David Scott © 2016

 

Ichi No Ken

Being the first in the series, Ichi No Ken is the most basic pattern. It incorporates some of the basic offensive and defensive techniques and it is primarily about precision with respect to distance, direction and timing. It also includes the two main tactics utilized in Sugano Sensei’s sword system.

Clip 1. Ichi No Ken (performed slowly)

The first tactic of breaking maai so you can reach is the opening gambit of Ichi No Ken. Manabite is being taught this tactic. Oshiete needs to know that this is the purpose of the practice in order for manabite to practice this strategy. If they do not understand the practice, oshiete may be tempted to make distance, counter attack or block to avoid manabite’s attack (which incidentally is easy to do when someone is just learning the tactic) and thereby undermine the practice. These options are primarily available to oshiete because they know what to expect. In reality once someone has broken maai and overwhelmed you, you cannot respond in these ways. The technique once mastered is overwhelming and there is no defence against it. This is what oshiete is endeavouring to teach manabite.

Several opening moves might be used for Ichi No Ken. Manabite can break maai with a tsuki like movement - but it is “not tsuki”, presumably because you are not making an attack, only getting inside the maai. A kiri sage like movement (equally “not kiri sage”) can also be used. To my knowledge (in Australia), Sugano Sensei never explained why he emphasized that these moves were NOT tsuki nor kiri sage. It was left for us to try to figure it out. Another option is, of course, to start the whole sequence as for the “basic so tai dosa” with oshiete sacrificing their wrist. The more common practice is to begin with “not tsuki”.

Picture 1. Breaking Maai with “not tsuki”

When opening with “not tsuki” manabite is seeking to move without telegraphing their intention in any way. The “kissaki must move first” and this movement comes as if from the void, from zero. It is ‘clean’ in the sense that it emerges without preparation and without psychological investment in any specific intention or outcome beyond itself – the purist practice of the tactic without attachments. This tactic requires the development of a quality of connection between oshiete and manabite that can only be experienced – hence the importance of a skilled Instructor who understands the practice and the teaching method.

Clip 2. Breaking maai and opening with “not tsuki”

The second tactic to “create opening to invite attack”, “and counter attack”, comes at the end of the Ichi No Ken sequence. On the final movement (where manabite does kiri tsuke to “kill” the Instructor as a result of being allowed to practice the second tactic) we have the characteristic “collapsing timing” that is a feature of much Aikido technique. Thus oshiete is drawn into manabite’s attack. Both manabite and oshiete are moving as if they are collapsing into the same space a little like two cars in a head-on collision concertinaing into each other. This movement also has something of the feel of two strong magnets with like poles encroaching into each other’s fields. Two things are happening together as one. Oshiete is drawn into manabite’s space and is cut as manabite using their bokken penetrates oshiete’s body.

Picture 2. Creating and opening to invite attack

Oshiete has to have the idea that they are the one teaching. Oshiete has a variety of things they could look for. Oshiete can check that manabite is not giving away the moment of their intention to move. They can check that manabite is moving and cutting correctly, that the direction and distance are correct and that manabite is responding to them and not moving automatically. Manabite has to be responsive to oshiete and should not be moving out of sync with oshiete or mindlessly following the pattern of the movement. Manabite has the opportunity to take note of each movement making sure they make the movements consciously and with awareness. One method to promote this suggested by Sugano Sensei is to make a mental note of the names of the techniques or the target (in the case of a strike) as you execute them.

Clip 3. Create opening to invite attack

Although cast temporarily in the role as primarily responsible for the instruction, it is important for oshiete to recognize that they are also training. They should not be giving verbal instruction to manabite as this is to usurp the role of the instructor of the class. Rather oshiete should reflect upon what it is they are doing in the practice.

In Ichi No Ken, oshiete is for example studying; direction, distance, timing, rhythm, kiri tsuke, drawing manabite in, moving in, dropping their point to change the line (that is to move from omote to ura), changing hanmi, responding to an invitation to attack and so on. Significantly, oshiete is also getting the opportunity to study “watching the cut” as they receive manabite’s initial strike by blocking ura at jodan. By judging the cut in relation to the centre line, Oshiete is in a position to assess its direction and make any necessary adjustments to ensure there knuckles are not struck. This training has a purpose that becomes important in some of the advanced forms of practice where the strikes are made off the centre line. Practice conforming to the centre line is for training purposes. In reality the practice is not fixed and an attack might not conform to this training convention. Sugano Sensei’s frequent comment that “when you know what you are doing you can do what you want” has relevance again here.

Clip 4. Distance and Direction

 

Picture 3. Distance and Direction

It puzzled me for a long time why Sugano Sensei structured these sequences so that they all end with manabite “killing” oshiete?  Initially, I thought there might be some deep and philosophical meaning behind it. Certainly meanings of this kind can be found (for example, about the teachers sacrifice and the transmission of the art) but I do not believe Sensei intended them. Essentially I have come to believe the answer to this puzzle is simply that it is the only way to teach the tactic.

 

Ichi No Ken

 Clip 5 – Ichi No Ken

 

MANABITE (Student)	OSHIETE (Instructor)
Both start in right hanmi (1) Right hanmi – bokken in chudan	Right hanmi – bokken in chudan
1.  Manabite starting the movement drops point to kote height and simultaneously extends in controlling oshiete’s bokken to break maai (extending the kissaki omote and over oshiete’s right hand) so they are in a position to reach oshiete for kiri tsuke (2)	1.  Drops point to kote level (no lower) and moves back in one move but not so far as to prevent manabite from being able to reach for their kiri tsuke attack but far enough so that both kissaki when the bokken are parallel to the floor will not reach to cut either person’s wrists or thumbs.
2.  Kiri tsuke The first two movements made by manabite and numbered here separately for clarity actually combine as one movement and manifest as one overwhelming offensive tactic.	2.  Meets kiri tsuke blocking ura at jodan using the section of the “ha” near where the tsuba would be. The bokken is held across the line of attack on an angle close to your head and the kissaki is forward and higher than the hilt. It is important for oshiete to allow manabite to practice their kiri tsuke. Oshiete (and manabite) can check both distance and direction. The timing should be such that both oshiete and manabite arrive at the jodan point of contact at the same time.
	3.  Turn your bokken to vertical and return with kiri tsuke aiming to cut through manabite (not playing with the swords in the space between partners).
3.  Defends. While ‘moving back’ (3) extend kissaki up to meet oshiete’s bokken and parry incoming kiri tsuke omote with right hanmi. At the end of the parry, manabite’s kissaki points towards oshiete’s throat on the centre line and oshiete’s kissaki points past manabite’s left shoulder.
	4.  Oshiete drops the point of the bokken straight down to the chudan level to change the line and remaining in right hanmi “moves forward” and makes tsuki. Do not withdraw the bokken to make the tsuki. Oshiete’s kissaki remains close to manabite’s wrist (kote). [A variation is to give a second kiri tsuke to the ura side.]
4.  Steps back into left hanmi and parries the tsuki ura at chudan. Manabite’s kissaki again points at Oshiete’s throat on the line of attack. Oshiete’s kissaki will point past manabite’s right shoulder.
5.  Moving forward keeping in the same hanmi (that is, left hanmi) extend tsuki toward Oshiete’s face. Don’t lean forward. This results in a position with the arms extended away from the body. (4)	5.  Oshiete steps back into left hanmi and parries the tsuki ura at chudan.
6.  Withdraw extended tsuki back into chudan gamae (hanmi) and then rise up (moving your body back a little) to jodan exposing left wrist on the line of attack at jodan. This is an invitation to attack and seeks to draw a kiri tsuke attack out of oshiete. (5)
	6.  Oshiete extends their kissaki forward and up the centre line and steps forward on right foot and strikes kiri tsuke through manabite’s wrist at jodan.
7.  Change hanmi stepping omote and off the line of attack maintaining maai by moving the right foot forward and opening the body back to strike kiri tsuke to oshiete’s men (face). Oshiete is drawn in to attack and onto Manabite’s bokken. So the student finishes by striking the instructor.
Both manabite and oshiete finish the engagement in right hanmi and remaining focused move back to make greater distance and return to the beginning position.

 

Picture 4. Ichi No Ken sequence

 

Notes to the table above:

1. This sequence can be practiced at different distances but at the start for this basic practice the kissaki are usually about one open hand span apart (fingers spread wide one kissaki almost touching the tip of the little finger and the other almost touching the thumb).

2. Manabite is being given an opportunity to practice the first of two tactics embedded within the practice of Ichi No Ken – that is, to break maai so you can reach for an attack. Manabite is breaking through into oshiete’s space and oshiete is allowing this to enable the practice. The ultimate goal being to teach this tactic so it can be applied in a manner that allows no defense.

The sequence can also be started with a kiri sage like movement to break maai. This “not kiri sage” beginning is embedded in individual practice of ni dan giri and also in the ‘most basic so tai dosa’ sequence initiated by oshiete exposing their wrist. Sugano Sensei said this is “not kiri sage” just as the more usual beginning breaking maai is “not tsuki”.  The invitation emerging from this negation is to inquire into why this is the case.

3. For the purpose of communication Sugano Sensei made a distinction between ‘moving back’ (or forward) in the same hanmi (for example, tsugi ashi) and ‘stepping back’ (or forward), which refers to changing hanmi (ayumi ashi).

4. When moving forward to affect this move, this is an example of the principle that “when the arm is moving the body is also”. In chudan gamae (that is, hanmi with the bokken in the chudan position (for the purpose of study), there are three basic positions identified for the bokken along the line of attack; extended away from the body (as in this instance), close to the body, and midway between the other two.

5. This is the moment where manabite gets to practice the second strategy of creating an opening or giving an invitation for oshiete to attack so that manabite can then make a counter attack. Oshiete is drawn into the movement as if to present themselves to be struck by manabite’s bokken. I like to refer to this as creating a collapsing timing where by oshiete and manabite are both seeking to occupy the same space at the same time. Both need to be responsive to each other and feel the space between them as if it were something akin to a magnetic field, alive and vibrant. Oshiete cuts believing they have an opportunity only to fall into a trap and at the same instant they expect to cut manabite they are cut themselves. This requires a certain quality of interaction at the point of breaking maai that allows the person using the tactic to get close without alerting the other person to their intention. In reality there exists a variety of other ways to achieve this, for example, moving when the other person is distracted, changing the cadence, using surprise, misdirection, etc. but this is a different practice.

 

Next Chapter: Ni No Ken

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