Resources
This section contains useful resources for learning jukendo and tankendo!
Glossary
General
| Term | Translation |
|---|---|
| Practice partners | |
| sensei | Teacher |
| sempai | Senior |
| kohai | Junior |
| motodachi | Person who acts as the training partner or opponent during practice, often helping others improve their techniques |
| shugisha | The one performing the technique in a structured practice setting |
| uchikata | Often referred to as "striking/attacking sword", this role is typically taken by the senior practitioner or instructor. The uchikata initiates the action, governs the tempo, and provides a true attack, allowing the shikata to learn proper technique, distancing, and spirit |
| shikata | Known as "doing/receiving sword", this role is performed by the junior practitioner or student. The shikata responds to the uchikata's actions, executing the techniques and learning from the guidance provided |
| Equipment | |
| gi | Jacket of the practice uniform |
| hakama | Pants of the practice uniform |
| mokuju | Wooden replica of a rifle used in jukendo |
| tanshinai | Bamboo replica of a bayonet used in tankendo |
| bogu | The whole armor |
| men | Helmet that protects the head and throat |
| do | Armor that protects the torso |
| futon | Protection placed under the do to cushion thrusts |
| kote | Gloves that protect the wrists and thumb |
| tare | Apron that protects the lower body |
| kata | Shoulder protector worn in jukendo that protects the heart and shoulder |
| shino | Glove worn in jukendo on the right hand |
| Course opening and closing | |
| At the beginning of the course | |
| « taiso » | Warm-up |
| « seiretsu » | Form a line |
| « chakuza »/« seiza » | Sit |
| « mokuso » | Silent Meditation |
| « mokuso yame » | Stop silent meditation |
| « shomen ni rei » | Bow to the shomen (dojo's wall of honour) |
| « sensei (gata) ni rei » | Bow to the sensei (gata if several senseis) |
| « otagai ni rei » | Bow to your fellow practitioners |
| « kata/men wo tsuke » | Put your kata/men on |
| At the end of the course | |
| « seiretsu » | Form a line |
| « chakuza »/« seiza » | Sit |
| « kata/men wo tore » | Take off your kata/men |
| « mokuso » | Silent Meditation |
| « mokuso yame » | Stop silent meditation |
| « sensei (gata) ni rei » | Bow to the sensei (gata if several senseis) |
| « otagai ni rei » | Bow to your fellow practitioners |
| « shomen ni rei » | Bow to the shomen (dojo's wall of honour) |
Postures
| Term | Translation |
|---|---|
| « kamae » | Stance or posture. It refers to both the physical positioning of the body and the mental readiness of a practitioner |
| Jukendo | |
| « chudan-no-kamae » | The most fundamental kamae, it is the middle guard position: left foot forward, tip of the mokuju positioned at the level of the opponent's chest, angled to point at their right eye |
| « gedan-no-kamae » | A low guard position where the tip of the weapon is pointed toward the opponent's knee |
| Tankendo | |
| « chudan-no-kamae » | The most fundamental kamae, it is the middle guard position: right arm extended forward, with the kensen at its own heart height but angled upward toward the opponent's eye-line |
| « irimi-no-kamae » | A modified middle guard position where the body angles slightly as if preparing to attack. The arm extends further, angling the weapon so that the kensen tips to the opponent's wrist |
| « gedan-no-kamae » | A low guard position where the tip of the weapon is pointed toward the opponent's knee |
| « jodan-no-kamae » | A high guard position where the tanshinai is raised above the center of the head, approximately a fist-width away |
Techniques
Commands (gorei) are given by the motodachi.
| Technique | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Orders | ||
| kamae | « kamae » | Take guard |
| naore | « naore » | Return from guard position |
| hajime | « hajime » | Start |
| yame | « yame » | Stop |
| onaji | « onaji » | Repeat the same technique |
| Moving | ||
| mae | « mae » | Step forward |
| ato | « ato » | Step backward |
| migi | « migi » | Step to the right |
| hidari | « hidari » | Step to the left |
| maware migi | « maware migi » | U-turn to the right |
| Jukendo | ||
| Kihon waza | ||
| chokutotsu | « tsuke » | Direct thrust (left side) |
| dattotsu | « hazuse tsuke » | Direct thrust (right side) |
| katotsu | « shita wo tsuke » | Direct thrust (strike below) |
| nodo | « nodo wo tsuke » | Attack to the throat |
| kote | « kote wo tsuke » | Attack to the wrist |
| renzoku waza | « tsudzuite tsuke » | Continuous attacks |
| Shikake/ouji waza | ||
| migi harai tsuki | « migi wo harae tsuke » | Move the opponent's mokuju to the right and then thrust |
| hidari harai tsuki | « hidari wo harae tsuke » | Move the opponent's mokuju towards the left and then thrust |
| shita harai tsuki | « shita wo harae tsuke » | Move the opponent's mokuju when he is in gedan no kamae and then thrust |
| ouji-waza | « migi wo harae tsuke » | motodachi attacks to the torso (do) and the opponent parries and counterattacks by performing a sweeping motion followed by an attack to the throat/torso (nodo/do) |
| Oyo waza | ||
| tsuki nagashi | « tsuke mae » | Thrust and then step forward |
| mae tsuki | « mae tsuke » | Step forward and then thrust |
| dai-ichi keiko | « dai-ichi keiko hajime » | Determined sequence |
| Tankendo | ||
| Kihon waza | ||
| do tsuki | « do wo tsuke » | Attack to the torso |
| nodo tsuki | « nodo wo tsuke » | Attack to the throat |
| men uchi | « men wo ute » | Attack to the head |
| kote uchi | « kote wo ute » | Attack to the wrist |
| renzoku waza | « tsudzuite (nodo/dō/men/kote) wo tsuke/ute » | Continuous attacks |
| Shikake/ouji waza | ||
| migi harai tsuki | « migi ni harae tsuke » | Move the opponent's tanshinai to the right and then thrust |
| hidari harai tsuki | « hidari ni harae tsuke » | Move the opponent's tanshinai towards the left and then thrust |
| tsuki harai-zuki | « tsuki ni harae nodo/do wo tsuke » | motodachi attacks to the torso (do) and the opponent parries and counterattacks by performing a sweeping motion followed by an attack to the throat/torso (nodo/do) |
| uchi harai uchi | « men ni harae men/kote wo ute » | Attack to the head/wrist (men/kote) and the opponent parries and counterattacks by performing a sweeping motion followed by an attack to the head/wrist (*men/kote) |
| Oyo waza | ||
| tsuki nagashi | « tsuke mae » | Thrust and then step forward |
| mae tsuki | « mae tsuke » | Step forward and then thrust |
| irimi seitai zuki | « irimi seitai zuki hajime » | Enter deeply (irimi) into the opponent's space while unbalancing them (seitai) and delivering a thrust (zuki) |
| dai-ichi keiko | « dai-ichi keiko hajime » | Determined sequence |
Kata
Below you'll find videos demonstrating jukendo and tankendo katas.