Budo Glossary
Your guide to the Budo vocabulary
This page will provide you with translations and explanations to the different words used in Mugai Ryu Iaido.
Background
| Budo | 武道 | Japanese martial arts |
| Iaido | 居合道 | Art of drawing the sword |
| Kaiso | 開祖 | Founder of a Ryuha; In case of Mugai Ryu: Tsuji Gettan Sukemochi |
| Kenjutsu | 剣術 | Art of handling the sword, mostly referred to as with an opponent or partner |
| Koryu | 古流 | Old japanese martial arts styles, founded before 1868 |
| Ryhuha | 流派 | Style of martial arts, mostly in the context of Koryu |
| Sensei | 先生 | Teacher; Master |
| Soke | 宗家 | Headmaster of a Ryuha |
Dojo 道場 – Hall used for training
| Bashochō | 場所著 | Leader of the training, substitute to Shibuchō or Kaichō |
| Kai | 会 | Association |
| Kaichō | 会長 | Head of the association |
| Kamiza | 神座 | Place where there is a god or spirit; Place containing the sacred object of a shrine |
| Shibu | 支部 | Branch of a Kai |
| Shibuchō | 支部長 | Head or leader of a Shibu |
| Shomen | 正面 | Front Wall of the Dojo; Side of the Teacher |
Reishiki 例式 – Etiquette
| Gorei | 御礼 | Ceremony before and after Training |
| Dojo ni Rei | 道場に礼 | Paying respect to the Dojo (by bowing on entering or leaving the Dojo) |
| Seiza | 正座 | (lit. „Correct sitting“) kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor, sitting on the heels, back upright |
| Sensei ni Rei | 先生に礼 | Paying respect to the teacher (by bowing) |
| Shomen ni Rei | 正面に礼 | Paying respect to the front dojo wall (metaphorically „the ancestors, or predecessors“) |
| Tōrei | 刀礼 | Paying respect to the sword (ceremony for bowing to the sword before and after practice) |
Basic Vocabulary
Numbers
| 1 | 一 | Ichi |
| 2 | 二 | Ni |
| 3 | 三 | San |
| 4 | 四 | Yon |
| 5 | 五 | Go |
| 6 | 六 | Roku |
| 7 | 七 | Nana |
| 8 | 八 | Hachi |
| 9 | 九 | Kyuu |
| 10 | 十 | Juu |
Basic Commands
| Hajime | 始める | Begin or start |
| Yame | やめ | Stop |
| Modori | 戻り | Return (to starting spot) |
| Matte | 待って | Wait |
| Ato | アト | Move back |
| Katana O Motte | 刀 お 持って | Get your sword(s) |
| Osame To | 納 と | Return Sword to Saya |
Commands and procedure of Go Rei
| Seiretsu | 整列 | „Line up!“ behind the teacher facing Shomen |
| Chakuza | 着座 | „Sit!“ In Seiza |
| Mokuso | 黙想 | „Sit quietly!“ brief meditation sequence with closed eyes |
| Kai Moku | 皆黙 | „Enough!“ end of meditation/enough |
| Shomen ni Rei | 正面に礼 | „Bow to Shomen!“ |
| Teacher turns, facing the group | ||
| Sensei ni Rei | 先生に礼 | „Bow to the teacher!“ (calling out “O negai shimasu!” at start/ “Arigatou gozaimashita!” at end) |
| Otagai ni Rei | お互い礼 | „Bow to each other!“ (calling out “O negai shimasu!” at start/ “Arigatou gozaimashita!” at end) |
Keiko 稽古 – Practicing
Waza 技 – Techniques
Kiru 切る – Cutting
| Gyakku Kesa Giri | 逆袈裟切り | Diagonal cut from below (45°) |
| Kessa Giri | 袈裟斬り | Diagonal cut from above (30°) |
| Makko Giri | 真向斬り | Vertical cut from above |
| Nukiuchi | 抜き打ち | Drawing and cutting in one motion |
| Suihe, Yokoichi Monji | 水平 | Horizontal cut on heart level |
| Tsuki | 突き | Thrust |
Forms of Training
| Kata | 形 | Established form |
| Kihon | 基本 | Basic (form) |
| Kumitachi | 組太刀 | Meeting of the swords (partnered training) |
| Suburi | 素振り | Practice swings of the cuts |
| Tameshigiri | 試し切り | Cutting test |
Elements of Kata
| (Seichusen de) Katana otoru | 正中線 | Brining the Katana to the centerline |
| Saya wo hiku hajimeru | さやを引く始め る | Start pulling back the Saya |
| Saya biki | 鞘引く | Pulling back the Saya |
| Taisabaki | 体捌き | (defensive) Body movement |
| Nukiuchi | 抜打 | Drawing the sword and cutting in one motion |
| Nuki Tsuke | 抜き付け | Drawing of the sword and performing the first cut |
| Kiri Tsuke | 霧付け | Further cuts |
| Furikaburi | 振り頭 | Brining the sword above the head in preparation for a cut from above |
| Todome wo sassu | 敵を倒す | Killing the opponent |
| Tekizuke | 敵続く | Following the opponent (Kissaki sinks down) |
| Zanshin | 残心 | State of relaxed alertness |
| Chiburi | 血振るい | Shaking the blood off the blade |
| Noto | 納刀 | Resheathing the Katana |
| Toei Yama no miru | 遠山の観る | Looking at the remote mountain (also Enzan no metsuke) |
| Metsuke | 目付 | (Direction of) Gaze |
| Maai | 間合い | The effective combat distance from which one can strike, defend, or evade. |
| Tachikaze | 太刀風 | The “sword wind” — the audible whistling sound produced by a correct, fast cut through the air. |
Defensive Principles
| Ukedome | 受け止 | Stopping the attack (Block) |
| Ukenagashi | 受流 | Deflect the attack |
| Ukegaeshi | 受け返 | Throwing the attack back |
| Uchitachi | 打太刀 | The attacker/teacher, the side initiating the action or applying pressure |
| Uketachi | 受太刀 | The defender/student, the side receiving or responding to the attack |
Kamae 構え – Combat Posture
| Chūdan no kamae | 中段の構 | Katana to the front (also Hira Seigon no Kamae) |
| Gedan no kamae | 下段の構 | Katana to the front, tilted downwards |
| Hassō-no-kamae | 八相の構 | Katana next to the head, tilted 30° to the back |
| Jōdan-no-kamae | 上段の構 | Katana above the head, tilted 45° backwards |
| Waki Gamae | 脇構 | Sword on the side pointing backwards, slightly down |
Sword Parts
| Bō-hi | 棒樋 | Groove on the sides of a blade to reduce weight; creating a swooshing sound during cuts, when the blade alignment is correct |
| Fuchi | 縁 | Metal collar around the the Tsuka beneath the Tsuba |
| Ha | 刃 | Cutting edge of a blade |
| Habaki | 鎺 | Metal collar around the base of the Blade fitting the blade tightly in the Saya |
| Hamachi | 刃区 | End of the Ha, dividing the blade from the Nakago |
| Hamon | 刃文 | Temper-line on a differentially hardened blade |
| Kashira | 頭 | End cap of the Tsuka |
| Kissaki | 切先 | Point of the blade |
| Koiguchi | 鯉口 | Mouth of the Saya |
| Kojiri | 鐺 | End of the Saya, sometimes a decorative cap |
| Kurigata | 栗形 | Knob on the side of the Saya for attaching the Sageo |
| Mekugi | 目釘 | Small peg for securing the Tsuka to the Nakago |
| Mekugi-ana | 目釘穴 | The hole(s) in the Tsuka and Nakago for the Mekugi |
| Menuki | 目貫 | Metal ornaments on the Tsuka |
| Mihaba | 身幅 | Blade width from Ha to Mune |
| Monouchi | 物打 | Part of the blade mostly used for cutting (roughly the first third from the Kissaki) |
| Mune | 棟 | Back of the sword |
| Munemachi | 棟区 | End of the Mune, dividing the blade from the Nakago |
| Nakago | 茎 | Tang |
| Nagasa | 長さ | Blade length from Kissaki to Munemachi |
| Sageo | 下げ緒 | Cord used to tie Saya to the Obi when worn |
| Same-kawa (samegawa) | 鮫皮 | Ray or shark skin wrapping of the Tsuka |
| Saya | 鞘 | Scabbard; traditionally from lacquered wood |
| Seppa | 切羽 | Washers above and below the Tsuba to tighten the fittings |
| Shinogi | 鎬 | Ridge along the side of the blade |
| Sori | 反り | Curvature of the sword |
| Tsuba | 鍔 | Hand guard |
| Tsuka | 柄 | Hilt |
| Tsuka-maki | 柄巻 | Wrapping of the Tsuka |
| Tsuka-ito | 柄糸 | Cord for wrapping the Tsuka; usually silk, cotton or sometimes leather |
Miscellaneous
General Directions
| Gyakku | 逆 | Reversed |
| Hidari | 左 | Left |
| Mae | 前 | Front/forward |
| Migi | 右 | Right |
| Ushiro | 後ろ | Back(wards) |
| Yoko | 横 | Side |
Useful Expressions
| “Arigatou gozaimashita.” | ありがとございいます | “Thank you very much.” |
| “Konbanwa.” | こんばんは | “Good evening.” |
| “Konnichiwa.” | こんにちわ | “Hello.” |
| “Ohayō.” | おはよう | “Good morning.” |
| “O negai Shimasu.” | おねがいします | “Please (teach me).” |
| “Oyasumi.” | おやすみ | “Good night.” |
| “Sayonara.” | さよなら | “Good bye.” |
| “Sumimasen.” | すみません | ”Excuse me.” |