Itto-den Shinki Toho
Itto-den Toho Shinki is a type of Koryu (traditional) Kenjutsu, which is in the tradition of Ittoryu-style, from Ittosai Kagehisa Ito and his main disciple Jiróemon Tadaaki Ono – was founded 16th-17th centuries.”Itto-den” means “standing on the tradition of the Ittoryu. Toho means “the way to wield the sword. ” Shinki means “divine Ki” is the name of the style of Budo-Toho Shinki-director Michael Daishiro Nakajima, Shinkiryu Soke Aiki Budo (Aikido 6th Dan Aikikai Aiki Jujutsu Daitoryu 8th Dan Shihan Bokuyokan). Ittoryu has many branches such as Itoha, Onoha with many sub-branches, Mizoguchiha, Kougen-Ittoryu, Tenshin-Ittoryu, Hokushin-Ittoryu, Itto-shod Mutoryu, etc. Toho Shinki attempts to extract the technical strengths of these schools and the “swordless spirit” mentally of Tenshin Ittoryu or Mutoryu.
Suburi – swing into emptiness without a real object of attack.
Suburi is practicing the basic movement of wielding the sword. With this exercise you get used to wielding the sword and encourages necessary muscle development. In addition, this exercise also programs muscle memory and serves to strengthen the Ki. In Shinki Toho there is currently three types of Suburi:
- Shomen-Uchioroshi (“Frontal Down Strike”)
Step out with your left foot into a “horseback” stance with your feet a little more than hip-width apart and parallel in front. The Feet do not move during the exercise. The knees are not fully extended, but a little bent. You raise the sword high above your head to swing. The inclination of the sword one can vary, but one should mainly use an angle of 45 degree overhead and to the rear. Arms and shoulders should definitely remain relaxed. Then you swing the sword straight down while springing loosely in both knees. The sword stops in front of the stomach in a horizontal position. One should take care that hands do not arrive below the sword tip (kissaki), but you should move kissaki down in a large circular motion so that the kissaki and hands arrive at the level of the abdomen at the same time, where the striking movement ends. The ki should are mainly placed on the kissaki. You can practice this exercise with an object like an old tire or a stuffed sack in front of you (to check your strike for effectiveness). - Shomen-Uchikomi (“Head-Strike”)
You stand in In no Kamae. Taking a step forward with your right foot, you lift the Sword overhead (tilt backwards 45 degrees) and swings in a wide arc forward while dragging the left foot to the heel of the right foot. The left foot should remain as straight as possible and the tip of the toe should not point backwards be turned to the left outside. Here, too, one should be aware that Kissaki describes a large circle (and not the hands, which should transcribe a small circle). The end position of the kissaki is about the height of your own chin. Stepping back with your left foot, switch to Yo no Kamae while keeping your right foot approximately up to the toes of the left foot. Then this time you go with the left foot forward while raising the sword above the head and then strikes as above. The right foot is dragged behind. Here you should too make sure that the right foot that is being dragged remains as straight as possible. Then, starting with your right foot, step back and switch to In no Kamae like before. - Te no Uchi (“Strike between the forearms”)
–Mae (front): You stand in In no Kamae. Take a step with your right foot (at a 30-45 degree angle to an imaginary opponent) to the front right and strikes in the middle of the starting position, with the left foot to the heel of the right foot. In this case, the tip of the left foot points slightly to the left. The strike comes from In no Kamae directly through the wrists without to raise the sword. The intent of the shot is to knock out the left wrist of the attacker coming forward with the tsuki (straight jab). The cutting blow comes down from above, and not obliquely. The endpoint of Kissaki is a bit deeper than the imaginary point stretched out at abdomen level. The imaginary opponent’s Tsuki is also the reason for swerving slightly to the right. After that, starting with the left foot and trailing the right foot, you come back to the middle and switch to Yo no Kamae. Then you step with your left foot forward and to the left while striking the imaginary opponent’s right wrist, while the right foot follows closely. After that you step back to the middle to In no Kamae and the exercise begins again. -Oku (back): Almost the same movement, but here you raise the sword high and cuts the rear portion of the left forearm from the inside, when stepping from In no Kamae to the right and forward. The cut in this case is oblique. If one moves from Yo no Kamae you generally cannot actually cut the back (= left) arm of the attacker, but you can practice this side, so that the movements on both sides are trained equally. Also, this exercise is for the unusual Kesagake from the left.
Kamae Form:
- Rei
- Batto – Draw and step forward to-
- Seigan
- Ura-Seigan -while steeping forward
- In
- Yo -while stepping back
- Hidari Jodan -left hand forward (on sword) and left foot forward, right hand at side pushing down
- Migi-Jodan -both hands on sword, right foot forward
- Gedan -slice into this position while shuffle step back wards
- Waki (gamae)
- Onken
- Seigan -while stepping backwards
- Ura-Waki -draw sword back to left shoulder, up at 45 degree angle, “T” stance.
- Chudan Kasumi -left foot forward “T” stance
- Jodan Kasumi -narrower stance
- Tsuki
- Hongaku
- Chudan Ura-gasumi -slice into position, stepping back to “T” stance
- Jodan Ura-gasumi -narrow stance
- Tsuki -left foot forward
- Suriage – dip sword and exchange feet into –
- Shomen-uchi
- Hiraki-Dachi -left foot forward, sword in right hand, 45 degrees down and out, left hand at side
- Kesa-gake -two handed diagonal cut to left
- Nôtô -sheath sword and step back to neutral stance-
- Rei
Kumidachi-Hajime: beginning, Kumidachi-Osame: closing
Ô-dachi Two Person Kata: https://www.shinkiryu.de/shinkitoho/de/pdf.php?l=texte%2F54%2F1866%2FO-dachi-Tabelle.pdf&n=O-dachi%20Tabelle
Bokuto: One source for quality Bokuto (wooden swords) is E-bogu.com. They have an Ittoryu Bokuto for $39 that is very close to the one I purchased from Sasamori Sensei in Japan. They also carry a limited supply of Top Quality Leather Tsuba (Thick Double) at $35 that fits specifically on the Ittoryu Bokuto. If you have any problems with your order let them know you are studying Aikido with Scott Vogel and they will know what you need, or refer them to Song Choi (the product manager), or Mayuko Kato (the Web Master)..
Preparing you Bokuto: When you receive your (naked wood) Bokuto you may want to very lightly but evenly sand (very fine grit) it to open up and even up the wood. After sanding thoroughly clean up all the dust before treating the wood. To seal and protect the wood with a flexible yet tough coating just vigorously rub-in boiled linseed oil and immediately wipe-off the excess. Let it dry 2 to 8 hours (a little longer with each coat or if it is very humid out). Lightly rub-off irregularities in each coat (after drying) with 0000 steel wool. Then wipe off the steel wool remnants prior to applying the next coat. I would recommend 5 to 8 coats.
Fitting the Tsuba: If your tsuba is so tight that it won’t slide snuggly all the way from the blade to the handle position of your Bokuto then consider the following: The leather tsubas are roughly cut to fit your Bokuto. Sometimes they are left a little “too small” so you may have to trim them to a precise fit on your Bokuto. It is important to do this carefully so that the tsuba does not slip past the “blade” and on to the handle portion of your bokuto. I found that a Dremmel tool fitted with the 1/2″ sanding cylinder and the 1/8″ lateral drilling bit work best. Take you time and take off less rather than more as you work. Or, if you like, I have successfully custom fitted 5 tsubas with a Dremmel tool and would be willing to trim yours if you would prefer.
Tsuba Retainer: There are commercial rubber retaining pieces available through E-bogu and other manufacturers. We have found these last for only a few months at most, with any intense training. For more durable (and cheaper) options for a retaining piece, you can use a piece of (damp) rawhide, cut to 3/4 inch and long enough to be wrapped 1 3/4 to 2 times around. With a light layer of glue spread on one side of the rawhide strip, wrap the strip glue side down around the area immediately in front of the mounted Tsuba. You can hold the wound rawhide tsuba retainer down with rubber bands while it is drying. Be sure to wipe off the excess glue immediately upon gluing and then again a few minutes later as the glue expands and settles. I found that a thin even layer of Gorilla glue over the entire under surface of the rawhide worked well. You can also just lay down multiple even, throws with strapping tape until it is built up to about 3/16 inch thickness.
Jo: You can also purchase an Aikido White Oak Jo for $32 at E-bogu as well. An alternative is to purchase a 1 inch diameter utility handle from Home Depot for about $5. Cut the screw portion off so that the Jo is at armpit (or chin) height on your body while standing on the ground. Round the end with a knife then sand smooth starting with coarse sandpaper to shape the end round like the other end. Sand the entire handle with fine and paper to remove the polyurethane coating. If you want to apply a stain do so at this point following the instructions on the can. Then follow the “preparing your bokuto” section for details on finishing your Jo with a protective but flexible coating of boiled linseed oil.