Nakamura Sensei

[jezah81]

In one of those websites Nakamura Sensei states "Nakayama sensei said that subtracting 3 shaku (90 cm) from one's own height was a good rule-of-thumb; the resulting difference would be a good sword length. From my height of 5 shaku 4 sun (164 cm), I subtracted 3 shaku. Therefore, a good length for my sword would be 2 shaku 4 sun (73 cm)."
Is that the blade length from munemachi to kissaki or the whole sword length from kissaki to kashira? I am 187-188cm, so a 97-98cm (38inch) blade would seem a bit absurd to use even for me. That is too long even for MJER.
P.S
Thanks to everyone who replied to my previous thread.
Kind regards,

[Jonathan Tow]

Originally posted by jezah81
I am 187-188cm, so a 97-98cm (38inch) blade would seem a bit absurd to use even for me. That is too long even for MJER.

Careful making generalisations about MJER. Sekiguchi Komei-sensei uses a shinken with those dimensions and not much sori. "Depends on your teacher" - the old, well-worn phrase goes.

Personally, I'm 170cm and have used a blade length 2 shaku 8 sun (84cm). Took a little getting used to but wasn't a problem. Sekiguchi-sensei likes to say that a longer blade pushes/extends one's technique.

Ultimately, it should be what you're comfortable with in consultation with your teacher. :)

Best,

Jonathan

[JAnstey]

Hi Jeremy,

73cm will be around 2-3-5 to 2-4-0 and is measured from the munemachi to kissaki. And sounds about right for a style that favours a longer sword. You will be forced to do good sayabiki to make this work.

As a general statement, a sword too short for you will not push you to develop good technique.

It is all dependent on you ryu and teacher, but an interesting basis for measurement.

Cheers

Jason

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by jezah81
"...subtracting 3 shaku (90 cm) from one's own height was a good rule-of-thumb; the resulting difference would be a good sword length."
"Rules of thumb" don't always work when one uses factors outside the range for which the rule was devised. The "subtracting 3 shaku" rule was for average Japanese men of Nakayama's era.

Other "Rules" say, depending on the style, that the kissaki should just touch the ground when the arm hangs relaxed at ones side, the sword should clear the ground by one sun when swung back and forth (incompatible with the previous rule), etc. That's why your sensei is always the best source of advise on what length of sword to buy.

Originally posted by jezah81
Is that the blade length from munemachi to kissaki or the whole sword length from kissaki to kashira?
Blade length is called nagasa, and is measured as a straight line from munemachi to kissaki. Since a katana is curved you don't run a tape measure along the back of the blade; that would give a falsely long measurement. (Also, the distance from the imaginary nagasa line to the deepest part of the curve is the sori.)


Originally posted by jezah81
I am 187-188cm, so a 97-98cm (38inch) blade would seem a bit absurd to use even for me.
If we change the rule of thumb to a formula, we get this:

Nakayama (N) = 5.4 shaku (164cm)
N's Sword (NS) = 2.4 shaku (73cm)
Jeremy (J) = 6.2 shaku (187cm)
J's Sword (JS) = ?

(NS/N)*J = JS
(73/164)*187 = 83.238 = 2.75 shaku = 32.85 inches

So, if you wanted a sword that fit you similarly to the way Nakayama's sword fit him, you would choose a 33 inch blade, not a 38 incher.

2.75 and even 2.8 iaito are available by special order from several suppliers, so if that's the route you want to take you can do it.

HTH.

[Brian Owens]

BTW, by means of comparison, I am 6'5" (195cm), and I use a 2.65. That length was recommended to me by my primary sensei (not MJER, BTW), and also confirmed by a MSR sensei with whom I have studied.

So ryu/dojo/sensei preference really is the best "Rule of Thumb" to go by.

[A. Bakken]

So what is the formula for choosing tsuka-ito color? ;)

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by A. Bakken
So what is the formula for choosing tsuka-ito color? ;)

Eye color / hakama color * wall color = ito color?

In degrees Kelvin, of course. :p

[jezah81]

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
Kind Regards,

[Walker]

Originally posted by Brian Owens
Eye color / hakama color * wall color = ito color?

In degrees Kelvin, of course. :p This is true only if the color temperature of your diet is constant. :laugh:

[glad2bhere]

I continue to have curiosity about the length the sword especially regarding a single technique which I am not sure even exists in Japanese sword but turns up rather often in Korean sword.

Imagine, if you will, a person in Middle Guard position, who raises the sword overhead and cuts straight down in front of himself. Assuming the right foot is forward, imagine the weight transferred to the left foot. The sword stroke which started as a Straight Descending Cut now continues with the guard moving in an arc towards the groin. At the last moment the forward leg swings back, ahead of the sword and the swordsman pivots on his left foot. The former forward (right) foot now swings out of the way as the sword has transitioned into a Straight Ascending Cut. I mention this technique as the length of the sword, relative to the height ("inseam") of the swords man, would see critical to successful execution. Thoughts? Comments?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by glad2bhere
Imagine, if you will, a person in Middle Guard position, who raises the sword overhead and cuts straight down in front of himself. Assuming the right foot is forward, imagine the weight transferred to the left foot. The sword stroke which started as a Straight Descending Cut now continues with the guard moving in an arc towards the groin. At the last moment the forward leg swings back, ahead of the sword and the swordsman pivots on his left foot. The former forward (right) foot now swings out of the way as the sword has transitioned into a Straight Ascending Cut.
I'm not very good with story problems. Can you restate that as a formula? ;)

Seriously; I can't quite visualize what you're describing, but I agree that certain techniques are dependent for succesful execution on the length of the sword in question.

In fact, entire ryu developed around specific weapons. While it is obvious that SMR's jodo would differ completly from OR's yabusame; it also seems that TSKSR's kenjutsu would differ in many respects from KR's kenjutsu, and so on.