Instructor: Yamauchi Sachiko

Naginata is sometimes translated as "halberd" or "glaive;" "curved spear" may be a better translation. It is equivalent to a short saber blade attached to a shaft. They are ancient, battlefield weapons. "... Tendo Ryu was developed in the latter half of the 1500's at the end of the Sengoku period, a time of civil war. The founder was Saito Hangan Dekibo Katsuhide from Ibaragi. ... The present expression of Tendo Ryu is derived from the efforts of Mr. Kengyo Mitamura, headmaster during the Meiji era. The emphasis shifted to Naginata-jutsu, and the training of women. ... After WWII, Atarashii or "New" Naginata was formulated based on several Koryu, including Tendo Ryu and Jikishinkage Ryu. The influence of Tendo Ryu on Atarashii Naginata can be seen in the Zen Nihon (Naginata Renmei) Kata, which are practiced by Yudansha, Sandan and up. ..." There are no formal ranks awarded in Tendo Ryu.

The excerpt is from "Shingetsukai Tendo-Ryu Naginata-jutsu Gasshuku at Asilomar [8 - 11 March 1998]" to be submitted to the Journal of Japanese Sword Arts by co-director Raymond Sosnowski.
 
 

"... Tendo Ryu is a Koryu [classical style]; it emphasizes Naginata vs. Tachi in Kata practice. The weapons are wooden and of a design that is particular to this Ryu. There are 160 Naginata Kata arranged in hierarchical groups; Tendo Ryu also includes Kata with Goshaku-Bo (5-foot staff, which is the Jo of this Ryu representing a Naginata with its blade missing as if it were broken off), Nito (two sabers), Kusarigama (sickle with a weighted chain attached), and Kodachi/Shoto (short saber)."

"The first things we learned were the Kamae (stances) and the Reiho. Most Kamae were familiar, having similar or identical analogues in Atarashii Naginata. One with no analogue is Udemake no Kamae in which the Naginata is craddled in the right arm, so that the Kissaki (tip of the blade) is foreward and down, about 4 inches from the ground and the edge faces the right; the left hand is under the right elbow to provide support. One aspect of Kata in many Koryu is the formal way in which the practice proceeds; it is all done by Go-rei (command). ... Commands such as "Yo-i" (ready position), "Hajime" (begin), and "Motoe" (return to original position) punctuate the practice of each Kata. Mr. Kim Taylor of the University of Guelph, Ontario, attributes this to being able to practice safely in a group setting."

"The first twenty Kata make up the Ko-naginata Omote grouping, which has three sections, Shodan with eight Kata, Chudan with seven Kata, and Gedan with five Kata. We learned the first four in Shodan. The first Kata, Ichimonji no Midari, is one of the most important in Tendo Ryu [see "The Role of Arms-Bearing Women in Japanese History" by Mr. Ellis Amdur in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 11 - 35, 1996; the essential elements of this Kata are seen in figures on page 17]. It derives its name from Ichimonji no Kamae, a stance analogous to Chudan no Kamae in Atarashii Naginata except that here the Naginata is parallel to the ground. This Kata is the prototype for the other Kata in the Shodan section. Other features of these Kata include stereotypic initial stepping pattern of two steps back followed by two steps foreward (retreat and advance), and a retiring (ending), stepping pattern of three steps back in Ude-maki no Kamae. We practiced the Kata solo, and then paired with Tanaka-sensei who was Uke-tachi (receiver of the technique)." [Author's note: Uke-tachi wears Kote to protect the wrists in the paired Kata of this Ryuha.]

Excerpts from "The First NH Atarashii Naginata Seminar" published in the Journal of Japanese Sword Arts #81 (Vol. 9, No. 5, pp. 8-10, May, 1997) by co-director Raymond Sosnowski describing his initial instruction in Tendo Ryu Naginata-jutsu with Tanaka-s. in October, 1996.
 
 

Instruction will cover Reiho, Kamae, and the first part of the Shodan Kata series. Once the Kata have been learned, students will have the opportunity to practice with an Uchi-tachi (partner armed with Bokuto/Bokken). Practice weapons will be provided for use.
 
 

Instructor: Yamauchi Sachiko

"Prior to the Edo period (1603 - 1867) in Japan, the Naginata was a standard pole-arm of the samurai, having the dynamics of the Bo (long staff), Tachi (saber) and Yari (spear). During the Edo period, a time of internal peace, primarily women of samurai families trained with Naginata. After the Meiji Restoration (1867), the Koryu (classical styles) were taught in public schools for the physical and mental training of female students. After WWII, Atarashii or "New" Naginata was formulated based on several Koryu, and along lines similar to modern Kendo. Several Koryu, such as Tendo-Ryu and Jikishinkage-Ryu, which form the basis of "New" Naginata, are still taught today, but they emphasize Naginata vs. Tachi in Kata practice; "New" Naginata practice is exclusively Naginata vs. Naginata and include Shiai (contests). Nowadays training includes males and females in both Naginata and Kendo."

"... The practice weapon is a competition-style Naginata [two bamboo staves as the Ha-bu (blade), an oak E-bu (shaft), and leather covers over the Kissaki (blade tip) and the Ishizuki (shaft end)], analogous to the Shinai (mock-sword) in Kendo. ... Like Kendo, Atarashii Naginata practice consists of two elements: Kata (pre-arranged forms) and Jigeiko/Shiai (practice sparring/contest). ... "New" Naginata has two sets of two-person forms. Up through San-dan, practitioners learn and practice the eight Shikake-Oogi with the competition-style Naginata; these Oyo Waza (applied techniques) emphasize Kamae (posture/stance), Tai-sabaki (body movement), and Datotsu-bui (strike points) with respect Uchi-kata (offensive moves) and Uke-kata (defensive moves). ..."

"Like Jigeiko and Shiai in Kendo, practitioners in Naginata wear Bogu (practice armor). ... unique to Naginata are the Sune-ate (shin protectors). Beginners who have never worked in Bogu usually have 6 to 12 months of Kata practice prior to beginning training in Bogu ... Like Kendo, Naginata stresses "Ki Ken Tai Itchi" (the coordination of spirit, weapon and body as one); both are based on balance, coordination, and precision, not strength, and, as such, they can be practiced for a lifetime. Because of the emphasis on whole-body movement and the unique use of centrifugal force in moving the Naginata, neither age nor gender are obstacles to practice; practitioners range from school children to retirees."

Excerpts from "A Brief Introduction to Atarashii Naginata" by co-director Raymond Sosnowski, published in THE IAIDO NEWSLETTER #77, 9(1), 4-5, January 1997.

Atarashii Naginata was developed in 1955 by the Zen Nihon Naginata Renmei (All Japan Naginata Federation). In Japan, it is taught as part of the physical education of girls in Junior and Senior High School; worldwide, the majority of practitioners are women (in the US, it is roughly split with women holding the edge). There are three levels of rank. The first level is the Dan-gai (Mudansha or under Black Belt) with six Kyu ranks (running backwards from 6 throught 1 as one advances). The second level is the Yudansha (Black Belt) with five Dan ranks. The third level is Shogo (beyond Godan), which are instructor's rankings; in increasing rank, they are Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi, instructor's rankings equivalent to assistant, asociate, and full professor, respectively. With Shogo ranks, there come appointments as Shinsa-in (Dan ranking examiner), and training for advanced levels of Shimpan-in (Shiai referees).

Instruction will cover Reiho, and the basic elements of Kamae, Datotsu-bui, Uchi-kata (strikes) and Uke-kata (blocks). Pair work will then follow, consisting of Uchi-kaeshi (the analogue of Kiri-kaeshi in Kendo), a series of strikes to the Men (head) and Sune (shins) along with the associated blocks executed by the partner, and the first two Waza of Shikake-Oogi. Introductary work will not include Bogu training. Practice weapons, Shiai-style Naginata, will be provided for use.

Yamauchi Sachiko

Yamauchi Sachiko started her Naginata training in 1971 at the Naginata Club of Matsuyama Shinonome junior high school. By 16 years old she had reached Shodan, or 1st degree black belt. She was promoted to her current rank of Kyoshi in 1996 a year after she had become age eligible. Yamauchi Sensei is one of the youngest to ever be promoted to that rank. The Naginata Federation ranking system is: Shodan (1st degree black belt) through Godan (5th degree black belt), followed by the teaching titles of Renshi (instructor), Kyoshi (senior instructor) and Hanshi (master instructor). Minimum age requirement for Hanshi is 55.

          Her tournament record is also very impressive. In the 15TH All Japan Naginata High School Championship, she was the team captain of the winning team. The next year she took the paired (engi) College Championship. She continued her career in college, winning both in team competition and individually during various All Japan College Naginata Tournaments. Yamauchi Sensei was in many All Japan prefecture competitions both as a team player and as a paired (engi) kata competitor. Quite often placing in the top 10% or better. In 1989 at the 30th All Japan Prefecture Championships, she took 1st place as an individual. Thus, she has won first place in All Japan level naginata tournaments in high school, college, and as an adult.

          Yamauchi Sensei also has a great career as a teacher and coach. She has taught Naginata at various levels. This experience ranges from teaching Elementary and Junior High School children to teaching older section (45+) at the Saijo Wako Club in Saijo City, Ehime. She is qualified as a college level Naginata seminar leader as well as Gifu and Ehime prefectures seminar leader. Sensei holds a B level Naginata coaching certificate. She is a Class A Referee.

          Among her many duties in Japan are: a Standing Director of Ehime Naginata Federation (past General Secretary) and since 1996 Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Advisor to All Japan College Naginata Federation, Advisor to the Ehime Prefecture Sports Association, and Standing Director of Matsuyama City Sports Association. In 1991 Yamauchi Sensei received the Ehime Prefecture Sports Association’s Outstanding Coach Award and the Matsuyama City Sports Association’s Distinguished Coaching Award.

MIYAKO TANAKA

Ms. Miyako Tanaka teaches both Atarashii ("New") Naginata of the All Japan Naginata Federation and Tendo Ryu Naginata-jutsu, which is a Koryu (Classical Style). In Atarashii Naginata, she trained for thirty-six years under Ms. Chiyoko Tokunaga, Hanshi (a Shogo or post-Godan rank for instructors, the highest and the third of three), and has been teaching for thirty years; in Tendo Ryu Naginata-jutsu, she trained for thirty-two years under Ms. Takeko Mitamura, sixteenth generation Soke, and Tokunaga-s., and has been teaching for nineteen years with the permission of the Soke. In Atarashii Naginata, Tanaka-s. is Kyoshi (a Shogo, the second of three), Shinsa-in (Dan-ranking examiner), and Isshu Konin Shimpan-in (first-rank referee for Shiai, tournament competition); she is the highest ranking Atarashii Naginata practitioner outside of Japan. She is also the only person outside of Japan teaching Tendo Ryu with the expressed permission of the Soke; there are no formal ranks in Tendo Ryu per se.

From 1968 until 1984, she was an assistant instructor at Kansai University in Osaka, Japan, and coached their Naginata Club. She first came to the US in 1979, having been sent by the Japanese Ministry of Education, and relocated to the US in the mid 1980's. She cofounded the Northern California Naginata Federation in 1990, and has served as the President of the United States Naginata Federation since 1995. She has taught seminars in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Utah, and Washington, as well as the Netherlands. She has also served on Promotion Examination Boards in the US, France and Japan. In California, she currently teaches Naginata at the El Cerrito Community Center, the Arlington Community Center in Kensington, and the Japanese Cultural Art Center in Berkeley.

last updated May 31, 2005 by Kim Taylor