[cialviagra]

Hi all in Osaka!
I'm new to this forum so just wanted to let any one in Osaka know that I'm here too. I'm actually a practicioner of Iaido but I often go down to a quiet secluded place in the park with my bokuto and practice on a sunday(sometimes with my sensei) Usually we practice tachiuchi which I believe may be similar to what is often practiced in Kendo. Anyone who wants to get together oon the odd occasion please let me know.Whether it be Kendo, Iaido Aikido or whatever we can still practice together and share our Ideas and thoughts on the way of the sword.

Cheers all

[MAKEMONEY]

Although I can't speak for every dojo in Japan, I would say that unfortunately your experience was representative of most places in Japan. I do know of some places where kata is heavily emphasised, but they are the exeption, not the rule.I have seen people who were attempting to go for third and fourth dan gradings actually learning, not revising, the kodachi kata, the day before the exam!! And I have spoken to Sensei involved in international kendo, regularly going outside Japan to teach kendo, and they say; "Foreigners can do kata better than us Japanese!" Also, I think kata is more heavily emphasised in gradings overseas. (ie: the number of kata you have to perform).
So who wants to do some kata training, eh?

[Janarealiti]

Well, that certainly is odd. Two years ago, two of my friends were in Tokyo as exchange students. They both studied kendo, and ended up getting ranked, one as ikkyu, the other as shodan. The one who received ikkyu had to do ipponme through sambonme. I'm pretty sure, though I'd have to check again, that the one who received shodan had to do up through gohonme.

[artofeyyy]

One very interesting exercise we did in our dojo last year, was kata with shinais & bogu on and full speed, full contact (as in shiai).
(We skipped all the formalities for this one, so we went straight from one kata to the other, not back and forth between each).
It really highlighted the techniques used in each kata very very clearly.

Jakob
www.hizen.org

[dodadaxia]

I think you are correct, I have only heard his name so I murdered his spelling. Sorry about that.
D-

[ugosanchezo]

Recently we had our semi-annual shisa. It was surprising how few people were really "good" at kata my self included. I have to admit I don't relish practicing kata and it seem I am not alone.
One quick story about kata I took sho-dan in Japan and in Osaka that only requires the first 3 kata and at that time that is all I knew well. I was in that states for three months I decided to attend a summer Gosh-ku. When I arrived I was ridiculed for only know the 1st three katas being that I was sho-dan. This would have been OK except the folks that were giving me a hard time were 3rd kyu and were not very good kendo players from an overall skill perspective. I would ask based on this discussion is kata really that important to being a good kendoist?

[Blotassefesek]

Perhaps it depends on the prefectural kendo renmei within Japan? I will check it out at training tonight, and give you a reply in the near future. Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lockie.

[lionsiy]

Kent,

Unfortunately I think I was one of the kendoist which he was referring. I don't dislike kata practice but we only practice once a month and I often miss that practice due to family obligations.

well that is just an excuse. I hope that by the time I take my next test in three years my kata will be more refined.

D-

[AnIInWon]

Yes I would say it’s very important, if it was not why teach it.
I practice kata every morning and night for about 20minits.
I see kata as a form of discipline, in kendo I am very eager to attack “which leads to my down fallEbut with kata when Shidachi (I think that’s defender not to sure) you have to wait for Uchidachi to make his/her cut before you make the kill, from that I have learned to wait for an opening before I attack. As an ex soldier its easy to see the necessity of kata, it’s the foundation of all attacks or defence or even drawing your opponents attack out used in kendo, have you never used part of kata as an attack? Or seen your opponents use kata to build an attack?
I think musashi made a reference in his book to yonhonme about using an attack to draw your opponents attack out.
the point I am struggling to make here isEkata is more theory of how to do it right with out it your kendo would not be as good that’s just the way I see it I have not taken a grading yet so would welcome any comments if I have totally go it wrong

[kentbrookug]

Originally posted by Lockie Jackson
Also, I think kata is more heavily emphasised in gradings overseas. (ie: the number of kata you have to perform).
So who wants to do some kata training, eh? Um, isn't the number of kata one has to do for each rank standardized by the IKF? That is, 1-3 for ikkyu, 1-5 for shodan, 1-7 for nidan, and all 10 for everything higher. I suppose some federations may require kata for lower kyu tests, but that wouldn't really change anything.

[GenManagerS]

Originally posted by durrell4
I would ask based on this discussion is kata really that important to being a good kendoist? Well, I suppose that depends on how you define "good kendoist." If your definition is based on winning taikai, I'd wager that kata geiko probably isn't all that important. If the definition has to do with learning to use a real sword, I have to say kata is quite important.

I was at the same shinsa as well. I don't think it was a coincidence that all the comments from the evaluators were about the importance of kata and the obvious lack of practice displayed by the testees. I think it was Marsten s. who said, "If you don't understand kata, you can't understand kendo."

Personally, I've never understood some people's dislike for kata geiko. I've always found it at least as enjoyable as shinai geiko. So why don't people enjoy practicing kata?

[elektikakass]

Hi.

My dojo does kata quite often .... at almost every class. This year we've had a couple of japanese guests ...... we had a sandan who remembered ipponme (just), a yondan that could remember up until sambonme... and a godan who looked horrified when I mentioned 'kodachi' ......

Cheers,

[ITYfl01c]

I was talking with Alex on the wekend about the lack of Kata in my 'Kendo Diet' at ther moment!! Is there anyone out there in the Kansai area who would be interested in starting up a Kata training group, say one sunday a month? We could also do a little jigeiko afterwards.
What do you think?
Lockie.

[Suvuseh]

Lito,

That is an interesting point about confusion and other postures. I had a chance to play with a few "pre-war" kendoist while at the University of Utah. A group headed by Dave Beblanco came to the dojo for a visit. It was interesting to play against hasso and gedan. I guess from an efficiency standpoint chu-dan and jodan are just plain faster, however in the right hands hasso could be deadly (effective). As for Jodan, I see more and more young students playing from Jodan and even ni-to. Thanks for the response.

Durrell

[Jambjanatan]

I was in Osaka in for the better part of a year and a half practicing with Osaka University. For the entire time I was there we never practiced kata except the week before the test dates. I am curious if kata is emphasized nearly as much in Japan as in other countries. Although kata is mentioned all the time I did not observe much practice in the dojo. Was this just the dojo where I practiced or is this typical of kendo in Japan? Sorry this is outside the topic a little.

[Quality4Qty]

Not exactly sure what the case is now, but I remember grading for Shodan in Japan 1995, amd I only had to do Kata 1~3 inclusive. If I had graded for shodan in Australia, I would have had to do Kata 1~5 inclusive. I had to do Kata 1~7 incusive for my nidan grading in Australia, and I am lead to believe that it would have been kata 1~5 had I graded in Japan. I was graded on kata 1~10 for my sandan grading in Australia, athough it is my understanding that kodachi does not appear in kendo gradings until yondan in Japan. (but I am not 100% sure on this, I'll check it out, and stand corrected if I'm wrong!) If anyone does know for sure, let us know! We should probably be starting a new thread for this one!
Anyway, who wants to train in Kata around the Kansai area?

[Alkanyadela]

I was talking with Alex on the wekend about the lack of Kata in my 'Kendo Diet' at ther moment!! Is there anyone out there in the Kansai area who would be interested in starting up a Kata training group, say one sunday a month? We could also do a little jigeiko afterwards.
What do you think?
Lockie.

I know I am way late on this one but I was wondering if this ever got off the ground, and if so do you still continue?
I would love to get more kata practice in. We only study it for tests.

[softy54534]

Whats with the thread-resurrection!!!! You can practise kata with me anytime you come to my dojo, before or after practise. We can also do some on the 15th if we have time. Thats is - of course - if im acceptable.

[cindygirl]

Whats with the thread-resurrection!!!!

Read the above.

Thats is - of course - if im acceptable.

Yeah I guess you'll do.