Why kendo has set Men-uchi above other striking?

1. Why kendo has set Men-uchiabove other striking?

2. It is derived from some aspects as below. • The change from armoured skills into non-armoured skills at around 1600 • The order of the popularisation of each item of Bogu • The idea in terms of real sword fighting by Sanemichi KUMAMOTO • A recommendation for striking Men as the most difficult challenge

3. The change from armoured skills into non-armoured skills at around 1600 • In the latter days of the 16th century, Shinkage-ryu school employed Shinai (called “Shinae” at the time) for practises and contests as the substitute for Bokoto or Habiki. • According to the journal of Bungorou HIKITA’s errantry tour(1595-1601),he faced 24 opponents and strike theirhead,hip,shoulders,hands,neck,legs and nose by his Shinai,however,his striking were directed mainly towards the opponent’s head. • At this time a new type of kenjutsu skills different to the armoured kenjutsu skills of the Period of Warring States was born.

4. The order of the popularisation of each Bogu • Primitive Bogu was invented by Jikishinkage-ryu school in the middle days of 17th century, but the beginning was only Men and Kote. • Body-protector(called Take-gusoku, nowadays Do and Tare) were invented by Nakanishiha-Itto-ryu school in the early days of 18th century but has not been popularised before Bakumatsu period(the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate) because it was so solid and assumed that it hinder the movements of the fencers. • Therefore, before 1840s, most of kenjutsu schools employed Men and Kote for the protective gear and mainly trained Men and Kote striking than Do striking.

5. Bogu at around 1810s(drawn by Hokusai KATSUSIKA, an Ukiyo-e painter)

6. The idea in terms of real sword fighting by Sanemichi KUMAMOTO • Sanemichi KUMAMOTO was a Japanese army officer in Meiji Period. He wrote a martial arts book ‘Budo Kyohan’ in terms of real sword fighting through his experience of the Satsuma rebellion(1878) and the Sino-Japanese war(1894-95). • KUMAMOTO devised his own rule in kendo match, especially in the scoring table of striking. • He gave the highest score for Men striking in terms of the effective point among the vital parts. • His idea was spread throughout Japan by army and was put a high value by many Kendoka.

7. The score of the Kumamoto’s Kendo match regulation

8. The regulations for refereeing of the Dainippon- Butoku-kai from 1890s to 1930 • Even if the player struck Men lightly, you should value his strike as an Ippon. • If player A struck player B’s Do, and player B surely struck A’s Men just after A’s strike, you should value their strikes as an Ai-uchi. • If player A struck player B’s Kote, and player B surely struck A’s Yoko- Men (right men) by his left hand just after A’s strike, you should also value their strikes as an Ai-uchi.

9. The recommendation of striking Men as the most difficult challenge • In the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate(1853–1868), Most of kenjutsu schools and kendoka found the difficulty of Men-uchi through their experience of kendo practises and matches. • Hokushin-Itto-ryu,Tamiya-ryu and other some schools has set a high valuation on Men-uchi. • Takaharu NAITO, studied Hokushin-Itto-ryu and the chief professor of the Budo-Senmon-Gakko (an Polytechnic of martial arts established in 1905) emphasised the importance of Men-uchi as a challenge to its difficulty for the correct passing of a kendo spirit. • Since most of the graduates of the Budo-Senmon-Gakko were employed the secondary schools throughout Japan, this idea (respect for Men-uchi) has been succeeded through modern Japanese kendo society.