Looking at a Far Mountain. Paul Budden

second)

      Kamae of AI-CHUDAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means o SEN-SEN-NO-SEN.

      DAI Sanbon (the third)

      Kamae of AI-GEDAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of SEN-SEN-NO-SEN.

      DAI Yohon (the fourth)

      Kamae of IN-YO-NO-KAMAE, both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of GO-NO-SEN.

      DAI Gohon (the fifth)

      Kamae of JODAN and SEIGAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of SEN-SEN-NO-SEN.

      DAI Roppon (the sixth)

      Kamae of SEIGAN and GEDAN, having SEN-attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of GO-NO-SEN.

      DAI Nanahon (the seventh)

      Kamae of AI-SEIGAN, having SEN- attitude both move forward to each other, and then SHIDACHI wins by means of GO-NO-SEN.

      Ono Ha Itto Ryu Kata, with Naritomo Tsurumi on the right and Junzo Sasamori on the left.

      Another display of Ono Ha ltto Ryu Kata, with Junzo Sasamori on the right and Sasaburo Takano on the left.

      Prize winners in Showa(4) 1929. Mochida Sensei is in the centre and Yokata Sensei is on the right.

      Sen - Stop your opponent’s attack by first movement, forestall, attitude of taking the initiative. This does not mean speed, more subconsciously seeing the origin of every real action, or the practised ability to read a changing situation instantly. Having or assuming an advance intention of victory.

      SEN SEN NO SEN - Anticipating your opponent’s intention and capitalising on this knowledge to have victory.

      GO NO SEN - Responding to your opponent’s attacking movements by countering from them, without knowing your opponent’s intention beforehand.

      Reaction in Sen Sen No Sen and Go No Sen must be carried out at a faster speed than the actions of the attacker. Having a sincere and pure attitude of the single mind, unwavering and of a high and delicately refined quality. This is Kigurai and should be combined with Sen attitude.

      Further definitions for Sen: Initiative, advantage, first-step and ambition.

      Attitude...Position of the body indicating mood or emotion. Position can also be defined as proper place.

      KODACHI NO KATA

      Dai Ippon

      Kamae: Uchidachi, Jodan, Shidachi, Chudan. Shidachi wins by rushing in and entering Irimi Uchidachi instantly. Feeling of shin.

      Dai Nihon

      Kamae: Uchidachi, Gedan, Shidachi, Chudan wins by provoking uchidachi and counter cutting. Feeling of gyo.

      Dai Sanbon

      Kamae: Uchidachi, Chudan, Shidachi, Gedan. Shidachi wins by thwarting and controlling every attack made by uchidachi without actually cutting him. Feeling of so.

      These three feelings are somewhat different to the sen attitudes due to the differing sword length, although sen is applied throughout all the kata.

      Moriji Mochida, in old age, demonstrates the Jodan Kamae.

      An example of Shinai Kendo with Mochida Sensei on the right and Nakano Sensei on the left. The scene is from the Showa(40) 1966.

      A demonstration of Nihon Kendo Kata by Moriji Mochida and Goro Saimura at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

      Further definitions:

      Shin: Truth. Strike directly and attack strongly, rush in with the feeling of truth without fear and into ten no kamae showing true strength.

      Gyo: Stream. Using your opponent’s force, flowing like a stream with his attack, ensuring that you flow from the men cut into the final thrust. Movement is in a different direction.

      So: Grass or weeds. Again blend with your opponent like blades of grass in the wind and move to make him work hard, tiring him by your multitude of movement like a field of grass. A million blades swaying in the wind; controlling but never retaliating. As grasses and weeds are among plants that come above ground in early spring, so your movement should also be before that of your opponent. So is also known as kusa.

      Further comments on shin, gyo and so.

      In Renku or Haikai, a sort of play in short poems, attaching a new piece of verse responding in accordance with the one made by another poet. In this sense shin is the way of using a style of verse exactly responding to the one made by another poet. Gyo is the not exactly responding but almost in harmony with the former one. The last, so, is a style vaguely in response to the one made before. This way of shin, gyo, and so is also applied to Kado (flower arrangement) Nihon Ga (traditional Japanese painting) and Zoen (traditional gardening).