Kojiri-Gaeshi

Please let me explain 小尻返 (kojirigaeshi).

The ma’ai between you and your opponent for 小尻返 (kojirigaeshi) is 行の間 (gyou no ma).

Hence, please make sure when you put down your sword on the floor to have the tsuba and your kneecaps on one line.

When your opponent tries to put their hand on their wakizashi or their long sword that’s lying on the floor, first hold back the tsuba with your right hand, get up on your tiptoes, then bring out both of your hands.

When the tsukagashira hits the centre of your left palm, while gripping the same with your left hand, as you squeeze your right hand, hit your opponent’s hand with the kojiri of your saya.

Then back off and take 残心 (zanshin) (“stay alert”).

Recite 臨 (rin), 兵 (pyou), 闘 (tou), 者 (sha), 皆 (kai), 陣 (jin), 烈 (retsu), 在 (zai), 前 (zen) in your head.

The procedure after that is identical to the one in 柄打 (tsukauchi).

I’m now going to explain 小尻返 (kojirigaeshi) in more detail.

Hold back the tsuba with your right hand, while getting up on your tiptoes, bring out both hands and as you turn around your sword, grip the tsukagashira with your left hand, then hit the opponent’s hand.

Here, let’s have a look at the feet/legs first.

First of all, getting up your toes with your right foot like this is necessary.

Then please pull in your left leg all the way in to your right foot.

Next, we’ll have a look at the hands.

It is necessary for you to bring your left hand past your right knee.

Let me show you a bad example. Beginners often end up having both hands on the inside like this. Don’t do this.

If you wanted to hit your opponent’s hand with this bad hand positioning, in order for the attack to reach them, you’d have to bring out your feet even more so as to get even closer to your opponent.

With this kind of movement, the attack hitting your opponent’s hand will be late. Therefore, when you hit the opponent’s hand with the kojiri, please make sure to have your left hand go beyond your right knee.

There is one more thing we have to confirm.

When hitting your opponent’s hand, if you grip the saya with your right hand like this, the attack will end up being extremely weak.

Therefore, please make sure to shift your right hand and firmly squeeze the inside of your hand. This is important.

Then, after the attack, please be careful to fully back off to gain a distance of at least 6 shaku (or 180 cm).

Just like 柄打 (tsukauchi), there are situations where you do 小尻返 (kojirigaeshi) whilst standing, or from a chair or a 床几 (shougi) if we’re talking about ancient times.

Please allow me to demonstrate just a little bit.

Hold back the tsuba, or not, and hold the sword, from there, as your opponent is trying to draw their sword, interrupt them by hitting their hand.

In your everyday life you wouldn’t hold the tsuba when carrying around your sword, so letting your right hand glide to the tsuba to perform the attack is important.

The moment your left hand grabs the tsukagashira your right hand glides to the tsuba, then, as you hold back the tsuba, you land the hit.

When performing this from a chair, the fundamental movement stays the same.

Hold back the tsuba, or not, while holding the sword and as you stand up from the sitting position hit your opponent’s hand.

If you have trouble standing up, you may also practise the technique in the sitting position.

Please have a look from the side.

Hit while sitting or while standing up.

You can also perform it with the same beginner movement we’ve introduced at the beginning.

Techniques performed with the right hand can also be done with the left one.

From 左置刀 (hidari okigatana), i.e. having the sword lying on your left, you land the hit using your left hand. Whether from tachi’ai or from a chair, or 陰陽 (in’you – ‘yin yang’ in Chinese) (陰 (in) is right, 陽 (you) is left), we perform 小尻返 (kojirigaeshi) from any situation.

Please bear in mind that you should not only train 陰 (in), but also 陽 (you).