Categorized as a beginner’s 点抜 (ten’nuki), this is a fundamental 抜刀技法 (battou gihou – “battou technique”).
As the teaching goes, “the sword thrusts, the spear cuts”, it is important to study the characteristic battou techniques of Tenshinryuu’s where you cut in order to thrust.
Battou with the kaisho 守 (shu)
Explanation
Well then, please allow me to explain 十字切 (juujigiri).
Juujigiri can be done from 結立 (musubidachi) or 閉足立 (heisokudachi). As beginners, please practise Juujigiri from 馬上立 (bajoudachi). In this video, we will explain Juujigiri from Bajoudachi.
Assume Bajoudachi and place your hand on the sword. Then make 半身 (hanmi).
Cut the koiguchi, do the sayabiki, and cut horizontally.
Then turn the sword over from the right, and as for the 二之太刀 (ni no tachi), cut directly forward. (TL note: 二之太刀 (ni no tachi) roughly translates to “second tachi”, but it basically means “making a second attack in one go”.)
Perform 血振 (chiburui) and do the noutou.
Now I will explain in detail.
From Bajoudachi place your hand on the sword, and make hanmi.
Please try to make a sturdy and clear hanmi.
When you make the hanmi naturally, the tsuka might end up drifting off to your left like this.
As already explained in various techniques before, in Tenshinryuu the tsuka goes to your right side, then the sword is drawn from the saya into the direction it’s pointing to.
After making hanmi, please make sure to bring the tsuka to your right from the centre.
When making hanmi, if you move your left hand to your right side, the tsuka will be less likely to drift off to your left side. Therefore, when performing Juujigiri, please make sure to check if you’ve made a proper hanmi.
Place your right hand on the tsuka. Without gripping the tsuka, just place your hand there with a sense of pinching. Then cut the koiguchi, and do the sayabiki.
Please pay attention to the shape of your left hand and elbow during the sayabiki.
After drawing the sword, cut the opponent’s throat horizontally.
As for where to cut, it’s either the eyes, upper arm of temple depending on the situation.
Moreover, in actual combat, you may also go for the wrist, but for now let’s aim at the throat and cut horizontally like this.
After cutting the throat, turn the sword over from the right side, then hold the sword in your centre and cut straight down.
Please watch from the opposite side.
After cutting the throat, turn your right wrist and lower the tip of the sword.
Turn the sword over from the right, bring the sword over your head and cut straight down.
Let’s now move on to the explanation of the noutou.
The noutou used for Juujigiri is called 略納刀 (ryakunoutou – roughly “shortened noutou”).
略納刀 (ryakunoutou) means a shortened noutou form.
Bring your right fist to the right for the chiburui.
Please be careful about the position of the right fist after the chiburui.
Please watch from the side.
During the regular noutou the right fist would be at this height.
The position of the right fist is raised, and the tip of the sword is pointed downward.
However, with Ryakunoutou, while maintaining the height of your right fist after cutting straight down, you perform the chiburui by moving your right fist straight to the right.
And please make sure the tip of the sword is just slightly pointed down compared to the regular noutou.
After the chiburui, lay the saya sideways with your left hand, then bring the sword to the saya as if you were to thrust with the tip of the sword to your left. At this moment, the back of the sword and the koiguchi are brought together.
Then, while making hanmi, perform the noutou, sheathe the sword as soon as the tip of the sword falls into the koiguchi.
While keeping hanmi, move both hands and get into this kind of shape. Make sure the tsuka comes to your right side.
Then move the left foot. At this time, the tsuba is in the exact centre, the 中墨 (nakazumi).
First, bring your right fist to the tsukagashira and push it to fully sheathe the sword.
Place your right hand on your right hip and your left hand on your left one, then finally return to Musubidachi.
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