This time, we focus on Nukiuchi 抜打, a technique from Zahô 坐法 (Sitting technique) Okigatana 置刀(Yasumedachi 休太刀).
It is classified under Hidachi 秘太刀 (Hiken 秘剣 Secret technique) and is considered a high-difficulty technique within the realm of battōjutsu. However, because it symbolizes the philosophy of Munenori’s Katsujinken 活人剣 (the life-giving sword), it is positioned as an introductory battōjutsu technique within Zahô Okigatana and is the first one to be learned.
This is a striking technique that uses the mine 峰 (back of the blade), and at times, the shinogi 鎬 (Side of the sword).
It is generally referred to as mineuchi 峰打ち (striking with the back of the blade), or muneuchi 棟打ち.
There is even an old saying: “Muneuchi wa katana no nakidokoro” — Striking with the back is the sword’s weak point.
Likewise, hirauchi 平打ち (striking with the flat of the blade, using the shinogi) is also not inherently strong.
This is because the mine is structurally weaker compared to the edge (ha 刃), and even the shinogi, no matter how robust the blade, has less thickness (kasane 重ね) than the width of the blade (Mihaba 身幅), resulting in lower strength.
However, this is a matter of simple structural strength.
Even using the edge carries a risk of damage, and considering that the edge is thin, it’s easy to understand how chipping or bending can quickly render a blade unusable in continued combat.
The fact that Tenshin-ryu uses the shinogi and mine for both defense and striking is the result of ancient practitioners discovering through experience that, with the right technique, skill, and appropriate use of each part of the blade, the sword could be used effectively without damage.
Here, Nukiuchi using the mine or shinogi is not akin to a full swing with a baseball bat.
By delivering a sharp and compact strike, one can disable the opponent’s movement through bruising or even bone fracture.
It is also used in situations where one acts under secret orders, intentionally provoking conflict (such as goading the opponent into anger or rash action), and then subduing them with this technique in order to entrap or undermine them. Because it involves striking down the opponent while seated, it is also known as Zatôken 坐倒剣 (A sword that strikes down while seated.). Additionally, due to its use in quelling disputes or arguments with friends— sometimes temporarily severing bonds—it is also referred to as Kizunadachi 紲太刀 (Bond-Cutting Sword).
Even if the bond (kizuna) is temporarily severed, with time and healing, reconciliation is still possible.
About the parts of the blade
In Tenshin-ryu, each part of the blade is named according to its primary intended use, as follows:
- Sattô 殺刀 (Killing Sword)
- Seitô 制刀 (Controlling Sword)
- Bôtô 防刀 (Defensive Sword)
- Kattô 活刀 (Life-Giving Sword), also referred to as Watô 和刀 (Harmonizing Sword)
Sattô 殺刀 (Killing Sword) refers to the upper third of the blade, near the tip. It is primarily used for cutting and thrusting, hence the name “Killing Sword.”
Seitô 制刀 (Controlling Sword) refers to the middle third of the blade. It is mainly used to control or manipulate the opponent’s sword, which is why it is called the “Controlling Sword.”
Bôtô 防刀 (Defensive Sword) refers to the lower third of the blade, near the guard (tsuba). As it is the part mainly used for defense, it is called the “Defensive Sword.”
Kattô 活刀 (Life-Giving Sword), also known as Watô 和刀 (Harmonizing Sword), refers to the mine (the back or spine of the blade).
As exemplified by the Nukiuchi technique discussed here, it is used to resolve conflicts without shedding blood.
The name Kattô comes from its role in preserving life, while Watô signifies harmony and reconciliation.
In Tenshin-ryu, cuts are typically made shallowly using the kissaki-sanzun 切っ先三寸 —approximately 9cm from the tip of the blade. However, using the kissaki-sanzun (approximately 9cm from the tip of the blade) in Nukiuchi carries the risk of nintentionally thrusting, and it also increases the potential for damage to the sword.
Therefore, in Nukiuchi, the strike is delivered using the area around the boundary between the Sattô (killing sword) and Seitô (controlling sword)—approximately the upper third of the blade—commonly referred to as the monouchi 物打ち. As a result, the striking distance (maai 間合) becomes slightly closer than usual. It is important to understand that Nukiuchi carries this inherent risk.
Explanation of the Procedure
※ Important Notice (Common to All Videos)
The breakdown of steps shown here serves as one possible standard, but it is not an absolute sequence. The movements can be further divided for more detailed practice, or conversely, practiced with fewer steps depending on the training approach.
Procedure:
Take the sword placed on your left side with your left hand.
Be sure not to forget to brace (hold down) the tsuba (guard) with your left thumb.
Procedure:
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Take the sword placed on your left side with your left hand.
Be sure not to forget to brace (hold down) the tsuba (guard) with your left thumb. -
Lift the sword slightly horizontally as if cradling it, and place your right hand on the tsuka (hilt).
(Do not turn the blade edge upward.) -
Turn your body slightly into a half-facing stance (hanmi 半身), and draw the saya (scabbard) back with your left hand.
(Be careful not to move your right hand.) -
Step forward with your right foot into a seated combat posture (Iai-goshi 居相腰), fully taking a hanmi stance.
As you draw, extend your right elbow and strike the opponent’s upper arm with the back of the blade (mine). -
Reverse the blade in your grip, drop your right fist, and step slightly forward with both feet to press the tip of the sword (kissaki) to the opponent’s throat.
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After confirming that the opponent has lost the will to fight, has released their sword, and shows no intention to continue the engagement, retreat using shinobi-ashi (忍足 A walking method that keeps the posture as low as possible) to a distance of at least six shaku 六尺 (approximately 180 cm).
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Lower yourself into a Shizumi seigan 沈み青眼 (middle guard) stance with zanshin (残心 residual awareness).
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Perform orishiki 折敷 to maintain zanshin.
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Shake off the blood (chiburui 血振い) and return the sword to the scabbard (nôtô 納刀).
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Target Areas for Striking
Target Areas in Nukiuchi
The target areas in Nukiuchi are as follows:
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Temple (Komekami)
This area is generally avoided due to the high risk of fatal injury, such as causing the eyeball to dislodge or inflicting a cerebral contusion.
It is only used in special cases, such as for punitive purposes. -
Upper Arm
This is the standard target.
The upper arm can be cleanly repaired, making it a highly effective area to strike.
If there is no intention of restoring the relationship with the opponent, the strike can be aimed at the joint (elbow) with the intent of permanently disabling the use of the arm.
While modern surgical techniques may allow recovery, in the past, this area often resulted in lasting injury. -
Forearm, Fist (Fingers)
This is not a horizontal strike but a diagonal one (kesa-gake 袈裟懸け).
It is difficult to execute a compact diagonal draw-hit from the okigatana (resting sword) position.
Although the fist or fingers are among the most effective targets for stopping an opponent’s draw, they are small and therefore more difficult to hit accurately.
Other target areas may be chosen depending on the situation.
For example, one might aim for the jaw to dislocate it, or strike the opponent’s knee or shin on the leg they step forward with.
However, specifically targeting areas such as the temple or jaw is considered a form of “Nukiuchi” written with different characters, known as “抜討” (nukiuchi).
The character “討” in Japanese means “Defeat the enemy” or “Investigate”.
This form of Nukiuchi refers to punitive actions such as public executions or assassinations, carried out under special orders from the shogunate.
Explanation: Movements During the Draw
When placing your right hand on the sword’s hilt, do not grip it tightly—instead, rest your hand on it gently and with a relaxed touch.
Execute the sword draw in such a way that your right fist and the sword’s guard (tsuba) remain positioned to the right of the Jinchûro 人中路 (the central line of the body).
In particular, when attempting to draw the sword quickly, you expose your own right forearm (Migi kote 右小手) to the opponent.
Even if you quickly grasp the hilt with your right hand or rush into a drawing posture, or begin the draw hastily, the overall speed at which the sword reaches the opponent does not actually increase.
It is safer and more efficient to follow an optimized initial movement, even if the draw begins slightly later. This allows the sword to reach the opponent more quickly and with greater control.
Be sure not to forget the action of “koiguchi wo kiru 鯉口を切る“, which is the preparatory motion for drawing the sword where the tsuba is pushed with the left thumb to slightly release the blade from the scabbard.
This applies to the practice of all sword-drawing techniques, but training swords often have a loose koiguchi, which reduces opportunities to properly learn the important step of koiguchi wo kiru.
For this reason, it has long been considered essential to train the strength of the thumb used in performing koiguchi wo kiru.
When holding the scabbard, care must be taken not to change the angle of the sword.
In standard sword-drawing, as in standing-position techniques, the draw begins with the edge facing upward and the back of the blade (mine) facing downward.
However, in this form of Nukiuchi, the fundamental principle and teaching is that “if the sword is drawn just as it was placed, the blade will naturally invert and strike the opponent with the back of the blade.”
Therefore, both when holding the scabbard and during the drawing motion, the sword and scabbard should be kept as level as possible.
When drawing the scabbard (Sayabiki 鞘引き), be careful not to let the left fist move too far away from the body.
Also, maintain the height of the scabbard as you draw the sword.
As a result, by the time the scabbard draw (Sayabiki) is complete, the scabbard should be positioned not at the waist, but around the lower chest area.
Explanation: About Footwork
First, from Ôgiza 扇坐 (formal seated position), raise both toes and move into Kiza 跪坐 (kneeling with both knees upright).
Step forward with the right foot, then bring the left knee in close. This movement is called “yose-ashi” 寄せ足 (sliding or gathering foot).
Raise the right heel and shift into a toe-standing position.
Explanation: About Tsume
Tsume 詰め is a Japanese word with various meanings, and it is often used in the form “tsumeru 詰める”.
In this context, Tsume refers to its usage in games like shogi 将棋 or go 碁 (Igo 囲碁), where it signifies a checkmate or a decisive move.
Here, it describes the act of pressing the tip of the sword to the opponent’s throat in a situation where the opponent has been completely driven into a corner, demanding their surrender or submission.
This is an explanation of the movement for entering the Tsume position and posture.
First, rotate the sword within your grip (Tenouchi 手の内) and lower the fist (hilt).
At the same time, slightly advance your right foot.
At the end of the draw, the left fist and scabbard should not be placed at the waist, but positioned around the lower chest.
Then, at the same moment you enter the Tsume 詰め position, place the left fist and scabbard against the left side of the waist.
Place your right elbow against the inside of your right knee.
Following the movement of the advanced right foot, bring the left knee forward as well. This is called yose-ashi (gathering footwork).
In Conclusion
Tenshin-ryu is a martial system developed with the goal of ensuring lasting peace under the Tokugawa shogunate, which brought an end to a long period of warfare and unified the nation.
However, even in the modern era, no matter how much we may wish for peace, it is not possible for humanity to completely eliminate conflict.
For that reason, Tenshin-ryu teaches that when conflict becomes unavoidable, one should aim for the best possible outcome, and learn the methods to achieve it.
Accordingly, in techniques and training that assume indoor, seated encounters, the first thing learned is not the act of drawing the sword, but the method known as Denchûtohô Saya-no-Uchi 殿中刀法鞘ノ中, which focuses on resolving disputes without drawing the blade.
Then, when learning how to draw the sword, the technique of Nukiuchi 抜打 is taught — a method to resolve conflict while avoiding bloodshed.
This progression reflects the ideal image of the samurai, not simply as warriors, but as figures responsible for governing and maintaining order.
The 8th Shike, Ishii Seizô Sensei (石井 清造 先生), referred to other schools as samuraj-goto 侍ごと (Make-believe samurai games for children), a mocking term implying they merely imitated the samurai in words but failed to reflect that spirit in their techniques.
In other words, they were only pretending to be samurai.
In the present day, there is no samurai class. In that sense, we too may be nothing more than samurai-goto.
This is a truth we must not forget. It serves as a form of self-restraint, a reminder not to misuse tradition or the Japanese sword, not to brandish bushido or the katana recklessly, and not to harm others or bring negative influence upon society.
As long as we remember this caution, we will not fall into misguided pride or conceit.
Even so, Tenshin-ryu is a tradition that continues to preserve and pass down both the philosophy of Yagyu Munenori’s (柳生 宗矩) katsujinken 活人剣, the life-giving sword, and the values of the samurai.
Nukiuchi is one such technique that embodies this pride, philosophy, and spirit.
I hope that practitioners will train with an awareness of the mindset upheld by the warriors of the past and the swordsmen of the Tenshin-ryu tradition.
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