(Video Link)

 

 

 

 BASIC JAP.SWORD :

 VISUALS/TERMS, pics and tips. 

 

 

 SHIRO’s WEAPON INTEL #1

 

 PARTS OF THE  

 SWORD… (+ Scabbard) .

 

 

 

 TYPES OF 

 SWORD… (+Dagger)  .

 

 

 

 BASIC JAP.SWORD 

 TERMS:

 

• Boshi – blades tempered point.
  
• Dojo – place of training for martial arts.
• Fuchi – collar behind guard on handle.
  
• Ha – cutting edge of the sword.
• Hada – blades metallic grain.
• Hamachi – blades edge notch.
  
• Hamon – tempered area/line on blade.
• Horimono – engraving on blade.
  
• Hi – groove on the side of the blade.
• Ito – braiding on handle etc.
  
• Jigane – area between hamon and shinogi.
• Kashira – handle/pommel end cap.
  
• Katana – Japanese sword with a curved blade used by the Samurai.
• Kissaki – tip of the sword.
• Koiguchi – scabbard opening for sword.
  
• Kojiri – scabbard end/cap/tip.
  
• Koshirae – sword fittings.
• Kurikata – scabbard notch/knob.
  
• Mei – blade/black smith signature.
• Mekugi – blade tang hole(s) peg/dowel.
  
• Mekugi ana – blades tang hole(s).
• Menuki – handle/scabbard ornament.
  
• Monouchi – cutting area of the ha.
• Mune – back edge of the sword.
• Munemachi – blades back edge notch.
  
• Nakago – blade tang (part of blade inside the handle).
• Sageo – cord wrap on scabbard.
• Same – handle wrap material, usually rayskin.
  
• Saya – the scabbard/case in which a Katana is sheathed.
  
• Seppa – spacers.
  
• Shinogi – line separating jigane and shinogi ji.
• Shinogi ji – area between shinogi and mune.
• Sori – curvature of the blade.
• Tsuba – the guard of a Japanese Katana.
• Tsuka – the handle of a Japanese Katana.
• Yasuri me – blades file marks.
• Yokote – line marking start of blade tip.
  

 

 

 SWORD-BLADE.

 PROFILE SHAPE.

 

 

 PARTS OF THE 

 SWORD-BLADE.

 

 

 

 

 SHAPE OF THE

 SWORD-BLADE.

 

 

 

 

 SHIRO’s SWORD TRAINING TIP(s).

The somewhat cautious approach to Sword training recommended by many instructors is necessary.

Live swords are simply dangerous.

The skill sets required to ably handle such weapons take time to master.Walk before you run type approach is the best advice here.

Start and stay with your ‘attack’ training with wooden/training swords…probably till it’s time your instructor says to start cutting practice…

however…

 

 

When you are training ‘defensively’…learning unarmed and weapon self-defence against the sword (or ANY other weapon type); as soon as one is comfortable…

defend against a live blade (whilst keeping within your limits…by getting attacking training partner… to start very slow and controlled etc)…and ‘begin’ your training anew…because:

A Sword moves slightly faster and it’s nature allows a wide variety of attack angles whilst also having a distinct reach advantage over many others (esp. unarmed) AND

is rather problematical to catch and remove etc too.

There is also the ‘fear’ factor involved to consider as well.

LOTS to learn.

The more ‘familiar’ you become with the Sword…the more you learn.Simple.

 

 

 BASIC TRAINING: MOVEMENT

 

BASIC Moving/Movement with a weapon should be NO different than empty-handed.Naturally and smoothly as normally possible for you.Simply.

With control, flow and balance per norm.

 

 

Stay focused on safety, learning/adapting the instructor’s tips to suit your physiology and learning ‘off ‘ the Sword in your hands. Keep in mind too, for example; the observation that olden Japanese weapons were oft. built suited to their average size…and in quite a few cases…to individual Weapon Masters/Adepts/Owners etc.

A larger or smaller Weapon may feel ‘more balanced‘ in your hands and will be reflected in your training technique positively.

DEVELOP the ‘feeling‘ aspect at least enough to be able to recognise firstly, what Weapon Balance is and then if you can even properly defend or use odd fitting weaponry perhaps when you are free-form training or when more experience gathered…

however…

When in a ‘real’ situation = use what you can whenever req.

Do what is needed to survive.

Be like Ninja and Kunoichi.

 

 

 A FINAL LOOK…

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Video Link)

 

 

 

(Video Link)

 

 

FOR A FURTHER LOOK AT LEGENDARY SWORDS…(click)…or

(click)…here for an EGYPTIAN PHARAOH’s SECRET OF SLEEP +

hope you enjoyed;

BASIC JAPANESE SWORD: SHIRO’s WEAPON INTEL #1

 

 

Till next…

idreamofninja… do you have a dream?