noto with O-Tachi - pic

[DaveThorson]

Came across this book on e-bay with an interesting pic of a guy doing noto with an o-tachi.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29321&item=3515941457

[A. Bakken]

Hey, that's cheating, isn't it? ;)

How do you perform noto in Kage-ryu, Hyaku?

[Steve Delaney]

Well the b/w photo on that site is from another book as stated. The caption states that it's Kage ryu nodachi - Noto Kamae. It comes from 'Koryu Kenjutsu Gairon', written by Tanaka Fumon.

Mr.Hyakutake, does the photo on this site depict your ryuha's noto correctly?

[hyaku]

Thats Otsuyama San (Kageryu). :cry: :cry:

Damn that's an old pic. He hasnt got so much hair now. He left along time ago! No great loss as you can see.

I was told by someone a long time ago it was acceptable to do it that way. But needless to say I dont.

However, Noto or Chiburui is not part of the fundamentals and there is no mention of it in the writings handed down. Its just that I would not be too keen out getting my fingers all over the blade.

I do mine from the from standing or tate hiza off either leg. I do turn my hand around which is acceptable over 3 shaku but I don't put it on the blade.

Hyakutake Colin

[Steve Delaney]

Hyaku,

So you are saying that there isn't a single standard noto used in Kage ryu kata?

If this is so, when your group do embu, do you uniformly do the same noto or does this depend on the individual practicioner's preference?

Many thanks

[seskoad]

was that sword really used in war? Or just like accessories?

[hyaku]

Hello Steve

Up to zanshin its the same. I have seen a slight variation similar to shall we say Tamimura/Shimomura but far less technical.

I suppose you can add to this the the fact that some people who have practiced have come from various iai/batto backgrounds. Bearing this in mind I have made a perhaps more concious effort to do a polished uniform noto.

Looking at the picture Otsuyama San is doing something an older Shihan called Monjusho Sensei did. He died at 101 years of age a year before I started. I think you will find that this photo was taken when Otsuyama San was a beginner himself and perhaps snapped by an onlooker. It is far from representative of the ryu.

In between techniques one can hardly just wander out of the area and squat down to wipe, clean the blade, Its just best to bear in mind that you are going to see some slight variation.

One thing for sure is it wont be as demonstrative as you sometimes see. A major difference is perhaps that you mostly see a lot of people stand to complete and do noto even if the final cut puts them in the one knee up position. Also this changing feet thing. Don't expect to see any of that. As I said there is no Chiburui but Chinugui. (Allowing the excess to drip off)

Would this be effective enough to clean the blade? No. But then again recent threads show that Chiburui would not be sufficient either if it was too gorey.

Also I have found that the longer heavier blade does not allow one to lightly rest the back of the blade onto the left hand in a more side on position.

Please consider that to us noto is a necessary function of re-sheathing the blade to do the next technique for demonstrations and practice. We do as for example, The Nihon Batto Renmei/Toyama ryu/Todo Renmei would do after finishing a cut or series of cuts.
.............

Sekoad

Correct on both counts.

It was used! Also big beautiful blades were made and presented to shrines as national regalia.

Sorry its long

Hyakutake Colin

http://www.sword.shorturl.com/

[Steve Delaney]

Hyaku,

Don't apologize mate, it's very interesting to hear how these weapons are managed. I normally use a 2 shaku 6 sun 5 bu iaito when training in the Iai portion of Araki ryu and I'm just trying to imagine resheathing a 3 jaku 6 sun blade. :eek: Is it a question of having just long arms or is it moving your body into a position where the kissaki can enter the koiguchi at a better angle?

What are the usual cutting methods in Kage ryu? I'm presuming that you don't do many Makko giri. Also, how strong do you have to be to heft one of those monsters and cut with it?

Thanks :smilejapa: