The Rei before beginning Kata
- With bokken in right hand (and blade facing upwards), both
shidachi and uchidachi Shomeni Rei (bow to authorities or main place).
- Both shidachi and uchidachi turn to face each other and
Otogaini Rei (bow to each other)
- Both shidachi and uchidachi raise bokken vertically to
chest height (as if to show each other their bokken) and then swap
hands so that the left hand is holding the bokken.
- With bokken on the side, both uchidachi and shidachi move
bokken to the hip and thumb on the tsuba and take 3 steps forward to
sonkyo. Bokken should be tip to tip now at the center line. If not
stand up from sonkyo and take a few small steps forward and then resume
sonkyo position- do not hop into position.
- After getting up from sonkyo, both uchidachi and shidachi
lower bokken to gedan and take 5 and half ayumi-ashi steps back
starting with left foot.
- This ensures that both Uchidachi and Shidachi is at the
correct Maai to begin Kata.
The Rei after Kata
- Stand at center bokken tip to tip.
- Sonkyo and return bokken to side.
- Stand up and take 5 ayumi-ashi steps back.
- Switch hands of bokken from left hand to right hand.
- Bow to each other.
- Turn and Shomeni Rei (bow to authorities or main place)
First Kata: Ipponme
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Uchidachi
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Shidachi
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Assume chudan-no-kamae.
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Assume chudan-no-kamae.
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Take 1 step forward with the left foot
followed by a half step with the right
foot. At the same time raise bokken to a
two-hand Hidari (left) jodan-no-kamae.
Remember to take a deep breath when raising bokken to Jodan.
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Raise bokken to assume a
Migi (right) jodan-no-kamae,
right foot forward.
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Starting with the left foot take three steps forward to establish
correct maai.
(issoku-itto-no-maai- 1-step cutting interval)
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Starting with the right
foot, take three
steps forward to establish the correct maai.
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Watch for an opening to
attack, step forward with the right foot followd quickly by the left
foot, and
deliver a shomen (big swing) with strong spirit and yell
“YAH!”.
The cut should finish just below the Shidachi’s knees.
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As the Uchidachi swings
bokken, take one step back with the left foot followed quickly by the
right foot, and simultaneously evade the
uchidachi strike by drawing the hands upward and back in a
nuki-waza.
Step forward and deliver a shomen cut. With a strong committment,
bring the point of bokken down to focus
the center of the Uchidachi’s face, between the eyes.
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With the kensen in
gedan-no-kamae (low stance), withdraw by taking
one step back with the left foot. Bring right foot back as in usual
backwards okuri-ashi.
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Take another okuri-ashi
step back, still in gedan.
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Step forward with the left
foot, assuming a two-hand Hidari jodan,
swinging the bokken over your head and assert Zanshin.
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Return to chudan-no-kamae.
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As
Uchidachi begins to
return to chudan-no-kamae, draw back your left
foot and resume chudan-no-kamae.
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Lower bokken to
gedan-no-kamae; turn bokken along the long axis to the right about 45
degrees
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Shidachi follows
Uchidachi's movements
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Take 5 small steps back
beginning with left foot. Finish with a small half step of the right
foot. Return bokken to Chudan.
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Shidachi follows
Uchidachi's movements
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Second Kata : Nihonme
Uchidachi
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Shidachi
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| Assume chudan-no-kamae. |
Assume chudan-no-kamae. |
Take 3 ayumi-ashi steps
forward
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Take 3 ayumi-ashi steps
forward
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With 1 okuri-ashi step,
strike kote of Shidachi and with strong spirit yell "YAH!"
Ending position of bokken should be just below the Kote
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Bring bokken down almost
to the level of gedan to just
dodge the Uchidachi's cut while simultaneously taking an okuri-ashi
step to the left and backwards.
Raise bokken, take 1 okuri-ashi step forward, and strike just above the
Uchidachi's kote
With strong spirit yell DOH!
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With bokken still in
previous level, Okuri-ashi step back.
Return bokken back to Chudan
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Okuri-ashi step right to
return back to previous position following the Uchidachi's lead. Also
during this, bring bokken down down and under to get around uchidachi's
bokken
Return bokken to Chudan, again following Uchidachi's lead.
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| Lower bokken to
gedan-no-kamae; turn bokken along the long axis to the right about 45
degrees |
Shidachi follows
Uchidachi's movements |
| Take 5 small steps back
beginning with left foot. Finish with a small half step of the right
foot. Return bokken to Chudan. |
Shidachi follows
Uchidachi's movements |
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Third Kata : Sanbonme
Uchidachi
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Shidachi
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Start in chudan
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Start in chudan
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Assume gedan
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Follow Uchidachi to gedan
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Right foot first, take 3
ayumi ashi steps forward to reach issoku-itto-no-maai (1 step cutting
interval)
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Follow Uchidachi
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Slowly raise bokken to
just below chudan
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Follow Uchidachi
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While raising to almost
chudan, Uchidachi senses weakness in Shidachi and attacks.
Okuri-ashi
forward and deliver 2-handed tsuki to Shidachi's solar plexus
(approximately where the top knot is on the keikogi)
while turning
the sword about its axis counter-clockwise by 90 degrees as if
inserting it into your opponent's rib cage. The angle of the bokken
should be very slightly upwards- certainly not downwards.
Shout YAH! during the thrust.
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As Uchidachi attacks, take
1 okuri-ashi step back. Apply small amount of pressure with 1st four
inches of the blade against uchidachi's bokken by turning the bokken's
blade clockwise along its axis. This effectively parry's the
Uchidachi's attack.
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Right foot
forward followed
by left foot (okuri-ashi) and thrust bokken yelling TOH!
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Take one step to rear with
right
foot and bring tip of bokken under and
to the right side of shidachi's bokken.
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Shidachi keeps point of
bokken at Uchidachi's throat.
Shidachi steps forward on left foot,
followed by right (okuri-ashi) and makes a
small thrusting motion. |
Uchidachi steps back with left
foot, while bringing sword under and back to
the left side of the shidachi's sword. Try to apply pressure on sword
in the process.
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Take 3 steps forward
starting with right,
left, then right foot, while
raising tip of sword from uchidachi's throat until it is in the middle
of his face. |
As shidachi advances,
uchidachi takes 3 ayumi-ashi steps backward beginning with left foot,
and
assume gedan.
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Shidachi steps backward
with left foot.
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Slowly raise tip of sword
up but do not move.
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Step back with right foot
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Continue to raise tip of
sword without moving to chudan
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Shidachi simultaneously
brings sword down from head to chudan
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Shidachi takes 3 steps
back starting with left, right, left
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Uchidachi is drawn to
Shidachi like a magnet and follows with 3 steps forward starting with
right, left, right
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Uchidachi should now be
back in starting position with right foot forward
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Same for Shidachi
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| Lower bokken to
gedan-no-kamae; turn bokken along the long axis to the right about 45
degrees |
Follow Uchidachi
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| Take 5 small steps back
beginning with left foot. Finish with a small half step of the right
foot. Return bokken to Chudan. |
Follow Uchidachi
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Fourth Kata : Yonhonme
| Uchidachi |
Shidachi |
| Begin in Haso-no-kamae and take 3 small ayumi-ashi
steps. |
Begin in Waki-no-kamae and take 3 small ayumi-ashi
steps. |
| Raise bokken to jodan and strike intersecting in
mid-air with Shidachi's bokken. While doing this take 1 step forward
with right foot. Left foot should follow and be behind right foot as
with normal kendo footing. |
Raise bokken to jodan and strike intersecting in
mid-air with Uchidachi's bokken. Footwork same as Uchidachi. |
| Slowly lower bokken down to the level of the Shidachi's
sternum. While lowering, apply pressure against side of Shidachi's
bokken. |
Shidachi does the same against Uchidachi. |
| When bokken is at the level of the Shidachi's sternum,
thrust by moving the body forward (by taking an okuri-ashi step
forward) and yelling Yah! |
Shidachi parry's Uchidachi's thrust to the right by
raising the back of the handle of the bokken above the shoulder and
allowing the Uchidachi's blade of the bokken to slide against the blade
of the Shidachi's bokken.
Once the Uchidachi has completed his thrust, and Shidachi has parryed
it, Shidachi follows through by taking a diagonal step to the left with
left foot in front (and right foot behind) and striking the Uchidachi
on the men (yelling Toh!). |
| After about 2 seconds, the Uchidachi takes an
okuri-ashi step back (with left foot first) and returns to chudan. |
Shidachi takes a diagonal step to the right starting
with right foot to return back to face Uchidachi in chudan. |
| Take 5 small steps back
beginning with left foot. Finish with a small half step of the right
foot. Return bokken to Chudan. |
Follow Uchidachi. |
Fifth Kata : Gohonme
| Uchidachi |
Shidachi |
| Assume hidari jodan |
Assume chudan except raise kensen to point at
Uchidachi's wrist and with a slight rotation of the bokken to the right. |
| Take 3 steps forward |
Take 3 steps forward |
| Swing to strike Shidachi like in Ipponme except do not
take as big a step forward and do not cut as far down. Shout YAH! |
As Uchidachi is striking down, swing bokken up and
hence parrying it out of the way. At the same time take an okuri-ashi
step back (this is very similar to ipponme where shidachi steps back
and raises bokken to avoid uchidachi- the difference is that shidachi
will parry the uchidach's bokken aside.)
Having parryed successfully, strike uchidachi on men (while
taking an okuri-ashi step forward) and shout DOH!
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Pause of 2 seconds.
Lower kensen to uchidachi's noes while at the same time retreating with
right foot back. Before the end of the movement raise the bokken to
hidari jodan. |
| Slowly raise bokken to chudan |
Take step back with left foot and lower bokken to
chudan |
Take 3 small ayumi-ashi steps backward starting with
left foot.
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Take 3 small ayumi-ashi steps forward starting with
right foot to return to center. |
| Take 5 small steps back
beginning with left foot. Finish with a small half step of the right
foot. Return bokken to Chudan. |
Follow Uchidachi |
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