KABEZOE

Kabezoe (壁添 :Against the wall - Old name Hito Nika: in the middle)

Kabezoe is the 9th move of the Okuden Tachiwaza set taught in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and Muso Shinden Ryu Iaijutsu.

In Kabezoe, one is moving in a narrow alley and cannot draw sideways.

The following video is a compilation of demonstrations of Kabezoe by several 20th century Japanese masters.

 

 

 

 Kabezoe BUNKAI

 Bunkai are practical application of a technique. There can be several bunkai for the same technique. 

The following video shows two masters demonstrating bunkai for kabezoe.

  

 These videos are part of series of compilations of techniques demonstrated by late 19th and 20th centuries Japanese masters.

 

Sodesurigaeshi - Okuden Tachiwaza #7

Sodesurigaeshi is the 7th technique of the Okuden Tachiwaza set of MJER.

SODESURIGAESHI (Brushing sleeves) ancient name KEN NO KOTO (Brushing sword) is the 6th move of the Okuden Tachiwaza set of advanced techniques taught in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and Muso Shinden Ryu Iaijutsu.

This video is one of a set of compilations of clips from films shot during the 20th century of several Japanese masters demonstrating their Art. 

 

The masters featured in these compilations are: 

• Kono Hyakuren / 河野百錬 (1898 – 1974) MJER - 2 demos.
  
• Iwata Norikazu (1913 – 2011) MJER
  
• Unidentified master, probably MSR
• Hakuo Sagawa (1917 – 2004) MSR
  
• Nagae Matasaburo (1910 - ) MSR
• Yamamoto Harusuke (1892–1978) MJER 
• Hakuo Sagawa (1917 – 2004) MSR

I have not been able to identify the master demonstrating at 1:29. If you know him, please send me his name (Thank you)

 

BUNKAI for Sodesurigaeshi

 

 

A BUNKAI is a practical application of a technique (waza), the essence of it. As you can see in this video, there may be several Bunkai for each technique.

Practicing a waza without understanding its Bunkai is more Dance than Martial Art. There is nothing wrong about dance, but you have to decide what you want to do. 

The masters demonstrating Sodesurigaeshi's bunkai are : 

• Hakuo Sagawa (1917 – 2004) MSR 
• Iwata Norikazu (1913 – 2011) MJER

 

Note : MJER : Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu; MSR : Muso Shinden Ryu

Yukizure - Bunkai

Yukizure is the first waza of the Okuden Tachi waza set of the MJER Curriculum...

The Bunkai of Yukizure is that you are being escorted ("escorted" is the literal meaning of "Yukizure") to a place you don't really want to go by two guys you don't really like.  They may not be really bright, because they have left you with your sword.

One of them is on your right, the other one on your left.

While walking with them, you take a smaller step to be behind them, bump onto your left escort from behind, draw and cut the right escort's neck or left shoulder. This cut is one handed, it is Nukitsuke.  Immediately follow up by cutting the other escort with a two handed kirioroshi.

In this video taped on February 1st, 2014, at the Shindai Aikikai of Orlando, FL, Carl Long Kyoshi demonstrates the Bunkai of Yukizure.

If you are interested in learning Traditional Japanese Swordsmanship, the KNBK website provides valuable information about various aspects of the Art, as well as addresses of schools (dojo) licensed to teach Iaijutu in the USA and other countries.

Iaido - Zentekigyakuto

Another video taped at the Dothan Botanical Garden last Thursday with my students, in the first part a group practice of the Sword waza "Zentekigyakuto", the 7th one of the "Batto-Ho" series. In the 2nd part the Bunkai practice of the same move.

Batto Ho is a group of waza common to several Styles of Iaido, including Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu.

the one we study in Dothan at the Yoshukai Dojo and in Pensacola at the Big Green Drum Dojo. 

In our Bunkai interpretation of Zentekigyakuto, the two opponents walk in the same direction. As Uchidachi (the bad guy) turns and draws his sword up to cut Shidachi (the good guy), this ones stops him by an upward draw (Kiri age) toward his hands or face and keeps pushing him back. As Uchidachi steps back he is off balance and Shidachi cuts him in an oblique cut (Kesa Giri).

There are 2 versions of Zentekigyakuto, depending upon how fast Uchidachi retrreats, Shidachi takes one or two steps toward him before cutting. The finishing oblique cut is to the Right or the Left, depending upon which foot is forward (it is advisable to cut away from one's own foot).

As previously stated for our other videos this is not a perfect demonstration, but simply an example of what we practice in our Iaijutsu class at the Yoshukai Dojo in Dothan, Alabama. If you wish to see the real stuff, please refer to Masayuki Shimabukuro Sensei videos : Samurai Swordmanship

The Bunkai is our own interpretation of a situation where Zentekigyakuto could be used. There are of course other possible interpretations. I invite you to figure some out and post videos on Youtube for us to compare and discuss. Remember however that Sword Practice, even with a Boken (wooden sword) can generate serious wounds.

Bunkai practice brings an element of reality in the practice of all our waza (or kata in other martial arts) it forces us into taking into account various elements such as terrain, light, distance and timing, which are not easily taken into account in the Dojo. 

Good luck in your practice.

IAIDO : Zantotsuto

Another video taped at the Dothan Botanical Garden last Thursday with my students, in the first part a group practice of the Sword waza "Zantotsuto", the 6th one of the "Batto-Ho" series. In the 2nd part the Bunkai practice of the same move.


Batto Ho is a group of waza common to several Styles of Iaido, including Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu.
the one we study in Dothan at the Yoshukai Dojo and in Pensacola at the Big Green Drum Dojo.

In our Bunkai interpretation of Zantotsuto, the two opponents walk toward each other. As Uchidachi (the bad guy) raises his hands to draw his sword, Shidachi (the good guy) stops him by drawing faster right on top of his hands. As Uchidachi steps back Shidachi follows him with the intention to skewer him (Tsuki attack). Uchidachi draws his sword under Shidachi's sword and tries to whack it out of the way by hitting it upward with his own sword. However, Shidachi keeps pushing and cuts Uchidachi, either in a vertical downward cut (Kirioroshi) or in a forward slicing cut of his hands.

As previously stated for our other videos this is not a perfect demonstration, but simply an example of what we practice in our Iaijutsu class at the Yoshukai Dojo in Dothan, Alabama. If you wish to see the real stuff, please refer to Masayuki Shimabukuro Sensei videos : Samurai Swordmanship



The Bunkai is our own interpretation of a situation where Zantotsuto could be used. There would be other interpretations, and I invite you to figure some out and post videos on Youtube for us to compare and discuss. Remember however that Sword Practice, even with a Boken (wooden sword) can generate serious wounds.

Good luck in your practice.

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 !

Bunkai

Last Thursday we went to the Dothan Botanical Garden to practice and tape Bunkai of 4 Bato-ho Waza : Tsuigekito, Shato, Zantotsuto and Zentekigyakuto.

Bunkai is a practical application of a solo practice move.

Bunkai can be very obvious, specially in basic kata such a Yoshukai Kion Kata Shodan, the moves are mostly combinations of inside middle blocks and direct front punch. 

In some other cases, such as old forms or kata which might have been modified for various reasons by generations of instructors, Bunkai may not be evident. When a master created a form, he might have had one, or several bunkai in mind for each move of the form. So there may be several possible and legitimate bunkai for every move or waza of a form, or kata.

Why practice Bunkai ? Because they bring an element of reality in our individual practice. Martial Arts are not about grace and elegance. Kata should be practiced to develop safe and automatic reactions to real life-threatening situations. If in our practice we perform an approximative, wrongly angled and timed move, in real life this may translate into injury.

So Bunkai practice with a skilled partner really attacking will help you feel and understand the actual meaning of the move. There is nothing like being hit to realize we were doing something wrong - or unskillful. It will also help you realize that the form (Kata - Waza) which some instructors insist is absolutely immutable has to be adapted to take into account size, distance and timing of an actual attack - if when you take one step as requested by the book you are too short, then take a second step...

Once you fine tuned your practice through bunkai practice with different partners of different size, speed and experience, then you can go back to your individual practice and visualize what you really are doing. This brings a totally different dimensions to your practice, and you will also realize the why's of some details you had never wondered about.