GUELPH SPRING SEMINAR NOTES - MAY 1998

by Jacques Van Alsenoy, Belguim.

What follows are my personal notes of for this excellent 3 day seminar. Many thanks to Mori-san for translating Ide sensei's comments and questions.

1. Seitei Iai

1. Generally Ide sensei thought we were doing well 'technically', but some of us were walking like ducks (... slide those feet!) and we lacked 'spirit'. Hence most of his comments were aimed at 'the inside' rather than the 'mechanical form': practising /mastering these tips will much improve the level of the katas.

2. To-rei: while putting the sword in front of you the left hand is positioned about 1-2 inch/3-5 cm from the end of the saya (in Koryu different rules can apply).

3. Seiza: sit down as if the floor is fragile ("like a thin layer of ice") and can break if you make a sudden movement. Also, sit up straight / don't lean back.

4. Kamae position: look at the distant mountain and stand straight and strong as a tree. How to hold the sword during kamae: your arms are like holding a baby and your grip is like holding an egg which you intend to throw away during the cut. Or, you are holding a small bird which you will throw forward during the cut - don't squeeze it or you'll kill it - hold it softly, relax! The right hand should not touch the fuchi and will therefore certainly not touch the tsuba. Your thumb should not be straight but in full contact with the tsuka, it is bent and its position resembles the neck/head of a crane bird.

5. After Kiri-Oroshi, the tip of the sword is slightly below horizontal.

6. In standing chiburi position the heel of your rear foot is 'down', near the floor. The 'power' is in the arch of your back foot, pushing down while you stand up.

7. On chiburi: -- (1) Bringing the sword up after kiri-oroshi: The arm moves, from the final cut, to the horizontal level but with the sword outstretched away from you, then bend it towards your head. In Koryu you will hold the sword at an almost right angle from the moment you bring the sword up (after the final cut) but not in ZKR. The position of the sword before the chiburi downswing is not straight backwards but at an angle so that you can easily cut the Kesa direction. -- (2) the left hand has to counterbalance the movement of your right hand... therefore it presses actively on the saya. -- (3) possible Chiburi exercises: attach a little string to the kissaki. The movement of the string should be flowing and uninterrupted. If you perform chiburi with a wet piece of cotton at the kissaki, there should only be water drops on a single spot on the ground.

8. Body movement in tachi-iai between chiburi/noto: move forward from the hips, move backwards from the shoulders.

9. Noto: - (1) All the time during noto you should be able to react to some movement from Teki, so "keep your kissaki alive". The movement needs to flow. - (2) With continued level of practice the Noto movement should become more powerful. It is as if the saya becomes more 'sticky' - it is more and more difficult to put the sword away. Also: zanshin continues after noto, until after you bring your feet together.

10. On the position of your hands while moving: In Seitei iai, when your hands are not on your sword, they should be to the side of the body, not at the front of your thighs (this hides the movements of your hands more).

1.1 Mae / Ushiro

Furikaburi: move the sword towards the ear before raising it overhead.

Advanced practice: The seme movement forward is not so much the body moving forward with your kissaki outstretched in front of you as it is a combined movement of furikaburi while you slide forward: the body moves in, while the sword moves up ready to strike. This is not easy but is a far more powerful threat/attack.

1.2 Ukenagashi

The kata starts as you watch your opponent, who sits in front of you. You then turn to your right and sit down, aware of what s/he does. Advanced practice: once you stand up and receive Teki's strike on you blade your movement should 'flow' using the power & speed of Teki's attack into your cut (like a kendo kaeshi movement).

1.3 Tsuka ate

Do not overextend your tsuki movement - right hand does not move beyond your left elbow (same for Shiho-giri).

1.4 Kesa Giri

After Hasso-no-kamae, when you do chiburi your sword does not move backwards but moves down while your body moves backwards.

1.5 Morote Tsuki/Sanpo giri/Ganmen Ate

When walking towards Teki be aware that you walk towards someone who is actively threatening you - i.e. this is not a Sunday afternoon walk in the field.

In forward/sideways cuts (cfr. Morote tsuki, Soete tsuki, Ganmen ate) slightly pull the rear foot up during the cut to give more power/stability to your movement.

1.6 Soete Tsuki

Before any overhead cut (cfr. Morote-tsuki, San-bon me, etc.) always centre your sword before cutting.

1.7 Shiho giri

See note in Tsuka-ate. About Jo-dan: don't open your grip in jo-dan (e.g. shiho-giri); it is a weaker position.

2. Shinden Ryu

2.1 General notes

1. Seiza: move the left foot back and kneel, then right knee. the general movement is one of moving slightly backwards from the standing position. When even only a single seitei movement is combined in a 'series' of movements (demonstration etc.), the reigi is according to seitei rules. Koryu-style is only used if only koryu movements are executed.

2. Walking with the sword (after shinzen-ni rei, before sitting for to-rei): The sword is carried with the left hand, thumb on the tsuba. The tsuba is in front of the centre of your body and your right hand holds your left hand like your left is holding your sword.

3. To-rei: the sword is put in front with saya/tsuka at equal distance to you (unlike ZKR). While bowing use the full space between the sword and the body (the hands may slightly touch the sword), the elbows come flat on the floor and touch the knees.

4. Position of the sword in the obi is so that the tsuba is in the centre of the body (MJR has tsuba more to the left).

5. Grasping the sword: your hands move together, like they move together in prayer. Both hands grasp the tsuka at the same moment. Doing one before the other gives your intention/readiness away.

6. Noto: The position of the hand on the koikuchi (lit. 'mouth of Koi') covers the opening: The koikuchi is also like the mouth of a dragon ('Ryukou' in Japanese) - you don't want to show this to your opponent. Doing this also makes noto easier.

7. There are many variations in koryu, some only done by one or a few teachers so there are strictly speaking no 'right' or 'wrong' forms but know what you are practicing.

2.2 Shoden

2.2.1 Sho hato, Sato, Uto:

Furikaburi can be at shoulder height (vs. ear height for ZKR), it does not need to be (and to avoid confusion while initially learning perhaps keep it at ear level).

Seme: the rear knee comes forward to the level of your toes (vs heel for ZKR).

Stand up like smoke rises from the field (on a day without wind).

2.2.2 Atarito

When starting, don't raise your toes too quick - it gives your intention/readiness away to Teki behind you.

2.2.3 Inyo shintai

Between the first and second cut you have to stay low.

Generally, Shoden technique scenarios involve only one attacker per kata but this one as well as Sakate Inyo Shintai (aka. Gyakute Inyo Shintai) can be interpreted easier with two attackers.

2.2.4 Ryuto

Block the attack high above your head with the side of the blade.

When you step out to the rear, go to a wide stance, the sword is horizontal behind your back (you cannot see it).

At the strike, the kissaki has to move faster than the tsuka.

There are various height of cuts depending on the teacher: from a shoulder cut to 'on' the saya. Ide sensei cuts above the saya.

In the final position at the cut, the body can be either bent forward (reaching closer to Teki) or with your back straight BUT the heels are together and off the ground (toes are further apart).

In MSR, after the cut the sword is not lowered before bringing it over your right knee.

2.2.5 Junto

Ide sensei showed the movement with your partner sitting in front of you. This means that when you stand up after you draw the sword (sideways etc.) you pull first the left foot closer, then the right while standing up straight in the same place you were sitting in seiza.

The strike aims between 2 vertebrae and is more a pressing forward cut than a 'pulling towards you' cut like in other katas.

2.2.6 Gyakuto

After 'ukenagashi' and the first strike you have to show seme and take 2 steps before cutting again.

There are different ways for the finishing your opponent, e.g. moving closer and tsuki on Teki's chest (Ide sensei does this) - the strike is from knee height and quite vigorous. Other alternatives include cutting the carotid artery.

2.2.7 Seichuto

There are different ways for the first cut after drawing it with pausing more, less or not before the initial cut.

In MSR the cut is horizontal across both of Teki's forearms (in MJR the cut is more on one arm).

Feet do not cross in MSR when moving forward.

2.2.8 Koranto

Koranto is the idea of a tiger moving forward towards his prey. This is very different from MJR Oikaze which is the idea of a wind blowing forward. In MSR the movement is therefore more a gradual JoHaKyu to a first strike, then again after for the finishing cut.

In tachi iai your feet move with smaller steps than in seated katas, so when you move the right foot back to do noto, you stand in a much less wide stance than for other katas.

2.2.9 Sakate Inyo Shintai (aka. Gyakute Inyo Shintai)

When drawing for blocking the cut to your leg, draw horizontally. Drawing the sword with the tsuka down is an Oku technique.

2.2.10 Batto

Before making the cut, the knees slightly come off the floor.

2.3 Chuden

2.3.1 General

Tate Hiza position: most teachers sit with their hands facing downwards. Only one main Japanese teacher (Danzaki Tomoaki) sits with his handpalms facing up.

2.3.2 Yoko Gumo

In Chuden there is no room in front between yourself and Teki, so the movements are generally backwards first before attacking.

This also applies to the next 2.

2.3.3 Tora Issoku

Tora means 'tiger': the idea here is of a tiger who can attack fast but also always retreat even faster afer he catches his prey. The movement here therefore is one of fast moving backwards, drawing the sword (horizontally - see above Sakate Inyo Shintai) and blocking the attack to your leg before counter attacking. Block with edge against edge.

2.3.4 Inazuma

Inazuma means 'lightning'. The movement needs to be as fast as lightning (before the thunder is heard). As in Seichuto, after the initial strike, take stock of Teki before giving the final cut.

2.3.5 Uki Gumo

When you stand up to move your sword away from Teki (who tries to grasp it) your saya is outward and flat.

When you move inwards towards your opponent your feet cross (left foot 'upside down'). You need to move the tsuka above Teki's head. Move the saya back into your obi, so that you can draw as fully sideways as possible. At saya-banare press the sword down to control Teki over the chest while you press your left hand to your obi.

When you control Teki with your sword by pressing on his chest, put your left hand on the back of the mono-uchi, pivot your feet to bring them parallel again and using both hands, press Teki to the floor in a downward movement while you are stepping back with your right foot to a wide stance. Thereby your right arm is/can be bent (left hand/arm is more stretched). (note that you are still standing in a low position - MJR at this stage already have their knee on the ground).

>From that position you move the sword in an arc via the front to the right above your head, while you move down on your left knee. In this motion the blade moves over the opponent.

You then move in, with your right knee gliding over the floor, towards Teki. You step on the sleeve of Teki to immobilise his (left) arm and strike to the left of your left knee to cut Teki's belly (not the ribcage). Cut low but do stay upright (don't bend your upper body) - there may be other opponents around - you need to be able to keep your attention around.

2.3.6 Yama(shita) Oroshi

After striking Teki's wrist, hit his face/nose on the way up, then 'clear' his/her head and move the tsuka to his/her side and draw the sword horizontally.

When the sword is drawn, pivot with saya-biki to control Teki with your sword across his/her chest/arms etc.

Cut downward to thrust Teki on the floor - swing the sword back via the left side over your head towards your right above your head and hold it there with your arms stretched. You can then move in/closer to his/her body / perpendicular and cut Teki's belly (not the chest). There is no need to move forward while cutting (!) as in previous movements, as you bring the the blade overhead, it moves over your opponent.

2.3.7 Iwanami

see point above about no movement forward in final cut

2.3.8 Uroki gaeshi, Nami kaeshi

take stock of Teki after first cut, then only 2nd strike.

2.3.9 Taki Otoshi

When you have drawn the sword and stand ready for tsuki, the sword is not vertical but points in the direction of teki. Please ensure that the tsuki and cut have to be at the same spot where Teki is.

2.3.10 Batto

We did not cover the chuden batto/nuki-uchi movement during this seminar.

12-Jul-98