(Actual sparring begins at about 8:04 into the video.)
Detailed explanation and conclusions here: We Fought with Sharps (So You Don't Have To!)
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I understand that in a few of the old Kenjutsu schools, that for one of the dans, your grading requires you to do Kumitachi with live swords. I was told it's recommend you take your best friend and train with him for a few months before trying.
It occurred to me the other day that I've never seen discussion of the bind in Japanese sword arts, although it's a significant subject in European sword arts. Are there kenjutsu schools where the topic comes up or is there something about the Japanese approach to swordsmanship which makes it less relevant?Er.... no.
The "old school kenjutsu schools" don't use Dan gradings in the main... and none require you to do kumitachi with shinken that I've ever come across. It's not uncommon for high ranking kendoka to use shinken when doing Kendo no Kata, shinken are pretty much the norm in Iaido above Sandan, but... no... what you've written is more in the realm of urban myth than anything else...
It occurred to me the other day that I've never seen discussion of the bind in Japanese sword arts, although it's a significant subject in European sword arts. Are there kenjutsu schools where the topic comes up or is there something about the Japanese approach to swordsmanship which makes it less relevant?
For those schools which do address it, do they ever train with live blades (partnered sword-to-sword, not cutting drills) to get a feel for the actual experience of the bind? From what I gather, that's the primary reason why some HEMA practitioners do these sorts of experiments - unsharpened blades just don't act the same way.No, it's quite relevant... it's just considered a part of the way swords behave when engaging with each other. It's a part of the waza of a number of schools that I'm familiar with, including ones I train in. That said, the bulk of swordsmanship (Japanese) is centred on "evasive cutting"... avoiding contact with the opponents weapon in the first place, and just trying to get the sharp side and pointy stabby bit in the soft, squishy parts of the other guy...
I guess it depends on what you mean by "already know." You may have documents and traditions which explain a given phenomenon. That's not the same as having first hand personal tactile experience of that same phenomenon.No, not really.... HEMA is figuring things out.... we rely on remembering how things work.... so we don't feel the need to test something we already know.
Scared?screw that.
It occurred to me the other day that I've never seen discussion of the bind in Japanese sword arts, although it's a significant subject in European sword arts. Are there kenjutsu schools where the topic comes up or is there something about the Japanese approach to swordsmanship which makes it less relevant?
The "old school kenjutsu schools" don't use Dan gradings in the main... and none require you to do kumitachi with shinken that I've ever come across. It's not uncommon for high ranking kendoka to use shinken when doing Kendo no Kata, shinken are pretty much the norm in Iaido above Sandan, but... no... what you've written is more in the realm of urban myth than anything else...
I hadn't seen this before. But I have always been interested in what old swordsmen did with the inevitable nicks as shown at the end of the video?
(Actual sparring begins at about 8:04 into the video.)
Detailed explanation and conclusions here: We Fought with Sharps (So You Don't Have To!)