I wrote this article as an aid for me to learn the “Practice Methods of Basic Kendo Techniques with a Bokuto (wooden sword)” developed by the All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF). It may be useful for others as well. Our dojo recently started learning and practicing this Keiko-ho (Practice Methods) consisting of nine forms – prompted by new guidelines published in April 2019 by the All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF) [AUSKF_Bokuto]. Starting in 2020, 3rd kyu candidates will be required to perform Keiko-ho 1 to 4 and 2nd kyu candidates, the complete set from 1 to 9.
Here’s some tips to aid in memorizing their order and some resources in terms of Videos, Books and Articles.
Tips to Help Memorize Their Order
Part of the challenge for me is in memorizing the sequence of the Keiko-ho. Here’s some insights that may help:
- As explained in [Quinlan_KataBokutoWaza, p. 49] [TriangleKendo_Bokuto], the first four are classified as Shikake-waza (techniques to initiate an attack) and the last five as Oji-waza (techniques to counter an attack) .
- The four Shikake-waza consist of: Single-strikes (men, kote, do, tsuki), multiple-strikes (kote-men), sweeping the opponent’s (motodachi‘s) sword aside before striking (harai-men) and backward strikes (hiki-men).
- This seems to be in order of increasing difficulty for and a natural order of teaching them to a beginner.
- The five Oji-waza consist of: a nuki-waza dodging-technqiue (men nuki-do), a suriage-waza parrying (kote suriage-men), a debana-waza* (debana kote), a kaeshi-waza receiving and countering (men kaeshi-do) and, finally, an uchi-otoshi-waza striking-down technique (do uchi-otoshi-men).
- For the Oji-waza, I’d roughly categorize the first three as techniques with little to no blocking and the last two with full blocking.
- For the first three Oji-waza, the techniques seem to be increasingly more pre-emptive in nature where the kakarite‘s** strike is closer to the launching point of the motodachi‘s attack***:
- The first where the motodachi is closer to the tail end of striking men (one of the furthest targets for the motodachi) before getting struck.
- The second where the motodachi is closer to the tail end of striking kote (the closest target for the motodachi) before getting struck.
- And the third where the motodachi is closer to the launching point of striking a men and has hardly moved before getting struck.
- The four Shikake-waza consist of: Single-strikes (men, kote, do, tsuki), multiple-strikes (kote-men), sweeping the opponent’s (motodachi‘s) sword aside before striking (harai-men) and backward strikes (hiki-men).
* Debana-waza is a technique of striking the opponent just as he or she is about to attack. One potential point of contention should be noted. Debana-waza is classified as a Shikake-waza according to [SCKF_Debana] and [Kendo-Guide_Techniques] (which cites the “Kendo-Physical Education Textbook” by AJKF).
** kakarite (掛手) refers to the person demonstrating the various Shikake and Oji waza (techniques).
*** And indicative of the ability to take more quickly the sen (先), i.e. the initiative [Noma, Sec. 24 “Sen (the initiative”), p. 53] and “to anticipate what your opponent will do” [Kendo-Guide_Sen].
Resources
There are many resources available on-line. Here’s some samples that I have found helpful.
- Videos
- Demonstrations:
- Instructional Video
- A large easy-to-find link to a copy of an AJKF instructional video is provided in the AUSKF notice [AUSKF_Bokuto]. It is 25:59 mins long.
- Books
- The chapter on “Kihon Bokuto Waza” on pages 49-58 of Stephen D. Quilan, Nihon Kendo no Kata & Kihon Bokuto Waza, 4th ed, Kingston Kendo Club, May 19, 2014 (PDF, 85 pages). (A beautifully written book).
- Articles
- George McCall, “Bokuto Ni Yoru Kendo Kihon Waza Keikoho,” kenshi247.net, June 28, 2010.
- George McCall, “Hasuji, Shinogi, Harai, and Suriage,” kenshi247.net, July 31, 2016. (With some finer points on the various techniques)
- “Bokuto Ni Yoru Kendo Kihon Waza Keiko HoBasic Kendo Practice Methods Using a Bokuto,” TriangleKendoIaido.org, (PDF, 10 pages).
- HSSK Kendo, “Bokuto Kihon Ho – Bokuto ni yoru kendo kihon waza keiko ho
(Bokuto Application for Kendo Fundamental Technique Practice).” - Eunice Chan, “Bokuto ni yoru kendo kihon waza keiko ho,” RPI Kendo Club (PDF, 2 pages).
- George McCall, “Bokuto Ni Yoru Kendo Kihon Waza Keikoho,” kenshi247.net, June 28, 2010.
References
[AUSKF_Bokuto] “Bokuto ni yoru kihon keiko ho requirements,” AUSKF, April 15, 2019.
[Kendo-Guide_Techniques] Mashiro Imafuji, “Kendo Techniques Guide,” Kendo-Guide.com.
[Noma] Noma Hisashi (1910-1939), The Kendo Reader (PDF, 55 pages).
[SCKF_Debana] SCKF, “Advanced Concepts – Waza”
Keywords: Bokuto, Shinsa
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