Kenjutsu Shiai

At the end of a sword class there is often an exchange between students, and the students and the teacher, a form of sparring, a contest, some free form practice.

It is important that if one practices this way, the correct mindset and method is used so not only is the time spent correctly, but also correct kenjutsu habits are being cultivated.

To have it be a contest to see who wins or who can score the most hits completely misses the point and wastes the time at best, and at worst develops habits that will get one killed.

Kenjutsu is not a democracy.

Naturally there will be differences between schools and traditions, but at the heart they are all the same.

With that I will share my experience.

Between students one student is an attacker, and one is a defender. Depending on the experience the attacker may get one, two, or three cuts, while the defender has to evade or can counter one of the cuts. These limitations are for a reason, as they force the student to explore a specific situation in the movement and have it revealed if they can do it or not.

This is different compared to a kata in that the attack may be any kind of attack, a cut from any sword posture, or a thrust from any posture. The defense may be any defense, what is appropriate in the moment.

Can you do it as the attacker or the defender?

After that attacking student has gone for a bit, the roles are reversed and that defending student becomes that attacker.

Training that allows a full back and forth between students, outside of an embu will just lead to a sports like exchange and taking risks that will lead to getting killed for the sake of scoring a hit.

Avoid this.

The second exchange is between the teacher and the student and is a form of transmission.

When the teacher is in the role of the attacker and works with the student, they are not there to hit the student or show superiority in skill, but rather to exchange the feeling of kenjutsu.

As the attacker the teacher is there to demonstrate the openings that the student has, attacks made should make these openings known and felt by the student, so in this way they can correct them.

As the defender the teacher is there to create openings in their own forms, deliberately introduce openings in the sword postures to see if the student can see these openings and act on them without hesitation.

In the final transmission (isshi-soden) of this movement between teacher and student both are allowed to attack or defend at will. In this way the teacher creates openings and mistakes in their own movement to see if he student can again see and take these without hesitation, but now with a twist.

Some of these openings and mistakes are not real, they are traps that will get turned back on the student- can the student see these?

And if they can’t?

They will experience the reversal and now know the feeling.

These shiai are always to transmit feeling and make the student better.