It’s a well
know fact that just about everybody within the martial arts community around
the globe can distinguish between most of the more common empty hand arts or
systems. I, as most people who know me well will know, have been involved with
the martial arts since childhood and now teach my own progressive combat
system. In addition to empty hand training I also student the Japanese sword
arts; I say student as I believe one never stops learning or refining ones
knowledge of the weapon arts, their history and the techniques within the art
or any other martial art for that matter.
Lately I
have been extremely fortunate to have been invited to teach the Japanese sword
around schools and dojos in the UK. This has been of tremendous benefit in helping
to spread the weapon arts and also the added benefit of meeting some top class
instructors and students who have now become friends.
That said,
it does surprise me somewhat how many senior grade instructors there are who
cannot distinguish between the Japanese sword styles and there uses. With this
issue in mind I have drafted a small but hopefully useful explanation of each
individual art and its purpose. One should be very aware however that there are
unique and sometimes very subtle differences between each school (ryu ha) 学校方法 and these subtle differences can have a
dramatic impact on the art and the use of the sword. Other differences can include
the syllabus and purpose; for instance we shall use kenjutsu as an example.
Some kenjutsu schools will only dedicate themselves to the use of the sword
however other schools will study such topics as senjo kumiuchi (battlefield
wrestling/fighting techniques) or hojo jutsu (rope tying/restraint techniques)
or the use of both. Other schools will study the spear (yumi 槍) or the halberd (naginata 鉾槍).
Here follows a basic description of the main sword arts and their
uses. I hope they prove useful but please note that they are basic descriptions
only; further and deeper examining of the sword styles is encouraged to improve
your knowledge:
Iaido
Iaido
is one of the Japanese traditional budo concerned with drawing the blade and
cutting in the same motion. (Budo means martial arts or military arts in
Japan). A typical form consists of the draw and cut, a finishing cut, cleaning
the blade and returning it to the scabbard, all without looking away from the
imaginary opponent.
Most practice is solo, eventually with shin-ken (a real blade). In contrast with Kendo, Iaido is performed without protective coverings of any kind. Students must strive to achieve power, precision and perfection in their form. Along the way they learn balance, grace, and control both of the body and the mind.
Most practice is solo, eventually with shin-ken (a real blade). In contrast with Kendo, Iaido is performed without protective coverings of any kind. Students must strive to achieve power, precision and perfection in their form. Along the way they learn balance, grace, and control both of the body and the mind.
Iaido dealt more with everyday situations rather than those on the battlefield. The term "Iai" is taken from the Japanese phrase: "Tsune ni ite, kyu ni awasu". The meaning of this is, whatever we may be doing or wherever we may be, we must always be prepared from any eventually.
The techniques themselves dealt with many situations such as a sudden attack by several opponents, a surprise attack while bowing to someone, an enemy lying in wait behind a sliding door or an attack in a darkened room. The permutations (suppositions) were countless.
Iaijutsu
Iaijutsu skills were not designed to be used on the battlefield but rather existed to allow samurai to defend themselves in day to day life, hence the focus on drawing the sword very quickly and disabling your opponent should the situation arise. This also explains why many iaijutsu and iaido kata are practised from sitting and kneeling positions as well as from general, everyday standing up.
Kenjutsu
Kenjutsu is a military art form which was created in Japan in the
15th century. It was primarily designed to prepare samurai, as well
as ordinary soldiers for combat on the battlefield. The main emphasis of
kenjutsu centres on the practice of swordsmanship. But in some styles the practice
of other battlefield-related weapons is also an integral part of their martial
study. At the simplest level, it can be viewed as a collection of combat
techniques for various weapons, most notably the sword. At a more complex
level, it can be considered the study of the strategy large-scale and small,
offensive as well as defensive.
The study of Kenjutsu is
purely the study of the sword art and it’s developed through practice. Any
person can swing a sword but to study the sword you must develop the mental and
spiritual aspects of the art as well as the physical.
Shin-Ku-I (Body, Mouth, Mind) or more accurately Action, Word, and
Thought is how the Samurai were evaluated. What make the difference between a
student and a swordsman is Ken Shin Ichi Nyo, or Sword and mind as one. One
must train as if the sword was a part of them; if it is looked at as a separate
entity you will never develop the skill to master the art.
The sequence of training in Kenjutsu is as follows:
Kihon O Manabu :- Emphasize the basics
Kaisu O Kasaneru :- Development through repetition
Jiga Ni Tsuite :- Controlling your ego
Dai - Kyo - Soku - Kei :- Big - Strong - Fast - Light
Saigo Made Einoku Suru :- persist to the end – never give up. This
is true for both the practice of the art and the attitude in combat.
Yudan Nashi :- Never off guard.
The motto of the Samurai was "Shinu Kikai O Motomo",
"Looking for the opportunity to die".
This was not a defeatist attitude. The Samurai held life in great
esteem and were very selective on what "cause" they would lay their
life on the line for. It is easy to kill a man when you yourself are willing to
die.
In terms of learning to fight with a sword, kenjutsu has a more
complete curriculum. Kendo of necessity limits the range of techniques and
targets. Kendoka generally use shinai, which allow techniques which do not work
with real swords. Kenjutsu practitioners do not usually use shinai in training,
preferring to use bokken (wooden swords) or katana (steel swords) in order to
preserve the cutting techniques of real sword fighting. Kenjutsu training
largely consists of practicing cutting technique and performing partner kata.
For safety reasons, free-sparring is seldom practised with bokken or katana.
It was natural for the samurais to practice every day with their
sword. To the samurai the sword was their foremost weapon and privilege - other
groups in the society was forbidden to bear swords. Furthermore the practice
with the sword was much more than preparing for battle. Around the Japanese
sword grew a whole philosophy. It has many names, as ken, katana, tachi, and
To.
Kendo
Kendo which translates literally to 'The
Way of the Sword', is a contemporary Japanese martial art that evolved from the
traditions of the samurai, the warrior class of ancient Japan, based upon sword
fencing techniques developed over centuries of combat. Like many Japanese martial arts, the philosophical foundations
of Kendo revolve around the precepts of
Zen Buddhism, and the guiding belief that
enlightenment and heightened awareness, flow from the ability to focus and calm
the mind. Following in the footsteps of the samurai, modern practitioners of Kendo, or 'Kendoka', as they are called, strive
not only to master the physical techniques of the Japanese sword, but, also,
the mental and spiritual aspects as well.
Although
Kendo’s roots lie with the ancient
samurai, the art has evolved over the centuries, adapting as societal
conditions changed, to its present form where competition between practitioners
involves not life and death combat with razor sharp blades, but controlled
matches governed by strict rules of conduct, and non-lethal instruments. This
difference in focus, distinguishes Kendo
from 'Kenjutsu', which is also a Japanese sword art deriving from traditional
fencing. Unlike Kendo, whose techniques
are updated for practice as a non-lethal aesthetic, Kenjutsu’s primary focus is
combat and warfare, and as such, closely parallels the actual lethal techniques
employed by the samurai on the field of battle.
In
place of the katana, the traditional sword of the samurai, modern Kendoka use
shinai, an implement constructed of four bamboo
staves bound together at specific junctures with leather bands. This non-lethal
weapon, along with the use of body armour, or 'bogu', as it is referred to in Kendo, enable Kendoka to engage in fencing
contests without the fear of death or serious bodily injury. The bogu is modelled
after the traditional armour of the samurai, which unlike the cumbersome metal
armour of European knights, was lightweight and designed for optimal movement
and flexibility.
Kendo practice traditionally takes place
in a training hall or, 'dojo'. Organization of a dojo is hierarchical, with the
master at the top, and beginning students at the bottom. As in the other
Japanese martial arts, the belt or 'kyu' system is employed, with the highest
rank or 'Dan' being the black belt. Students train in Kendo through the practice of 'kata', a series
of formal exercises passed down through time that replicate the movements and
techniques required in traditional combat. In addition to learning and
practicing the different kata, Kendoka also engage in informal matches known as
'keiko' or 'kumite' which are moderated by senior members of the dojo, and test
the practitioner’s live combat ability.
A
challenging and rigorous martial art, Kendo
distinguishes itself from other forms of martial endeavour primarily due to its
intense involvement with observing the etiquette
and form of established traditions. While other martial arts primarily focus on
the physical performance of the practitioner, Kendo
is concerned equally with the mental and spiritual development of the
individual as well. Through the mastery of traditional kata and the experience
of kumite, Kendoka strive to achieve the same sense of transcendence and
discipline exemplified by the samurai, Japan’s original swordsmen.
Batto Jutsu
Battojutsu
is a form of traditional Japanese swordsmanship. Literally translated as
"sword drawing techniques", battojutsu is defined as rapidly drawing
the sword from its scabbard while performing a simultaneous cut or strike, all
in one continuous motion. Such skills were essential to the classical warriors
of feudal Japan, better known as the samurai who trained to use their swords
with blinding speed from nearly every conceivable situation. These techniques
are referred to as iai (drawing the sword from a seated or kneeling position),
tachiai (drawing the sword from an upright position such as standing, walking,
and running).
The initial actions involved with batto include nukitsuke (the
simultaneous draw and strike); which may be followed with furikaburi (bringing
the blade around); and a killing blow such as kirioroshi (cutting downward).
Follow-up actions include some form of chiburi (removing the blood from the
blade); and noto (re-sheathing the blade).
To find out more about Evasive Self-Defence Combat System visit http://www.esdcs.org or e-mail John Barrass at: john@kurinami.wanadoo.co.uk
