This article is the conclusion of my translation of The Flowering Tree of Gekken, a secret text on shinai and bogu fencing written in 1855 by Tsutsui Rokka of Tenshin Itto-ryu. Part One can be found here and I strongly recommend reading the articles in order.
This is to my knowledge the first ever English-language translation of the text. It offers an interesting insight into the early days of kendo, when shinai keiko (then known by several names including gekken or gekiken) had spread throughout Japan, but before it had become standardised. In this text, Tsutsui attempts to address unwelcome trends he identifies in shinai keiko by advocating correct decorum and approaches that are in line with Itto-ryu technique and strategy. Many of the things he writes about are very present in kendo today, perhaps a testament to Itto-ryu’s powerful influence on the art.
The translation continues below.
The Flowering Tree of Gekken
Part Two
Tsukikaeshi
When your opponent comes to thrust at your men, you should step back a little with the right foot and put pressure on his sword, then immediately counterattack with a thrust of your own.¹³
Immediately counter-thrusting when your sword comes on top of your opponent’s is a very effective technique.
¹³ This technique is known as Tsukikaeshi in Itto-ryu, and can also be found in the third Nihon Kendo Kata.
Avoid Enticement
If your opponent whips his sword tip around showily in an attempt to entice or deceive you, you should quickly strike his men¹⁴.
Note: there is a teaching regarding this known as ‘the moon through an open window,’ but it is very difficult to describe in words if you have not received the teaching.
While your opponent is acting in this way, he will have little notion to strike or thrust. At this point you should not pause even for a moment, or he will think to strike or thrust and you will have fallen into his trap.
Waving the sword around flamboyantly and similar behaviour is an attempt to make you confused and unsure, and then take advantage of that chink in your armour to strike or thrust. Attacking your opponent first is of utmost importance. Furthermore, this kind of attempt to entice or deceive is an extremely unskilled and dirty tactic, and it should be absolutely avoided. Your techniques should be sincere and true.
¹⁴ This sort of behaviour from the opponent is referred to as irotsuke (“adding colour”). The term appears in the Itto-ryu Junikajo Mokuroku. There are many forms of irotsuke, including pretending to attack high before attacking low, shouting at the opponent, using unusual kamae, jumping around or switching between kamae quickly and so on. This is an attempt by the opponent to “colour” your perception and unbalance your mind. Against such an opponent, Itto-ryu teaches to keep your mind in perfect balance, maintain sincerity in your technique, and cut straight through to defeat them.
Countering Tsuki
When your opponent comes to thrust at you with both his hands, you should open up to the left or right and strike his men or kote, then adopt Myoken. No matter what, it is vital to prevent him from doing as he wishes.
Adopting Myoken allows you to execute your next technique freely.
When your opponent wants to thrust at you, you should take the initiative and arch your back, lean forward as close to the ground as possible, and raise both your hands to be level with the midpoint of your opponent’s eyes and nose so that he cannot see anything but your kissaki and tsuba. Like a bird-catcher with his pole, you should then immediately thrust from this position, pressing your left palm against the end of the tsuka. If your opponent ducks backwards, you should continue to thrust forwards until you strike him.
At this point, if your opponent tries to use hari to push your sword to the right, you should step in towards his right with your right foot, strike his men or kote and adopt Myoken. If he tries to push your sword to the left, you can perform the mirror of the technique above.
Image may be NSFW.
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Adaptiveness
Your kamae should not be fixed. You should adopt different kamae, such as jodan, gedan, seigan and so on adaptively depending on the situation and the kamae your opponent is using.
When your opponent adopts jodan, while he is still moving into the kamae you should quickly strike his kote. If you thrust, it is likely to end in ai-uchi (mutual striking). Moreover, the opponent is vulnerable not only when he adopts jodan but any other time that his body is making a transition and is not settled. At this time you should quickly strike him. This is of the utmost importance in gekken. You should always be mindful of it.
Suppression
After striking or thrusting, it is vital to suppress the opponent. If you are close to your opponent you should use Myoken, and when you are further away, seigan or gedan are effective. Although jodan is the most advantageous kamae, it is very difficult to use it to suppress the opponent. There is an oral teaching (kuden) regarding how to do so correctly, but it is difficult to express it on paper, so I will not do so here.
However, in gekken schools of late some people perform one-handed strikes or thrusts, or throw their weapon when they are facing an inexperienced opponent. One can also see people turning around in front of their opponent, or fooling around with the tsuka. This sort of behaviour, in particular showing your back to your opponent, is utterly taboo in the martial arts. These aforementioned types of behaviour are extremely rude, draw scorn from experts, and are a violation of the laws of kendo¹⁵. You should abstain from such things. To quote the Book of Rites¹⁶, such behaviour does not honour propriety¹⁷. How can people not realise this!
¹⁵ Tsutsui uses the word “kendo” here. It indicates a broad concept of swordsmanship encompassing the physical, mental and spiritual aspects.
¹⁶ One of the five Confucian Classics, detailing the social, governmental and ceremonial rites of the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1050-256 BCE).
¹⁷ The line in the Book of Rites is literally, “not honouring thy mother” (母不敬).
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Gekikenkai no Zu – Yoshitoshi, 1873
Use of Kamae
Jodan is the best kamae for striking men. However, when performing more difficult waza, you are more likely to be successful using seigan or gedan. Wakigamae is even harder to use than jodan. It is better for each person to use kamae according to their natural ability.
However, when striking men, it is more effective to not exclusively strike straight but also open to the left or right and strike from the side.
Striking Do
When striking do, you should be aware that your opponent might have a saya and wakizashi at his left hip, and use your discretion accordingly. You should step towards your opponent’s right flank with your right foot, strike the front of his do and move past him with your body close to his, then adopt Myoken to suppress him. Obviously when you strike his right do you can strike his flank rather than the front. When striking the right do you should move past your opponent on his left and then adopt Myoken to suppress him.
When striking do, it is not good to kneel (orishiki do) as this constricts your movement. When you strike your opponent’s right do, you should step through on his left side with your left and then your right foot, sinking your hips low and slipping your sword underneath his tsuka¹⁸. You should then suppress him with Myoken.
¹⁸ This form of do-uchi can be found in the seventh Nihon Kendo Kata.
Striking Kote
You should mainly strike the right kote. However when your opponent has a strong seigan or gedan kamae, it is difficult to strike either kote comfortably.
When your opponent moves, you must take the opportunity and move accordingly to strike.
Striking Men
The most important of all techniques is a clean men strike from jodan. Although there are all kinds of techniques in the kumitachi¹⁹, ultimately they all finish with shidachi striking uchidachi’s kote with a straight cut down the middle, as if to cleave him in two²⁰. You should not consider other techniques necessary.
¹⁹ The kata of Itto-ryu.
²⁰ In the Itto-ryu kata, the senior practitioner wears large padded kote and many kata finish with him raising his hands above his head for the junior to strike with a straight cut.
Everyday Mind
When you and your opponent are facing off against each other in the dojo, if you maintain a natural, everyday mindset, you are certain to be victorious. If you have even the slightest concern about the fact you are facing an opponent, you will be in danger of losing.
Sources and further reading:
『日本武道大系 第九巻』 著者：今村嘉雄 (ほか)〈編〉 出版社：同朋舎出版 出版年：1982
『剣道』 著者：高野佐三郎 出版社：兵林舘 出版年：1918
『兵法一刀流』 著者：高野弘正 出版社：講談社 出版年：1985
『一刀流極意』 著者：笹森順造 出版社：「一刀流極意」刊行会 出版年：1965
『剣道五百年史』 著者：富永堅吾 出版社：百泉書房 出版年：1972
『撃剣柔術指南』 著者：米岡稔 出版社：東京図書出版 出版年：1897