Technique atlas

Strikes & cuts

Empty-hand strikes imitate the sword. Learning them with a bokken makes their paths and targets much clearer.

Shōmen-giri
Kesa-giri
Tsuki

Target map

Where attacks aim

Attacks fall into three levels: jōdan (high), chūdan (middle) and gedan (low). Hover over a term to see it on the body.

Paths

The body

上段 jōdan — high level · 中段 chūdan — middle · 下段 gedan — low

Bokken

Cuts with the sword

Empty-hand strikes come from the sword: shōmen-uchi follows shōmen-giri, yokomen-uchi follows kesa-giri. The edge of the hand (tegatana) replaces the blade.

Plate 01

Shōmen-giri

正面斬り

Frontal cut

The fundamental cut, vertical, along the centre line.

一 Chūdan no kamae: the tip points at the throat.
二 Furikaburi: the sword rises above the head, elbows open.
三 Shōmen-giri: a vertical cut stepping in, stopped at belly height.
四 Back to guard.

Plate 02

Kesa-giri

袈裟斬り

Diagonal “sash” cut

A diagonal cut along the line of a monk’s stole (kesa): the source of yokomen-uchi.

一 Chūdan no kamae.
二 The sword rises to the side, above the shoulder.
三 Kesa-giri: a diagonal cut, from shoulder to opposite hip.
四 Back to guard.

Plate 03

Tsuki

突き

Thrust

A straight thrust: the armed version of shōmen-tsuki.

一 Chūdan no kamae.
二 The hands draw slightly back to the centre.
三 Tsuki: a straight thrust, driven by the whole body.
四 Back to guard.

Empty hand

The same lines, without a sword

Shōmen-uchi 正面打ち

Yokomen-uchi 横面打ち

Shōmen-tsuki 正面突き