FACTOID # 175: Canadians drink more fruit juice than the citizens of any other nation - more than one litre each, every week.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RELATED ARTICLES
People who viewed "Kenjutsu" also viewed:
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

SEARCH ALL

FACTS & STATISTICS    Advanced view

Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 

 

(* = Graphable)

 

 


Encyclopedia > Kenjutsu
Kenjutsu
(剣術)

Modern kenjutsu practitioners giving a demonstration at the Devonian Botanical Garden in Devon, Alberta, Canada (2005).
Focus Weaponry
Hardness Non-competitive
Country of origin Flag of Japan Japan
Creator No single creator
Olympic Sport No

Kenjutsu (剣術?) is the Japanese martial art specializing in the use of the Japanese sword (katana). Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 749 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1413 × 1131 pixel, file size: 438 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Devonian Botanical Garden is Canadas most northerly botanical garden. ... Devon is a town in the province of Alberta, Canada, situated 26 km south of Edmonton, the provincial capital, and located on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. ... A weapon is a tool used to kill or incapacitate a person or animal, or destroy a military target. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... Japanese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of martial arts native to Japan. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Katana (disambiguation). ...


Generally, kenjutsu takes the form of partnered practice exercised through kata (pre-arranged forms, as opposed to competition, solo, or freestyle practice). Kata (åž‹ or å½¢) (literally: form) is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. ...


Kenjutsu is the core means by which koryū train their students to employ the Japanese swords against a variety of classical weapons, while indoctrinating the student in the combative mindset of the school. Therefore, kenjutsu can be seen as an integral aspect of all classical Japanese sword school curricula. KoryÅ« (古流) is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. ...


Today most koryū schools continue to employ kenjutsu as part of their curriculum. Some are even thriving on a relatively small scale. Schools (or ryū) such as Yagyū Shinkage-ryū, Kashima Shinto-ryū, Kashima Shin-ryū, Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū, Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū are some of the more famous still existing. Some of these schools trace their lineage to the early years of the Tokugawa shogunate. Many other schools can legitimately trace their history from the founder dating back to the 14th century, such as Maniwa Nen-ryū (founded: 1368) or Tatsumi-ryū (founded: Eishō era 1504-1521) or Kashima Shin-ryū (founded: ca. 1450). RyÅ«(竜 or りゅう) means Dragon in Japanese. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Kashima (鹿島) Shinto-ryu is a Japanese koryu martial arts school founded by Tsukahara Bokuden in the Muromachi period (ca. ... Kashima Shin-ryu sword techniques are the adopted sword techniques incorporated in some Aikido Schools, such as the Iwama Aikido, by M.Saito. ... Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryÅ« ), often referred to simply as Jikishinkage-ryÅ« or Kashima Shinden, is a traditional school (koryÅ«) of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship (kenjutsu). ... Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryÅ« is a style of classical Japanese swordsmanship conceived by the legendary warrior Miyamoto Musashi. ... The Tokugawa shogunate or Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) (also known as the Edo bakufu) was a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family until 1868. ... This page is about the Japanese ruler and military rank. ... Maniwa Nen-ryÅ« (馬庭念流) is a traditional school (koryÅ«) of Japanese martial arts founded in 1591 by Higuchi Matashichirō (c. ... Tatsumi-ryu is a koryu bujutsu (old school art of war) still practiced today. ... Eishō (Japanese: 永正) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, lit. ...

Contents

Confusion with other practices

Kenjutsu should not be confused with iaidō or iaijutsu, where the former being a modern development with both sporting, artistic, and meditative features. The role of iaijutsu is as a practice performed against an opponent who is visualized most often to be armed with a sword. There is often strong biomechanical symbiosis between the iaijutsu and kenjutsu of most schools. Iaijutsu allows the practitioner to perfect the execution of techniques, body position and displacement which he will later employ in his kenjutsu without the stresses of a partnered kata. Iaijutsu therefore remains a distinct and yet a complementary practice to kenjutsu in most schools. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Iaido (居合道 iaidō), also sometimes called iaijutsu (居合術 iaijutsu) or battojutsu (抜刀術 battōjutsu) is the art of drawing the katana, cutting down the opponent, flipping blood from the blade, and then re-sheathing the katana in one fluid movement. ...


Another general distinction between iaijutsu and kenjutsu is the condition of the sword at the start of the kata. In iaijutsu, the sword starts in the sheathed position with the emphasis on the draw as well as the few initial cuts. Traditionally, koryū focus on shifting smoothly in the pace of execution within the iaijutsu kata with little focus is given to the speed of draw. This is contrasted with kenjutsu, where the sword begins unsheathed, and the emphasis is on both attack and defense. This distinction is however not consistent as some kenjutsu kata start with the sword sheathed.


Equipment

The equipment employed in kenjutsu has changed little within the last five hundred years. One of the more common training tools is the bokken (wooden sword). For various reasons, many schools make use of very specifically designed bokken, altering its shape, weight and length according to the ryu's specifications. For example, bokken used within Yagyū Shinkage-ryū are relatively thin and without a handguard in order to match the school's characteristic approach to combat. Alternatively, Kashima Shin-ryū practitioners utilize a thicker than average bokken with no curvature and with a rather large handguard. This of course lends itself well to Kashima Shin-ryū's distinct principles of combat.


Some schools employ a fukuro shinai (a bamboo sword covered with leather or cloth) under circumstances where the junior student lacks the ability to safely control a bokken at full speed or as a general safety precaution. It should be noted that the practice of using a bamboo sword was not adopted from kendo. In fact, the fukuro shinai dates as far back as the 15th century. A Shinai made from bamboo A shinai (Japanese: ) is a practice weapon used primarily in kendo and is used as if it were a sword. ... Kendo ), or way of the sword, is the martial art of Japanese fencing. ...


Nitōjutsu

An example of modern nitōjutsu practice.
An example of modern nitōjutsu practice.

A distinguishing feature of many kenjutsu syllabus is the use of a paired ōdachi and kodachi or shotō commonly referred to as nitōjutsu or two sword methods. The most famous exponent of nitōjutsu was Miyamoto Musashi, (1584 – 1645) the founder of Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū. Nitōjutsu is not however unique to Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū, nor was nitōjutsu the creation of Musashi. Both Tenshin Shōden Katori Shinto-ryū were founded in the early Muromachi period (ca. 1447), and Tatsumi-ryu founded Eishō period (1504-1521), contain extensive nitōjutsu curricula while also preceding the establishment of Musashi’s Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 749 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1365 × 1093 pixel, file size: 398 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 749 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1365 × 1093 pixel, file size: 398 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This is a Japanese name; the family name is Miyamoto Miyamoto Musashi ) (c. ... The Muromachi period (Japanese: 室町時代, Muromachi-jidai, also known as the Muromachi era, the Muromachi bakufu, the Ashikaga era, the Ashikaga period, or the Ashikaga bakufu) is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. ... Tatsumi-ryu is a koryu bujutsu (old school art of war) still practiced today. ... Eishō (Japanese: 永正) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, lit. ...

Disciplines

Battojutsu (抜刀術 battōjutsu) is a martial art involving the katana. ... Tojutsu (刀術 - tou-jutsu) translates literally as sword techniques. Tō is a very general japanese word for sword, and has no connotations with particular sizes, lengths or styles. ...

Sources

  • Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan - 3-volume set by Diane Skoss (Koryu Books):
    • Koryu Bujutsu: Classical Warrior Traditions Of Japan ISBN 1-890536-04-0
    • Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions Of Japan, Volume 2 ISBN 1-890536-05-9
    • Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Volume 3 ISBN 1-890536-06-7

See also

Ninjutsu ) sometimes used interchangeably with the term ninpō ), it is the martial arts practiced by the shinobi (also commonly known as the ninja). ... Taijutsu ), literally meaning body skill or body art, is a term for Japanese martial arts techniques that rely on a science of body movements. ... Kendo ), or way of the sword, is the martial art of Japanese fencing. ... A Shinai made from bamboo A shinai (Japanese: ) is a practice weapon used primarily in kendo and is used as if it were a sword. ...

External links

  • Koryu.com Guide to Kenjutsu

USA New York City official school http://www.shinkageryu.us/ founded by Tadashige Wantanabe in 2002.

  • Kenjutsu in other countries
 * South Africa: Mune Muso Dojo [1] * South Africa: Sora-to Ryu kenjutsu Heiho Kagerou Dojo [2] 

  Results from FactBites:
 
Kenjutsu Information (635 words)
Kenjutsu in conjunction to kata is the core means by which Koryu (Old Schools) Bujutsu (Martial Methods) train their student to employ the Japanese swords against a variety of classical weapons, while indoctrinating the student in the ryu's approach to combat.
Kenjutsu should not be confused with iaido or iaijutsu, where the former being a modern developmental with both sporting and artistic aspect with a focus on an aesthetics of execution as well the individual-actualization of the practitioner.
Another general distinction between iaijutsu and kenjutsu was the condition of the sword at the start of the kata - in iaijutsu, the sword begins sheathed and the emphasis is on a few initial cuts, while in kenjutsu, the sword begins unsheathed, and the emphasis is on both attack and defense.
  More results at FactBites »


 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.