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Kenjutsu: Difference between revisions
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''Kenjutsu'' is the historical conglomerate of Japanese sword arts, sometimes referred to as JSA. [[Katanas Are Just Better|The way most fictional media tells it,]] students of the Japanese sword can achieve [[Implausible Fencing Powers|insane levels of skill and do things that outright defy physics and logic.]] Like all types of propaganda, the anecdotes about users of the katana have some basis in fact, with the amount of truth varying from source to source. Kenjutsu schools often have a well-preserved lineage, unlike, unfortunately, its [[
If one were to compare schools of Japanese fencing to schools of European fencing, one would find many similarities, but also significant differences. Due to the consistent nature of katanas, the design change in which is near negligible compared to alterations in European swords, the Japanese schools differentiate from one-another on much more subtle basis. Where a European school might differ from another on basic technical grounds, a Japanese school is more likely to define its differences in terms of how to achieve an end result (e.g. an attack to the head) rather than what this end result is. This is not to say that the European arts lack subtlety, but the context of Japanese sword arts demanded a higher emphasis on matters that some would consider quite minor, such as "one school lets the sword tip fall back as they arm, its sibling school does not."
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* ''Katana'': The sword that most people immediately think of. It was three feet or so long, with approximately a quarter of that as the hilt.
* ''Wakizashi'': The shorter companion sword to the katana, usually about two feet long. Used in two-sword forms or in some single forms. It was considered the "indoor" sword; samurai didn't use the katana indoors, because of low ceilings, etiquette and the like.
* ''Naginata'': [[Blade
* ''Yari'': Spear. Usually about six feet long or so, used for thrusting and cutting similar to a Chinese spear.
* ''Bo'': [[Simple Staff]]. Commonly about six feet long.
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==== '''Grip''' ====
Like many feudal societies, the Japanese believed that left-handedness was a sign of evil or deception; therefore, sword techniques were taught exclusively as right-handed. This is reflected in the grip; the katana is usually gripped both-handed, with the left hand near the pommel and the right near the hand-guard. This holds true whether the sword is placed by the right side of the body or the left.
Usually, the pinky and ring fingers hold the handle the strongest, and the index and thumb only barely touch it.
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==== '''Katori Shinto Ryu: ''' ====
One of the oldest and most famous kenjutsu schools in Japan. Named after the shintoist Katori shrine, where it's practiced, this school was (and, to some extent, still is) very secretive. Prospective students used to need to swear a blood oath of secrecy before even stepping foot inside the dojo; this practice is still upheld in the Katori shrine, but many teachers in other places readily teach a sizeable part of the curriculum to curious students without requiring an oath. Some of the techniques are only taught to the most trusted students there are, and (of course) always require a blood oath.
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''Temperament:'' The swordsmanship practiced in KSR is quite physically demanding. It has a certain rhythm of attack, and does not generally wait until an opportunity has presented itself, rather aiming to create it by being proactive. Endurance and speed are both required to keep up with the pace.
''Technical focus:'' Very diverse. The marginally most common technique is the "rolling strike", a strike to the head; but apart from that, students are taught a large variety of different techniques and even different weapons.
''Context of application:'' Many different ones. With or without armour, in a duel or a battlefield, with a drawn or sheathed sword, with other weapons, the techniques practiced are very diverse. Even some wrestling techniques are taught, as well as a few other battlefield skills. Students are swiftly prepared to survive a prospective battle, and are even instructed to be cautious around one another. }}
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One of the two schools (the other being Ono-ha Itto Ryu) to be given the distinction of being considered "official" by the shogunate, as well as the first to make use of shinai. This allowed practitioners to spar freely with one another, greatly improving the quality of teaching compared to solely kata-based instruction.
YSR teachings emphasise improvement of self above all. Many details of the body workings are prescribed, even down to the fingers and toes. This makes for a school that was renowned for its efficiency, without cultivating aggression in its practitioners.
{{quote|
''Temperament:'' Rather pacific. Emphasises self-improvement.
''Technical focus:'' Ruining an opponent's attack with one's own. Typically, such a technique would first deflect an opponent's attack, and then continue on to the target.
''Context of application:'' Unarmoured duels. }}
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A school that owes its fame to its founder: the most famous Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi. Officially formulated during Musashi's later years, it mainly concerns itself with the sword (katana, wakizashi or simultaneous wielding of the two), with some bojutsu and wrestling techniques included.
Niten Ichi Ryu is most famous for its dual-sword curriculum, with a katana in one hand and a wakizashi in the other. However, it's worth noting that it's neither the only nor the first school to teach dual-sword techniques. Also, the main purpose of dual-wielding practice was to make the katana easier to wield one-handed. Musashi advocated the use of a katana in each hand.
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''Temperament:'' Calm and composed, influenced my Musashi's Buddhist practice.
''Technical focus:'' Curiously, although Musashi considered chudan to be the most important stance to study, most-if-not-all of the techniques he taught are against an opponent that has assumed hasso. Many techniques are about avoiding to the side, or deflecting, or parrying, and the most usual targets are soft tissues such as the neck or wrists.
''Context of application:'' Unarmoured duels. }}
==== '''Jigen Ryu: ''' ====
A greatly feared school that had many victories. Characteristic for its "dragonfly" stance, essentially a modified version of hasso (see above) with the hands a couple decimetres higher.
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''Temperament:'' Highly aggressive. In rumour, students of this style required a paper cord to keep themselves from drawing their swords (and killing) more frequently than they had to.
''Technical focus:'' Downward strike. That, combined with ''very'' loud and continuous yelling. Seriously, there was nothing else; just was one technique, practiced for over four million times yearly. It was so quick as to make evasion extremely difficult, and so powerful as to kill people by clanging their own sword against their skull.
''Context of application:'' Practically, any battle wherein one is armed with a sword. }}
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==== '''Shinto Muso Ryu: ''' ====
An art descendant of various older bojutsu teachings, it opted to shorten the bo by 30% to create a new, shorter staff called a jo. Mainly consisting of jo vs sword exercises, it uses the staff's longer reach to swipe the sword to the sides, attack the hands or head, trap the weapon and thrust to vulnerable points of the body. A few other weapons are also taught auxiliarly.
==== '''Eishin Ryu: ''' ====
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Kenjutsu]]
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