I’m going to present a series of kenawase and kumitachi match-ups from different shihans then ask a question afterward.

Kobayashi Sensei and Igarashi Sensei - Kenawase

Saito Sensei circa 1973 - Kenawase

Saito Sensei mid 90's - Kenawase

Here is some kenjustsu.¹

Kenjutusu, ready

My question is: what is the optimal maai for kengeiko? Should we really be so fussy about making sure the ken cross each other by ‘3 centimeters’ so there is a pronounced X shape? Many of the non-Japanese people practicing kenawase and kumitachi in YouTube videos like to have their bokuto overlap by a few centimeters, but the Japanese which I have found seem to prefer to just touch the tips of the bokuto (see above).

If ken are overlapping, doesn’t that limit one’s options for entering into Ukedachi by limiting him to enter to one side or another? If the rebuttal is that it is a blending practice to feel each other, then why make “death blow” movements at all. I don’t know if we can have it both ways.

Then I discovered kenjutsu with the help of my friend Kent. They have some serious, serious skills in their inventory. I am not sure if Aikiken can or should be more than blending practice for Aikidoka because I have not seen that ninja-like surgery of cutting yet in Aikido that I see over and over again in kenjutsu. Then the question becomes: how do we make friends with a guy with a sword who is intent on cutting us, in Aikido?

UPDATE 2010.09.02 – Just to be fair, I found clips of Kobayashi Sensei and Igarashi Sensei performing kumitachi with their ken overlapped. See below.

Kumitachi

When they do kumitachi, they overlap their bokuto, but when they do kenawase they just touch the tips of their ken. Is this a quirk or part of practice?

1. From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVuGDcggm44 [↩]

These guy make me think “who cares?” to all my kenawase and kumitachi questions because we have nothing on these guys in Aikido – this is awesome kenjutsu – these guys could maim us all.

Kumitachi as performed by Kobayashi Yasuo Sensei.

Both Uke-Dachi and Uchi-Dachi raise to jodan gamae. Uchi-Dachi attacks with gedan gaeshi to the knee (Uke-Dachi blocks moving backwards, not to the side, and quickly cuts to the wrist). Uchi-Dachi pivots the hips to block the wrist cut and counters with tsuki (with step). As he does so, Uke-Dachi enters with kaiten, securing the back of Uchi-Dachi’s wrist before finishing with a Kotegaeshi throw, retaining the weapon in the process.

Uke-Dachi raises to jodan gamae to strike which creates an opening. Uchi-Dachi quickly enters with tsuki to the throat but Uke-Dachi quickly blocks with a cut to the wrist (stepping back while doing so). Uke-Dachi has to step across to avoid the cut, crossing the right foot over the left in doing so. Uchi-Dachi then leans-in and cuts with kirikaeshi left (blocked). As Uchi-Dachi starts the second kirikaeshi (right cut) attack , Uke-Dachi enters with kaiten and grabs the bokken between the hands of Uchi-Dachi. He then throws with kokyunage, retaining the weapon as he does so.

Morihiro Saito demonstrates. These are what we do at Masa Kokoro.

Here is another video example.

Kumitachi #1

Uke-Dachi raises to jodan gamae to strike which creates an opening. Uchi-Dachi quickly enters with tsuki to the throat but Uke-Dachi quickly counters with a cut to the wrist (crossing the right foot over the left in doing so). Uchi-Dachi then leans-in and cuts with kirikaeshi left (blocked) then kirikaeshi right (blocked). Uke-Dachi takes large backward steps during the blocking but rotates his body sideways during each block.

Kumitachi #2

Both Uke-Dachi and Uchi-Dachi raise to jodan gamae. Uchi-Dachi attacks with gedan gaeshi to the knee (Uke-Dachi blocks moving backwards, not to the side, and quickly cuts to the wrist). Uchi-Dachi pivots the hips to block the wrist cut and counters with tsuki (with step) followed by kirikaeshi right (Uke-Dachi blocks/pushes moving backwards). Uchi-Dachi repeats the tsuki (with step) followed by another kirikaeshi right.

Kumitachi #3

Both Uke Dachi and Uchi Dachi raise to jodan and strike. Upon blade contact Uke-Dachi pushes to the left to create an opening. Uchi-Dachi blends and counters with kirikaeshi (left) then kirikaeshi (right). Uke-Dachi blocks with large steps backwards.

Kumitachi #4

Both Uke-Dachi and Uchi-Dachi withdraw bokkens to their side, then approach each other with a thrust tsuki (no step). Uke Dachi is in fact moving backwards but his tsuki thrust is in a forward motion. Uke-Dachi pushes to the left and Uchi-Dachi counters with tsuki (blocked by Uke-Dachi stepping back and the bokken raised to shoulder height during the block. The  raised block avoids giving an easy opening to Uchi Dachi), then kirikaeshi (right). Uke-Dachi blocks with large steps backwards.

Kumitachi #5

Uke-Dachi lowers to offer an opening. Uchi-Dachi raises to attack with menuchi but is forced to step back and block right as Uke-Dachi quickly enters with left kirikaeshi. After blocking, Uchi-Dachi counters with tsuki (which Uke-Dachi blocks stepping back). Both move forward in a kaiten movement and left kirikaeshi cut to the do (waist) that becomes a mutual block. Uchi-Dachi then raises and attacks with jodan menuchi, which is blocked by Uke-Dachi stepping back.

The final and only cut is to Uke’s wrist.

Uke engages in a menuchi cut while Nage slides off the line of attack all the while keeping his bokutou in front of him. As Uke cuts, Nage too cuts his wrist at the same time.

Point: Nage doesn’t have to raise his ken to jyodan-gamae; he can lift it partway so as to keep it as a shield.