Volume 2 number 6 absolute #8 NOV 1990
A publication of limited distribution: Send your stories, comments or announcements to Kim Taylor, Dept. of Animal and Poultry Science, (519)824-4120 ext 6225 FAX (519)836-9873
PHOTOCOPY AND SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER!
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SEMINARS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
The 5th Kenseikai Summer Seminar with Haruna Sensei, 7th Dan will be held Aug. 1-5 1991 Rochdale, Lancs. England. 110 pounds for 5 days, Applications available from The Iaido News or Don Harvey (see contact list). Registration due Nov. 30 1990.
Send all information on seminars etc. to the editor as soon as possible. It's incentive to publish.
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ON IAIDO PRACTICE AND "IAIJUTSU"
by F.Y. Okimura Sensei, Shidokan, Montreal
(Referring to the Omori Ryu article of last issue)
It is true that a samurai did not wear the daito in his house, but he did wear the wakizashi. I believe that by learning to use the daito from the seiza position, it would be much easier to use the wakizashi, which is a much shorter weapon.
As far as slow nukitsuke or fast noto is concerned, slowness at first gives a student a better idea of proper nukitsuke without damaging the saya. As far as fast (?) noto is concerned it is just the kissaki that goes in quickly and then the movement is much slower. According to the Muso Shinden ryu, the daito is drawn slowly and picks up speed so that by the time of the actual nukitsuke itself, the slashing movement is done speedily. For Noto, on the other hand, the kissaki enters the saya quickly but the balance of the daito is inserted quite slowly.
According to Muso Shinden ryu, batto is done jo, kyu, ha; while the noto is executed ha, kyu, and then jo. Jo - slowly, kyu - slowly, ha - explosively.
Tate-hiza was practised by samurai because with shin protectors it was nearly impossible to sit in seiza. These samurai wore tachi or daito as they sat in tate-hiza or in anza (sitting with the legs crossed).
All the negative critics talk about Iaido as next to useless for fighting. They seem to forget that the teaching of Iaido is to gain victory over ones adversary without drawing the sword, and unlike Kendo, Iaido is defensive tactics. So -- I agree in that if it is killing power one needs, then use an automatic weapon which one can get quite easily -- much easier than a shin-to and cheaper too!
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A LITTLE MORE HISTORY
by F.Y. Okimura Sensei, Shidokan, Montreal
Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu was born in 1545, a son of Asano Kazuma Shigeharu and Sugano (a beautiful lady-in-waiting of the Mogami clan court). Asano was a teacher and expert of court protocol and etiquette. Jinsuke changed his name to Hayashizaki after he attained a devine vision.
After a hard practise at the Hayashizaki shrine grounds (situated in Yamagata-ken), Jinsuke was
resting (cat-napping?) when he received an inspiration that a longer tsuka was more advantageous
than the 6 sun (7.16 inch) tsuka that prevailed at that time. (My references do not mention whether
the sword was a tachi or a daito.)
In appreciation, he offered his sword to the shrine. The blade is 3 shaku 3 sun (39.37 inches), while the tsuka is 8 sun (9.544 inches).
Jinsuke died in 1618 of a sudden illness just prior to leaving on a musha-shugyo from Kawagoe city.
His life is full of unanswered questions. However, he was a founder of a ryu-gi which specialized in batto-jitsu, the first in Japan.
His ryu-gi has many names, for example:
Hayashizaki ryu Hayashizaki Muso ryu
Muso ryu Shinmei Muso ryu
Shinmu ryu Shigenobu ryu
Jinsuke's ryugi directly influenced the founding of other Iai ryugi:
1. Ichi-no-miya ryu 2. Shinmei Muso To ryu
3. Sui-o ryu 4. Tamiya ryu
5. Muraku ryu 6. Kamiizumi ryu
7. Hayashizaki Tamiya ryu 8. Shin ryu
9. Hoki ryu 10. Hasagawa Eishin ryu
11. Sekiguchi ryu 12. Omori ryu
When Nakayama Hakudo Sensei demonstrated Iai at the Butokuden (Kyoto) in 1937 and 1938, he called the ryugi Muso Shinden ryu Batto-jitsu. After his death his disciples renamed it as the Muso Shinden ryu.
Sources: Iaido Hikkei (handbook) by Kendo Jidai Publications. Nippon Kengo 100 Sen (100 Outstanding Swordsmen of Japan) by Watadani Kiyoshi.
Hayashizaki Jinsuke by Koyama Ryutaro.
TECHNICAL NOTEBOOK
This month we will finish the last two katas and then start outlining the tips and traps of testing. Next issue will bring another letter from England.
SEI TEI GATA OF THE JAPAN KENDO FEDERATION
9. (KYUPONME) SOETE ZUKI (joined-hands thrust)
The opponent approaches from the left side as you walk forward. He is quite close.
NUKI TSUKE
Begin to walk forward with the right leg. On the second step, with the left foot, grasp the tsuka. The right foot is then placed in front of the left at a 90 degree angle with the toes lined up. Turn to the left and pull the left foot back so that you are now in migi gamae. As you step back with the left foot draw the blade and cut the opponent with a one handed kesa giri. The blade finishes with the right hand just at the height of the right hip.
The right hand finishes the move at the same height as the left. The kissaki is slightly above horizontal. The right hip is forward and the right armpit could hold an egg.
Don't reach too far forward since teki is close.
KIRI TSUKE
Pull the right foot all the way back so that the heel lines up with the toes of the left foot. The right foot is pointed about 45 degrees to the right front and the hips are turned clockwise so that the left hip is now forward. While doing this pull the tsuka back to the right hip so that the tsuba is lined up with the front of the hip bone, the edge should be facing directly down. At the same time place the koiguchi at the tanden and then place the left hand on top of the mune 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down the blade from the tsuba. The mune should run along beside the index finger. Keep the fingers and thumb together and away from the edge. Use the thumb and the index finger to grip the blade tightly.
On assuming the stance prior to the thrust, the body moves up a bit. Pinch the blade so that it cannot be knocked out of your grasp by a strike on the mune.
Step forward with the left foot into hidari gamae and thrust the blade forward about the length of the tsuka as you thrust to the opponent's stomach. Use the left hand to keep the blade down. The right foot is shifted forward to its original position as you thrust, and it remains at the 45 degree angle. The tsuba travels from the right hip to as far forward as the left only.
Thrust the blade only about 10 cm along the side of the hip (the length of the tsuka), and make a small shift with the right foot. The right heel is lined up on the centreline with the left foot. Don't go too far forward since there is no room, the blade should only enter the opponent 4 inches or so. The hips are still not square to the attacker.
The thrust is accomplished by the body motion, not your arms. Lock the tsuka firmly on the thrust using your hip and the underside of your forearm. Thrust down the axis of the blade and don't "shovel" with the sword.
Don't slide the mune under the left hand.
CHIBURI
This is the third chiburi position.
Using the kissaki as a pivot inside the opponent, move the right hand up to the right front and rotate the edge to face horizontally. The blade is moved on the left hand so that it comes on top of the left fingers and under the left thumb. The left hand is kept palm down at the height of the suigetsu while the right hand is slightly higher to give an angle to the sword. The right hand is not pushed as far forward as the left hand.
Present the blade slowly by moving the right hand, keeping the left relatively still. The right hand does not finish higher than the nipples.
Move the left hand down to the koiguchi while keeping the sword in the same position. Square the hips, snap the blade to the side and pull the left foot back to a migi gamae. This motion is done smoothly and the left hand performs saya biki at the same time.
Step back and move the blade so that it follows the line of the edge out to the proper position which is between that for the previous two chiburi. The blade is angled down between horizontal and 45 degrees.
NOTO
The noto is the same as for Morote Zuki.
After bringing the left foot up to the right, turn to the right 90 degrees to face the front again as you move the left foot back toward the starting position.
When you step up and then turn back to the forward direction again you should be on the original line.
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Since the grading to be held next June will be the first for a lot of us, here are some hints from
Don Harvey of Burton on Trent in England. Don sits on the U.K. B.K.A. grading panel and they
use the same criteria as is used in Japan.
The grading card is split into 5 sections:
1. Nukitsuke
2. Kiritsuke
3. Chiburi
4. Noto
5. General (dress, etiquette, correct interpretation of forms etc.)
General tips would be to always begin the examination set of 5 forms with Mae Seitei up to 3rd or Omori-Ryu thereafter. Don't pick forms with multiple cuts such as Shiho-giri...keep it simple! Remember the adrenaline is flowing so the tendancy is to speed up, be aware of this and slow down. Not too slow, 5 minutes are allowed for the forms including the start and finish rei...try timing yourself.
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TECHNICAL NOTEBOOK
10. (JUPOME) SHIHO GIRI (four sided cuts)
As you walk forward four opponents approach from the diagonal corners.
NUKI TSUKE
Begin walking with the right foot, on the second step grasp the tsuka. As the opponent to the right front puts his hands on his tsuka to draw, raise your tsuka to your left shoulder, step with the right foot toward the right front and bring the omote face of your handle down on his right knuckles as you stamp your foot. This third step is a normal walking pace distance. The edge of your blade should be facing out from your left hip.
Pull the saya back into the belt to draw the blade slowly as you turn your feet into a parallel position with the toes facing 45 degrees to the left front at shoulder width. When the kissaki is clear place the mune on the chest and take a long step with the left foot toward the left rear. Thrust back to the opponent as was done in Tsuka Ate. The right foot is brought up to re- establish a shoulder width stance.
Lift the tsuka straight up to the left shoulder then strike the top of the opponents hand.
Draw slowly while watching the koiguchi. The mune is placed on the chest as in Tsuka Ate before the thrust back.
Metsuke is on tekki's eyes not his wrist as you hit it.
KIRI TSUKE
Return clockwise to face the right front while raising the blade close to the body into jodan. Grasp the tsuka with the left hand at jodan. Take a short (walking pace) step with the left foot and cut kiri otoshi.
Bring the right foot up and turn 90 degrees to the right. Step forward with the right foot and cut kiri otoshi.
Return the blade through uke nagashi.
Turn left 180 degrees bringing the blade through waki gamae. Step with the right foot and cut the last opponent with kiri otoshi.
The last two cuts are from a normal Iai posture.
The last 180 degree turn requires the left foot to be shifted over and the turn is done on the toes.
The last opponent is a long way away so perform a big cut with okuri ashi.
CHIBURI
Finish the kata as was done in Sanpogiri. Remember to keep the step up into zanshin a short one.
NOTO
The noto is the same as for Sanpogiri.
When you bring the left foot up to the right you will be facing the left front. After turning 45 degrees right you should be on the original starting line so that you can take three steps back to the starting position.
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CONTACT LIST
* l'Aikido de la Montagne, 3734 Avenue du Parc, Montreal Quebec, Canada. H2X 2J1.
Roy Asa, c/o Japan Camera Centre, 88 Lesmill Rd. (Don Mills) Toronto Ontario, Canada. M3B 2T5. (FAX (416)445-0519)
* Mitsuru Asaoka, 2445 Cape Horn Ave. Coquitlam B.C. Canada. V3K 1K1 (604)525-5080 FAX(604)520-5999
Douglas Blue III, 673 Panorama Trail West. Rochester N.Y. 14625.
Jim Callfas, 88 East Lynn Ave. Toronto, Ont. Canada. M4C 3X2 698-8688.
Central YMCA Aikikai, c/o Stuart Rae 375 Brunswick Ave. #504, Toronto Ontario, Canada. M5R 2Z3
* Kazuo Chiba, 3846 Eagle St. San Diago California USA. 92103 Mike Chinadi, 2-4223 Terrace Ave. Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada. L2E 4E1.
* Malcolm Copp-Taylor, Yugenkan Dojo, Unit 19, Charlton Trading Estate, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England, BA6 8ER. * Stephen Cruise, 10 Glenborough Pk. Willowdale Ontario Canada. M2R 2G5 (416)229-4986
* Ted Davis, Dept of Biology, University of Victoria. Box 1700 Victoria B.C. V8W 2Y2
Dr. Gregory DeMarchi Dept of Family and Community Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St. Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8. (416)876-7431.
* Doshikan Kendo Club, c/o Shozo Kato 124 East 79th St. Apt 3A New York NY. USA 10021(212)535-6470
* M. Flynn, 1059 El Centro Ave. #1, Oakland, CA, USA 94602 (415)530-5714
* Matsuo Haruna, 247-1 Yoshida, Higashi-Awakura-son, Aida-gun, Khayama-ken, Japan. 707-04. Ph. 08687-8-3567.
* Don Harvey, 81 Sandcliffe Road, Midway, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs. DE11 7PH. (01144)283-218958.
Sean Hickey, 6218 Ravine Way, Gloucester Ontario, Canada. K1C 2V4.
* International Kendo Federation c/o Nippon-Budokan 2 Kitanomaru-koen Chiyoda-ku Tokyo Japan. 102 (211-5804, 211-5805)
* Japanese Swordsmanship Society, PO Box 1116 Rockafeller Stn. New York, New York. USA 10185 (212)691-2891
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre 123 Wynford Dr. Box 191, Don Mills Ontario Canada. M3C 1K1
* Trevor Jones, 36 Holmleigh Ave. Dartford, Kent, England. DA1 5AS. (01144)322-78598.
* Ken Zen Institute, c/o Kenjun Kasahara 152-158 West 26th Street New York NY. USA 10001 (212)741-2281
* Trevor Jones 36 Holmleigh Ave. Dartford, Kent, England. DA1 5AS. (0322)78598.
Fred Kay 54 Ashbury Ave. Toronto Ontario M6E 1V1 (416)652- 7110.
Roy Kennedy, 124 Glen Springs Dr. Scarborough Ontario, Canada. M1W 1X8
* Larry Nakamura, 24 Beckwith Road, Etobicoke Ontario, Canada. M9C 3X9. (416)622-2962
* New England Aikikai, 2000 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge Mass. USA. 02140 (617)661-1959
* New York City Kendo Club, c/o Noboru Kataoka 46 West 83rd Street New York NY. USA 10024 (212) 874-6161
* Goyo Ohmi 43 Milington Cr. Ajax Ontario, Canada. L1T 1R3 (416)683-8346
* F.Y. Okimura, 7557 de Normanville, Montreal Quebec, Canada. H2R 2V2.
* Seigan T. Okuyama, 1612 Shadford Road, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 48104. (313)662-6685
* Masakazu Oshita, 3-2-5, Kaminae-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe, 657, Japan. Ph. (078)871-7726.
* John Ray, RR1 Box 341A, Hinsdale, N.H. USA 03451
* Renbukan Dojo, c/o Mr. Tamio Tateno, 207 Nelson St. Brantford Ontario, Canada. N3S 4C2.
* Pierre-Paul Rivet, 12 Desmarteau Boucherville Quebec. J4B 1Z9.
Robert Savoie 532 Avenue Duluth E. Montreal Quebec Canada. H2L 1A9 (514)288-8679 or 842-0342
* Dr. D.W. Schwerdtfeger, 8580 Lakewood Shores Road NW. Rice, MN 56367.
* Sei Do Kai Iaido, c/o Kimberley Taylor, Department of Animal Science, University of Guelph, Guelph Ontario, Canada. N1G 2W1. (519)824-4120 ext 6225 FAX (519)836-9873.
Chris Sora, 121 Westgate Park Drive, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2N 5X5. (416)935-5287.
* Mark Sykes, 57 Seaforth Ave. Leeds, Yorkshire, England. LS9 6AS (0532)497209.
* Allan Tattersall, Samurai Ju Jitsu HQ, Barlow Street Rochdale, England. OL16 1TG. (01144)706-525814.
Marion M. Taylor, 32 Bedford Court Amherst, MA USA 01002 (413)256-0219
* Valley Aikido, c/o Paul Sylvain, 131 King St. Northampton Mass. USA. 02140
Peter Verra, 1452 Paddington Ct. Burlington, Ont. Canada. L7M 1W7. (416)336-7159
* Katsuo Yamaguchi, 3-24-1 Shinbori Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Japan 189. (0425-65-9146)
* Yasuo Yamashibu, Tonda-cho-1-4-2, Okayama Japan 700. (0862- 25-5471) (FAX 0862-23-9433)
* Yugenkan Dojo, c/o Mr. Bill Mears, 100 Elmwood Ave. Crystal Beach Ontario, Canada. L0S 1B0. (416)871-7772 ext. 314
* Yoseikan, Academy of Martial Arts, Mr. Patrick Auge, 2485 Lancaster Road Ottawa, Ontario Canada. K1B 4L5.
* Zanshin, Ecole D'Aikido et Iaido, c/o Donna Winslow, 5425 Bordeaux #503D, Montreal Quebec, Canada. H2H 2P9 (514)521-6786 =========================================================
TYPOS, MISTAKES AND DEFINITIONS
Sensei Okimura's given name is Fred not Fre, sorry Sensei. (From the editor, typist?)
KOSHITE is more properly spelled Koshiita. (From Okimura Sensei)
KIZA refers to techniques starting from Tate-hiza, several people have commented on this word.
Since students must write exams for their grading tests it is important that we use the terminology of Iai correctly and that the spellings accurately reflect the pronunciation. This section is given over to making corrections and to giving definitions.
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EXAMINER'S OBSERVATIONS ON SEITEI IAI PERFORMANCE
With this issue we have presented the tenth kata of Seitei. These descriptions have given a brief outline of the techniques which we should now begin to refine. With this in mind here is a list of points that the examiners were looking for last year in Japan. These were given to Fred Okimura Sensei who has been kind enough to translate them for us. In future newsletters we will be giving further points to work on.
F. Y. Okimura, Shidokan Iaido Montreal.
1. MAE:
A. Sayabiki executed properly.
B. After nuki tsuke, is the sword thrust to the left rear and lifted upward to jodan correctly.
C. After kiri tsuke, is the kissaki slightly below the horizontal line of the blade.
D. Is there any noticeable pause between nuki tsuke and kiri tsuke.
E. Is the chiburi and body posture correct.
2. USHIRO:
A. After the 180 degree turn, is the katana in a nuki tsuke position and the left foot properly placed.
B. Was nuki tsuke aimed at the enemy's temple.
3. UKE NAGASHI:
A. Is the katana actually parrying the enemy's sword blows and protecting the body from injury.
B. Is the left foot pulled back to the rear of the right foot and the kesa giri executed properly.
C. Was the katana stopped at o-heso with the kissaki slightly lower.
4. TSUKA ATE:
A. Is the tsuka gashira actually aimed at the suigetsu.
B. Is the left hand holding onto the koi guchi and pushing the saya to the centre of the body, while the right arm (sword arm) is extended fully to stab the attacker (at the rear).
C. Demonstrate pulling the katana out and raising it over the head to execute kiri tsuke.
5. KESA GIRI:
A. When executing the upward cut in gyaku kesa, is the right fist above the right shoulder.
B. Is the chiburi performed correctly, holding the saya with the left hand while drawing the left foot backward.
(also KESA KIRI)
6. MORO TE TSUKI:
A. When the cut to the face is executed does it finish at the jaw.
B. Is the tsuki to the suigetsu executed correctly.
C. After the thrust, is the sword pulled out correctly and raised above the head as though performing uke nagashi.
(also MOROTE ZUKI)
7. SANPO KIRI:
A. When cutting the enemy to the right, does the cut finish at the throat.
B. When turning toward the enemy to the left, was the direction of the left foot adjusted towards the adversary.
C. When going into jodan no kamae, is the katana in an uke nagashi kamae first.
(also SANPO GIRI)
8. GAMMEN TSUKI:
A. Is the tsuka gashira striking the correct place.
B. When getting to position to do tsuki to the opponent to the rear, is the katana held correctly at the top of the right hip bone.
C. Is the 180 degree turn made correctly so that the defender is fully facing his enemy.
D. When performing the tsuki is the left heel off of the floor.
E. Are both feet parallel to each other and not in kagi ashi.
9. SOE TE TSUKI:
A. When kesa giri is completed is the katana at the same height as the o-heso.
B. Are the left thumb and the first (index) finger holding the blade correctly.
C. Is the katana at the top of the right hip bone.
D. When executing the tsuki to the adversary's abdomen, is the right fist at the o-heso height.
E. When showing zanshin, is the right fist higher than the right breast.
10. SHIHO GIRI:
A. Are the opponent's right knuckles struck correctly with the flat part of the tsuka.
B. Is the mono uchi placed correctly on the left breast, horizontally.
C. Is the left hand holding the koi guchi correctly and is it pulled to the centre of the body at the same time as tsuki is executed.
D. Is the waki gamae being done as the katana is raised to jodan no kamae.
(also SHIHO KIRI)