PART 2 of 2 - Niten Ichiryu Musashi - Kai Kendo Seminar 2008

This Kendo Seminar took place in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 25th - 27th. It was an honor to have "The Seven Samurai" here from Japan to share their wisdom and skills. Attendees traveled from all over the U.S. as well as several from other countries to participate in this once in a lifetime experience. Other events took place during the three day Japanese Festival, but the Saturday April 26th practice sessions are highlighted in this 15 minute video.
For more information visit: www.musashikai.jp/pc/
The quote reads:
A lapse in concentration, fear, or a moment of doubt can bring a swift defeat. A true swordsman is one who does not think of survival but rather has prepared themselves for death. If the swordsman's thoughts were of self-preservation, then they will be distracted. Therefore, Kendo or the art of swordsmanship, is not a physical activity, but rather it is a mental discipline.
--Sasaki Hirotsugu

[@Wolfsbane909]

nice to see what he wrote applied, its a useful technique for sure!

[@hanzo1993]

I think this is very different than kendo with one single sword, this is more like an art, than a sport...

[@walatalalaw]

@lordronin593 I read the book of five rings as well (a little while ago, so it's not so fresh). The one thing I remember though is that it is based on using every advantage you've got to win. that's why he uses two swords. Usualy martial arts evolve after time. having practiced kendo as well as amateur "no rules" sword fighting, I've experienced that being on your toes enables a faster reaction, and so maybe niten ichi ryu evolved a little, while still keeping the notion of advantage.

[@JcDenton86]

Hello Mate! The music is from "The Last Samurai" ost :)

[@Darc90]

It's next to impossible to fight with it if you don't hold near the end of the shinai, try for yourself if you happen to find one somewhere. Btw, even when you only use one sword, it's the hand furthest down that does all the work, the other is merely for stability. Which makes me pretty sure that a real katana would be handled in the same way.

[@Gilmaris]

@AlanMolstad Were we watching the same video???

[@tandatokita]

@Shadowfury : I dont really know axactly what u meant. I just didnt agree with the ideas that form Kendo as a sport or martial arts... I think Kendo is the Art, the history, the culture of Japanese.. not only a martial arts or sport

[@AlanMolstad]

from what I see in this video, the guys in blue were helpless to stop the 2-sword attack. How would you go up against a guy who is good with two swords? What is the key thing to remember as you stand there?

[@SmileFacePal]

Oh how I miss kendo... What's the piece in the background? It makes every conversation I have intense and I love it.

[@zupinu2000]

it's been 11 years. time to start kendo again :D

[@jung567]

yea, i tried a niten ichiryu seminar in california. it was pretty sweet, except for the bruise on the arm. too bad i kinda forgot how to fight with that style again T__T im hoping i might be able to after i get 1 dan Currently: 1 kyu XD

[@pqzmfj]

look at the kendoka in the background at 3:53...he's flying. I hope he was ok.

[@Arteanor]

@lordronin593 not sure who ran this seminar... but there IS a direct transmission... the school is alive... koryu com's writeup: Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu Systems: kenjutsu (odachi, kodachi, nitto) Date founded: early Edo period (ca. 1640) Founded by: Miyamoto Musashi Fujiwara Genshin, 1584-1645 Present representative/headmaster: 11th soke Iwami Toshio Gensho Primarily located in: Oita

[@Mega_Mikey]

Denim hakama? When I was a kid we called those JNCOs

[@walatalalaw]

@lordronin593 (second post) I'm not sure why musashi says you should stand on your heels as well, I'm not sure if he explains why in his book. it would be worth comparing, in theory and in actual combat, to see what is better. It would be strange that he recommends changing your stance to a less appropriate stance though.... since almost all of his training came from actual combat, It would be kind of weird. maybe these people practices kendo before niten ichi ryu, and kept their kendo habits

[@mekugi]

@kogai Yeppers...that's a fact. :)

[@fellbeast17]

Favourtite waza. i use it every practise 4:09

[@papageorgio123123]

with hands u should not consider that the power only comes from the back hand. to do that would take ur mind off the other hand which is necessary to work in unison with the back hand to create the leverage needed to cut through bone. these msgs are a response to darc90 and dalaeck's comments

[@papageorgio123123]

ya in kendo (the sport), its obviously held at the end for a distinct advantage in distance. this is funny because Musashi himself said that considering anything an advantage will get u killed. Also if u held a real sword at the end with one hand, unless u are a freak of nature and have wrists of steel there is no way u can follow through with a powerful cut, because u have no leverage. and with two hands ....

[@jung567]

now im 1 dan yay!!!!

[@lordronin593]

well, at the moment I am reading "the book of five rings", and when observing small matters such as foot placement, this is all very different. You can see everyone standing on their front foot and toes, whereas he emphasises the heel being in contact with the floor, being of major importance. I am wondering, what has really been passed by him in a direct lineage? Or are people using the name of his school just because of the two swords involved? Can someone answer this? thanks.

[@kogai]

Niten Ichiryu? I'm afraid this is Nito kendo, not Niten Ichi ryu.

[@jung567]

well my friend it really is a sport but u can try and use it in combat but its ur choice...

[@jung567]

lol hello kitty tenugui 4:31

[@ARTkendou]

ん？1:00あたりに映っている変わり塗りの胴の人の名前… 「興武会 狂犬 Mad dog」って・・・おいっ！www

[@bryonfionn]

This is a correct assessment. As a kendoka, I can assure that Kendo is structured towards combat in the sport setting. It is very difficult to use a steel sword with one hand at the end of of the tsuka, both from the standpoint of strength and control. However, since the objective of the kendo strike is snap, not cutting power, The mechanical advantage of leverage is less important than wrist action and holding a shinai farther up the handle limits the maximum range of motion.

[@Darc90]

>dalaeck Sorry, but you are wrong. While its true that I've never held a katana in my live, I do have practised kendo with shinai and bokken. It's a very common beginners misstake to use the upper (right) hand instead of using your lower (left) hand for power. If you still do not believe me, please check out: *jaerik.tatersalad[dot-org]/japanese/Kendosite/main[dot-html] *stingersquad[dot-com]/kendo_basics[dot-html] *Men_(kendo) @ Wikipedia

[@Rouisu]

You do realise that they're not strictly meant to hold the daito at the end of the tsuka? You can hold hold it near the tsuba if that's what you want. It's just that katate waza is better performed with the hand grasping the end of the shinai. You mentioned that a 'real' katana wouldn't be held like this. Shinai are not katana. I'm inclined to believe that you don't practice kendo, because you made very thoughtless comments. -Nito kendoka from Australia

[@kenshi1985br]

I'm not saying that i will try to fight with kendo waza. it is way better to buy a gun... kendo is a do, a "way" in japanese. u can practice as a sport, but it's your practice.

[@SwordWiazard]

HaHaHaha :0!

[@kenshi1985br]

kendo isn't a sport. it is very difficult to master a ones hand use of a katana, but people can do this... shodai is a jodan kendoka and trains with a huge bokuto!! and the objective of kendo is the ippon, the cut that kills assholes!! maybe u may try to train kendo instead of speaks of it

[@kanvrn]

Сколько много глупой истеричности и вообще безграмотности.