Solo Forms in Kenjutsu

[karljamesjr]

Are there any solo forms (kata) practiced in kenjutsu styles, or do they only focus on paired forms? If that were the case, are solo kata pretty much exclusive to iaido/jutsu styles?

 

[Langenschwert]

There are so many different schools that it's not a question one can answer. Regardless, one ends up training the paired techniques alone at home anyway.

 

[hoshin1600]

in Jikishikage Kashima shinden Ryu, (as i learned it) had 4 long two person forms, that could be practiced as a solo form. if you practice one role then the other you essentially have 8 solo forms.
as you learnt the single side of the form you practiced it and were taught it as a solo form. then later would pair with a partner who knew the other side.

 

[karljamesjr]

Thanks for your replies, makes more sense now. In that case it'd be safe to assume that "typical" solo forms as seen in, say, Toyama or Nakamura, where the kata are not "halfs" of paired forms but stand-alone scenarios like enemy to the front, enemy to the left, enemy to the rear etc., are only a iaido/battodo thing and kenjutsu schools don't do it that way?

 

[Langenschwert]

That might be true in a general sense, but one never knows. I'm pretty sure no one here knows every single kenjutsu school and their training philosophy. If I say no, kenjutsu schools don't have solo forms, someone is going to find half a dozen that do. I just can't think of any offhand.

 

[pgsmith]

Thanks for your replies, makes more sense now. In that case it'd be safe to assume that "typical" solo forms as seen in, say, Toyama or Nakamura, where the kata are not "halfs" of paired forms but stand-alone scenarios like enemy to the front, enemy to the left, enemy to the rear etc., are only a iaido/battodo thing and kenjutsu schools don't do it that way?

Got to stop you here and point out that you're making the typical mistake that many people unfamiliar with traditional Japanese arts makes. You are attempting to give concrete definitions to a context driven language. In typical Japanese usage (there are alwaysexceptions) iaido/jutsu and battodo/jutsu is what happens when you begin with the sword in the saya. Kenjutsu is what happens after you've drawn the sword. Therefore, it is futile to attempt to pigeonhole a particular school as "kenjutsu" or "iaijutsu" as the vast majority contain elements of both.
Here is my understanding of the purpose behind solo kata. They are there to teach proper manipulation and movement of the sword. How to move properly with it on, how to draw it quickly, and how to easily replace it afterwards. There are several schools that only have two person kata, but the assumption there is that a person would already be familiar with the sword before entering the school.

Never try to pin exact definitions on anything Japanese, it will just cause you frustration.

 

[WaterGal]

As others have said, there's no way to generalize about what everyone does. Kendo only has paired forms, but there are other Japanese sword arts that may train differently.

 

[karljamesjr]

That's very true, and thank you guys for clarifying.