IAIDO : Shato

This is another video taped at the Dothan Botanical Garden last Thursday with my students , first come a group practice of the Sword waza "Shato" which is the 4th one in a series named "Batto-Ho". Second comes the Bunkai practice of the same move.

Batto Ho is a group of waza common to several Styles of Iaido, including the one we study in Dothan and Pensacola : Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu

Shato means "Diagonal sword" in this waza, Shidachi (the good guy) stops Uchidachi at high level and cuts him obliquely from Left to Right. Uchidachi jumps back and cuts. Shidachi parries in a sort of Ukenagashi move, and then cuts Uchidachi obliquely from Right to Left. The 2 diagonal cuts (Kesa Giri) are the reason for the name of this waza.

Of course, this is not a perfect demonstration of Shato. If you wish to see the real stuff, please refer to Masayuki Shimabukuro Sensei videos : Samurai Swordmanship

Still, we enjoyed the exercise.

The Bunkai part is our own interpretation of a situation where  Shato could be used. There would be other interpretations, but this once works, and we had a good time trying to figure it out, and practicing it.

Bunkai brings to your practice an element of reality. The Waza has to be adapted to the environment, the size of the opponent, the timing, distances... 

Also, once one has practiced a Bunkai, he or she may go back to solo-practice, and visualize what he or she could actually be doing !