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CHAPTER ONE

THE KATA TRADITION

In the pre Tokuga era, Kata were referred to as kumitachi and seiho and were the result of the training methods of the classical schools of kenjutsu. However, these methods did not actually become laid down and recorded officially until the period 1560-1572. They were developed from actual fighting techniques as taught by military teachers skilled in their art, and former techniques of classical swordsmanship contain the theory and practical applications necessary to retain the essence of their conception, and are thus vital for further development in all kendoka. In 1886 Meiji (19) the Japanese Police were the first, other than the existing classical schools, to refer to these old forms in order to create a standard kendo kata. In the same year the keishichoryu kata became the standard kata for police use, formed from the schools of Jikishinkage, Kurama, Tsutsumi, Hozan, Risshin, Hokushin Itto, Asayama Ichiden, Jigen, Shinto Munen, Yagyu and Kyoshin Meichi Ryus. It is interesting that the Japanese Police still use the kata system today as a highly beneficial training method, so maintaining the direct link to the origins of classical swordsmanship.

In 1895 Meiji (28) the foundation of the Dai Nihon Butokukai became the controlling body of all budoka throughout Japan, offering unity and attempting to standardise the classical ryuha or schools and sections.

This unification only really began after the war against Russia in 1904, 1905 (Meiji 37 and 38), through the foundation of the Bujutsu Kyoin Yoseijo (martial arts masters training school), in Kyoto, as research developed new kata in both Judo and Kendo.

In 1906, Meiji (39), Noboru Watanbe was the head of the Dai Nihon Butokukai committee, Hanshi, Shinto Munen Ryu together with Unpachiro Shibae (Hanshi Shinto Munen Ryu), Kanichiro Mitsuhashi (Musashi ryu), Sekishiro Tokuno (hanshi, Jikishin kage ryu), Daisaku Sakabe (hanshi, kyoushin meichi ryu), Shingoro Negishi (Hanshi, Shinto munen ryu), Morie Abe (Jikishin kage ryu), and eight others who were allowed to take part in the discussions: were T Naito, S Sayama, M Toyama, K Yano, K Minatobe, T Yamasato and H Nakayama. In August 1906 the original three kata were decided as the Butokukai Kenjutsu Kata, also known as Ten, Chi, Jin no Kata Heaven, earth and person, or jodan gedan chudan. However, it seems that as very little discussion actually took place there was widespread complaint from the masters, making it unpopular and consequently little is known about this Kata.

In this same period the other leading group was the Tokyo Koto Shihan Gakko, or the teachers training college in Tokyo, with the founder of modern judo, Jigoro Kano, as its headmaster. Tokyo Koto Shihan Gakko organised a seminar and published the original kata of three forms, originated in 1911 by Sasaburo Takano, I Ozawa, S Hoshino, A Tanaka, T Naito, S Negishi, T Shingai, H Nakayama, T Yamasato, S Kobayashi, S Kimura, K Shibata and Shigeyoshi Takano.

Upon reading the original documents it is clear that there is a strong resemblance between these three forms of the Tokyo Koto Shihan Gakko and the first three forms of the Dai Nihon Teikoku kendo kata. Therefore it can be stated that the first three forms of Dai Nihon Teikoku Kendo kata had probably been formulated before the committee of Butokukai or their kata was established, or the official Dai Nihon Teikoku kendo kata of 1912 was published. In December 1911 (Meiji 44) the Butokukai formed a second committee with Sasaburo Takano (from Koto Shihan Gakko), Takaharu Naito (Dai Nihon Butokukai), Tadashi Monna (Dai Nihon Butokukai), Shingoro Negishi from (Shinto Munen ryu), Shinpei Tsuji from (Saga) and 20 other members. From this committee there appeared in November 1912 (Taisho 1) the publication of the Dai Nihon Teikoku kendo kata followed by a teaching seminar.

Translation of the Original Edict

Dai Nihon Teikoku Kendo Kata

The kendo schools suffer from a lack of unity, and we the Dai Nihon Butokukai have experienced many difficulties in teaching kendo, and although we feel these schools should keep their various characteristics, we have felt the necessity for unity through a standardisation programme, so in October of 1912 we entrusted research into various schools of swordsmanship, by several kendo masters. As the result of our careful study, we now establish the Dai Nihon Teikoku kendo kata.

It is important to note that not only did Sasaburo Takano (1862-1950) contribute greatly to the Dai Nihon Teikoku Kendo Kata, but that he is directly responsible for the formalisation of the Gogyo No Kata forms. His grandfather was M. Takano, headmaster of the Ono ha Itto ryu. Sasaburo Takano studied and practised fluently in this style as well as teaching modern kendo methods and from the essence of Ono Ha Itto ryu kata he developed the Gogyo No Kata and taught it to the students of the Tokyo koto shihan gakko. This college was the predecessor of the Tokyo University of Education which in turn was the predecessor of the present Tsukuba University where the Gogyo No Kata is still taught in its original forms, as well as at other selected universities.

In September 1917 (Taisho 6) the annotation of the Dai Nihon Teikoku Kendo Kata was published, and a proper written explanation of the kata devised. In May 1933 (Showa 8) the enlarged annotation of the Dai Nihon Teikoku Kendo Kata was presented. It was at this time that it began to be known as the Nihon Kendo kata. In 1981 Select Committees met to study the original documents of the Dai Nihon Teikoku Kendo Kata and to discuss the possible revision and updating Nihon kendo kata by the documentation available. The first committee to make the draft consisted of five members: Tatsuo Saimura (Executive Director of ZNKR) Noburu Shigeoka, Akira Sato, Yuji Onishi and Hideo Muto (secretary ZNKR). It was then discussed by another committee with A Sato as chairman, and K Nakakura, T Tokimasa, K Isaka, K Takigawa, T Kogawa, T Saeki, Y Onishi, Y Nishi, K Takashashi, M Komorisono, T Morishima, K Wada and M Osawa. Another conference consisting of K Horiguchi, S Ono and N Kojima also discussed these matters. They found the edict difficult to understand. There was the possibility of misprints too, and it proved extremely hard to determine some of the exact technical explanations. It was decided then to take the Dai Nihon Teikoku Kendo Kata as it read, or they interpreted it, and change it into a more easily understood language by reclassifying certain terms such as seigan to chudan, right and left jodan. The result was established as the Nihon kendo kata but it still remained in essence the ‘Dai Nihon Teikoku Kendo Kata’.

Picture of prominent Kendo masters in front of the Butokuden building, Kyoto Taisho (4) 1915

Front left: Shigesoburo Moyazaki, Goro Saimura, Moriji Mochida, Tadashi Monna, Takaharu Naito, Kuniharu Watanabe, Sosuke Nakano, Chikita Oshina

Second row: 2nd from left is Kinnosuke Ogawa, and others

Hakudo Nakayama performing Hasagawa Eishin Ryu Iai sword drawing Kata. The demonstration takes place in front of the Emperor, Showa(15) in 1940.

This shows Goro Saimura in the Seigan (Chudan) Kamae.

A group of the prominent Kendo Masten in front of the Butokuden building in Kyoto, Taisho(4) 1915. The masters are:

Front centre - Takaharu Naito

Second row centre - Sosuke Nakano

Third row, third from the right - Yuji Taima, sixth from the right -Moriji Mochida.

Back row, first from the right - Kinnosuke Ogawa, second from the right - Goro Saimura.

An early Showa period (1926-1989) picture depicting Kendo Masters.

In the centre is Dr. Kiji Tajimi. The front left to right) shows Norimasa

Kozeki, Sasaburo Takano, Hakudo Nakayama.

The back (left to right) shows Kinnosuke Ogawa, Moriji Mochida, Sohachi Shimatani, Sosuke Nakano, Goro Saimura.

The Hasso Kata taken from the Jiltishin Kage Ryu No Kata, published in 1901 by Meishin Saito.

I would like to offer from the Budo Hokan of Showa Tenran Shiai Huroku Dai Nihon Yuben Kai (kodansha press 1930 showa 5) a translation of the philosophy of the kata, and some interpretation into the meanings.

UCHIDACHI

HANSHI (SASABURO TAKANO)

SHIDACHI

HANSHI (HAKUDO NAKAYAMA)

TACHI NO KATA

Each KATA means as follows:

DAI Ippon (the first)

Kamae of AI-JODAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of SEN-SEN-NO-SEN.

DAI Nihon (the second)

Kamae of AI-CHUDAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means o SEN-SEN-NO-SEN.

DAI Sanbon (the third)

Kamae of AI-GEDAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of SEN-SEN-NO-SEN.

DAI Yohon (the fourth)

Kamae of IN-YO-NO-KAMAE, both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of GO-NO-SEN.

DAI Gohon (the fifth)

Kamae of JODAN and SEIGAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of SEN-SEN-NO-SEN.

DAI Roppon (the sixth)

Kamae of SEIGAN and GEDAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of GO-NO-SEN.

DAI Nanahon (the seventh)

Kamae of AI-SEIGAN, having SEN- attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of GO-NO-SEN.

Ono Ha Itto Ryu Kata, with Naritomo Tsurumi on the right and Junzo Sasamori on the left.

Another display of Ono Ha ltto Ryu Kata, with Junzo Sasamori on the right and Sasaburo Takano on the left.

Prize winners in Showa(4) 1929. Mochida Sensei is in the centre and Yokata Sensei is on the right.

Sen - Stop your opponent’s attack by first movement, forestall, attitude of taking the initiative. This does not mean speed, more subconsciously seeing the origin of every real action, or the practised ability to read a changing situation instantly. Having or assuming an advance intention of victory.

SEN SEN NO SEN - Anticipating your opponent’s intention and capitalising on this knowledge to have victory.

GO NO SEN - Responding to your opponent’s attacking movements by countering from them, without knowing your opponent’s intention beforehand.

Reaction in Sen Sen No Sen and Go No Sen must be carried out at a faster speed than the actions of the attacker. Having a sincere and pure attitude of the single mind, unwavering and of a high and delicately refined quality. This is Kigurai and should be combined with Sen attitude.

Further definitions for Sen: Initiative, advantage, first-step and ambition.

Attitude...Position of the body indicating mood or emotion. Position can also be defined as proper place.

KODACHI NO KATA

Dai Ippon

Kamae: Uchidachi, Jodan, Shidachi, Chudan. Shidachi wins by rushing in and entering Irimi Uchidachi instantly. Feeling of shin.

Dai Nihon

Kamae: Uchidachi, Gedan, Shidachi, Chudan wins by provoking uchidachi and counter cutting. Feeling of gyo.

Dai Sanbon

Kamae: Uchidachi, Chudan, Shidachi, Gedan. Shidachi wins by thwarting and controlling every attack made by uchidachi without actually cutting him. Feeling of so.

These three feelings are somewhat different to the sen attitudes due to the differing sword length, although sen is applied throughout all the kata.

Moriji Mochida, in old age, demonstrates the Jodan Kamae.

An example of Shinai Kendo with Mochida Sensei on the right and Nakano Sensei on the left. The scene is from the Showa(40) 1966.

A demonstration of Nihon Kendo Kata by Moriji Mochida and Goro Saimura at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Further definitions:

Shin: Truth. Strike directly and attack strongly, rush in with the feeling of truth without fear and into ten no kamae showing true strength.

Gyo: Stream. Using your opponent’s force, flowing like a stream with his attack, ensuring that you flow from the men cut into the final thrust. Movement is in a different direction.

So: Grass or weeds. Again blend with your opponent like blades of grass in the wind and move to make him work hard, tiring him by your multitude of movement like a field of grass. A million blades swaying in the wind; controlling but never retaliating. As grasses and weeds are among plants that come above ground in early spring, so your movement should also be before that of your opponent. So is also known as kusa.

Further comments on shin, gyo and so.

In Renku or Haikai, a sort of play in short poems, attaching a new piece of verse responding in accordance with the one made by another poet. In this sense shin is the way of using a style of verse exactly responding to the one made by another poet. Gyo is the not exactly responding but almost in harmony with the former one. The last, so, is a style vaguely in response to the one made before. This way of shin, gyo, and so is also applied to Kado (flower arrangement) Nihon Ga (traditional Japanese painting) and Zoen (traditional gardening).