Katana on the Right Waist

Many people ask me if they can have their katana on their right waist because they are left-handed. The answer may differ depending on who you ask, but my senseis and I would say NO. This is because having your katana on your right waist was forbidden in the past. To carry on iai as a traditional culture, the old customs must be followed at a certain level. Otherwise, the original form will be lost. However, some left-handed people claim this is "discriminatory." However, the left hand is very important in Iai techniques such as katana drawing and sword swinging. In addition, many swordsmen who have left their names in history, such as Miyamoto Musashi and Saito Ichi, are left-handed. In other words, right-handed and left-handed people have different starting points; eventually, we must master both hands.

*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects

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[MiyamotoMusashi]

Those rules are probably why Musashi rebelled and mastered 2 swords at once and became unstoppable

[SimonGilliard]

As a guitar player and teacher I always advise left handed people who wants to start guitar to play right handed because they can achieve the same results and as a bonus will not have a limited choice of instruments that left handed players usually have

[NihonNoMajin]

As a primary lefty thay grew up in Tokyo, this is very much a japanese if not asian thing. I used to get scolded a lot for eating left-handed and writing, not to mention my kendo instructor 😂. I obviously did learn right-handed, but... i secretly taught myself left-handed when no one was looking 🤫

[bigbrowntau]

Many right handers end up with too much power from their right hand when cutting. This is a problem we left handers don't face as often. There are subtle advantages to being left handed when using a katana.

[mikerouch]

No wonder Miyamoto went to two katana. It was the only way to get a katana in his dominant hand.

[jassisingh]

Zoro be breaking every Katana Custom there ever was

[edbangor]

The accessibility really depends on if you focus on the "martial" or "art" side of things. If you want to prioritize the art and culture, then keep the sword on the left. If you want to actually be able to fight, using your dominant hand is the only way to go

[kenninast]

Before Edo Jidai, there were no rules for left or right. You should - as always - train your off hand a bit more than your main hand. Also realise, that if your wounded on your main hand, you should have learned left AND right. Before Edo Jidai, the only thing that counted for a samurai was to be as proficient a fighter as possible.

[haven]

I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered it yet, but learning both hands has definitely been beneficial.

[jaydavis]

I mean...it is discriminatory though. No real way to explain that away. The left handed swordsmen of the past HAD to do it. There is nothing saying it HAS to be done now besides an unnecessary adherence to tradition. Just because it's old doesn't mean it right.

[johnp]

As a left handed person learning some of the best sword fighters are also left handed makes me double down on learning sword martial art.

[Leftyotism]

Mastering both hands is so important! 🥰
Some things my right hand can do better, but other things my left hand can do better! And in the end they both work together. 🥰🙏

[Zelmel]

People gotta remember that back in the day almost universally left handed people were not allowed to act naturally with their left hands. Even just a couple generations ago some places.

[CyberSway]

I am left handed and agree with the sentiment of different starting points. You can learn anything with both hands with practice.

[feral_shade]

That makes sense...in the army (US) we always saluted with our right hand, no matter what

...if we had something in our right hand, we moved to the left, then saluted with the right hand

If you think about it this actually gives left-handed people an ADVANTAGE over right-handers. When you move an object to your left hand to salute (or draw a katana), the burden of managing that object is now on your left hand

If you've saluted once, you've probably saluted 1000 times...if you've drawn a katana, you've probably drawn it 1000 times
It's second nature at this point
...so the right hand has the easy task

...but...say something happens and you're right-handed...let's say for example, while you're eating a sandwich with your right hand, and you have to draw a katana....

You react immediately...you pass the sandwich to the other hand and draw the sword
...oh but wait
....your left hand fumbles with the sandwich, and drops it
....now there's a big mess on the ground and you wasted your lunch!

It definitely pays to be left-handed sometimes 😁

[teslawolverine]

I didn't know Musashi was left handed. That's so cool

[estamnar]

"Right- and Left-handed people may have different starting points, but we must eventually learn to master both hands" - Shogo

[dannydagerous]

I grew up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. There was a dojo there that had a Japanese flag in it. I was called Bushin kan dojo . the teacher there insisted we learn every kata left and right side incredibly difficult practiced almost every day for eight years and it has benefited my entire life as a bouncer, and as a construction worker and as a person, I very much appreciate your content. I am very, very grateful for you. Thank you so much.

[benrks]

"Some people actually affected by this issue say it's discriminatory, but I, a person unaffected by it, think it's okay becauee it's tradition" isn't exactly a great look tho?

[jessicamong]

Long time didn't saw your videos. Miss them.