prefer to relate it to the practitioner and draw attention to the word gotoku (如く) meaning “like” or “as if.” The practitioner is not breaking posture and his mental calmness is not being disrupted, but the sharpness, suddenness and necessary size of the movement may give that impression.

The word “flow” (nagaru, 流る) means a flow of water, such as in a river, from high to low. It clearly implies smooth, fluid movement, which is key to this technique.

With the practitioner described in terms of the waterfall, the closing lines of the poem appear to introduce the opponent. Once again, the opponent takes the form of an inanimate rock standing in the path of the dynamic, flowing practitioner. The line states that no rock can stand against water, when water flows in the way described in the opening lines. The term arasou (争う) is used in modern Japanese to mean “compete with,” but it can also mean to struggle against or resist an opposing force. This could be taken to mean that the waterfall wears down the rock over time, but it seems more likely that it is describing the powerful torrent rushing around a rock standing in its way, without the flow being blocked.

Mibu no Tadamine

A brief look at some other poems featuring waterfalls may clarify and elaborate on some of the imagery in the Eishin-ryū tanka.
 

The following is a love poem by the early Heian poet Mibu no Tadamine (late 9th century-early 10th century). Because of the era this tanka was written in, the term tagitsu here refers to fast-flowing rapids, not a cascading waterfall. However it is a classic example of the image of fast-flowing water in Japanese poetry. It conveys turbulence and rushing speed.

たぎつ瀬に根ざしとどめぬ浮草の
浮きたる恋も我はするかな

Tagitsu se ni
Nezashi todomenu
Ukikusa no
Ukitaru koi mo
Ware wa suru ka na

Like a floating weed in the fast-flowing rapids
That cannot put down roots
I let myself be swept along by this turbulent love

Here the poet is being helplessly swept along by his feelings, like a plant in rushing rapids. In the Eishin-ryū tanka however, the opponent is depicted as something far more static: a rock. Rather than sweeping the opponent this way and that, it seems more likely that the conveyed image is of the practitioner ‘flowing’ around him.

The following poem is famous as part of the Hyakunin Isshu poetry anthology (77), and was also collected in the Shika Wakashū (229). It was written by the retired Emperor Sutoku (1119-1164). This poem formed part of early rakugo, a kind of comic storytelling.

瀬をはやみ岩にせかるる滝川の
われても末に 逢わむとぞ思ふ

Se o hayami
Iwa ni sekaruru
Takigawa no
Waretemo sue ni
Awan to zo omou

The rushing rapids are divided by a rock
But further down the waterfall
I know the river will unite again

The poem describes the passion of two lovers in terms of the rushing rapids of the waterfall. Although they are parted, the intensity of their love means that they are sure to be united again in the future.

Nunobiki Waterfall, by Hiroshige

In the Eishin-ryū tanka, one might at first be tempted to interpret the “waterfall” as the practitioner stepping in and dropping to his knee when delivering kirioroshi. In the case of Shinden-ryū, one might think of the sword thrust as being the fall (and this might carry a little more weight). However I believe these are quite limited interpretations. Rather, I would look at the waza as a whole, including the initial breaking of the opponent’s grip, gaining distance, drawing the sword and delivering the thrust. This entire motion, although it is essentially linear and not vertical, may be described in terms of the flowing, seething and tumbling waters of a waterfall. It is fast and powerful, but also very fluid, relaxed and smooth. The practitioner moves unhindered from the opponent’s initial attempt to hold him back (grabbing the saya), flows quickly and smoothly (gaining distance with taisabaki and drawing his weapon) and rushes onwards to strike the opponent directly (the stab). Even following the thrust, the practitioner continues to move forward prior to the final kirioroshi. The feeling of an unhindered, continuous flow is communicated in the image of the waterfall flowing – not just falling through space, but rushing down a rocky surface in a seething torrent.
 

Please bear in mind that I am a beginner in the fields of both iai and translation, and that this basic look at the tanka may contain errors. As always, I leave it to those more experienced and knowledgeable than myself to find the deeper meaning in the poem.

Any comments and constructive criticisms are very welcome.

Hachihon-me: Namigaeshi

The Sea Off Satta, by Hiroshige

Namigaeshi is the eighth technique in Hasegawa Eishin-ryū. It closely resembles the immediately preceding technique, Urokogaeshi. The tanka that accompanies the technique reflects this similarity.

Namigaeshi (浪返) means “the retreating motion of a wave.” A common phrase is yosete wa kaesu nami (寄せては返す波), meaning “waves breaking on the shore and retreating.” This image correlates fairly well with the physical movement of the waza. However, if we look at the dōka for this technique, it appears to run contrary to the image of the retreating wave. At first, this seems to present a problem when relating the tanka to the technique, but a little exploration of the imagery here offers some possible explanations.

In the tanka below, the image of a wave washing unstoppably over high obstacles is used as a metaphor for the motion of the practitioner.

Below is the waza Namigaeshi as it appears in Musō Shinden-ryū:

An attack from the rear is met with a 180 degree turn towards the opponent and a horizontal nukitsuke, whilst keeping the body relatively low. This is followed by a step in, and a kneeling kirioroshi to finish off the repelled attacker. The waza is essentially the same as Urokogaeshi, but this time the practitioner is responding to an attack from directly behind, rather than from 90 degrees to their left.

浪返

あかしがた瀬戸越す波の上にこそ
いわをも岸もたまるものかわ

Namigaeshi

Akashigata
Seto kosu nami no
Ue ni koso
Iwao mo kishi mo
Tamaru mono ka wa

Even the high rocks
And cliffs that tower over
Akashi’s shoreline
Cannot contain the waves that
Roll in from across the strait

The poem itself is fairly straightforward. It describes waves crossing the Seto Inland Sea between Awaji Island and Akashi. In the poem, the large rocks and cliffs that lie in this region offer no barrier to the waves that cross the strait, which swell up to wash over any obstacles.

Scene of Akashi from the Tale of Genji, by Toyokuni

Akashigata refers to the bay of Akashi, in modern-day Hyōgo prefecture. This area features prominently in Japanese literature. In the Tale of Genji, Genji flees from the capital and lives in the area around Akashi and Suma for two years. In the novel, the word Akashi is used as a play-on-words, to suggest “illumination” or “cleansing,” reflecting Genji’s future return to the capital. In the novel the waves on the shore are used as a metaphor: Genji describes messengers returning to Kyoto from Akashi as “retreating waves.”
 

There is a rich tradition of the bay of Akashi appearing in Japanese poetry. Descriptions of the strait often focus on the waves themselves as they roll in and out, but also commonly touch on the mist hanging over the bay, the reflection of the moon on the sea and the flocks of plover (chidori、千鳥) that fly above the waves. In The Tale of the Heike, we find the poem:

有明の月もあかしの浦風に波ばかりこそよると見えしか

Ariake no
Tsuki mo Akashi no
Urakaze ni
Nami bakari koso
Yoru to mieshika

Akashi at night is as bright as the day
Waves roll in with the sea breeze
Illuminated in the light of the morning moon

There is some wordplay here – the word Akashi is, as mentioned above, a homophone for “illuminate,” and the word for the waves rolling in (yoru) is play on the word for “night.” In other words, the moon is so bright that the only “night” (yoru) the speaker can see is in the breaking (yoru) waves.

However, this poem does not have very much in common with the Eishin-ryu tanka: it has been included simply to give a sense of the kind of poetry that has been written about this area.

As outlined above, we can see that although the title of the Eishin-ryū tanka might be translated as “retreating wave,” the imagery of the poem describes a wave surging forward. The movement of the practitioner, stepping back, seems also to run counter to the movement of the wave in the poem. However, if we look in more depth at what is implied by namigaeshi, some possible solutions to this apparent contradiction emerge.

Although namigaeshi describes a retreating wave, what I believe is implicit here is that the wave draws back from the rocks and cliffs, but the receding motion is accompanied by a swell before the wave surges forward again. Kaesu can also describe something turning over or repeating – emphasising the feeling of a “rolling” wave, washing in and out repeatedly. As we saw with Urokogaeshi, the word kaeshi can mean “resistance,” and in the case of waves or wind it can also be used to mean “resurgence,” (after temporarily falling still).

Therefore namigaeshi could be thought of as a wave initially retreating from an obstacle, but then rolling back and swelling up to crash forwards again. This feeling is emphasised by the phrasing in the poem: the final line, tamaru mono ka wa, takes the form of a rhetorical question. If translated more directly, the line reads, “can the rocks and cliffs contain the wave? [No, in fact they cannot.]“

This interpretation of namigaeshi, if it is correct, seems not only to describe some of the practitioner’s movements in more detail but also highlight the crux of the technique and how it relates to the tanka.

Map of the Seto Inland Sea – the Strait of Akashi is directly to the north of the island

The feeling and message of the poem, if not the imagery, is clearly very similar to that of Urokogaeshi. The final line suggests that the rocks and cliffs will be overcome, but the poem does not describe the event explicitly. In the same way, the final line of Urokogaeshi suggests that the carp will successfully scale the waterfall, but does not describe the actual leap of the fish. Both tanka describe resisting or pushing against an obstacle, and then merely state that the the carp/the wave (i.e. the practitioner) will prevail against the rushing waterfall/the cliffs of the strait (i.e. the opponent).
 

It may be worth noting that the word for strait (seto, 瀬戸) used above can be an abbreviation of the form setogiwa (瀬戸際), a metaphor for “the critical moment.” The word used for crossing the strait (kosu, 越す) can mean “to overcome,” or “to survive through.” Therefore, a possible interpretation of this phrase is “to pass through the critical moment” – perhaps meaning that by resisting and surviving the key moment in which the struggle is decided, the practitioner will overcome the opponent, regardless of how strong they appear.

The retreating movement of the wave – as emphasised in the title of the poem – could be seen as a metaphor for the turn, rise and nukitsuke – in other words, the method by which the practitioner overcomes the opponent’s attempts to suppress him. From the subject of the poem, it seems implied that when the wave comes to the rocks and cliffs, it rolls back, swells up and crashes down over them. If we look at the movement of the practitioner, he is not repelled by the opponent, but turns around (perhaps reflecting a wave’s “rolling” motion) and rises (the swell) while stepping back with his left foot and drawing his sword (the wave drawing back temporarily). Having risen against the opponent and successfully driven back his attack, the practitioner is poised to move forward and “wash over” him.

Please bear in mind that I am a beginner in the fields of both iai and translation, and that this basic look at the tanka may contain errors. As always, I leave it to those more experienced and knowledgeable than myself to find the deeper meaning in the poem.

Any comments and constructive criticisms are very welcome.

EDITORS NOTE:

Kendo Kyohan
Published in the 41st Year of Meiji (1909)
Approved by Minister of War Terauchi Masatake

COMPLETE REGULATIONS AND GENERAL RULES

First Part
The purpose of kenjutsu is to familiarize oneself with the ways of close combat, the physical strength of the sword as well as mental strength(1) in order to vigorously exhibit the spirit of offense.

Second Part
Kenjutsu is divided in to saber and bayonet.(2)

Third Part
In the practice of kenjutsu follow the directions presented below, unless provided with other rules.

1) Saber: Reserved for officers, non-commissioned officers as well as the rank-and-file.
2) Bayonet: Studied by Infantrymen, Fortress gunners and engineers, officers and junior officers and all soldiers.

Fourth Part
Improvement in kenjutsu depends foremost on the skill of the instructor(3); thus at each level the instructor(4) too must practice with great fervor in order to improve their own skill.

Fifth Part
Kenjutsu should be taught individually. You(5) should be very familiar with the quality of each individual student as well as their physical attributes. Be careful to insure that student is capable of accurate and quick movement and has a full spirit.(6)

If a student is taught incorrect posture at the beginning, bad habits will become ingrained in their style.

Sixth Part
Motivation of students is extremely important in the improvement of their kenjutsu. Therefore, each teacher should attempt to patiently affect this attitude in their students.

Seventh Part
The practice of kenjutsu should always be viewed with the same seriousness as actual combat, with emphasis put on unflinching bravery and courage. At the same time, students should observe and reflect on prior exemplars of kenjutsu.(7)

Eighth Part
In the maneuvers of kenjutsu, make use either the shinai or mokujū and wear protective bōgu.(8)

Ninth Part
Novices should make use of the gunyōjū(9) for practice. They should make use of imaginary opponents for practice. Against these imaginary opponents practice both thrusts and defensive counterattacks. By this practice students will come to understand the use of the gunyōjū.

Tenth Part
A serious practice of the basic movements is performed as follows: start a long distance from a set point, and then move towards that point performing various strikes. Be sure to practice diligently in order to make best use of this exercise. Utilize imaginary opponents to further increase its efficacy.

Eleventh Part
It is useful to have your students practice in difficult situations: at night, on uneven surfaces, practicing against other soldiers or in a variety of other severe circumstances. However, practicing at night can be extremely dangerous, so take care when performing such practices.

Twelfth Part
Just prior to a match one should don the training equipment, taking care to check the fittings.

Thirteenth Part
Before and after either practicing the basics or sparring with an opponent, it is important for both participants to bow to each other with a feeling of gravity.

A bow in kenjutsu occurs as follows: the two competitors, after ensuring that their posture is correct, lean the top halves of their bodies forward while taking care to maintain eye contact with the opponent.(10)

BASIC EXERCISE REGULATIONS

Fourteenth Part
Basic exercises form the foundation of kenjutsu, and as such should be taught with attention to accuracy.

Fifteenth Part
When teaching basic exercises for the first time, teach in a gentle and quiet manner that emphasizes correct understanding of the point of the exercise. Once the student has grasped the meaning of the exercise, gradually increase the speed with which the exercise is performed.

Sixteenth Part
The basic excercises of kenjutsu (cutting, stabbing, defensive techniques, counter-thrusts, counter-cuts, etc) should be practiced several in a row.(11) The teacher should adjust the exercise to fit the context of the student, by either the student along a linear path or allowing him(12) freedom to maneuver. In either case the teacher should hide his intentions and retreat from the student by an appropriate amount after each attack.(13)

Seventeenth Part
Even after a student has learned the basic drills it is often still the case that during practice the teacher will notice bad habits that the student has learned and be forced to correct them. Therefore before and after every practice it is important to review the basics to avoid the ingraining of incorrect form.

Eighteenth Part
When you begin a drill, assume the correct stance(14) and start at a distance of four to five steps. This also applies during tournament matches.

Nineteenth Part
Return to the position of crossing the shinai or mokujū after each time performing a basic drill.(15)

Twentieth Part
Orders given by an instructor are to be followed without fail. It is important to always display clear vigor during practice in following those commands.(16) Even so, when practicing a technique several times in a row, the student should gradually shift their focus from repeating the technique in a regular fashion to internalizing it.(17)

TOURNAMENT(18) REGULATIONS

Twenty-first Part
Tournaments are the primary means of achieving the goals of kenjutsu, particularly when it comes to measuring the level to which students have been passionately studying the art.

Twenty-second Part
A tournament match can be separated in to one of two types: matches where competitors are at an equal level, and matches where one competitor has more practice than the other. An uneven match(19) is best performed after practicing basic techniques so as to allow focus on good basics. An even match should occur once the student has had a chance to practice and to make use of his talents.

Twenty-third Part
The point of the uneven, or teaching match is to instruct the student. The student must learn to judge the techniques of his opponent and counter his maneuvers through appropriate use of basic techniques. The student must be coached with particular emphasis towards the development of an aggressive style so as to move decisively and catch the opponent unawares.(20)

Twenty-fourth Part
During a teaching match the teacher should attack various weaknesses in the guard of the student (or the student should give the openings to the teacher), and the student should defend himself and perform a counter-attack. In this way, the student will learn the correct application of technique and at the same time develop a spirit of strong offense.

Twenty-fifth Part
Even after a student has progressed to the point of participating in even matches they should still engage in teaching matches as a way to measure their progress in sparring ability.

Twenty-sixth part
An even match is a form of mutual practice for both students where they may test the various offensive and defensive techniques they have learned. Victory or defeat should be decided by the correct and spirited use of techniques as well as the confidence and spiritual poise of the participants.

Twenty-seventh part
In order to have a successful even match the teacher must whenever possible explain to both participants key points about their technique, covering things like missed opportunities, mistakes, bad habits in their form, etc.

Twenty-eighth Part
A key concept of kenjutsu is “the one who acts first wins.” Therefore, it is vital to not lose the chance to infer the intention of the opponent’s movements.(21)

Twenty-ninth Part
When attacking, act with resolute bravery, as though you were prepared to die. If you perform attacks in this manner they will be successful. Furthermore, even after a successful attack you should maintain the mental poise to attack again. Do not give up the mentality of attacking. If you maintain this spirit, you can respond to changes in your opponent’s style.

Thirtieth Part
Generally when defending from an oncoming blow it is important to immediately counterattack. It is better to throw oneself into an attack(22) than to allow the opponent any leeway. By following this injunction you can create hesitation in your opponent and turn his attack back against him, allowing you to take the offensive.

Thirty-first Part
During an even match the teacher is responsible for deciding the victor. Proper judging has a strong effect on the efficacy of the student’s kenjutsu. Therefore, the teacher is enjoined to pay scrupulous attention to matches in order to ensure the student is able to attain proficiency and understanding of the goals of kenjutsu.

Thirty-second Part
The natural shout(23) that arises with the energetic spirit of performing an attack is quite valuable. However, shouting for no reason(24) should be avoided.

Thirty-third Part
A student who drops his mokujū or shinai is open to attack by his opponent. However, the opponent is limited to one attack only before a halt is called to the match.

Thirty-fourth Part
When a match is decided the contestants should return to the fixed positions they took at the beginning of the match and either sheath their shinai(25) or stand at attention with their mokujū.

Thirty fifth Part
No strikes outside the permitted group are to be allowed during a match. When an attack lands outside the allowed targets the attacker may apologize with a call of “yogiri.”(26)

Thirty-sixth Part
A teacher begins the tournament with the call of “hajime.”(27) The match may be temporarily suspended by the teacher with the call of “matte.”(28) Either the teacher or student may, in the case of an incident during the match that they feel requires a halt to be called, may request such a halt by calling “shibaraku.”(29)

GUNTŌJUTSU(30)

Basic Movements
Slashing and Thrusting Attacks

Thirty-seventh Part
Acceptable areas for slashing attacks are listed below. (See first diagram)

Men(31)
Sayū-dō(32)
The area from the elbows down to the wrist.(33)

These are the strikes performed in basic practice.

Thirty-eighth Part
Acceptable areas for thrusting attacks are listed below. (See first diagram)
The throat.(34)

Sheathing the Shinai

Thirty-ninth Part
Take an unmoving posture and hold the shinai in the left hand just below the base of the hilt guard. Turn the cutting edge of the shinai so it faces down, and angle the tip of the shinai down and on a diagonal. (See Diagram 2)

Fortieth Part
The process of moving from sheathed position into the basic stance. (See Diagram 3)

The associated command is: kamae-tō.(35)
Keep your head facing forward, and point your right foot forward as well. Turn your torso to the left and grip the handle of the shinai in your right hand as if your hand has frozen to it.(36)

Set your right foot forward roughly half a step. Distribute your body weight evenly between your feet, and bend both your knees slightly. At the same time, separate your left hand a distance from your body, and hold the sword forward with your right hand allowing your elbow to bend slightly. Keep your fist roughly in line with your fist(37) and, keeping the blade of the sword facing down, point the tip of the sword roughly at the eyes of your opponent. Keep your upper body straight, and keep your torso directly underneath your hips. At all times, keep focus on your opponent’s eyes.(38)

Forty-first Part
Relaxing into a sheathed position from a stance (Command: sagetō (39))
Turn your body forward, bring your left heel into line with your right heel, and sheath your sword.

Forty-second Part: Advancing and Retreating

Advance or retreat is dependent upon how you want to expand or contract the distance between yourself and the opponent. In either case maintain your stance and move using both your legs while keeping them fairly rigid. Keep your feet close together and move quickly, keeping your steps light.

When advancing move your right foot directly in the appropriate direction and keep your left foot a fixed distance to the rear. When retreating, use the opposite approach. Depending on the situation, there may be cases in which your left foot will pass your right; in this case keep your right foot to the rear by a fixed distance. As before, when retreating reverse this pattern.

Forty-third Part: Crossing the swords

The point at which swords cross is the distance of roughly one handgrip from the tip. Usually, the enemy’s sword presses against the left side of yours.(40) (See Diagram Four)

Striking and Thrusting

Forty-forth Part
When striking, from the basic guard raise your sword overhead, quickly advance forward one step, and at the same time fully extend your elbow and quickly strike downwards.

After striking, immediately return to guard (follow the same practice for thrusting.)

Forty-fifth Part
When thrusting, from the basic guard quickly advance forward one step, and at the same time fully extend your elbow and quickly push your sword forward at the opponent.

Forty-sixth Part: Strikes to the Men(See Diagram Five)
Command: Men wo utte(41)
To attack the head, keep your sword in front and swing up above your head, cutting down on to the enemy’s face.

Forty-seventh Part: Thrusting (See Diagram Six)
Command: Tsuke.(42)
From the left or right side of the enemy’s sword, thrust towards the enemy’s throat.

Forty-eighth Part: Cuts to Sayū Dō (See Diagrams Seven and Eight)
Command: Sayū-dō wo utte(43)
Bring your sword forward to the left or right, raise it over your head, turn the blade to the right or left and strike the left or right torso of your opponent.

Defensive Techniques and Counter Attacks

Forty-ninth Part
To defend against a strike, from the basic stance quickly block the opponent’s blade using the blade of your own sword.

Fiftieth Part
To perform a countercut, sweep the enemy’s attack aside as described above and, taking advantage of the weakness of their guard thus created, use the power from your block to launch in to a strike.

Fifty-first Part
Defensive sweeps and counterattacks for the Men
Commands:
First: Men wo fusege(44), Second: Men wo utte
To defend against a cut to the head, bring your first up and to the right, about on line with the top of your head, and keeping the sword roughly level block the attack. The counter –cut should be to the men target.

Fifty-second Part
Defending against a thrust and counter-attacking (See Diagram 10)
Commands:
First: Tsuki wo fusege(45), Second: Men wo utte
Block the thrust using the left or right side of the sword. The counter-attack should be to the men target.

Fifty-third Part
Defending the left and right torso and counter-attacking (See Diagrams 11, 12)
Commands:
First: Migi/Hidari-dō wo fusege(46), Second: Men wo utte
Bring down your left or right fist and, at the appropriate moment, bring the tip of your sword up diagonally to sweep aside the attack. The counter-attack should be to the men target.

Fifty-forth Part
Always follow the established match regulations for any match.

Fifty-fifth Part
The usual method for using a sword is in the right hand. However, skilled students may, according to the situation use both hands or the left hand.

1. The characters used here, kiryoku 気力, could also be rendered as “spiritual strength.” Specifically, the connotation is one of the mental strength necessary to win a fight, and thus the characters could also be rendered as “morale.” It is also a contrast with tairyoku 体力, or physical strength, indicating that strength beyond the purely physical is important in kenjutsu.
2. Jūkendō 銃剣道, or “gun kendō” is practiced to this day, though it lags far behind standard forms of kendō in popularity.
3. The term used for teacher is 教官(kyōkan).
4. The word here is literally “captain,” keeping with the military nature of the text.
5. No pronoun is used in the original Japanese text (a fairly common occurance in Japanese). For ease of understanding, certain phrases have been adjusted to the English second person.
6. The terms used here,気勢(kisei) and充実 (jūjitsu), are terms used to indicate spiritual strength much like kiryoku.
7. This idea is expressed in a single verb(kagamu) meaning, essentially, “to reflect on previous examples.” It has since fallen out of common use.
8. Bōgu is the term for protective gear worn by practitioners of kendō. The original design of bōgu dates back to the mid Edo Period.
9. The meaning of this term is unclear, but it appears to be a term for a practice saber, much like a shinai is a type of practice-oriented katana.
10. This emphasis on eye contact is a hold-over from more traditional swordsmanship. A swordsman who did not maintain eye contact with his opponent would leave himself open to a surprise attack.
11. Much like suburi, the rote drills that make up most of basic practice in kendō
12. The male pronoun kare is not used in the text. However, since women were prohibited from serving in the military, and since English does not allow for omission of the subject in the same way as Japanese, I have inserted the third person masculine pronoun in to certain sentences.
13. If the teacher does not retreat, the forward momentum of certain techniques will carry both partners in to close proximity, preventing the continuation of the exercise.
14. “Stance” in English martial arts parlance refers to a set position of the body so as to enable specific types of techniques. Depictions of various kenjutsu stances will be included later in the text.
15. A reference to ma’ai, or distance. When two shinai are crossed both combatants are within striking distance of one another. This distance is the point from which all techniques begin.
16. The verb used in the original Japanese is not “display,” but rather “to vocalize” (hasshō suru 発唱する, a verb no longer used in modern Japanese). This is most likely a reference to strong kiai, a concept that is reviewed in the analysis of this text.
17. This injunction is strongly in line with the observations on Japanese military swordsmanship recorded by F.J. Norman. This focus on, to borrow his phrase, “loose play” will be discussed to greater effect in the analysis of this text.
18. “Tournament” here is a translation of 試合 (shiai), which also has the meaning of match. Thus, kendō no shiai could mean both a tournament composed of several matches as well as the individual matches themselves.
19. Literally kyōshū shiai (教習試合) or “match for teaching and learning”).
20. The literal translation of this phrase is “an aggressive posture that catches the opponent off guard through a spirit of decisive action.”
21. The English translation can seem rather unclear on this point. In essence, by inferring how the opponent will move a student can then attack in such a manner as to prevent the opponent from attacking. In modern kendō this technique remains very popular, and is known as debana-waza (出ばな技).
22. A more literal translation of the original Japanese is to “discard the self,” indicating a heedless attack designed to create fear in the opponent.
23. Shouting is a common accompaniment to an attack in kendō and most other budō. The compound usually used to express the concept is 気合 (lit. “expression of the spirit”) which is not used here.
24. With a connotation of “excessively.”
25. The shinai, being bamboo, has no sheath in the manner of a real sword. Instead, the shinai is held just above the hilt-guard with the pommel facing outwards and angled up.
26. From the verb yogiru (過る), meaning “to pass; to overshoot.”
27. From the verb hajimeru (始める), meaning “to start.”
28. From the verb matsu (待つ), meaning “to wait.”
29. Shibaraku (暫く) means roughly, “one moment; a short moment.”
30. Saber Combat.
31 The top of the head. A legal hit in modern kendō.
32. The left and right sides of the torso. A legal hit in modern kendō.
33. In modern kendō, this target zone has been halved in size, and is referred to as kote (小手). The term used in this text is mae-hiji (前臂).
34. Thrusting attacks to the throat remain a part of modern kendō, where they are referred to simply as tsuki (突き), meaning “a thrust.”
35. Literally, “prepare the sword.” The same command is used in modern kendō.
36. Dropping the shinai remains a foul in modern kendō and would be even more of a concern in a one-handed fighting style.
37. As opposed to angling the wrist up, which is essential to the basic stance of kendō.
38. This stance is radically different from the one used in kendō, and more strongly resembles a fencer’s sideways stance than anything traditional to Japanese swordsmanship.
39. Literally, “lower the sword.”
40. As in modern kendō and in Western fencing.
41. “Strike the head.”
42. The imperative form of tsuku, meaning “to thrust.”
43. “Strike the left and right torso.”
44. “Protect the head.”
45. “Protect against the thrust.”
46. “Protect the left or right torso.”

近代デジダルライブラリー
Please note that the original Japanese text and pictures are in the public domain.

Nanahon-me: Urokogaeshi

Carp, by Hiroshige

Urokogaeshi is the seventh technique in Hasegawa Eishin-ryū, and is much simpler than the preceding three in terms of its execution.

In the past, I have seen the name of this waza translated as “Dragon Turn” on several websites. This seems to me like a mistranslation that has spread because many people do not understand the original Japanese. The word uroko (鱗) does not mean dragon, and although kaeshi (返) can mean ‘turn’ – as in ‘turn over’ or ‘turn back’ – the tanka below suggests another meaning. I can certainly see how the word ‘turn’ could be applied to this waza, especially as both it and Namigaeshi involve a physical turn around, but kaeshi does not normally express a rotation. As I will explain below, in the case of urokogaeshi I would rather emphasise ‘repel,’ or ‘push back.’ Kaeshi can also refer to a swift reversal in direction, and to turning an attack by an opponent into an counterattack of one’s own.

Uroko being translated as ‘dragon’ is less easy to fathom. Uroko means ‘scales’ – most commonly those of a fish. In fact, the word uroko itself is a metaphor for ‘fish.’ In particular, as in the case of this particular tanka, it refers to carp – koi in Japanese. As I explore below, it is possible that ‘dragon’ is extrapolated from a myth associated with the the carp described in the poem. However, although it would be foolish to ignore this connection, I still believe “Dragon Turn” is most likely a simple mistranslation.

Below is the waza Urokogaeshi as it appears in Musō Shinden-ryū:

An attack is met with a 90 degree turn towards the opponent and a horizontal nukitsuke, whilst keeping the body relatively low. This is followed by a step in, then a kneeling kirioroshi to finish off the repelled attacker.

鱗返

瀧の波瀬のぼる鯉のうろつくは
水せき上げておつることなし

Urokogaeshi

Taki no nami
Se noboru koi no
Urotsuku wa
Mizu sekiagete
Otsuru koto nashi

A carp swims upstream
Against the rapids of the
Rushing waterfall
Its struggle swells the water:
It will not be washed back down

In the poem above, the fish’s movement is described using the word urotsuku (うろつく), meaning to wander or mill about aimlessly. It also means to linger in a particular area. I have therefore translated this as ‘struggle’ to imply the carp pushing against the current, without making progress forward but also without being swept away. Its struggle causes the water to be repelled, thus allowing the carp to progress onwards.

However, there is an alternative that I think ought to be considered. Although I wrote in my first article that I would be translating the tanka as they appear in Jisaku Kamo’s book Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū Iaidō, I feel that one particular variation is important enough to look at here.

In the variation in question, the word urotsuku is instead replaced with urokuzu (うろくづ), which is an old pronunciation of uroko. This certainly ties in with the name of the waza, and on analysis seems to make much more sense, both grammatically and thematically. Following consultation with a professional teacher of Japanese language, it seems quite possible that urotsuku is a misprint. However, I am in no position to judge definitively whether the version above is mistaken, or if both are equally valid. If we take the word to be urokuzu, the poem instead translates as:

A carp swims upstream
Against the rapids of the
Rushing waterfall
Water swells against its scales:
It will not be washed back down

I personally far prefer this version. Ultimately, the overall image of the poem changes little, but I think it is well worth considering both versions. In my following analysis I will try to cover both possible interpretations, but it should be noted I am leaning towards the second version.

The swelling of the water (mizu sekiagete) describes the water rising around the carp, repelled by its scales as it fights against the current. The term sekiageru in Japanese refers to water rising against an object – say, a rock – that the current cannot shift, and also implies a reverse in current that occurs when the flow is blocked. Thus the tanka above implies that the carp’s resistance to the current swells the water, weakening the flow and thus allowing it to continue its journey upstream.

The final line of the tanka, otsuru koto nashi, is interesting. Otsuru is an older form of ochiru (落ちる), to fall. Koto nashi states that such a thing does not occur. This could simply be taken to mean that the carp is not washed back down by the current. However it could also be taken to mean that the carp will leap the waterfall, although this is not stated explicitly.

Carp Streamer, by suneko on Flickr

The carp is a celebrated fish in Japan, and every year carp banners may be seen all over the country on Children’s Day. These banners are put on display to express the wish for sons to grow up healthy and strong. Under the Edo period caste system (shinōkōshō, with samurai at the top, followed by farmers, then craftsmen, with merchants at the bottom), only bushi were permitted to display these banners; when the caste system came to an end in the Meiji period, the custom became popular with the wider populace.

The image of the carp as a strong, powerful and determined creature comes from China, and the legend of the carp ascending the Dragon Gate (登龍門 in Japanese). As mentioned at the start of this article, this legend is clearly alluded to in the tanka above. I will recount it in brief here.

In the middle of the Yellow River, on the border between the neighbouring provinces of Shānxī and Shǎnxī, lies the Dragon Gate. Here a powerful waterfall that gushes from a rift in the mountain that lies in the path of the river. The channel through the mountain was supposedly cut by the semi-mythical ruler Yǔ the Great, who founded the Xia dynasty circa the 21st century BCE.

Carp transforming into a dragon

In spring each year, many carp swim upstream and gather beneath the Dragon Gate, struggling against the current. It is said that in the rare event that a carp manages to leap over the waterfall, it will metamorphose into a dragon and continue to rise into the air. The legend is a metaphor for struggling hard against almost overwhelming odds and overcoming them to achieve great success.

This metaphor appears in the History of the Later Han (後漢書), compiled in the 5th century, although the legend itself is much older. Here, the image of the carp is used to describe the bureaucrats who were selected for their skill by the governor Li Ying. When selected, these people were said to have “leapt the dragon gate” – their hard work and ability had paid off. The same is still said of students passing their exams today.

The Eishin-ryū tanka seems to be equating the practitioner with the carp and the attacking opponent with the current. The practitioner turns 90 degrees and rises slightly – this is perhaps alluded to in the poem by the description of the water “swelling up” against the fish’s scales as it turns against the current. The fish in the poem is moving to meet the current head on: likewise, the practitioner deliberately turns to face the attacking opponent while holding his ground.

The practitioner steps back with the left leg when he makes the first cut, but keeps the right leg in position, thus he does not retreat, but holds his ground, resisting the attack despite the step to the rear. He puts pressure on the opponent and refuses to be pushed back.

With the opponent’s attack repelled, the practitioner pushes forward and cuts them down – this perhaps could be seen as the carp ‘leaping the waterfall’ – something that is not stated in the poem, but is alluded to. Rather, the poem itself is concerned with the defensive resistance that leads up to and allows the practitioner to make this final cut.

As always, this a very basic attempt at translating and contextualising the tanka, done by a beginner in both the fields of iai and translation. I leave any deeper analysis to those more experienced and knowledgeable than myself. Comments and constructive criticisms are much appreciated.

Roppon-me: Iwanami

Boat Navigating Rocks in Izu Province, by Hokkei

Iwanami is the sixth technique in Hasegawa Eishin-ryū. As with the previous two waza, it differs slightly between Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū and Musō Shinden-ryū. Again, however, the basics of the technique remain largely similar. Once more, I will cover the technique as it appears in both Jikiden and Shinden.

Iwanami (岩波 or 岩浪) literally means ‘rock wave.’ It refers to a wave that swells and breaks against rocks, and is a fairly common image in Japanese poetry. These waves are often depicted as being powerful or fast-moving, and caused by a strong current in a river. In the Eishin-ryū tanka, the image of one of these waves striking a boat is used to express overwhelming speed and power.

Below is the waza as it appears in Musō Shinden-ryū.

As the reasoning behind the waza again varies slightly between Jikiden and Shinden, I will introduce a version of the waza for both schools. My description of the Shinden waza is adapted from the Japanese edition of Musō Shinden-ryū Iaidō by Shigeyoshi Yamatsuta (Airyūdō, 2002).

Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu:

The practitioner is sat to the right of an opponent. Both are facing the same direction. The opponent begins to threaten (for example, by moving to draw his sword).* The practitioner lifts his hips, steps straight back and draws his sword at the same time. He steps back in and turns to face the opponent while bringing the sword alongside his right leg, the tip pointing at the opponent and with the left hand supporting the blade. Dropping down to a kneeling position, the practitioner stabs the opponent in the chest. He then steps out to the side and drags them to the floor in a similar manner to Oroshi. The opponent is finished with a deep kirioroshi to their back.

* An alternative interpretation of this waza is that the practitioner is assassinating the opponent, and is in fact the one who initiates the attack.

Muso Shinden-ryu:

The practitioner is sitting to the right of his opponent, very close. The opponent moves to either control the practitioner’s tsuka or draw his own sword, and turns towards the practitioner. The practitioner takes a large step back (only slightly raising his hips), pulling the saya off the sword and resting the sword tip on the fingers of the left hand, still at his left hip. The practitioner turns 90 degrees to face the opponent, while turning the sword over and bringing it across the body so that the tip points at the opponent. With the left hand supporting the back of the blade, he stabs the opponent in the chest. Pulling the sword out again, he places the blade on the opponent’s back and pulls him down in the same manner as in Oroshi. Bringing the sword into jōdan, he finishes the opponent with a deep cut to their back.

The tanka for Iwanami describes this waza in terms of the speed and power of a wave striking a boat.

岩浪

行く舟の梶とりなほす間もなきは
いわほの波の強くあたれば

Iwanami

Yuku fune no
Kaji torinaosu
Ma mo naki wa
Iwao no nami no
Tsuyoku atareba

When the boat is struck
Powerfully by a wave
Crashing on the rocks
There is no time in which to
Steer the vessel to safety

In the tanka above, we can see that the iwanami strikes a boat with such speed and force that it is is overwhelmed before the steersman can compensate and change course. This clearly describes the opponent being unable to react fast enough to respond to the practitioner’s attack, and subsequently being dragged to the floor.

The tanka contains several images that are worth exploring. The first of these is yuku fune no (行く船の), which is a “pillow word” – an epithet occuring in Japanese poetry. It describes a boat travelling along, and expresses progress or passage. In the case of this tanka the moving boat seems to be a metaphor for the opponent sitting alongside the practitioner. His “passage” in this case could perhaps be interpreted as his movement, or simply his continued existence.

Another important image in the tanka is kaji torinaosu (梶取りなほす). Kaji, usually written as 舵, refers to the rudder of a boat in modern Japanese. Originally, the word usually referred to oars used to paddle a boat. From the middle ages onwards however, the word’s second meaning, ‘rudder,’ became prominent. Kaji tori refers either to rowing or steering a boat: in this case, its combination with the word naosu and relationship with the epithet yuku fune no suggest correction of the boat’s course. The form torinaosu also, however, implies taking hold of or shifting one’s grip upon the tiller or oar. This might possibly be interpreted as a metaphor for grasping one’s sword.

Ma mo naki (間も無き) is a very important element of the tanka. This phrase has several meanings, but the one I feel is relevant here is as above, “no time/opportunity/opening to…”. This is the element of the tanka that describes the speed with which the thrust of the sword must be made.

The phrase used to indicate the wave crashing on a rock in this tanka is iwao no nami (いわほの波). This is essentially the same as iwanami, although iwao implies a much larger, towering and imposing rock than iwa. This may or may not be significant, but it does suggest a particularly imposing dignity and commanding presence (堂々). Much of the imagery that appears in the Eishin-ryū tanka conveys a similar feeling.
 

Ki no Tsurayuki

Let us take a brief look at the use of iwanami in other poems and literature.
 
A famous tanka featuring iwanami is the following love poem from the Kokin Wakashū (471), written in the Heian period by Ki no Tsurayuki (紀貫之), author of the Tosa Nikki:
 
吉野川岩波高く行く水の
はやくぞ人を思ひそめてし
 

Yoshinogawa
Iwanami takaku
Yuku mizu no
Hayaku zo hito o
Omoisometeshi

Yoshino River
Rushes quickly around rocks
And waves billow up;
My thoughts turn to you as fast
As the river’s rapids flow

Here we can see the rapid flow of the river creating waves that crash against the rocks. In this case, the waves appear as a result of the speed of the river.

Another poem that illustrates the power of the wave can be found in the following poem by Fujiwara no Shunzei (藤原俊成) from the Senzai Wakashū (1274), compiled at the end of the Heian period.

貴船川玉散る瀬々の岩波に
氷を砕く秋の夜の月

Kibunegawa
Tama chiru seze no
Iwanami ni
Kōri o kudaku
Aki no yo no tsuki

In autumn moonlight
Waves breaking upon rocks in
Kibune River
Scatter glistening spray
And smash apart floating ice

This poem expresses the turbulence felt from unrequited love. The ‘spray scattering’ is a play on words referring to an unsettled spirit (「魂を散る」) and the ice being smashed refers to the heart being battered and broken. The iwanami in this case refers to the sudden and powerful emotional impact, and the complete disarray the author feels. In a similar way, the Eishin- ryū tanka expresses the psychological and physical impact of the strike throwing the opponent into disarray.

One final point I wish to raise here is how the motions of the sword in Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū seem to reflect the shape of the wave.

When the practitioner draws his sword, he stands, brings it round to his right side and draws it back so the tsuka is held behind him and the kissaki is only protruding a little in front of his knee. The practitioner is bent at the waist at an almost 45 degree angle. The sword tip is likewise pointing downwards at a 45 degree angle. When the practitioner drops his hips and stabs the opponent, he straightens his waist and moves the sword through 90 degrees – the tsuka ends up at the knee, and the kissaki is now pointing upwards at a 45 degree angle. This can be seen in the rough diagram below.

Blade movement for Iwanami’s thrust

The motions of the sword in drawing back and stabbing forward in this way seem to mimic the shape and movement of the tanka’s wave. The wave swells (drawing back) and then rolls forward in an instant to strike the boat (stabbing). The shape of the thrust is to my mind similar to the trough of a wave.

As readers of previous articles will have realised, in all the Eishin-ryu tanka the practitioner’s movement is described by the subject of the poem. In this case the practitioner moves with the suddenness and speed of a crashing wave striking a boat. Both the wave, and the practitioner’s thrusting sword, are unforeseen and powerful forces that overwhelm their victims in an instant, before they can even begin to react.

Please note that I am a beginner in the fields of both iai and translation, and that basic look at the tanka may well contain errors. As always, I leave it to those more experienced and knowledgeable than myself to find the deeper meaning in the poem.

Comments and constructive criticisms are very welcome.

Gohon-me: Oroshi

‘Blowing Snow’ – by Shreyans Bhansali on Flickr

Oroshi, or Yamaoroshi, is the fifth technique in Hasegawa Eishin-ryū. Like Ukigumo, this technique varies somewhat in execution between Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū and Musō Shinden-ryū. However the essential point of the waza remains the same.

Another similarity between Oroshi and Ukigumo is that Oroshi also contains some clear grappling elements. As with most, if not all of the Eishin-ryū waza, Oroshi may be interpreted in a number of ways in order to adapt it to different situations. In particular, this applies to the grappling elements. Different sensei teach different interpretations of Oroshi as their “standard,” and some sensei (my own for example) will teach more than one version. For simplicity’s sake I will only describe general versions of the technique for both Jikiden and Shinden.

Oroshi – in the context of the waza – has a very specific meaning. It literally means ‘wind blowing down from the mountain,’ and it is an image that appears often in Japanese poetry and literature. It is a word linked to Autumn and Winter – although apparently not a kigo, or seasonal word – and it is implied that the wind is cold and brisk. In Japanese, there are a number of related words pronounced oroshi, the root of all of which is the verb orosu, ‘to lower.’ The character for oroshi in this case – 颪 – is unique. It is a kokuji; a ‘Chinese’ character that was in fact devised in Japan. The lower part of the character is 風, ‘wind.’ The upper part is 下, ‘descend, lower, beneath.’

Oroshi often appears appended to the names of mountains, in order to identify the winds that come from those mountains. Ibuki oroshi (伊吹颪) and Hie oroshi (比叡颪) are examples of this. The Hanshin Tigers baseball team even has a theme song called Rokko Oroshi (六甲おろし) – literally, ‘the wind blowing down from Mt. Rokko.’ A generic form is yama oroshi. This means the same thing as oroshi, but contains a neat five syllables – handy for Japanese poets!

The tanka for Oroshi, interestingly, doesn’t contain the word oroshi at all. However it clearly describes such a wind. The key image in the tanka is a powerful sweep from high to low, swiftly overwhelming any attack.

Below is the waza as it appears in Musō Shinden-ryū. Musō Shinden-ryū and some branches of Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū call this waza ‘Yamaoroshi’ (see above).

As with Ukigumo, the execution and riai is slightly different for Jikiden and Shinden. As before, I will introduce a version of the waza for both schools, adapting my description of the Shinden waza from the Japanese edition of Musō Shinden-ryū Iaidō by Shigeyoshi Yamatsuta (Airyūdō, 2002). As I do not personally study Musō Shinden-ryū, I will mainly look at the tanka from a Jikiden perspective. However I hope that Shinden practitioners may also find something interesting here.

Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu:

The practitioner is sitting to the left of his opponent. The opponent suddenly moves to grab the practitioner’s tsuka. The practitioner moves his tsuka out of the way in a circular motion and strikes the face of the opponent with the tsukagashira.* He then draws the sword and, dropping his hips, cuts migi kesa with the sword striking the point between the shoulder and neck of the opponent (the kataguchi). Placing his hand on the back of the sword, the practitioner pulls the opponent to the floor, face down. He then performs furikaburi into the same high hassō-like position as in Ukigumo, before straightening up, assuming jōdan and finishing off the downed opponent with a deep kirioroshi.

* As a brief example of the grappling variations mentioned above, the circular evading motion of the tsuka here can also be used to break the grip of an opponent who has grabbed the tsuka, or throw him.

Muso Shinden-ryu:

Nakayama Hakudo’s Yamaoroshi

The practitioner is sitting to the left of his opponent. The opponent moves to draw his sword, and the practitioner turns to the right and strikes the opponent’s right hand with his tsuka before stamping on the opponent’s thigh. He then twists his hips and, with his foot still on the opponent’s thigh, draws his sword, striking the opponent across the chest with the blade. Placing his left hand on the back of the blade, he pulls the opponent to the floor, face up. Raising the blade so its tip is pointing upwards, the practitioner straightens up, assumes jōdan and makes a deep cut to the downed opponent’s body.

颪

高嶺より吹き下す風強ければ
麓の木々に雪もたまらず

Oroshi

Takane yori
Fukiorosu kaze
Tsuyokereba
Fumoto no kigi ni
Yuki mo tamarazu

The powerful wind
Blowing down from the high peak
Is so powerful
No snow can settle upon
The trees at the mountain’s base

This is a relatively straightforward tanka. The image is very clear: a powerful wind blows down from the mountain, clearing the snow from the trees at the base. We can see the winter imagery here too – as one might reasonably assume, ‘snow’ is a seasonal word (kigo) for winter. The image of the oroshi scattering or dispersing things may be found in other Japanese poems. The following is from the chapter ‘Yūgiri’ in The Tale of Genji:

山おろしいと烈しう、木の葉の隠ろへなくなりて

Yamaoroshi ito hageshiu, ko no ha no kakuroe nakunarite

A powerful wind blowing down from the mountain stripped the trees bare of their leaves.

The yamaoroshi stripping leaves from trees is a common image in Japanese poetry. The chapter Yūgiri takes place in autumn, and as mentioned above oroshi is an autumn or winter wind. In this case, the dying leaves are all swept away on the wind. The Eishin-ryū tanka contains a similar image, but rather than the leaves being scattered, it is the winter snow. Other classical Japanese poems might feature pine needles, or fallen autumn leaves being scattered by the wind.

Another famous example of this image may be found in the following tanka from the Shinkokin Wakashū (591), written by Minamoto no Saneakira in the 10th century:

ほのぼのと有明の月の月影に
紅葉吹きおろす山おろしの風

Honobono to
Ariake no tsuki no
Tsukikage ni
Momiji fukiorosu
Yamaoroshi no kaze

In the faint glow from the wan morning moon;
Autumn leaves are blown down
By the mountain wind

Fujiwara no Masatsune

This poem uses the same imagery of scattered leaves as the Genji poem above (although the poem pre-dates The Tale of Genji). This poem has a lonely feeling, and the wind here does not come across as such a mighty force. In the following poem, however, written by Fujiwara no Masatsune (1170-1221), the mountain wind – specifically the mountain wind blowing from Mt. Hira down to Lake Biwa – is a little closer to that of the Eishin-ryū tanka:

峰寒き比良の山おろし雪散りて　
汀吹きしく比良の山風

Mine samuki
Hira no yamaoroshi
Yuki chirite
Migiwa fukishiku
Hira no yamakaze

A great wind blows down
From Mount Hira’s freezing summit
Scattering the snow;
The breeze at the water’s edge
Is the wind of Mount Hira

Oroshi hip movement

In the context of Eishin-ryū, the Oroshi tanka seems quite straightforward to interpret. The waza begins with the practitioner raising his hips and ‘floating’ them. After striking the opponent, the practitioner then sweeps forward and down, dropping the hips low and putting pressure on the opponent with his sword. There is a very definite movement downwards, pressing onto the opponent with the body weight. This hip movement from high to low may be seen in the photos to the left.

The speed and power of the practitioner’s movement, smashing into the opponent and disrupting his offensive before it has time to form, may be seen in the mountain wind blowing aside the snow.

Pulling the opponent to the floor might be seen as a continuation of this. Like the metaphor of clouds settling on the mountain peaks and smothering them in Ukigumo, the blowing away of the snow could easily extend to the dragging of the opponent to the ground (the snow cannot remain on the trees; it is carried away by the wind).

A very simple interpretation, yes: but the image of the mountain wind has great power. It is a mighty force that sweeps the snow ahead of it, just as the practitioner blasts down into – and through – the opponent in this waza.

This is only a very basic, beginner’s translation and contextualisation. As always, I leave it to those more experienced and knowledgeable than myself to find the deeper meaning in the poem.

Comments and constructive criticisms are very welcome.