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NAKED BLADE

- MANUAL OF-SAMURAI SWORDSMANSHIPTOSHISHIRO OBATA

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NAKED BLADE

DisclaimerThe publisher of this instructional book WILLNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE in any way what-soever for any physical injury, or damage of anysort, that may occur as a result of reading andlorfollowing the instructions given herein. It isessential therefore, that before attempting any ofthe physical activities described or depicted inthis book, the reader or readers should consult aqualified physician to ascertain whether thereader or readers should engage in the physicalactivity described or depicted in this book.As the physical activities described or depictedherein may be overly taxing or sophisticated for

the reader or readers, it is essential that this

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This high quality educational book is produced byDragon Books. To acilitate learning, high definitionphoto-graphs have been used throughout, from which distractingbackground material has been painstakingly removed byexpert artists. Printed on inepaper, the book is sewn to allowit to lay flat for easy study without damaging the binding,and is protected against soiling by a laminated cover.

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NAKED BLADEA MANUAL OF dSAMURAI SWORDSMANSHIP

TOSHISHIRO OBATA

Published bybragon b o o b

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The true way o ffencing is the craft of defeating theenemy in a fight, and nothing other than this.Miyamoto Musashi 1584-1645

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Acknowledgements

The Author and Publisher wish toacknowledge wi th thanks thecontribution of Captain Guy H.Power U.S. rmy without whichthis small work would not hawbecome a reality.

PublisherTranslation

Design & Layout

David ChambersHaruko ChambersIsland DesignU .S . DistributorSakura Dragon CorporationPrinted by Courier International LtdTiptree, Essex, United KingdomCopyright@ Dragon Books 1985First Published March 1986Second Impression November 1986Third Impression May 1991ISBN 0 94 60 62 18 8L.C.C.C. No. 85 728 45

Photographed at the Niohiren Temple bykind permission of His Grace Bishop Fupwara

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Tenouchi: The Grip 36

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Introduction

Unlike kendo, the modern sportive form ofJapanese fencing, or the companion art ofsword drawing known as iai-do, BattoJutsu is the original art of unsheathing heincomparably sharp Japanese sabre, andin one continuous movement, cuttingdown an aggressor. To the feudal Samurai,mastery of the martial arts including BattoJutsu, was an absolute necessity, as itwasthe means by which he performed hisprimary function of service to his master.As such, the Samurai caste and their know-ledge of the martial ways, constituted therule of law for over one thousand turbulentyears of Japanese history.The beauty of Toyama Ryu Batto Jutsu, liesin its spartan simplicity and deadly effec-tiveness; devoid of artificial or theatricalpostures, it is simply an efficien t, practicaland blindingly fast way of mortally wound-ing an opponent in a single decisive actof self defence. Its destructive poweris devastating, as can be see'n from theskilled swordsman's ability to cu t cleanlythrough all manner of tough materials eveniron and steel. The precise combination oftechnique, power and correct angle ofblade engagement (hasuji) that makesthese prodigious feats possible however,can only be learnt in a traditional schoolwhere the old methods, based on actualcombat experience are still followed, andthe true method of cu tting therefore, fullyunderstood.Technique however, is but half of theequation for without a suitable sword,obviously the art of swordsmanship is as

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Introduction

belief that the Japanese sword is an 'ob jetd'art' a precious relic to be preserved andrevered. Whatw e have not been told is thatthere are two types of swords, those madefor collectors, or 'art swords' and those foruse. To the swordsman only the latter is anacceptable weapon.

Suddenly, even the most educated of usbecome aware of a gap in our knowledgewe were not previously aware of. How dothese swords vary from those housed bymuseums, few of which ever saw the sunrise over a battle field. Do they differ inweight, length, curvature from those wehave always believed to be the examplesof the very pinnacle of the swordsmith'sart?This and other questions that are fre-quently asked about the Japanese sword,are answered in the contribution to thisvolume by a friend and colleague of theauthor, Yasuhiro Kobayashi the notedmodern smith. To-she Kobayashi, afterlong and arduous research, has succeededin forging swords in the original mannerof the Koto period (old sword period ap-proximately 950-1530) that are at oncebeautiful, and exceedingly strong andsharp. He contends hat, just as a fine violinis not valued for its appearance alone, nosword can fairly be judged w ithout its cut-ting ability being evaluated. To prove hispoint he subjects his own blades to bruta ltests of their strength and cutting power onsteel hawsers, large nails and iron helmets.

be handled, let alone used to cut, this mayseem almost sacrilegious. However thepractical martial artist will undoubtedlywelcome such a pragmatic approach toswords and swordsmanship, from one soeminently well qualified to write on thesubject.

Toyama Ryu Batto Jutsu, as presented byauthor Toshishiro Obata, a master swords-man of the highest calibre, is the living artof his samurai ancestors preserved for thetwentieth century, through a combinationof the efforts of a few dedicated individualsand the capriciousness of history. As such,it is a fascinating record for the modernmartial artist giving as itdoes an insight notonly into the techniques of the feudalSamurai, bu t also into his attitude to martialtraining, and indeed, life itself.It is with considerable pleasure, that wepresent this first work in English on ToyamaRyu Batto Jutsu, the sword art of theImperial Army.Publisher February 1986

To the collector of Japanese swords,

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The Author

Close to Japan's longest river, the Tone-gawa' in the shadow of Joshu-Sanzan. mountain, lies the birthplace of Toshishiro

Obata, a modern day master of the ancient, art of swordsmanship. Raised in the clean- air of Gunma prefecture in the centre of

Japan's largest island of Honshu, Toshi-shiro was introduced at a very early age tothe martial arts by his father who was profi-cient in Ju Ken Jutsu (bayonet ighting) andManiwa Nen Ryu (a composite martial artsinvolving weapons as well as unarmedgrappling techniques). From that tim e untilthis, by studying under the greatest livingmasters, he has acquired a proficiency inthe arts of the Samurai that is remarkablefor one so young.From Gunma, an area that for centurieshad produced fighting men as notable asthe Kamakura patriot Nitta Yoshisada, aswell as the founder of the Shinkage schoolof swordsmanship, Kami Izumi Ise No KamiHidetsuna, the young Obata set out in 1966to study Aikido in the vast metropolis ofTokyo. 'Study' is an inapropriate word as infact he became the 'Uchi Deshi' (literallyhouse student or live-in apprentice) ofGrand Master of Aikido Gozo Shioda, foun-der of the Yoshinkan School. A position thatwh ile prestigious s recognised as one thatonly the toughest can hope to endure letalone enjoy, as he did.Gozo Shioda's brand of Aikido is fast, power-ful and direct, well suited to the young manfrom Gunma. The Yoshinkan has its rootsin theor iginal teachings of Morihei Ueshibaand is much favoured by the Japanese

ness in practical situations. It was at thistime that his interest in classical swords-manship began to develop, and therefore inaddition to his full time duties atth e Yoshin-Ran, he embarked upon his study of Yagyu-Ryu under the 21st headmaster of theschool Yagyu Nobuharu, as well as lorikenRyu under Uchida Tetshinsai, adding theKashima Shin Ryu system to his repertoirea little later.To complete wha t can only be described asa comprehensive and well rounded educa-tion in the classical martial arts, he alsostudied the methods of the Ninja. Underthe guidance of Yumio Nawa, Japan's lead-ing authority on Ninjutsu and advisor to theGovernment TVnetwork NHK, he trained nthe original techniques of Ninjutsu, (asopposed to the modern synthetic) whicheven now are still largely unknown outsideof Japan.His interest n classical swordsm anshipdidnot b lossom however until he attended alarge gathering of martial arts enthusiastsin Tokyo, at wh ich the m ost senior martialartists were invited, to demonstrate theirskills. At this prestigious event he wit-nessed a demonstration that would ulti-mately change his life, and the directionthat he had until that tim e followed in pur-suit of martial arts excellence. The manwhose demonstration had such a profoundeffect on Obata was Nakamura Taizaburo,senior instructorofToyama Ryu, founder ofNakamura Ryu as well as an acknowledgedand highly graded expert in kendo, andjuken-jutsu. Swordsman Nakamura's style

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The Author

fail to be impressed by it. In the author'sown words, "while swordsmen of otherschools performed in a slow and ratherunreal fashion, Nakamura Sensei wouldstride up to a huge makiwara and in aninstant draw his sword and cut it cleanlythrough without fuss or theatrical ges-tures."Toshishiro immediately became a student,and despite the very high standards set byMaster Nakamura, progressed rapidly inToyama Ryu and within a relatively shorttime had earned 5th Dan Renshi as well as6th Dan Kenshi Nakamura Ryu, to add to4th Dan Menkyo Kaiden loriken BattoJutsuand 6th Dan Aikido. So as to emulate asclosely as possible both in scope andexcellence, the studies of his Samuraiancestors, he also studied and becameproficient in Samurai style horsemanship,Japanese archery and use of the spear aswell as many of the Ryukyu Kobudo dis-ciplines. The end result of the efforts ofhimself and his teachers is only too evidentfrom the fact that for three consecutiveyears he was loriken-Ryu All Japan Tame-shigiri (test cutting) Champion, and for twoconsecutive years Toyama Ryu All JapanChampion.

Tokyo Wakakoma (Samurai Co-ordinatingArts Organisation) under Hayashi Kuni-shiro, and subsequently acted as Samuraiarts action co-ordinator for many cinemaand television productions, appearing inmany of those that he worked on. Sinceleaving Japan, he has acted as advisor for anumber of Samurai adventure movies,notably "Sword Kill" in which he played aleading role.Founder of his own organisation in theUnited States for the study of traditionalmartia l arts, and the ways of the Samurai,he is conducting long term studies into theK l ' of Aikido as well as martial strategy andtameshigiri. In addition to this, his first bookin English, he has in preparation manu-scripts on the weapon arts of Okinawa, thereal and unsubstituted methods of theNinja and a second book on swordsman-ship.It would be difficult to imagine a personbetter qualified to present this unique,previously unpublished knowledge ofToyama Ryu Batto Jutsu o he public at thistime.

To support himself while he continued hisstudies, and to further his knowledge ofother martial arts, in 1971 he joined the

The author aged 21 at the Yoshinkan Aikido Academy in the

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Toyama-Ryu Batto Jutsu

Since interest in the martial arts of Japanfirst developed in the West, it has alwaysbeen assumed that the true art of swords-manship died out around the time ofthe Meiji Restoration, or perhaps shortlyafterwardswhen the wearing of swords bythe Samurai was forbiden. Indeed, some'historians would suggest that following thebattle of Sekigahara in 1600, practicalswordsmanship went into a decline duringthe peaceful Tokugawa years, from whichit never recovered. The conclusion beingtherefore, that the art of practical swords-manship died long before the late 19thcentury.Fortunately for th is and fu ture generations,neither is true. In 1875, as the Meiji erabegan and Japan stood on the thresholdof its modern industrialised future, theToyama Gakko was established under thenew order and proved subsequently to bejust the vehicle to preserve and carry theage old art of swordsmanship into thetwentieth century.Founded to train military personnel inswordsmanship, as well as other militarydisciplines, it used as its basis for 'GuntoSoho' or military sword method, the mosteffective techniques of the then livingmaster swordsmen, all of which wereperformed from a standing position. Thiscombinationof techniques from various oldschools, notably the Omori Ryu, and theiradoption by the army, led later to the foun-dation of the Toyama School of swords-manship in 1925.

existence at the time of the Meiji Res-toration, did not fare so well however. Asthe age of democracy dawned, traininghalls that had originally only taught the oldmethods to Samurai, turned to the massmarket now afforded them to survive in theabsence of their form er patrons. By 1870,several well known dojo in Tokyo area, theChiba, Saito and Asari training halls wereteaching an easier less vigorous form ofswordplay to their customers. ThusKenjutsu for the Samurai, evolved intoKendo for the commoner, and as a resultmuch that was good became lost.Kendo, with its emphasis on healthyexercise and competition between allclasses of society, demonstrated to boththe Japanese people and the world,Japan's desire to embrace the new demo-cratic ideals and become a member of thefamily of nations. To the Samurai this musthave seemed nothing short of revo-lutionary. While they had for countlessgenerations occupied a uniquely privilegedposition in society, it was one that theirancestors had fought and frequently diedfor, and they therefore felt justified inoccupying it.Disobedience to a superior or an infractionof the rules of etique tte could still result indeath at one's own hand, and clan obli-gations meant that they could be calledto fight to the death for a cause in whichthey did not believe or even understand. Asa result of this acceptance of rank inexchange for the obligation to serve untodeath, the Samurai in Japanese literature s

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cherry, so much adm ired by the people ofthe Island Empire. So fine and noble, andyet so fleeting, here for but a moment, thenswept away at the wh im of nature.To the Samurai, the loss of rank, swordsand distinctive hair arrangment must haveseemed like the end of the world; it wasnot accepted without complaint. Duringthe 1860's various foreign officia ls were cutdown by rebellious Samurai clans. OnDecember 9th 1867 for example, on theday of the restoration of the Mikado to fullsovereign power, a French officer and tensoldiers were assassinated by m embers ofthe Tosa clan, wh o did not, and wou ld notaccept the new political order. Eighteen ofthis group were sentenced to death by'hara-kiri'; eleven carried out the sentencein the presence of distinuished foreignobservers, among them Lord Redesdale.Seven were subsequently reprieved.As the old ways declined, so the newproliferated. 1873 saw court officialsobliged to wear European dress while onduty, as well as the adoption of theGregorian calendar. Japan was changingso fast that the Samurai, once they had laidaside their swords, and cut the ir hair, hadfew choices of occupation to follow. Thearmy, or trade were the only ones thatseemed appropriate. For many however,this was no choice at all, the reduction inrank from Samurai to Akindo or merchantclass, the lowest of the ranks of Heimin(common people) must have been ahorrible prospect, to say noth ing of the dropin income from between 200 Koku* of rice

for Hatamoto (upper echelon of Samurai).They therefore chose military life, andapplied their talents to building the newarmy of the Emperor.Kendo was by now a widespread andpopular sport. Many modifications intechnique and equipment had been madewhich, although making it available to thepublic at large, all but removed the fewgenuine relics of practical swordsmanshipthat had previously remained. The leathercovered bamboo practice sword, originallyused by followers of the Yagyu schoolto min imise serious injury during training,was modified and adopted as the stan-dard weapon thus preventing correctlyexecuted cuts from being performed.Tech-niques were reduced to a bare minimum tosimplify training and make Kendo moreinteresting: the conversion of art to sportwas thus completed.This change from classical art to popularsport was so rapid that scarcely thirty yearsafter the Meiji Restoration, Douglas Sladenwas prompted to w rite in his book aboutJapan published in 1904; "Fencing is afavourite exercise among all classes", andgoes on to describe how the combatents"batter each other with untiring energy",and that "each pass is accompanied bytheatrical attitudes and expressivegestures". He concludes; "Notwithstand-ing all this armour, severe blows, unlesswarded, inflict considerable pain, andoccasion loss of temper, which sometimesresults in fierce hand to hand grappling inwhich case, the one who first tears the

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victor". Conclusive proof if any wereneeded of the deterioration of both theactivity itself and the manners of thosewho practised it.Elsewhere, other parallel changes weretaking place. The highly effective, if some-what dangerous techniques of ju-jutsuwere in the hands of Professor Kano, thenoted educationalist, being moulded intoa form that would be acceptable o the newJapanese educational system which hecalled Judo. This as we know became inthe course of time, an Olympic sport losingwhat remained of its effectiveness as afighting art in the process.In the spartan confines of military aca-demies, Kenjutsu did however manageto survive. In the Rikugun Toyama Gakkoboth the techniques and the spirit of theSamurai were kept alive in the mostpractical way as author Hillis Lory recountsin the 1943 publication; "Japan's MilitaryMasters - The Army in Japanese Life".Under the chapter heading "The OfficerJapan's Modern Samurai" he tells us;"From the point of v iew of the infantry, theToyama School of Physical Training, mustbe mentioned. Younger officers, particu-larly non-commissioned men and first andsecond lieutenants are chosen by theirregimental commanders to attend. Instruc-tion is given in different groups according torank. Bayonet fighting, Japanese fencing,ju-jutsu and Japanese wrestling areincluded n addition to the usual courses ofphysical training schools".He continues; "Great stress is placed on

physical endurance, and the student istaught specialised feats such as swim-ming a river under full pack and holding hisrifle above the water. One graduate, anOlympic swimming champion, swam outinto Hong Kong harbour with several otherexpert swimmers, and keeping their gunsand ammunition dry they exploded by riflefire British laid mines so Japanesetransporters could sail into Hong Kongharbour free of this danger."For evidence of the practical effectivenessof the Toyama school sword techniques inparticular, we have only to refer to anAmerican publication entitled "The JapSoldier", published in 1943 itwould appearfor the benefit of U.S. Army officersanticipating an encounter with theiropposite numbers on the battlefield. Itstates; "Japanese officers still favour theold fashioned sword. You will see themleading their troops with swords waving,just as in the old fashioned movie thrillers.Shoot these officers as quickly as you can,for those swords can slice a man fromcollar-bone to waist in a single clean slash".This respect for the swordsmanship ofJapanese officers was probably based oneye witness accounts in the field, and theirtransmission back to those responsiblefor producing training manuals. It mayhowever be due in part to the startlingsuccess of the Nanpo Kirikomitai (fromkirikomu-to cut, fight one's way into, makea raid on) or "Southern Special AttackForce" that was active in Manchuria duringthe last war. This elite group went intobattle armed with swords alone against

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infantry equipped wi th modern weapons,and despite the odds caused severedamage both physical and psychological tothe enemy.One of the instructors of this group hasstated that once they were within ap-proximately ninety feet of the enemieslines, and the small arms fire directedagainst them became less accurate, theadvantage would seem to shift in theirfavour. When the enemy caught sight ofexpert swordsmen bearing down upon himand obviously intent upon their task ofoverwhelming his position despite theodds, he would waiver and fall into disarrayallowing the attack group to close theremaining distance without too muchdifficulty. At close quarters, the trainedswordsman's advantage was overwhelm-ing as they so dramatically proved.For men who have faced an enemy at asword's length, Kendo and laido mustseem decandent indeed. But this is notintended as a criticism of these activities assuch, only the presumption that they aremartial arts. Master swordsman TaizaburoNakamura an expert in Kendo as well asthe leading exponent of the Toyama andNakamura styles of Kenjutsu, has veryclear views on the matter. He maintainsthat until showmanship and competitionare removed from Kendo, and the practiceof test cutting instituted it cannot beregarded as serious martial training. Forwithout the essential exercise of tame-shigiri, a student cannot even begin tocomprehend how a sword should be used,let alone improve his swordsmanship.

Until now, even in Japan, Toyama Ryu BattoJutsu has remained little known outside ofmilitary circles. As a result it was able toavoid the pressure exerted by theoccupying US forces at the end of theSecond World War, in their e fforts to tu rn'unacceptable' martial arts into 'accept-able' sports tha t the occidental mind couldmore easily understand. As such it hasremained a practical and effective martialart. For those seeking the way of theSamurai, the path lies here. The techniquesare combat effective, yet dignified; ruth-lessly efficient yet graceful, we are indeedfortunate that they still exist.

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The Japanese Sword The Art of Fire Iron and Stone

Yasuhiro, the master of fire iron and stone, a t his forge.To the people of the Empire of Japan, thesword has a significance so profound as tobe almost incomprehensible to people ofother lands. Part of the Imperial Regalia(sanshu no jingi) the possesion of whichis a necessary prerequisite for ruling ourcountry, it signifies courage and power,characteristics much admired by thepeople of this nation. Since the earliesttimes, a fine sword has been considered amost appropriate offering for an act ofreligious devotion, combining as it does inthe minds of the Japanese people, thequalities of rarity and great value. Add tothis its ability to destroy evil which gives itastainless purity, and you have literally a giftfi t for the gods.For families of the Samurai caste, fineswords were heirlooms of the greatest

lifetime and passed on with honour toone's heirs. Some fine swords that havebeen handed down through countlessgenerations of Japan's oldest fam ilies areliterally national treasures, as is the casewith the "Kogarasu-Maru" (little crow)made by Amakuni some time in the eighthcentury A.D. that was originally a treasureof the great Heike clan. This, togetherwith the "Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi"(gathering clouds of heaven sword), whichforms part of the Imperial Regalia, are nowin the care of the Atsuta Shrine.Some swords are even considered to haveparticular traits or characteristics. Swordsby the brilliant but demented smithMuramasa Senzo (Setshu? b. circa 1341)while of the very highest quality, arethought to be thirsty for blood and capable

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The Japanese Sword The Art of Fire Iron and Stone

Blades by certain other sm iths are thoughtto bring happiness and prosperity. Suffice i tto say that to the Japanese Nation, thesword has been an object of spiritual,religious and national significance sincetime immemorial.Muramasa blades were greatly feared by the Tokugawafamily, and w ith good reason. Kiyoyasu, the grandfatherof Tokugawa leyasu died from wounds received from aMuramasa blade wielded by Ab6 Yashichi, and bothleyasu and his father Tokugawa Hirotada w ere injuredby them. If confirmation of the curse were needed it wasnot long in coming. Nobuyasu, the eldest son of leyasu,wassuspectedofplotting w ith the Takeda family to des-troy the allegiance between Oda Nobunaga and hisfather, and as a result was ordered to comm it 'hara-kiri'.An instant after he plunged the dagger into his abdomenas punishment for his suspected treachery, hisKaishaku, the master swordsman that stood ready atsuch times to deal the final mighty blow removed hishead with one of these peerless blades that in thewords of a novelist were forged with "hammer blowsfrom the heart of madness". The Tokugawas so hatedthe blades of this troubled genius that wheneverpossible they had them destroyed. However, theirquality was so high, and the dem and for them so great,(especially amongst the enemies of the Tokugawas)that elaborate measures including signature erasureand/or a lteration were practised to ensure their survival.The swords that seem to have been ingeneral use during the Jokoto period (prior o800 AD) are of the straight type, single ordouble edged and poorly tempered. Thereseems to be no standard design, they varybetween two and four feet in length, andtheir only common feature is the fact thatthey are all slung from the waist by cords,and used with a stabbing action. Historicalevidence suggests that they were made byChinese and Korean smiths working inJapan, as well as native artisans.It is generally agreed that the firs t swordsof the type that became the standardweapon of the Samurai, were made by thesmith Amakuni at some time during the 8thcentury AD. The adoption of the efficient

forward in the weapon technology of theperiod, which coupled with the improve-ments in tempering techniques, cul-minated seven centuries later in the goldenage of swordmaking between 1394 and1427 when swords of a quality rarelyequalled, and never surpassed, weremade.From the beginning of the Koto (Old sword)period in 800 AD when the curved cuttingblade replaced the straight stabbing one,to a time just prior to the dawning ofthe Sengoku Jidai (period of the warringprovinces 1467-1574)swordsmiths concen-trated on improving the standard weapon,and its form therefore changed very little.However, when massed infantry engage-ments replaced the mounted cavalryskirmishes of previous ages, the heavyTachi type sword worn edge downwardsas best suited the m ounted warrior, whodrew his sword with a distinct upwardmovement o clear it from its scabbard andavoid cutting his mount, was replaced bythe shorter lighter Katana, worn edge up-wards, and thrust through the sash,This seemingly insignificant modification inthe manner in which the sword was worn,was in fact the beginning of an entirelynew method of combat that would havea dramatic effect on the way futuregenerations of Samurai waged war. Withthe sword firmly secured in the waist bandedge up, the Samurai could draw and cutforwards in one rapid movement, andthereby defend himself without the needto first draw the sword and adopt an

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The Japanese Sword The Art o f Fire Iron an d Stone

Kenjutsu (the use of the already drawnsword) and Batto-jutsu (drawing andsimultaneously cutting with the sword)became separate but parallel disciplines,and recognisable systems or schools wereestablished for both.During the Sengoku Jidai, the absence ofa strong central government and the sub-sequent power vacuum, encouraged theprovincial warlords to fight among them-selves in continuous and bloody attemptsto enlarge their respective territories, andthus their wealth. The demand forweapons was insatiable, and to fill it smithsliterally began mass-producing inferiorweapons by using for the first time, steelpurchased from a central source, and new,much faster forging methods that speededup production at the expense of quality.Where previously a smith would make hisown steel from iron sand or ore, then withgreat care forge and temper a fine blade,now ready made, sometimes importedsteel would be overheated to fascilitatequick forging. The resultant sword whilebeautiful in appearance, would lack thestrength and sharpness of earlierweapons, an example of a pretty facehiding a worthless heart. This decline,heightened by the importation of certainwestern forging techniques to furtherincrease production, continued with but

'Ken' straight double edged sword (MorohaZukuri) by Yasuhiro, of the type in use prior to 800AD.

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. , * a . > .

The Japanese Sword The Art of Fire Iron and Stone

few exceptions until the wearing of swordswas prohibited by the ed ict of 1876.Historywould soon stage an event that wouldmake this process inevitable.When the smoke cleared over thebattlefie ld of Sekigahara at the conclusionof the bloody battle of 1600, the casualtycount revealed an overwhelming victoryfor General Tokugawa leyasu, and thefoundation was laid for a period of peacethat would last almost three hundredyears. The swords, so hastily made in thefrenzy of armanent production leading upto the great battle, became the acceptedstandard by which all others with a fewexceptions, would thereafter be judged. Inthe two and a half centuries that followed,rarely was a sword drawn in anger andtherfore there was no method other thancutting the bodies of dead criminals, bywh ich to judge the cutting ability, as we ll asthe strength of a sword.

The sword constructed by encasing a softcore of metal in a hard jacket of steel thatbecome popular during the years pre-ceding Sekigahara, due to the ease andspeed with which it could be made, I viewas an abomination. It survived only be-cause it was visually beautiful and thepeaceful years of the Tokugawa Jidai leadto ignorance of swords and swords-manship. Smiths, apprenticed as theywere at a very early age, and deprived of forAn exact copy by Yasuhim, of the sword knownas "Kogarasu Maru" the original of which wasmade around the year 800AD by Amakuni. For-merly a treasure of the Heike clan, its signific-ance cannot be underestimated as it heraldedthe introduction of the curved blade that wouldbecome the standard weapon of the Samurai.

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The Japanese Sword The Art of Fire Iron and Stone

what I will call for want of a better name, aformal education, slavishly followed theexample of their teacher, and so this mis-taken practice continued. With writtenrecords almost non-existent, due to acombination of illiteracy and an almostparanoid desire to keep forging methodssecret, there was no incentive in theabsence of battle field testing to experi-ment and improve.The true beauty of a sword is in itssharpness, strength and then appearance,only when these three elements arecombined into a weapon that w ill performwell in the hands of a swordsman, can itbecalled beautiful. Swords tha t chip as soonas they contact a hard object, or that whenused as intended and sharpened regularly,reveal, as the outer hardened steel isremoved by the sword polisher,a low gradesoft core, are not true NipponTo (Japaneseswords). They do no t deserve therefore toshare the fine reputation established by theblades of the master smiths, that wereproduced using the traditional methods.During forging, these swords were heatedto temperatures in excess of 1500 degreescentigrade, which although making themmuch easier to 'work' as the metalbecomes more maleable and ductile withheat, makes correct tempering difficult ifnot impossible. But worse, it allows ele-ments such as phosphorous, sulphur andmanganese to readily mix with the steel,

Tachi style blade by Yasuhiro of the type usedduring the late Heian, Kamakura and earlyMuromachi periods. Tachi are mounted to beworn edge downwards.

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The Japanese Sword The Art of Fire Iron a nd Stone

thereby adulterating it, and markedly re-ducing its quality. Although these swordsoften demonstrate great ascetic beauty inthe grains and patterns that appear on thesurface of the steel as a result of skilful1polishing, they are not as strong, tough orsharp as swords made in the traditionalmanner.To prove my case, if there were a need todoso, I cite an incident that illustrates thedecline in quality of Japanese bladesduring the Shin-To (new sword) period, thatI feel was a national disgrace. When theEmperor Meiji died in 1912, General Nogi,in a final act of loyalty to his master,commited suicide. His wife, in order tofollow her beloved husband, also endedher own life by plunging a dagger made bya well known smith into her breastSubsequently it was found that, where theblade had encountered bone as i t enteredthe brave woman's body the blade hadchipped.From my own lengthy research, I havefound that the key to forging fine swords,is to use only the finest steel (kotetsu),and limit the temperature of the forgingprocess to a maximum of 1350 degreescentigrade. In this way, when the steel isbeaten and folded, it is kept free ofadulterations and its strength is thereforeunimpaired. I discovered this from mystudy of blades made by smiths such asMuramasa wh ich are only adulterated with

'Hirazukuri' style tanto or knife by Yasuhiro.

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To-Sh6 Kobayashi a seeker o f ancient truths.phosperous to the extent of .003%, whilemodern steel, created by twentiethcentury man's technology, is adulteratedwith a minimum of .02%.By careful choiceof raw material, low temperature forgingand the inclusion of .85% carbon, and ofcourse the necessary skill and patience,the old swords can be recreated. I feel that Ihave succeeded in proving this in the mostpractical way possible.These days, only the Toyama, loriken andNakamura schools actually perform tameshi-

giri (test cutting), and so only they under-stand the true method of using a sword.Exponents of these schools have used myblades to cut sheet steel, nails, steelhawsers, military helmets and many otherhard objects, without them being damaged.This is the only way to test the practicalvalue of a sword, by putting it into thehands of a skilled swordsman, and gettinghim to use it. Only by swords being forgedin the old way can the true art of iron fireand stone be kept alive; I hope that what Ihave discovered may make this possible.

Yasuhiro Kobayashiwas born in the thirdyear of the reign of the Emperor Taisho(1914) in Yamanashi-Ken, Japan. His earlybusiness career was interrupted by theSecond World War, during which heserved, first as an intelligence fieldoperative in China, then after returning to

Returning in 1946 to a Tokyo devastated bybombing and fire, he started a refrigerationbusiness, that rapidly prospered until itemployed fifty workers, and boasted ofclients as illustrious as the U.S. Army. In1960 he began his study of the sword-smith's art under the To-she Akimoto, to

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The Sword and i ts Components The Art of Fire Iron and Stone

HA-MACHI-

MONOUCHI-

IEKUGI1/

MENUKI\L M U N E - M A C H IHI

HAYAKIBA

iEKUG

HAMON

KISSAKI

1UCHI1--' ' 'n FPPA \- URIGATA

year later, and left his thriving business to and more precious than an ounce of gold.return to Yamanashi-Ken in order toestablish his forge.His swords are known for their extreme The sword used by the author throughout thestrength and and their production of this book, was made for him byness in style and quality to the finest To-Sh6 Kobayashi. It has completedmore than

three hundred demonstrations of cutting bam-

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WEARING THE SWORD

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Wearing the Sword

1. Holding the sword in the right handdemonstrates a peaceful intent as it cannotreadily be used without first transferring it tothe other hand. To change to the lef t handprior to training.. .(side view of the photo above) It is essentialthat the blade is locked in its scabbard byyour thumb ...

2. ...move the sword to the front simulta-neously raising the left hand to meet theright.

(side view of the photo above). . . . o that itcannot fall accidentally, or be grasped by anopponent and used against you.

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Wearing the Sword

3. After the transfer of the sword with itstying cord to your left hand, lower it to your left..Apart from being his badge of office, principalweapon and constant companion, theSamurai believed his sword to be almost aliving entity that was capable of reflecting inits pearly lustre his own character. Just as theblade shone with the polish imparted by thetoil and expertise of the masterswordpolisher,so through constant training in the martialways, coupled with the study of the classics,the Samurai sought to make his soul shine aswith the honest reflection of fine steel.Froman early age, the young Samurai wouldwear a knife or short sword constantly so thathe grew up being accustomed to weapons.Around the date of his fifteenth birthday, theceremony of 'genpuku' would be performedand as a boy officially became a man and hadhis hair dressed in the distinctive fashion ofthe adult Samurai, he would wear for the firsttime the long sword. From that time forth itwould never be far from his reach.Wearing the sword was and is a seriousmatter, not to be treated lightly. The posses-sion of a sword by one not entitled to do so inprevious ages in Japan, could and sometimes

4. . . .until it rests comfortably by your side.punishment, on the other hand they wouldfrequently take their own life if guilty ofbreaking he Samurai code of conduct. Acaseof great power being balanced by enormousresponsibility.Remember, when you slide your sword intoyoursash, and tie it to your hakama cords, youare performing an act that every Samurai thatever lived performed on every day of his life.You are uniting yourself with the spirits ofthousands of brave fighting men who,whether they did so prior to facing death, orjust to greet the dawn of a new day, took uptheir swords and did just as you have justdone. It is only fitting therefore that every timeyou arm yourself, you do so in a reverent andrespectful fashion.The Japanese sword is a fine but dangerousweapon. It can easily kill or seriously injureand must be treated at all times with respect.As with all things that possess great power, itcan be used for good or evil, help or hinder,right wrongs or cause them. The sword is theman wielding it,reflecting his goodness or evilwithout prejudice. Train hard and with sin-

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Wearing the Sword

1. To secure the sword safely in position afteryou have thrust it through your sash or 'ob i'.Form a loop in the 'sageo' and pass it underthe hakama tying cords.

2. Then, make another loop of the 'dead ' endand pass i t through the loop you formed first.

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Wearing the Sword

ut. . .. ake the free end ...

6. Sword tied securely in position.

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Wearing the Sword

7. To untie the knot securing the sageo to th ehakama cords, grasp the free end ...

8. ...and pull it firmly to your right.

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Wearing the Sword

1. The sword maw be secured in a differentfashionby graspingthe sageowhere it hangsfrom the 'kurigata' or sword fixing knob, andpassing, t over and behindthe scabbard.2. Thenpassing t orward andupwardsoverthe front of the scabbard.. .

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Wearing the Sword

3. .. . o hang loosely at the front.

4. Ready position with the sword tied in thealternative way.

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THE FORMAL BOW

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The Formal Bow

1. Stand to attention with the sword in theright hand, cutting edge downwards, andyour palm on the 'tsuba' or hand guard to lockthe sword in its scabbard.The bow to the martial arts is what the sunriseand sunset are to the day. It marks thebeginning and the end, the waxing and thewaning, the splendour of youth and the wis-dom of experience. Prior to training, theformal bow ded icates the ability and energyof the performer to the work in hand. It is arequest for help from the myriad powers ofthe universe, a sign of respect and seriousintent as well as a request to the sword not toharm its user.Just as the Swordsmith in making a swordcombines the elements of iron, fire, water,wood and clay, so the performer seeks tocombine his strength and skill in the perfor-mance of his chosen art. Yet, just as theSwordsmith before forging a fine sword,bathes himself and calls upon thesp irits to aidhim inhis work, so the performer must seek toadd to his physical prowess and determina-tion that intangible but powerful quality calledspirit, tha t can turn a bar of crude iron into afine sword, or an untrained youth into a manly

2. Bow at the waist ( to he senior or 'kamiza'side of the practice hall).

When training is done, comes the time forthanks and reflection. As w e pause, tired andhopefully full of contentment a fter hard train-ing we should think as the old day dies and thesun sets, of those th at have gone before. Justas one day precedes another, they built thefoundations upon which w e stand, and con-structed the path that w e now follow. It is wit hthanks that w e bow to them, to the powers ofthe universe too immense for man yet tounderstand, and to our teachers and fellowstudents wh o help us along the difficult pathof Budo.Those of us who follow the old ways, do so inthe certain knowledge that wha t we study areeffective methods of combat acquired atgreat cost in pain and su ffering by generationsof fighting men that have gone before. Whatthey learned by repeatedly risking their liveshas been passed dow n to us to do with, w hatwe will.We are grateful for all these things, we are

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The Formal Bow

'3. Return to an upright position. -. With the le ft hand, rotate the scabbard obring the cutting edge upw ards.. .5. ... hen re-position the right hand so that 6. Move the left hand back to its originalthe thumb is over the handguard to lock the position and stand to attention.blade in the scabbard.

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The FormalBow

7. Bow t o the instructor.. . -. ...and return to the upright position.11. Holding your sword horizontal, honour it 12. ... eturn to the upright position, and startwith a bo w from the waist, then.. . to lower the sw ord.. .

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The FormalBow

9. Raise the sword in front of you grasping 10. ...and continue to raise it t o eye I t . -. .n athe bu tt or 'kojiri' in your lef t hand.. reverent manner.

13. ... o the position it occupied prior to the 14. Guide the butt of the sword into thebow. 'obi'. .

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The Formal Bow

r5. . . .pushing it firmly in until it is ... Y16. . . . esting in the correct position for tying.17. Perform the final salute by sliding the 18. After tying the sword as shown in thehand along the hilt and lightly cupping the previous section, stand to attention.pommel 'kashira' w ith th e palm. This actionis performed every time the sword is placedin position or re-sheathed.

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TENOUCH: THE GRIPThe strongest technique will not suc-ceed if your grip is weak, either thesword will be deflected from its chosenpath, or i t may even break. Channel yourenergy, skill and spirit through handsthat are wrapped tightly around the hiltas if to wring water from a towel, so thatyou become the irresistible power,rather than your target the immovableobject! Strike hard, with a positiveattitude and you will succeed.

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Tenouchi The Grip

1. Grasp the hilt firmly in the left hand.. .3. A distance approximately equal to thewidth of two fingers should separate yourhands.

2. . . .and take hold with the right hand justbehind the sword guard.4. A strong twisting motion as if wringingwater from a towel is exerted when cutting,to keep the grip strong and the blade at theoptimum cutting angle to the target (i.e.correct hasuji).

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To deliver a cut in the heat of battle wi thsufficient speed and power to mortallywound an enemy, requires a strongstance, as well as skill and couraae.Study carefully, and practice the teih-niques in this section as they are thefoundation of fighting ability and mustnot be neglected.

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Kamae:TheStances Gedan-Gamae

'Gedanr or lower position, the we ight is The distance between your heels sh&ld beevenly distributed over both feet. about 3 foot lengths .

The sword is held so that the point isbetween twelve and eighteen inches fromthe floor.

Feetposition for Gedan-Gamae

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Kamae:The Stances Waki-Gamae

In 'waki-gamae' the sword is held to the side 'Waki-gamae' can also be performed on theand the w eight is evenly distributed between left hand side.both feet.In both variations of the stance, the heelsshould be between two and a half and threefoot lengths apart.

Feet position for Waki-Gamae

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Kamae:TheStances Hasso-Gamae

Hasso-gamae is a strong stance assumed As you close with your opponent, the blah- 13just prior to action, brought closer to the head, ready to strike.

The weight is evenly distributed betweenboth feet, the heels of which are approxi-mately three foot lengths apart.

Feet position for Hasso-Gamae

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Kamae: The Stances Jodan-Gamae

'Jodan-gamae' upper posture as viewed Side view of r ight 'jodan-gamae', the weightfrom the front. evenly d istributed between both feet.

Opposite side view showing how the lefthand is positioned about one fist lengthabove, and in front of the forehead.

Feet position for Jodan-Gamae

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Kamae: The Stances Exercise Sequence

1. The kamae exercise starts with 'chudan- 2. ... he left foot slides back and the blade isgarnae' from which, while the right foot lowered into 'gedan-gamae'.keeps the same position.. .3. Step back with the right foot into 'waki-gamae', keeping the lef t foot stationary... 4. . . . hen move the right foo t forwardslightly and raise your blade to assumeright 'hasso-gamae'. Keeping your le ftfoot in the sme posit ion...

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Kamae: The Stances Exercise Sequence

5. ...slide the right foo t forward slightly, andraising your sw ord take up a right 'jodan-gamae' stance. Then step forward w ith th eright foot.. .9. ..then maintaining your right foot posi-tion, as you swing your sword over to yourleft, at the same tim e m ove your left leg back

6. .. . nto a right'chudan-gamae' or mid-levelstance, then keeping the right foot in thesame position.. .10. Slide the left foot forward slightly, andraising your sword take up left 'hasso-gamae'. .

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Karnae: The Stances Exercise Sequence

7. ... tep through with the left foot and rais- 8.Slide your le ft foot to the rear at the sameing the arms, assume a le ft 'jodan-gamae'. . time lowering your blade into 'gedan-gamae'.11. ... rom which the left foot is slid forwarda little more. and the arms raised into the 12. To complete this exercise, the lef t foot isslid back to assume the basic 'chudan-gamae' stance.

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CUTTING TECHNIQUESToyama Ryu is above all else a practicalstyle of swordsmanship that as we nowknow, has been used 'in action' as recentlyas forty years ago. As such it places greatemphasis not only on the way that cuts aremade, but also the circumstances underwhich they are made. For example, almostany fit person with a year or two of trainingand armed with a sharp sword would bereasonably successful in cutting a test tar-get with 'kesa-giri' from 'hasso-gamae'stance. Asked to do so with 'kiri-age'upward diagonal cut from 'waki-gamae'and the story would be a very different one.The Toyama Ryu swordsman is expectedto cut, and cut effectively in any situation,with any technique from any stance, yetstill achieve the same, successful result.He must therefore not only be strong andhighly skilled in each technique, but alsounderstand 'hasuji', the correct positioningof the cutting edgetothe target and be ableto stand strongly while delivering he cut sothat power is not lost. In addition, he musthave the ability to concentrate he accumu-lated power of his mind, body and spirit intohis blade at the precise moment of impact,regardless of what is going on around him.This level of ability is only ever the result oflong term serious training, yet the benefitsit offers by way of improved health, in-creased vigour and spiritual calm, to saynothing of the personal satisfaction of be-ing able to do something really well, areto be recommended and the effort istherefore, well worthwhile.

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Cutting Techniques

LEFT

RIGHT

Kesa-Giri

1. From a right 'jodan-gamae', step forward 2 . . . .and keeping your arms fully extended,wit h the right foo t.. . begin the downw ard diagonal cut. /1. In left 'jodan-gamae', step forward w ith the 2. ...and begin the downward cut.left foo t.. .

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Cutting Techniques Kesa-Giri

3. Care must be exercised to make sure thatthe blade is at the correct cutting angle sothat i t does not bend, or break on contactwith the target.

4. To keep control, and prevent the swordfrom hitting the ground, allow the elbows totouch the body thereby creating a 'braking'effect.3. The target is cut with the top one third ofthe blade or 'monouchi'.

4. Do not allow the wriststo twist, and onthe completion of the technique, stop thesword by allowing your left arm to contactyour abdomen, and your right forearm, your

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Cutting Techniques Kiri-Age

3. ...keeping your eyes firmly fixed on the \ Jtarget.. .3. ... eeping your eyes firmly fixed on thetarget.. . f

. strongly twist your hips atthe moment of impact tomaximise the cutting powerof the technique.

the hips.

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Cutting Techniques Yoko-Giri

3. Shift the majority of your weight to your 4. Maintain your balance at the completionleft leg as the cut proceeds, strengthening of the cut by not 'over doing' the swing. Yourthe grip of your left hand. right heel should be kep t on the ground.3. Keeping your eyes on the target, your 4. As you complete the cut, take care not tobody we ight shifts to the right leg and your lose your balance by over extending yourright hand becomes the strongest. swing.

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Cutting Techniques Shin Choku-Giri

lengths apart, raise your sword to the 'jodan' arms.. .position, then arching your back slightly...1. With your feet approximately three foot 2. ...strike downwards fully extending your

1. From 'chudan-gamae' stance.. .TSUKI

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Cutting Techniques Shin Choku-Giri

3. ... t the same time lowering the hips by 4. Prevent the sword striking the ground bybending slightly at the knees to lower your contacting the abdomen with the elbows.centre of gravity, and thus add power to thecutting action.2. .. . unge forward, channelling the entire 3. Step backwith your rear foo ttoe xtra ctth epower of your body through your shoulders, sword.arms and wrists to drive your blade into itstarget. TSUKI

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BATTO-jUTSU:DRAWING& CUTTING

Batto Jutsu -t h e simultaneous draw and cutof the Samurai swordsman, is an importantdiscipline for students of the sword, andshou ld be studied carefully. In the interest ofboth efficiency of technique, and safety ofboth you and those you train with, it isessential that you learn to draw the swordcorrectly, as well as re-sheath it. Newstudents should spend a t least one year train-ing with an un-edged sword (iaito) so as tobecome reasonably proficient before theytake up a true sword in earnest.The actual cutting technique that forms the ,second part of the dra wlcu t movement, muststart only after the tip of the sword has

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Drawingand Cutting

1. Grasping the scabbard at the top 2. . .in a smooth movement, twist the sword'koiguchi', exert pressure on the hand guard to the left, at the same time unlocking the'tsuba' with your thumb without displacing blade by increasing the pressure on the handthe blade, then.. guard, and taking hold of the hilt with theright hand..cleared the scabbard completely. Failure totake great care with this point, frequentlyresults n severe injuries to the left hand of theperformer as the sword will, if incorrectlydrawn, cut through the scabbard and slice intothe hand before he can stop it. Techniquemustbecorrect from the outset, as bad habitsare difficult to lose, train slowly and deliber-ately in the beginning to teach your body thetechnique through repetition.The cutting technique as the sword clears thescabbard is very different from that used byexponents of modern style laido. There is nofeeble slice forward in Batto Jutsu, for one'sadversary would be for the most part an equalin skill, and would not present you with asecond chance. The first cut therefore had toat least very seriously wound him and preventhim retaliating for long enough for a second,final blow to be struck, or preferably kill him

swordsmanship s very evident in Toyama RyuBatto Jutsu, which is hardly surprising con-sidering its origins.The sword is drawn to clear the scabbard, astrong cutting movement is used to kill theadversary followed by a 'coup de grace' ifnecessary, then the sword is cleaned by flick-ing off the debris clinging to it (or more realisti-cally by wiping on the victim's clothes), andthe sword re-sheathed slowly, carefully andwithout theatrical gesture.A samurai would judge the ability of an oppo-nent by the condition of his 'koiguchi', themouth of his scabbard. Cuts and other marks,apart from being a cause for shame were indi-cative of low level of skill and control, andtherefore an easy opponent. How manymodem exponents of the art of the sword canclaim an unmarked koiguchi, even amongst

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Batto-Jutsu Drawing and Cutting

3. .. . moothly and deliberately draw the 4. .. .sweeping it upwards strongly in answord.. . arc . . .

1. Unlock the blade by turning it to the left 2. ...as the draw progresses, with good con-and start to draw the sword.. . trol accelerate the blade until.. .

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5. ...accelerating the blade as the draw pro- 6. ...until wit h good control, you cut the tar-gresses.. . get. During this action the scabbard isreturned to ts original position, in preparationfor re-sheathing.3. .. . t clears the scabbard and allows you to 4. ... o describe an arc in front of your body.cut forcefully forwards in a horizontal plane.

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Batto-Jutsu Drawingand Cutting

1. Without twisting the scabbard, draw the 2. ...and as it clears the scabbard, raise itsword straight out.. . above your head.. .3. ...and placing your lef t hand in itscustom- 4. ...cut strongly downwards with 'kesa-ary position on the hilt.. . giri'.

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Cleaning the Blade

1. To clean the b lade after it has been usedon a target, raise it above your head asshown, then.. .3. ...bring it abruptly to a ha lt with a sharpsnap in orderto fling any debris orflu idsf romthe blade.

. * e m . Chiburi.l 0 .

2. ... weeping t downwards and away fromyou ...a * * * *

4. Even at the culmination of this action, * .which would normally signify the end of asuccessful engagement, the swordsman re- 6m aim in a s tate of alertness (zanshin) ready '.for further action

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Not6 Re-sheathing the Sword

I

hold the scabbaretat itsopening 'koiguchi'... and forefinger...la. ... han laying the top ~w Ihittiflf thmoot; from the last movement of ' blade on thewebof skinbetween the thumb

3. Slowly insert theblade into the scabbard 4. Resume the position of attention then1thenas itslideshome,takeholdofthe guard make a formal salute by placing your i-yfetwith your thumb. hand on the pommel 'kashirar.

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N6t6 Re-sheathing the Sword

the sword forwards.. . L2. ... eeping the shoulders straight, draw l a . ...until the point of the sword dropswi th the blade while doing this.

1moothly into the mouth of the scabbard.Take care not to cut the wooden scabbard5. Return your right hand to your side. 6. Front view of final position of 'noto' or re-sheathing.

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THE EIGHT BASICS

Just as the art of caligraphy has its eightbasic brush strokes from wh ich all themany thousands of characters areformed, the 'happo-giri' or eight cuts ofToyama Ryu form the practical swords-man's basic arsenal. As the nucleus ofthe style it must be studied deeplythroughout the swordsman's career, forwithin its seemingly simple movementslie the myriad combinations of swordtrajectories that exist, more than any

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Happo-Girl The Eight Basics

2. From the position of 'chudan-gamae' on 3. ... hen disengaging the target by stepp-the page opposite, step forward with the ing back with the left foot.. .right foot and thrust your sword into youropponent's chest area.. .4. . . .position yourself to perform... 5. ... horizontal cut to your right...

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Happo-Girl The Eight Basics

6. ... aking care to exercise good 7. Assuming a right 'waki-gamae' stance.. .control so as no t to lose yourbalance.// 10. As you reach the 'jodan' position, 11. .. .and perform 'kesa-giri' diagonal cut.slide the right foot backwards.. .

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Happo-Giri

8. ...step forward with the left foot as youbegin to perform....**12. As the cut is completed..? .

The Eight Basics

9. ... lef t rising diagonal cut .

13. ...step to the left with the left foot andstart a ..

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Happo-Girl The Eight Basics

14. . . .horizontal cut. . . v=.. 18. As you complete the cu t.. . \ 9. . . . ssuming 'jodan-gamae', step backwith the left foot as you start to performkesa-giri'.

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Happo-Glrl The E ight Basics

22. Raise the sword to 'jodan-gamae', arch-ing your back slightly. ..

24. . . . ollow through, bending the knees tolower your centre of gravity and give morepower to the cut.. .

23. ...and start to cut downwards on thecentreline of the body.. .25. ...until the technique iscom pleted. Fromthis position, step forward into 'chudan-gamae' to finish the exercise.

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The pre-arranged exercises or 'Kata' ofToyama Ryu, are the method by whichfluency of movement and correctness ofform are taught. Evolved directly frombattlefield experience they are practicaland effective movements that are un-corrupted by modern fencing principles,uneffected by the politics of sport.Whereas other more competition orien-tated styles of fencing, adopted trainingexercises that were quite literally designedby committees, the direct link with thepast was strictly maintained by theToyama Ryu as can be seen from thedynamic techniques contained n the Kata.Cuts are performed at full power, themovements are swift and deliberate asthe perform ertwists and turns in a ballet ofdeath. Little imagination s required o con-jure up the picture of two Samurai locked ina fight to the finish on some medievalJapanese battlefield.At first, the Kata must be performedslowlyand deliberately so that, just as with sw orddrawing and sheathing, bad habits are notdeveloped. Then with skill and fluencycomes speed and finally power. Whenhigher levels of ability are achieved, it ispossible o imagine the attacks as they aremade, the swordsman and his weaponreacting in complete unison, the bladealways ready to strike with the correctcutting angle and w ith full force.The Kata of Toyama Ryu are, to use amodern phrase 'combat effective' they arenot a sequence of dance steps, nor doesone win points for performing them. Theywere and are the way that fighting men aretrained to perfection, the more seriouslyyou study them the more powerful andeffective your technique will be.Kata 1 - pponmeYou are facing an enemy when hesuddenly reaches for his sword anddraws. If your response is very fast, youwil l be able to cut him in the r ibs wit h arising diagonal cut, if on the other handhe is faster, cut at his forearms andhands as your sword describes a dia-gonal pa th. In either case, your first cut

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 1 Ipponrne

1. From the position of attention.. 2. . . .step forward w ith the right foot, unlock-ing the b lade as you do so ...5. Placing both hands on the sword, step for- 6. . .and perform 'kesa-giri' to finish yourward with the right foot.. . wounded opponent. \

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 1 Ipponme

9. .. .before raising your sword.. . 10. ...up and to your right...

13. Position he b lade ready for re-sheathing. 14. ... hen d raw the blade forward until thepoint enters the mouth of th e scabbard.. .

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 1 Ipponme

11. ...hen into the centre, so that the hilt isclose to your head in preparation for cleaningthe blade, 'chiburi'. .15. . e-sheath your sword, and bringingthe rear foot forward.. .

12. .. .during which the blade is swung downand to the right, then snapped abruptly to ahalt in order to fling any debris from itssurface.16. ...salute by placing your hand on thepommel, dropping t then toyour right side tofinish the exercise.

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Kata 2 - NihonmeAs an assailant attacks you from yourright turn and draw your sw ord perform-ing a horizontal cu t as you do so. Havingwounded him, step forward and cut himwith 'kesa-giri', then clean and re-sheath the sword in the normal manner.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 2 Nihonme

1. From the starting position... 2. ...step forward with the right foot, takinghold of the sword.. .

3. ... hen take another step forward with the 4. ... lide your right foot forward and turn toleft foot, unlocking your sword as you do so.. . engage the enemy as you start to draw.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 2 Nihonme

5. Execute a horizontal sidopponent.. . cut your 6. ... henposition..raising the sword to 'jodan'

9. ...y ou step forward into 'chudan-gamae' 10. After a slight pause, turn the bladeover the body of your fallen adversary main- slightly...taining full concentration.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 2 Nihonme

/. ... inish him off with 'kesa-giri'...

11. ... aise it to your right.. .

8. .. .on the completion of which..

12. ... hen bringing your right hand in closeto your forehead.. .

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 2 Nihonrne

13. ... trike strongly downward o your right, 14. Prepare to sheath your sword.stopping the b lade abruptly to throw off anydebris.15. Place the blade into its scabbard .. 16. ... hen as you push ithome, bring he leftfoot forw ard into the attention position, andsalute by placing the right hand on thepommel of the sword.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 3 Sanbonme

17. ...draw it forward until thethe mouth of the scabbard. tip drops into 18. ...and push it smoothly bu t firmly home,moving the left foot forward as you do so.

19. Place your right hand over the pomm el n 20. .. . hen down to your right hand side tosalutation.. . comp lete the exercise.

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Kata 4 - YonhonmeSensing that an attack is imminent turn, \drawing your sword as you do so and cutyour attacker with a single handed'kesa-giri'. Follow this with another'kesa-giri' then clean and re-sheath yoursword.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 4 Yonhonme

1. From the starting position.. .

5. .. . hen stepping back with the

2. .. .step forward with your right foot,unlocking your sword as you do so.. .right foot ... 6. ...execute a single/ gainst your adversary. handed 'kesa

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 4 Yonhonme

3. ...pvotclockwise on the right foot a sdraw your sword.. . 4. ...continuetodrawin an upward directionas you complete the 180 degree turn.. .

7. Immediately following the completion of 8. ... aise the sword to the 'jodan' posi-the 'kesa-giri'. .

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 4 Yonhonme

13. .. .and start to sheath your sword. ..

9. .. .and perform another 'kesa-giri', stepp-ing back with the left foot as you do so. 10. From the'kesa-giri' . finishing position of the last

14. ...p ushing it all the way home ...

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 4 Yon honme

11. ...step forward with the right foot into 12. ...and perform 'chiburi' to clean the'chudan-gamae'.. blade.. .15. ...moving the left foot upto the righ t as 16. ...before adopting the closing positionthe blade is sheathed, salute by p lacing thehand on the pommel.

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Kata 5 - GohonmeThis Kata teaches a response to a multi-ple attack by three swordsmen. As theyapproach you, draw your sword andadopt a single handed 'jodan-gamae'then when the distance is right, cutthem down one by one as they rush atyou.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 5 Gohonme

1. Paced with an attack by three swords'men. -.3. . t h e n ~ h g f o rwan i ~ t hhe left oot,and taking hold of the sword with bothhands.. .

2. . you draw yoursword andadoptasingleham&tecten' stone@,.4. ...step fofwafdwith the right foot.,.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 5 Gohonme

6. ..and cut down the firs t adversary.. . 6. ...with 'kem-gjri'.9. ...and cut dow n the second swordsman 10. As you complete this cut, withoutwith another 'kesa-giri'. pausing for a second.. .

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 5 Gohonme

17. ...start to perform 'noto'. ..

13. . . .cut down the remaining opponent 14. At the completion of this technique..,with 'kesa-giri'.18. ...moving your left foot forward as youre-sheath your sword.. .

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 5 Gohonme

15. . . .step forward with the right foot into 16. ... hen cleaning your blade..chudan-gamae' maintaining full concentra-tion in case any of your opponents still live...19. . . .p ace your hand on the pommel in 20. ... hen drop it to your side as yousalute.. . assume the finishing position.

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R O P P O M E

- RopponmeI an enemy, you are suddenlyawwe of another behind you. Turn anddrawing your sword, deflect his cutstriking him down with 'kesa-giri'. Turnte b e he first opponent, then whentdte distance and time is right, cut himdownwith a straight cut. dean and re-

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 6 Ropponme

1. From the starting position...

3. -.then wyou takeanother step with theleft foot andstart todraw, you hear someonebehindyou...

2. ...step forward with the rig htte atto meetthe adversary in front of you. ..

4. ...p voting anti-clockwise on your lef tfoot.. .

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7. ... rom 'jodan-gamae'.

Ropponme

8. ...ollow through and cut him down with'kesa-giri'.11. ...assume left 'jodan-gamae' in prepara- 12. ...with a straight cut. ..tion for striking down the first adversary...

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 6 Ropponme

chiburi' to clean yourbtete... 18. . . .henthumb and placing the sword btwsan t h ~index finger...

19. ...salute by placing the right hand on thepommel of the sw ord.. . 20. ...before dropping it to the right side asyou finish the exercise.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 7 Nanahonrne

5. As the cut is completed. 8. ... aise the sword., .10. . ..having m ortally wounded the secondopponent.. .

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 7 Nanahonme

13. , .then atop back Into 'chudan-~aiytae'. 14. ...moving your left leg forward, raiseyour sword into 'jodan-gamae' as you con-firm tha t no further threat exists.

17. . . . tart to re-sheath your sword ... 18. ...movingyourleftfoatupto'toerttfitasyou oaffipiaethemove,

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 7 Nana honrne

15. Step back wi th the le ft foot into 'chudan- 16. . . . hen cleaning your blade.. .gamae' watching your fallen opponentsvigilantly.. .19. Salute by placing your hand on the '20. ... han inish the exercise by standing topommel of the sword.. . attention.

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Kata 8 - HapponmeStrictly speaking, this is not a Kata, butrather a formal method of testing thesword for cutting power on a fixed tar-get or 'makiwara'. The only time that itwould be used in earnest, would be todespatch a severely wounded oppo-nent to put him out of his misery. It is auseful exercise to develop a strongtechnique, test the cutting power of theblade and also get an overall 'feel' for it.

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 8 Happonme

1. From the starting position.. . 2. .. .move your right foot sideways as youslowly draw your sword.

3. Take up the 'ready' position... ..then circling the sword around ...

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Toyama-Ryu Kata 8 Happonme

7. ...bending at the knees slightly as you do 8. Clean yourso to lower your centre of gravity and thusadd power to the cut.11. ...sliding the right foot up to the left, re- 12. Drop thesheath the sword, and salute by placing the resume the a1hand on the pommel. exercise.

blade, 'chiburi' ...right hand to your side tortention position and finish the

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TAMESHIGIRI:TEST CUTTING

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1 Tameshigirl Test CuttingIn Japan's bygone ages, when war betweenstates or prefectures as we would nowcall them, was common, swords andswordsmen were regularly tested, andthose that did not make the grade, quiteliterally fell by the wayside. L ife was harshand frequently brutal, and men lived by thestrength of their right arm, and the sharp-ness of their sword.After the battle of Sekigahara in 1600,times for the Samurai changed quitedramatically. From being full time warriors,decades then centuries of peace turnedthem into country gentlemen, scholars andin some cases, dissolute wasters . The pairof swords 'daisho' thrust through the sashbecame as much a badge of office as ameans of self preservation. Ornaments,rather than essential items necessary forthe performance of the Samurai's role as aloyal servant to his master.In some clans however, the way of thesword remained strong and the oldtraditions were rigidly adhered to. So thatpractical battlefield techniques were notforgotten or compromised, test cuttingwas practised, both on targets made tosimulate human bodies, (e.g. bamboo-wrapped in wet straw to duplicate bonecovered with flesh) and on certain occa-sions the actual bodies of executed per-sons. In this way the quality of both trainingand weaponry was maintained, and the oldsecrets that had been acquired at the costof life and limb to previous generations, didnot die but were preserved intact to bepassed on to those of the Samurai castethat would follow.

The testing of a sword was a seriousmatter, one for which an expert wouldusually be employed. The bodies to beused would be carefully scrutinised tomake sure that they were free of any traceof disease of infirmity as it was believedthat this might compromise the purity ofany sword used upon them. The testingof swords on the bodies of Samurai andPriests was also taboo, presumably as amark of respect, as was cutting the bodiesof the lowest orders the 'eta' or uncleanones and the 'hinin' or non-men; both ofwh ich were regarded as being somethingless than human.The sw ord tester would mount the blade tobe tested in a special holder, often of hisown design, then after one, or a number ofbodies had been arranged, either drapedover a mound of sand, or supported in anupright position by his assistants thecutting would begin. Swords that cutsuccessfully would often be marked withdetails of the test and an official recordmade of the number of bodies cut at onestroke, (the record is seven) and the nameof the swordsman. The tester often dou-bled as executioner and it was for thisreason that they were among the most skil-ful o f Samurai w ith a sword, and thereforethe best su ited to this necessary if some-wh at unpleasant task.What is sure is that, regardless of thequality of the sword if the technique of theswordsman was deficient, the cu t wouldnot succeed, and the blade could bechipped or bent as a result. This why thepractice of actual cutting is so vitally im-

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Tameshigirl Test Cutting

the diagonaldownwardcutof the Towma School, takes its name fmm the 'kesa'ofbb

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