John Maki Evans

by Kurikara: The Sword;the Serpent

  The kata concludes with the repetition of full splits to the front and sides combined with Asian-style push-ups. The sword requires a unique pattern of strength and flexibility in the shoulders; conventional Western push-ups are counterproductive, as they block the shoulders and build useless bulk in the chest. The “jack-knife” push-ups used in Chinese martial arts and Indian wrestling are ideal. They should be performed slowly with omoni-kokkyu.

  Performing the splits is essential training for the legs. Not only does it remove stiffness and fatigue, it increases the power of the legs. All power originates in the legs, and if leg flexibility is partial, power—whether internal or external—will always be incomplete and injuries will accumulate.

  Once learned, the full sequence (including warm-ups) will take no longer than thirty minutes. During the learning process when (as yet) difficult movements are repeated, this period may be extended to one hour. Depending on ability and application, mastery takes two to five years.

  When one is able to go through the tanren sequence while maintaining a steady rhythm of omoni-kokkyu breathing, this should be followed by practice of the “peacock balance” (Kujaku in Japanese, Mayurasana in Sanskrit). This is the ultimate exercise for direct cultivation of the tanden and is the gateway to the advanced tanren practices. Kujaku is similar to the Shaolin “Metal Jacket” exercise, in which the body is balanced horizontally on a post, positioned at the navel, though in Kujaku the weight of the body is held on the elbows. When one can stay in this position for five minutes with steady breathing and a relaxed brain, the establishment of omoni-kokkyu is confirmed. The benefits of this practice are hidden in its name: the peacock is renowned for its ability to overpower even the most lethal snakes. In yoga texts, mastery of this pose is said to lead to such powerful digestive power that even poisons (like snake venom) can be metabolized. More importantly, this mastery shows control of the inner “serpents”—the nadis or energetic flows. The integration of the external power of the limbs with the internal channels is the goal of the basic kata and manifests through dragon-like undulating and spiraling movements. According to the tantric schools, it is only when the energy of the limb “dragons” is fully freed that the central serpent power or kundalini (represented in Japan by the Kurikara dragon) can be accessed. Mastery of kujaku shows that one is at this turning point.

  Figure 10. Kujaku pose; the peacock balance

  This should be followed by a period sitting in rengeza (full lotus), When the student is able to sit comfortably in this position, the Sanmitsu Yuga (three-secrets yoga) practices of kujiin and kujigiri may be started (see chapter 8).

  The preceding exercises are suitable for anyone of average health if undertaken systematically. Once they are mastered and the principles of tanren practically understood, one of the portals of the central channel (usually the throat, head, eyes, or genitals) can be trained to further intensify inner energy. These advanced practices (including takigyo) are chosen according to the needs and abilities of the individual. Premature or arbitrary practice of these techniques is dangerous and should not be attempted without guidance.

  1. In sword arts, the daisan-no-me, tanden, and kissaki form three points of a triangle of energy that engages with the opponent in chudan kamae.

  2. Mount Sumeru (Sanskrit for “Great Meru”; Shumisen in Japanese) is the name of the mythical mountain that forms the center of the universe. In the tantric lexicon it refers to the central channel and the spine.

  Uchikomi—Striking Targets

  4

  Let sword, target, body resonate.

  Strike the sleeping dragon!

  uchi: a hit, a strike

  komi: crowded, in bulk, inclusive of

  The combination of these two characters suggests driving in, pounding in, or putting the whole of oneself into striking a target. In Judo, uchikomi is performed by throwing one’s body into the opponent to set up a throw. In teppo, a basic sumo training method, the wrestler repeatedly strikes a pillar with open hands so that the full weight of the body is applied. In Kendo, uchikomi is the repeated striking of set targets deliberately exposed on an opponent’s body. Although full commitment of the body and energy is emphasized, the striking action itself is done lightly, with a snapping action, due to the limited protection afforded by the Kendo armor.

  Traditional uchikomi practice involved striking a target full force with a bokken. The Jigen Ryu of the Satsuma clan was famous for its relentless practice of this striking. Bundles of sticks were used for vertical cuts and a wooden pole or tree for diagonal cuts. The Satsuma warriors were said to repeat these strikes ten thousand times a day. They also used staves cut from trees to perform a kind of kirikaeshi (repeated striking of the opponent), in which two swordsmen would move forward and backward, striking with full force against each other’s weapons. As these broke, they would instantly pick up another rough-hewn sword and continue. The force and ferocity with which the Satsuma warriors could strike due to such training was renowned.

  In battle, the ability to deal powerful blows was essential. Although the bokken started as a training substitute for the katana, the injuries and deaths resulting from its use in training soon revealed its potential as a lethal weapon. This was proved on numerous occasions by Miyamoto Musashi, who chose bokken rather than a sword against many opponents (who were armed with katana). A strong bokken is better than a poor or damaged sword. It should also be remembered that on the battlefield, even the best sword would be blunted after several cuts through bone or armor or after parrying another weapon. This damaged weapon would then have to be wielded with considerable force to disable further opponents.

  Many of the swords used in battles against armored opponents would have been closer to the weapons used in medieval Europe than the typical katana. These were designed to smash rather than cut, and in Japan they were commonly called kabutowari (helmet splitters). These might be sharply pointed since the weak points in armor are more vulnerable to thrusts than cuts. More often, a shorter weapon called a yoroidoshi would be used to thrust into the opponent once he had been disabled by the kabutowari. After two years of regular practice, I was given an iron kabutowari about twice the weight of my regular sword for suburi and uchikomi practice (see appendix I). Since a sharp edge is not required, such weapons are easily made from inexpensive materials.

  Uchikomi—Targets and Weapons

  The target assembly shown in the photo is suitable for most uchikomi practice. Car tires make a durable alternative to the traditional bundle of sticks. A ten-foot section of telegraph pole sunk three feet into concrete is a satisfactory substitute for a tree trunk, and the inset crosspiece adequately reproduces the shoulder-neck target. A tsuki (thrusting) pad has been fixed at the height of the solar plexus. Portable versions of these targets for use inside the dojo are easily constructed.

  Figure 11. Uchikomi targets

  As with all training, the key both to success and avoiding injury is to systematically increase the intensity and duration of practice. Intensity increases with the weight of the weapon, hardness of both weapon and target, and the degree of force used in the strike. Elasticity in the target and weapon decrease the intensity. For the vertical strike, beginners should begin with a bokken and a hollow tire, but when one hundred strikes can be performed with full power, one can progress to a more solid target and a heavier weapon. The tire in the photo encloses a second tire and wheel and is a much more resilient target. One should train not to hit hard but to hit fluently from the whole body whether from a static stance or while stepping in. Over time this builds up considerable power in the blows.

  Initially one can use standard bokken, at least for tsuki and striking the tire. Although the rope binding on the crosspiece of the wooden post softens the impact of the diagonal kesa strikes, most bokken will still break after a few moderate strikes because the force is trapped in the corner. Although different hardwoods have different tensile qualities, the grain structure, density, and alignment of th
e individual bokken is more significant. With regular practice the action in striking is properly coordinated, and the energy of the body movement is transferred fully into the bokken.

  At this stage, without any conscious effort to hit forcefully, all bokken will break within ten strikes. At this stage one should change to practice with the iron kabutowari and with an oak bo (staff) of approximately the same thickness as an oar.1 (See appendix I) One end of this bo should be minimally reduced and shaped to allow a stable grip (the thicker the handle, the less stress there is on the forearms and elbows).

  Benefits of Uchikomi

  Uchikomi is the best method of developing tenouchi. As we noted in the first chapter, tenouchi depends on a coordinated use of the whole body and not just the hands. In uchikomi one discovers how to transfer the impact of the strike through the arms to the body’s core and down to the feet. This prevents the sword from bouncing off the target and also reduces the shock to the joints. The feedback provided by the recoil of repeated strikes educates the body from the inside. This is easier and safer to master than sundome, the stopping action required in partnered kata, where the sword is halted one inch (one sun equals approximately 1.2 inches) away from the opponent’s body. The stop in midair produces a jarring that is difficult to disperse and can lead to many kinds of injuries to the wrist, elbow, and shoulder. These injuries often occur with the snapping action of Kendo.

  If one proceeds slowly, uchikomi is an excellent way of strengthening bones and soft tissue; practiced regularly it is, in effect, a form of internal steel jacket training. To get the best results, one should do slow suburi with the tanrenbo first and then use the connection established by that in uchikomi. It is important to rest adequately between sessions to allow tissue to recuperate.

  Over time one develops an awareness of the different ways of impacting on a target. The sound and recoil of the impact varies depending on how the target is struck. The uchikomi practice of taiko (Japanese drumming) is intended to develop a similar ability to vary impact (and thus sound) while learning basic rhythms. After one year of daily uchikomi practice I was given basic drumming patterns to perform with two short steel rods (tetsubo) on a tire target. If the drumming is linked through the tanden, hundreds of repetitions are possible; without this connection, the arms rapidly fail. This also cultivates nito skills (the use of two swords).

  The regular practitioner of uchikomi gains a fine sensitivity to the qualities of the materials used for striking and in the targets. The tales in martial lore of strikes with biwa (loquat) bokken resulting in a lingering death will then seem less fanciful. Biwa has a unique tensile quality that transfers the shock of impact deep inside the body. The technique of the person striking as well as the conditioning of the person receiving the blow would no doubt be significant in determining the outcome of such an injury.

  Tsuki Uchikomi

  As we noted in chapter 1, uchikomi practice of tsuki is of particular importance in acquiring sound technique. Without good timing and positioning, the bokken slips off the target in the same way that a poor Karate punch bounces off the makiwara (striking post). The swordsman has the additional challenge of coordinating the grip of two hands.

  Practitioners of sojutsu (spear) performed many thrusts a day, usually against a tree, to acquire this skill. Some of these skills were passed on through the military schools of bayonet fighting. Nakamura Sensei was particularly proficient in tsuki as he had been a national champion in Jukendo (bayonet). Although graduates of the army’s sword training courses were unlikely to face opponents with swords, close combat might well involve a confrontation with bayonets, and this scenario was recreated in battlefield training (see chapter 6.)

  Although uchikomi training performed with full power appears exhausting and potentially injurious, the reality is quite the reverse. The body gains great resilience from this practice, and the body retains much of the energy through the recoil. Finally, most of the benefits of cutting practice are gained without the considerable expense, waste, and time-consuming preparation and cleaning up involved in tameshigiri. If uchikomi is practiced regularly, tameshigiri need only be practiced twice a month to develop realistic cutting and thrusting skills.

  Figure 12. Tsuki uchikomi

  1. The fact that an oak weapon of these dimensions will stand up to full-force uchikomi for a considerable length of time may explain Musashi’s choice of a similar weapon on at least one occasion.

  Tameshigiri—Cutting Targets

  5

  The heart pulls.

  Trust the work of the blade.

  Indeed, one is a living thing.

  tamesu: test, experiment

  kiri: cut, kill

  Until the Meiji Period, tameshigiri was carried out by specialist swordsmen to test newly forged blades and ensure that they would stand up to the demands of combat. Tests were usually carried out on the bodies of criminals. According to the Yamada family, who were sword testers for the Tokugawa shoguns, there were eighteen standard cuts ranging from the most difficult, ryoguruma (a cut across the hips that entailed cutting through the pelvic bones and spine), to the easiest, hiji-tachi, the severing of the wrist. The best blades are recorded as having cut through the waists of seven bodies placed in a vertical pile. On the battlefield, swords would be used against armored opponents, and testing was carried out on both armor and helmets.

  Tameshigiri or shizan is now more frequently performed to test the technique of the practitioner rather than the quality of the blade, and the targets are usually soaked rolls of rush matting or green bamboo. The spread of this practice is due largely to the efforts of Nakamura Taisaburo Sensei, who devoted many years to research through his own training and testing, the examination of written records, and through interviews with members of the Japanese armed forces who had used swords in combat.

  While training officer cadets of the Yamashita Special Assault Force in Manchuria, he was surprised to find that men who had spent years practicing Kendo and other sword arts had great difficulty in cutting through targets. Out of fifty-two candidates, only fifteen were able to cut through a target of bundled straw. Of the others,

  six men made mistakes in their distance, or cutting angle, and bent their swords. Twelve men cut only one-third to one-half of the target before coming to a stop, ten men cut only one-quarter of the target before coming to a stop, and eight men cut only one-fifth of the target before coming to a stop. One man misjudged his engagement distance; his sword tip barely touched the target and flew through the air.

  Moreover, because his grip was poor, the sword’s inertia caused the handle to break away from his hand, cut his left knee, and flew about thirty-five feet away. The officer cadet held a third dan rank at his university Kendo club.1

  Many swordsmen and military instructors discovered a disparity between Kendo and Koryu training and their actual experiences wielding swords in combat. The Toyama Officers Academy (to which Nakamura Sensei was attached) taught a sequence of kata formulated in 1924 by a committee of koryu masters. These kata were simple enough to be taught in a short period of time and were considered suitable for close combat. Modified as a result of experiences in battle, these kata later became the syllabus of the Toyama Ryu. The most important modification made as a result of experience in the field was the replacement of kirioroshi (the vertical cut) by kesagiri (the diagonal downward cut). Nakamura Sensei found evidence to support this change in casualty statistics from the battles of the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877 (the last conflict in which large numbers of katanas were used on both sides). During these engagements, the majority of severe wounds caused by swords were as a result of kesagiri.

  Figure 13. Gyakukesagiri (Naname Johogiri)

  The creation of the Nakamura Ryu kata was the natural outcome of Nakamura Sensei’s decades of training and research. These kata include all eight basic cuts (happo giri) and utilize the spiraling movements that arise naturally from the cutting trajectories and the momentum of the moving sword
. Regular tameshigiri is an important part of this school’s syllabus and helps to ensure that kata are performed in a realistic manner.

  Technical Requirements of Cutting

  The effectiveness of the cut (not to mention the safety of yourself, bystanders, and your blade) depends on five elements—correct targeting, correct grip, correct trajectory, integrated use of the body, and correct blade angle. The first four of these should have been mastered through kihon and uchikomi. However, hassuji (blade angle) can only be learned through tameshigiri. Correct hassuji means that the blade is set in the angle of the cutting action. This alignment is difficult to judge in uchikomi and can rarely be discerned from the sound produced when a sword is swung. Many swords have a deep groove (hi) and consequently produce a loud sound when swung (some bokken are also made with this addition). Such swords are popular with practitioners of Iaido, but they will produce a sound even when the hassuji is awry. Even when technical skills have been acquired, to cut effectively the mind and body must be united in a moment of complete focus and relaxation. Any tension, hesitation, or fluctuation can easily distort the grip and trajectory so that the cut fails.

  Competitive Tameshigiri

  Thanks to the growing popularity of tameshigiri, many swordsmen are now acquainted with the practicalities of cutting. However, as competitions involving tameshigiri have proliferated, the role of this practice within complete swordsmanship has increasingly been forgotten. In attempting to make competitions more attractive to spectators or as a result of efforts of participants to gain competitive advantage, it is easy to deviate from the realities of combat and the principles of budo (as we shall see in the next chapter).