Kendo Waza

Examples of Techniques Used When Confronting the Opponent

Attacking From Oneself

The term kenshi will be used to describe the person who shall execute the techniques. The term kensen is used to describe the tip of the sword or shinai.

  1. "One-Strike" Technique
    • opponent's kensen lowers... men
    • opponent's kensen lowers... tsuki
    • opponent's kensen rises... kote
    • opponent's forearms rise... kote
    • opponent's forearms rise... do

  2. Harai Techniques
    Harai     techniques require the kenshi to use his/her own shinai to strike the opponent's shinai out of his/her attack path in a quick, sharp motion before striking the opponent's body.
    • harai-men (otome or front) - strike the left-hand side of the opponent's shinai before attacking men
    • harai-men (ura or back) - strike the right-hand side of the opponent's shinai before attacking men
    • harai otoshi-men - strike opponent's shinai down before attacking men
    • harai-kote
    • harai-do
    • harai-tsuki (otome or front) - strike the "front" or left-hand side of the opponent's shinai before attacking tsuki
    • harai-tsuki (ura or back) - strike the "back" or right-hand side of the opponent's shinai before attacking tsuki

  3. Two- or Three-Strike Techniques (Renzoku or Continuous Techniques)
    • kote -> men
    • kote -> do
    • men -> men
    • men -> hiki-men (backward men)
    • men -> kote
    • men -> do
    • men -> hiki-do (backward do)
    • tsuki -> men
    • kote -> men -> men
    • kote -> men -> do
    • kote -> men -> hiki-do
    • tsuki -> men -> men
    • tsuki -> men -> hiki-men

  4. Debana Techniques
    Debana techniques require the kenshi to attack during the intial stages of the opponent's attack.
    • debana-men
    • debana-kote
    • debana-tsuki

  5. Hiki Techniques (Backward Techniques)
    From a tsuba zerai or after a body-crash (tai-atari), a hiki technique requires the kenshi to attack while stepping backwards in a situation where the opponent has lost his/her concentration.
    • hiki-men
    • hiki-kote
    • hiki-do

  6. Katsugi Techniques
    Katsugi techniques require the kenshi to quickly raise the tip of his/her shinai towards his/her own shoulder, then attacking an opening that may result, if the opponent is caught off guard.
    • katsugi-men (sho-men or straight men)
    • katsugi-men (migi-men or right men)
    • katsugi-kote

  7. Maki Techniques
    Maki techniques require the kenshi to quickly trace an arc with his/her kensen while both shinai are in contact, abruptly stoppping the circular motion in a manner that would cause the opponent to lose control of his/her shinai, away from the kenshi's centre, and attacking the opening created.
    • maki-age-kote (opponent's shinai moves up and away from the kenshi's centre in a way that leaves the right kote open for attack)
    • maki-age-do (opponent's shinai moves up and away from the kenshi's centre in a way that leaves the right do open for attack)
    • maki-otoshi-men (opponent's shinai moves up and away from the kenshi's centre in a way that leaves the men open for attack)
    • maki-otoshi-tsuki (opponent's shinai moves up and away from the kenshi's centre in a way that leaves the tsuki open for attack)

  8. Katate Techniques
    Katate (one-handed) techniques require the kenshi to attack in a manner that leaves only his/her left hand supporting his/her shinai during the strike to the opponent's body.
    • katate migi-men (one-handed right men)
    • katate tsuki (one-handed tsuki)

  9. Jodan Techniques (executed from a normal Harai or left Jodan Kamae)
    • katate-men (one-handed men) from jodan
    • morote-men (two-handed men) from jodan
    • katate-kote (one-handed kote) from jodan
    • morote-kote (two-handed kote) from jodan

 

Attacking in Response to Opponent's Attack (Oji Techniques)

  1. Suri Age Techniques
    Suri Age techniques require the kenshi's shinai to rise into contact with the opponent's attacking shinai in a progressive sliding action, then redirecting the opponent's attack into an attack of the kenshi's own.
    • men suri age men (otome or front) (parrying the opponent's men attack from the "front" or right side of the kenshi's shinai then attacking the opponent's men)
    • men suri age men (ura or back) (parrying the opponent's men attack from the "back" or left side of the kenshi's shinai then attacking the opponent's men)
    • men suri age kote (ura or back) (parrying the opponent's men attack from the "back" or left side of the kenshi's shinai then attacking the opponent's kote)
    • men suri age do (migi or right do) (parrying the opponent's men attack then attacking the opponent's right do)
    • men suri age do (hidari or left do) (parrying the opponent's men attack then attacking the opponent's left do)
    • kote suri age men (parrying the opponent's kote attack then attacking the opponent's men)
    • kote suri age kote (parrying the opponent's kote attack then attacking the opponent's kote)
    • tsuki suri age men (otome or front) (parrying the opponent's tsuki attack from the "front" or right side of the kenshi's shinai then attacking the opponent's men)
    • tsuki suri age men (ura or back) (parrying the opponent's tsuki attack from the "back" or left side of the kenshi's shinai then attacking the opponent's men)

  2. Kaeshi Techniques
    Kaeshi techniques require the kenshi to hit away the opponent's attacking shinai before attacking the opponent.
    • men kaeshi men (hidari or left) (block the opponent's men attack from the left side, then attack the opponent's men)
    • men kaeshi men (migi or right) (block the opponent's men attack from the right side, then attack the opponent's men)
    • men kaeshi do (hidari or left) (block the opponent's men attack from the left side, then attack the opponent's do)
    • men kaeshi do (migi or right) (block the opponent's men attack from the right side, then attack the opponent's do)
    • men kaeshi kote (block the opponent's men attack then attack the opponent's kote)
    • kote kaeshi men (block the opponent's kote attack then attack the opponent's men)
    • kote kaeshi kote (block the opponent's kote attack then attack the opponent's kote)
    • do kaeshi men (block the opponent's do attack then attack the opponent's men)

  3. Uchi Otoshi Technique
    Uchi otoshi techniques require the kenshi to hit the opponent's attacking shinai down before attacking the opponent.
    • men uchi otoshi men (kenshi raises his/her shinai higher than the opponent's men-attacking shinai, then striking down on the opponent's men while redirecting the opponent's shinai away from kenshi's own men)
    • do uchi otoshi men (hit down the opponent's do-attacking shinai then attack opponent's men)
    • kote uchi otoshi men (hit down the opponent's kote-attacking shinai then attack opponent's men)
    • kote uchi otoshi kote (hit down the opponent's kote-attacking shinai then attack opponent's kote)
    • tsuki uchi otoshi men (hit down the opponent's tsuki-attacking shinai then attack opponent's men)
    • do uchi otoshi migi-do (hit down the opponent's do-attacking shinai then attack opponent's right do)

  4. Nuki Technique
    Nuki techniques require the kenshi to move both arms and body out of the opponent's attacking shinai's path, letting the opponent's shinai miss the intended target, then followed by an attack to an available target.
    • men nuki men (while raising one's arms above his/her head, quickly move back just enough to dodge the opponent's men attack, then follow with an attack to the opponent's men)
    • men nuki kote (while stepping back to avoid the opponent's men attack, strike the opponent's kote which has become exposed due to the extension of the opponent's arms)
    • men nuki migi-do (strike the opponent's exposed right do while the opponent extends his/her body to attack the kenshi's men)
    • men nuki hidari-do (strike the opponent's exposed left do while the opponent extends his/her body to attack the kenshi's men)
    • kote nuki men (while raising one's arms, quickly move back just enough to dodge the opponent's kote attack, then follow with an attack to the opponent's men)
    • kote nuki kote (while raising one's arms, quickly move back just enough to dodge the opponent's kote attack, then follow with an attack to the opponent's kote)

  5. Oji Technique
    Oji techniques require the kenshi to block the opponent's attack then attack the opponent.
    • oji men (block opponent's attack then follow with an attack to the opponent's men)
    • oji kote (block opponent's attack then follow with an attack to the opponent's kote)
    • oji do (block opponent's attack then follow with an attack to the opponent's do)
    • oji tsuki (block opponent's attack then follow with an attack to the opponent's tsuki)


To fully utilise the above techniques, one must always seme. An approximate definition of seme is to be constantly applying pressure to your opponent.

Seme can broadly be separated into three methods.
They are:

  1. Use one's kensen to manipulate the opponent's kensen so that it becomes difficult for the opponent to have the "centre". This may cause you opponent to lose his/her concentration by making him/her aware that he/she does not have "centre", making him/her feel uneasy.
  2. While using proper foot and body movement is essential, the use of aggressive body and arm movement, such as "feint" techniques may trick the opponent into thinking that one is going to attack in a different way than actually intended.
  3. Spiritual attack - by having more focus, concentration, and confidence, spiritually overpower your opponent so that they will not be able to perform to their best.
The main purpose is to have your opponent fall into one of the following four mental states. They are:
  1. Make the opponent excessively wonder about how he/she should attack.
  2. Make the opponent surprised or startled.
  3. Make the opponent scared or nervous of his/her disposition.
  4. Make the opponent second guess how he/she is going to be attacked.

If one can get the opponent to fall into the above states of mind, one will be able to defeat the opponent. However, if one's mind becomes as above, he/she will be thoe one who is defeated. Therefore on must strive not to be forced into one of these states. To do this, one must have a lot of kiai and must be curageous when attacking.

M. Asaoka,
7 dan Sunrise Kendo Club

 

This text was originally formatted for html by Blaine Campbell, however I unfortunately only kept a text copy of it, and I've failed to locate the original page - Christoffer

This page is maintained by Christoffer Lernö.