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 |
| mune-ate | 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 |
| Counting to ten | |
| ichi | One |
| ni | Two |
| san | Three |
| shi/yon | Four |
| go | Five |
| roku | Six |
| shichi/nana | Seven |
| hachi | Eight |
| kyū | Nine |
| jū | Ten |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| « ki wo tsuke » | « Attention! » |
| « yasume » | « At ease! » |
| « 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 |
| hiraki ashi | « hiraki ashi » | Literally « open foot » or « opening step ». It is a diagonal movement technique, often used to dodge or reposition. There is a version for each side: « hiraki ashi - migi » (to the right) and « hiraki ashi - hidari » (to the left) |
| maware | « maware (migi) » | In jukendo, turn around to the right (by pivoting on the left back foot to perform the rotation). In tankendo, turn around to the left (by pivoting on the right front foot to perform the rotation); additionally, the command is shortened to « maware » (thus without specifying the direction). |
| 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.