Kendo, is a martial art that embodies both mental focus and physical skill.
You are a student at the University of Helsinki Kendo club (Helsingin yliopiston kendoseura) and did our basic course, so you are now on a journey to expand your techniques in kendo. Here is a post for you, describing the two foundational categories of techniques—shikake-waza and oji-waza. You’ve heard these words but don’t understand them? We will provide some key explanations, and insights into how to attack and counterattack effectively—in a simplified manner of the perhaps most relevant techniques. Please note that the list we compiled here is by no means full.
While shikake-waza emphasizes proactive attacks and creating openings, oji-waza focuses on responding to and capitalizing on the opponent’s moves. Both techniques require mental discipline, awareness of timing (sen), and understanding of distance (maai)
- Shikake-waza: Relies on breaking the opponent’s balance and taking initiative.
- Oji-waza: Requires finding the right time, when the opponent committed to execute a waza, and countering their waza with.
Mastering both sets of techniques allows a practitioner to adapt fluidly to the flow of combat, shifting between attack and defense as needed. The balance between shikake-waza and oji-waza embodies the essence of kendo: a mental game of strategy and timing.
Shikake-waza: initiating techniques
Shikake-waza (仕掛け技) are proactive techniques where you take the initiative, disrupting your opponent’s balance to create an opening for a strike. These techniques teach you how to control the flow of a match by applying constant pressure, known as seme (攻め), which forces the opponent into a reactive position (whether that reaction is defense, or a strike).
Underlying concepts:
Seme (攻め) – The pressure applied to break your opponent’s mental and physical guard.
Sen (先) – Initiative, refers to the timing of action and initiative in combat. There are three key aspects of sen:
- Sen-sen-no-sen (先々の先): This is often thought to be the most “mystic” form, where you attack before the opponent even begins their motion. It requires a very refined ability to sense the opponent’s intention before it materializes.
- Sen-no-sen (先の先): This refers to attacking as the opponent begins their attack, using their initiative against them. It’s a type of counterattack that takes place almost simultaneously with the opponent’s movement.
- Go-no-sen (後の先): A form of counter-initiative where you respond to the opponent’s attack, but in such a way that you seize control of the situation.
In this realm, shikake-waza embodies sen-no-sen, where the kendoka creates or exploits the moment when the opponent’s guard is down, through deception or disruption, and attacks with precision.
Maai (間合い) – The understanding of distance, crucial in determining when to strike.
Kiai (気合) – Spirit and energy, expressed vocally during the strike to show commitment.
Key Types of Shikake-Waza:
- Ippon uchi waza (一本打ち技) – This involves delivering a single decisive strike or thrust with complete commitment. Ippon uchi waza is fundamental, teaching the importance of perfect timing and precision.
- Renzoku waza (連続技) – Renzoku waza involves continuous strikes. This chain of attacks aims to overwhelm the opponent, keeping them from recovering their balance. For example, a sequence of kote-men strikes (wrist then head) keeps the opponent under pressure. The term is ofte used during the keiko, when continuous attacks implemented, even on the same target (e.g. renzoku men practice includes a number of continuously executed men strikes).
- Debana waza (出鼻技) – This technique targets the moment when the opponent begins to attack. Timing is crucial, as you must strike just before they complete their movement. For instance, debana-kote exploits the instant the opponent starts lifting their shinai to strike. In case of debana waza, creating the right opportunity (and thus, applying the right pressure) on the opponent is crucial. Debana waza can only succeed if it is a proactive attack.
- Harai/maki/hari waza (払い/巻き/張り技) – These techniques focus on clearing the opponent’s shinai out of the way to create an opening.
- Harai-waza involves dodging the opponent’s shinai aside.
- Maki-waza uses a spiraling movement to displace the opponent’s shinai.
- Hari-waza is very similar to harai waza, and it involves “slapping” the opponent’s blade to unbalance their guard.
- Osae-waza (押さえ技) – A technique when the opponent’s shinai is being pushed to the side. From this “push” an attack (e.g. men) is initiated.
- Hiki waza (引き技) – A technique often used from tsubazeriai (when the swords are locked at close range by the tsuba). The practitioner steps back and strikes the opponent while retreating, such as hiki-men or hiki-do.
- Katsugi waza (担ぎ技) – Involves lifting the shinai over the shoulder to confuse or mislead the opponent before quickly launching an attack.
By mastering shikake-waza, a kendoka learns to seize opportunities and force the opponent into defensive positions, embodying the spirit of constant attack and pressure.
Oji-Waza: Responding Techniques
Oji-waza (応じ技), or counterattacks, focus on responding to the opponent’s attack with precision and timing. Rather than initiating the engagement, you allow the opponent to attack first and then turn their aggression into a weakness. It must be mentioned, however, that a good oji-waza also starts with pressuring the opponent to react with a strike. Oji-waza requires a deep understanding of distance and timing, as well as the ability to maintain calm under pressure.
Underlying Concepts:
Seme (攻め) – Even in counterattacks, you must apply pressure to provoke the opponent into making a move.
Kensaki control – Mastery over the tip of your shinai is essential in deflecting and redirecting attacks.
Sen (先) – Initiative, refers to the timing of action and initiative in combat. Oji-waza embodies go-no-sen, where the kenshi exploits the opponent’s actions to attack with commitment.
- Go-no-sen (後の先): A form of counter-initiative where you respond to the opponent’s attack, but in such a way that you seize control of the situation.
Zanshin (残心) – The lingering awareness and readiness after an attack or counterattack. Even after executing an oji-waza, you must stay alert for the next movement.
Key Types of Oji-Waza:
- Nuki waza (抜き技) – A technique that avoids the opponent’s attack while countering at the same time. For example, men-nuki-do involves dodging a strike to the head (men) and immediately countering with a torso strike (do).
- Suriage waza (すり上げ技) – Deflects the opponent’s attack upwards using the edge of your shinai and then quickly follows with a counterstrike. For instance, kote-suriage-men deflects the opponent’s wrist strike and counters with a strike to the head.
- Kaeshi waza (返し技) – Parrying the opponent’s attack and countering in one smooth motion. An example would be kote-kaeshi-men, where you block a wrist strike (kote) and immediately counter with a head strike (men).
- Uchiotoshi waza (打ち落とし技) – Knocks down the opponent’s shinai with the blade part of the shinai and follows with a counterattack. This technique is useful when the opponent’s strike is poorly executed or overly committed.
Oji-waza teaches the importance of patience and exploiting the opponent’s aggression or eagerness. By mastering these techniques, a kendoka learns how to turn defense into offense, maintaining control in even the most aggressive encounters
List of some of the most used techniques
Here is a non exhaustive list and a chart about the main shikake-waza and oji-waza:
Shikake-Waza:
- Ippon uchi waza
- men waza
- kote waza
- do waza
- tsuki waza
- Renzoku waza (examples)
- kote – men
- men – kote
- kote – do
- tsuki – men
- kote-men-do
- Debana waza
- Debana-men
- Debana-kote
- Harai/Maki/Hari Waza
- Harai- men/kote
- Hari- men
- Osae waza
- Hiki waza
- Hiki-men
- Hiki-kote
- Hiki-do
- Katsugi waza
Oji-Waza:
- Nuki waza
- Men-nuki-do
- Kote-nuki-men
- Suriage waza
- Men-suriage-men
- Kote-suriage-men
- Kote-suriage-kote
- Kaeshi waza
- Men-kaeshi-do
- Men-kaeshi-men
- Kote-kaeshi-men
- Uchiotoshi waza
- Kote-uchiotochi-men
- Do-uchiotochi-men
This article draws on resources like kenshi247 – Kendo Guide – kendoinfo -the kendoshow for deeper insights into these techniques.
https://kenshi247.net/blog/2015/09/28/victory-and-defeat-15-points/
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