Skip to main content

Bujinkan Sword: 6 Strategies for 峰打ち Mineuchi

Yoyogi kōen Sword Fighting, Tokyo. photo by Colin McMillen
We had been training with tachi all day. Then I shifted the focus of the class to katana. One of the newer students had not really done much Bujinkan sword prior to that day. So he continued to draw the katana with the same method as I had shown him earlier with tachi.

When I noticed him doing this I gave him another quick sword drawing lesson. I didn't want to slow the whole class down to teach him all of the necessary basics. But as I looked over at him, he would have his sword upside down in his belt.

It was amusing because he would try to emulate the kata I had shown the class, and every time he cut with his sword he was hitting with the back of the blade. He would then glare at his sword as if it was broken.

I told him he was unlucky to have a "backwards" sword.

But he isn't the first student to have his sword wrong way around. Many of us have done this at some point in our training careers. So if you get stuck with one of these "backwards" swords in a real battle, what do you do?

You can make use of the strategy of 峰打ち mineuchi. This is a method of striking with the back of the blade (normally on purpose). So why do this? What are some strategic reasons to strike with the back of your blade?

  • Well, in the heat of the battle, or, if you are a beginner, it could happen by accident. Then just getting your weapon into play is a start and you correct as you go.
  •  When the strategy of mineuchi is done on purpose, it opens up some wonderful options. For one, it can be a speed thing. It may give a slight advantage to strike whatever is nearest without having to turn your blade or adjust your kamae.
  •  Another option is surprise. Using the back of the blade allows you to attack from angles and directions that are unexpected. Then through principles of 引力 inryoku or 押切 oshikiri, you can transition it into a cut.
  •  A third really great reason to use mineuchi, is to open up the space. Striking with the backside of the blade up under kote before do giri is common. Or flipping down onto kote, and after slamming into his hands bouncing off this strike to cut something vital. Also, clearing the enemy's weapon while keeping the edge directed at him.
  •  The curve of the sword itself allows for the tip to wrap around obstacles and build up tremendous speed when hitting with the back of the blade.  The uke may block your strike and still be surprised when the tip makes contact with his temple. Also, this curve creates wonderful effects when redirecting an enemy's strike.
  •  But you may also do this so as not to seriously injure or kill. Hatsumi Sensei shows this all time. There are many important methods of using a sword without cutting or killing.

In 時代劇 (old Japanese plays),  the actors would prepare the sword in advance so the audience could see it was backwards to show they did not have murderous intent.

This principle is even more important with modern firearms. There is a saying in English, if you are holding a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Meaning you will choose the "hammer" solution just because you have that tool. So with a gun, every threat looks like a target to be shot. Even though it may the wrong choice for that particular threat.

With your sword, give yourself options besides cutting by learning more about your weapon.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Japan Report Four 令和5年

I start off my Japan Report Four video going to Hatsumi Sensei’s house and the Bujinkan Honbu office. I do this on every trip because this is how I submit my rank paperwork for my students. In the video I talk about my “secret” route to his house. I also recall past times when I could just visit and have tea with Soke. During my walk to his house, I review some of my notes from old classes with Soke. During one class he said 自分の第六感兼ねあいうち Jibun no dairokkan kane aiuchi. This is when you make your intuition match reality. Or, more directly, your intuition is combined with something concrete such as a strike. Later in that same class, Hatsumi Sensei said 意識をさせない Ishiki o Sasenai. He was telling us not to allow our opponents to sense our intentions. Don’t put out any intention for your opponent to read. I thought it was fascinating to think about dairokkan and the use of intuition while also hiding your intentions. Hatsumi Sensei’s classes were full of subtle lessons lik...
Post a Comment
Read more

Japan Report Seven 令和5年

I began the morning in a hurry because I had to get to the dojo early. My days in Japan are very busy. I run and gun to fit in all of the classes, recording my video reports in between. And I still have to find time for food, laundry, sleep, as well as tourism and shopping.  Today I planned three classes, Furuta Sensei, Nagase Sensei, and Noguchi Sensei. But I didn’t have time to review my notes until the next morning in a cafe. The coffee sure helped. The FULL video review can be found here: https://www.rojodojo.com/japan-report-seven-reiwa-five/ The first class was at the Bujinkan Honbu dojo with Furuta Sensei. We began class wearing a lot of knives. He said you should wear at least 9 knives. He didn’t mean that literally but the number 9 implies an infinite amount. So you have the ability to respond or attack infinitely. He kept hiding behind the attack of his opponents. I learned this approach from him a few years ago during our study of 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Japan Report Six 令和5年

I was invited to Furuta Sensei’s home dojo out in the countryside. He is very generous and picked us up from the train station. The only problem is that he plays a Lady Gaga CD on repeat during the drive. Furuta’s home dojo is very rustic with traditional tatami mats. He started training with ukemi and my cotton tabi really slid across the straw! His exploration of 基本八法 Kihon Happō is influenced by his study of 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū. As the next Soke of Kumogakure Ryū, he is hard at work learning and studying this school. And I feel lucky to be part of this journey every time I study with him. At one point he showed a detail of how to attack the 急所 kyūsho 血止 chidome and 血ダメ chidame. The name of this kyūsho means to stop the blood. Obviously this would incapacitate an opponent if you pull it off. But Furuta Sensei used a hooking strike into chidome to unbalance with one finger. The kyūsho becomes a 支点 shiten. The pressure creates a pivot or a fulcrum to affect the oppon...
Post a Comment
Read more