How Would a Katana Swordmaster Fight with a Buckler?

*The content of our videos is based on the teachings of Asayama Ichiden Ryu and personal studies/experience | There is no intention of denying other Ryuha styles, theories, and cultural aspects

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❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
❸ You can ask Seki Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history
❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style
❺ You can receive OFFICIAL DAN RANKS by taking exams online (and opening a DOJO in the future)

🧐Frequently Asked Questions About Our Online Lessons:
Q❓: I have no experience with katana. Will I still be able to catch up?
A💡: You don’t need any previous katana martial arts experience to participate in our lessons.

Seki Sensei, the instructor of the online lessons, will carefully instruct you on how to handle the katana regardless of your level. You will also be able to access all the videos of the past lessons so you can watch what every other student has learned. You can also send us videos of your progress, and Seki Sensei will be happy to give you feedback.

Q❓: What is the right length of the Iaito (zinc alloy training katana) I should use?
A💡: Please purchase an Iaitō at least two blocks longer than the standard length.

The standard length for Seki Sensei is about 177cm, so he should use a 2.45 Shaku long katana. However, he uses a 2.6 Shaku-long katana that is supposed to be used by someone 190cm tall. If the katana is too short, it becomes too easy to draw, which is not good for training.

Q❓: Can I join even if I belong to a different Ryuha style?
A💡: Yes, it’s not a problem at all.

The Seki Sensei himself has trained in more than five styles and various other weapons. If you don’t want others to know that you are participating, you can join the online lessons with your camera off. To have the Sensei check your progress, you can send us a video of you practicing.

🗡️Join the Online Iaido Training with Seki Sensei🗡️

Interested in taking Iaido lessons directly from the 8th Dan Iaido Master with 40 years of experience in Musō Shinden Ryu, Seki sensei? Sign up to learn authentic samurai skills with perfect English interpretation from Let’s ask Shogo.
❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
❸ You can ask Seki Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history
❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style

💻Seki Sensei's Official Website💻

🎵Original Opening Theme Song "Hyakuren"🎵
Performance: Hanafugetsu (Singer/Suzuhana Yuko, Shakuhachi/Kaminaga Daisuke, Koto/Ibukuro Kiyoshi)
Compositions & Arrangements: Suzuhana Yuko
Mixing & Mastering: Watabiki Yuta

❓What is Asayama Ichiden Ryu? / Who is Seki sensei?❓

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*Please ask us questions through the DM here

#katana #iaido #kenjutsu #kobudo #asayamaichidenryu

[letsasksekisensei]

⚔Join the Online Kobudo Training with Seki Sensei⚔

❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
❸ You can ask Seki Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history
❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style
❺ You can receive OFFICIAL DAN RANKS by taking exams online (and opening a DOJO in the future)


🧐Frequently Asked Questions About Our Online Lessons:
Q❓: I have no experience with katana. Will I still be able to catch up?
A💡: You don’t need any previous katana martial arts experience to participate in our lessons.

Seki Sensei, the instructor of the online lessons, will carefully instruct you on how to handle the katana regardless of your level. You will also be able to access all the videos of the past lessons so you can watch what every other student has learned. You can also send us videos of your progress, and Seki Sensei will be happy to give you feedback.

Q❓: What is the right length of the Iaito (zinc alloy training katana) I should use?
A💡: Please purchase an Iaitō at least two blocks longer than the standard length.

The standard length for Seki Sensei is about 177cm, so he should use a 2.45 Shaku long katana. However, he uses a 2.6 Shaku-long katana that is supposed to be used by someone 190cm tall. If the katana is too short, it becomes too easy to draw, which is not good for training.

Q❓: Can I join even if I belong to a different Ryuha style?
A💡: Yes, it’s not a problem at all.

The Seki Sensei himself has trained in more than five styles and various other weapons. If you don’t want others to know that you are participating, you can join the online lessons with your camera off. To have the Sensei check your progress, you can send us a video of you practicing.

🗡Join the Online Iaido Training with Seki Sensei🗡

Interested in taking Iaido lessons directly from the 8th Dan Iaido Master with 40 years of experience in Musō Shinden Ryu, Seki sensei? Sign up to learn authentic samurai skills with perfect English interpretation from Let’s ask Shogo.
❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
❸ You can ask Seki Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history
❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style

💻Seki Sensei's Official Website💻

🎵Original Opening Theme Song "Hyakuren"🎵
Performance: Hanafugetsu (Singer/Suzuhana Yuko, Shakuhachi/Kaminaga Daisuke, Koto/Ibukuro Kiyoshi)
Compositions & Arrangements: Suzuhana Yuko
Mixing & Mastering: Watabiki Yuta

❓What is Asayama Ichiden Ryu? / Who is Seki sensei?❓

📱Instagram📱
*Please ask us questions through the DM here

#katana #iaido #kenjutsu #kobudo #asayamaichidenryu

[PenneySounds]

Personally, I'm just a big fan of the attitude that "dedication to tradition" and "openness to new ideas" do not have to be conflicting ideals.

[skulblaka]

I like to see Seki sensei laugh. He is not just there to teach, but he is enjoying every moment of it too.

[thebiologist]

Curious. He uses the buckler to cover his flank expecting an attack from the katana on that side, which is very Japanese and not how Europeans used the buckler defensively, but then he switches to the offensive in the same style Europeans did. Defensively, the buckler covered the hands from above, and offensively, the buckler is used the same way he did.

[avidplanes]

Japan is like “I could have a shield but hear me out what if I just used another sword

[AndrianTimeswift]

Interestingly, both sensei instinctively hit upon some standard European fighting stances. You can find illustrations of fighters taking up the stance with the shield out in front, or with the shield over the head. Seki-sensei's strategy of getting his opponent used to him fighting only with the sword, then suddenly surprising the opponent with the buckler was very clever. I'm curious to know what Iai techniques Seki-sensei might use with the buckler. Would they be any different from usual?

[asa-punkatsouthvinland]

I love & respect that Seki Sensei is not only willing to experiment with foreign weapons but enjoys doing so! This video series also helps show how despite cultural & weapon differences the basics are fairly universal in weapon arts.

[ShadowDragon]

This is incredible. My first thought is that the _Scottish_ dueling tradition entails a claymore sword, and a buckler. If I recall correctly, one of the best techniques Scotsmen equipped for this would use when getting into a duel with a swordsman who was not trained with or against shields, was that they could basically control their opponent's eyes _with_ the shield; by controlling where they looked and limiting where they could strike, they could open up advantages to make moves that had nothing to do with the shield _except that_ the shield was _not_ going anywhere near their sword.
Another trick, of course, was saying something affable like "I can't fight an improperly armed man! Here, take my buckler, you need it more." The other guy, usually, would take it, because they'd have a vauge understanding that it's better to have a shield than not to have a shield (in general true, since they would have been using one-handed swords alone), but because they've not trained with it, they over-focus on using it.

The point, thus, is that it seems Seki Sensi has _intuited_ that first technique, but he's also done something I'd never even _thought_ of; holding the shield in reserve, even keeping it hidden! That's... _Brilliant, _ honestly.

[ShawnValsean]

I always loves these, when Seki Sensei has a new weapon or tool to figure out

[Sbv-]

I think it’s impressive that there are shield kata that have been passed down despite their short historical lifespan

[chaos_omega]

Fighting with wakizashi & buckler reminds me of tinbe & rochin from Okinawan kobudo. It would be interesting now to see Seki Sensei with the rapier or longsword paired with the buckler, fighting against katana.

[dlatrexswords]

Thanks so much Sensei and Shogo for showcasing these awesome techniques! Not long ago I made a video reviewing the writings of Portuguese missionary Luís Fróis (1532 – 8 July 1597) in his work "Tratado em que se contêm muito sucinta e abreviadamente algumas contradições e diferenças de costumes entre a gente de Europa e esta província de Japão", and it was fun to see he specifically noted the use of small shields in Japan during the end of the Muromachi when he was visiting. Thanks so much for sharing more about the history of tedate in Japan!

[GadreelAdvocat]

I liked the style of holding the buckler up slightly over the head. Could imagine a battlefield scenario using the jingasa as a shield to block out the sunlight ahead of you and to prepare for an oncoming weapon.

[CCgivemeawedgy]

We need to see Seki Sensei use a Greatsword now, Claymore, maybe even a Zweihander!

[jonwesick]

Great fun! Love the Kenjutsu/HEMA cross fertilization!

[albruitstuart]

Something the gentleman in blue was lacking and Seki Sensei realized quickly is the buckler works best when it is used at the same time/tempo as the sword. In Ms I.33 we learn to use the buckler to cover our sword hand when engaging the opponents blade. You see Seki Sensei do this several times and it was extremely effective.

[AzraelThanatos]

You know, I'd love to see Sensei's reactions to more obscure weapons and swords.

A macuahuitl would be VERY interesting to work with

[Markbell]

How Seki Sensei immediately adapts the buckler and innovates with it is a master class.

[alexanderren]

Sensei really is a master! You could take freeze frames of what he’s doing here and put most of it side-by-side with drawings straight out of i-33 and many other European fighting manuals

[silverhand]

I always appreciate just how good Seki Sensei is at spacing. It's like it's become a fully natural skill for him