PUBLIC MARKS with tags iaido & "Te No Uchi"

by Nicklaus Suino Sensei This article appeared in the "SMAA Journal" Volume 14, Issue 2 Few arts present as many challenges of detail as does Japanese swordsmanship. One of the most misunderstood aspects of Eishin Ryu iaido is the proper grip on the handle of the iaito (iaido practice sword), called “te-no-uchi.” The grip is crucial because it is the final lynchpin in the transmission of power from the body, through the arms, and into the cutting edge of the sword. A correct grip also provides “feel,” which increases awareness of the sword’s position and helps guide the edge through the correct path in cutting.

It is almost a truism in Japanese martial arts that power comes from the floor through the hips. In iaido that power must reach the tip of the blade, and the only connection between the tip and the floor is through the hands. In this series we examine some ways one can grip the sword during an iaido kata.