Iwata sensei's essays 8.​

The meaning of waza mae

Shi getsu Sho

Seiza No Bu

Ippon Me Mae
As I have noticed a hostile feeling form the enemy who is sitting face to face, I cut his neck promptly.
And more over, I raise my sword over my head and cut him down, while he is falling down.

 

Nihon Me Migi
As I have noticed a hostile feeling from the enemy who is sitting at my left side, in the same direction as me, I get ahead of him, I turn to the left, then I do a cut horizontally to defeat him.

 

Sanbon Me Hidari
As I have noticed a hostile feeling from the enemy who is sitting at my right side just like me, I turn to the right and do a cut horizontally to defeat him.

 

Shihon Me Ushiro
As I have noticed a hostile feeling from the enemy who is sitting behind me in the same direction, I turn my right kneecap to the left and do a cut to defeat him.

 

Gahon Me Yae Gaki
Just like Ippon Me Mae, as I have noticed a hostile feeling from the enemy who is sitting face to face, I do a horizontal cut, but it is not enough. As he moves back, I chase him and cut him down, but he is still alive. As he tries to mow my right leg off even if he is lying, I receive his sword by my sword, and I sweep his sword off, then I cut down toward the front to defeat him.

 

Roppon Me Uke Nagashi
The enemy suddenly cuts down on my head from the left at 15 º ~ 30º degrees while he is standing. I receive his sword and glide down the sword at my left side. Then the enemy loses his balance. At that moment, I cut down on his neck to defeat him.

 

cHichihon Me Kai Shaku
I cut the person’s neck to assist seppuku. The person is sitting 1-2 m away from me. He is sitting to the left.

 

Hachihon Me Tsuke Komi
The enemy is standing and cutting down on me. His cutting is so sudden that I move back one step. Because of my moving back, he loses his balance. At that moment, I do cut down on his head not deeply and very quickly. As the cut is not enough, he is moving back. I chase him and put an end to his life.
Zanshin
I think after two cuts, I need to do one more, but the third cut is not necessary. So I stop my sword above his head.
After the second cut I stop my sword slowly. This means I did enough. I stop my sword with the feeling of finishing, still I have the feeling of attacking more.

 

Kyuhon Me Tsuki Kage
The enemy is trying to cut down from the right at 15 º ~ 30º degrees. Although I am sitting, I cut toward his left uchi gote (or morote). He moves back, so I chase (step into), and cut down him (Makko) to defeat.
(I look him in the eye, I don’t look at the kissaki.)

 

Juppon Me Oi Kaze
The enemy is running away ahead of me. I chase him with short steps and cut down on his back.

 

Juippon Me Nuki Uchi
The enemy is sitting (facing me) near to me. As I have noticed a hostile feeling from him, from Makko I do Nuki Uchi.