14/05/2025
I began thinking this way after receiving guidance from Miyake Hajime Sensei (former Kanagawa Prefectural Police Academy councelor), who taught me about the concept of the Shiburoku (40-60) No Kamae.
He said, “In competition, the mindset of ‘I’ll take the initiative’ may be important. But it’s just as important to have the spirit of yielding. That kind of attitude is not only useful in daily life, but it can also be reflected in Kendo.”
When engaging in the battle for the center, yielding 60% to the opponent does, naturally, lead to being struck more often. However, being struck is not necessarily a bad thing. For instance, I might reflect that I was correctly Dō because I executed a proper Men strike.
By continuing to train with this mindset—accepting being struck while maintaining a composed and forward-pressing spirit—I gradually began to feel more mentally relaxed. When the balance of control over the center is something like 5 or 6 for the opponent, and 5 or 4 for me, it creates a tense and finely tuned exchange.
I began to sense that this state of engagement leads to Aiki. Both I and my opponent can feel that we’ve “taken the center,” and that tension allows for a mutually committed, simultaneous encounter. To cultivate this state, I consciously practice with the mindset of Shiburoku No Kamae.
Seichūsen and the Concept of a Valid Strike
https://kendojidai.com/2025/05/05/seichusen-and-the-concept-of-a-valid-strike/
====
2022.6 KENDOJIDAI
Photography by Kunihiko Nishiguchi
Translation by Mariko Sato and Pepijn Boomgard
====
#剣道
