2024.7 KENDOJIDAI
Composition: Teraoka Tomoyuki
Photography: Nishiguchi Kunihiko
Komeda Toshiro, instructor of the undefeatable Kyushu Gakuin, says that the core of his Seme is attacking both the Omote and Ura side. “It is important to put the opponent in an inadequate position while attacking both Omote and Ura. We spoke to him about key points and considerations of his Kendo.
Komeda Toshiro (Kyoshi 8th Dan)
Born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1969. He went to Kyushu Gakuin High School and Chuo University. After graduation, he returned to Kumamoto to teach at his alma mater. He is a famous coach who has led his students to victory at tournaments such as the All Japan High School Tournament (Inter-high), the All Japan Invitational Championship, and the Gyokuryuki. Many of his students have gone one to become All Japan Champions, such as Uchimura Ryoichi, Nishimura Hidehisa, and Hoshiko Keita. He himself has achieved 8th Dan.
Learning the basics in high school
The influence of the All Japan Championship
My Kendo fundamentals were formed during my high school years. Especially the training with my teacher Kamei Toru Sensei was tough, but I feel that it was a good experience that has led me to where I am today. During practice, I felt as if I was constantly pressured from the moment we started, and he controlled everything in such a way that sometimes I stopped moving and felt like everything I did was futile. I don’t have many memories of being able to perform techniques well. However, I still make use of this experience when teaching Seme today.
I have become more aware of pressuring Omote and Ura through my own experiences. I am not physically gifted, nor do I have outstanding skills. Because I lacked self-confidence, I thought about analyzing and improving myself every day in order to show 100% of my ability. This included Ken-sabaki (swordsmanship) and Omote and Ura Seme.
I think I particularly started paying attention to it around the time I was competing in the All Japan Championship. The Ken-sabaki of Ishida Toshiya Sensei and Miyazaki Masahiro Sensei, whom I both fought, shocked me at the time. Ishida Sensei had such pressure that his Kensen appeared big, and Miyazaki Sensei’s Ken-sabak felt as if his Shinai was alive. Even when I thought that I had not broken down, he would evade my Shinai and strike. I still vividly remember the feeling I had at that time. As I was not physically gifted, I was particularly impressed by Miyazaki Sensei’s soft and strong Seme, and I began to study to be able to use the sword in the same way.
Why did Miyazaki Sensei’s Kensen feel alive? One of the answers that came to me when thinking about it was that he let my Seme be effective. In Kendo, you won’t be struck easily if you firmly take the center. However, the fact that I was still struck means that I was moved without realizing it. How do you use your opponent’s Seme, and what kind of Ken-sabaki is needed to do so? Through these experiences I began to think deeply about this.
Ken-sabaki is used to gather information
Put the opponent in an inadequate position by pressuring Omote and Ura
In Kendo, we often say that “Seme is effective.” If we try to dissect this, I think that one meaning is to make the opponent feel a sense of danger. This feeling of danger and the possibility of being struck are what causes the opponent to move in response to Seme. This is where we can find an opportunity to strike.
On the other hand, not making your opponent feel that way is another form of Seme. If our Seme is too strong, the opponent will go on the defense. In this case, we won’t be able to move on to our ultimate goal of making a valid strike. We need Seme that is neither too strong nor too weak, but uses just the right amount. I think that this amount can be expressed by pressuring Omote and Ura.
When teaching my students, I sometimes compare the Kensen to an antenna or the palms of the hand, acting as sensors to obtain various types of information. I also try to sense my opponent’s intentions through my Kensen. If I can read my opponent’s thoughts and movements, I can naturally see what kind of Seme or technique I should use.
When the Kensen are touching, the first thing you need to do is to take the center. For me, the center is not only about controlling the centerline. I believe that taking the center of the heart is the most important thing when it comes to Seme.
The center of the heart is a very vague expression. It might be easier to understand as placing your opponent in an inadequate state. For example, pressuring Omote and controlling my opponent’s Shinai from above. In order for my opponent to attack, they have to first overcome my Shinai, so they can’t be said to be in an adequate state. The same goes for pressuring the center from the Ura side. My Shinai is robbing the opponent of their freedom, so they feel the stress of not being able to pressure or strike as they wish. By continuously applying this type of pressure I can disturb my opponent, and this has become the basis of my Seme.
Opportunities you make and opportunities that appear
Focus on the process, not the outcome
I believe that not all striking opportunities can be created by oneself. More specifically, my theory is that some opportunities are created, and some appear. In Kendo, we face an opponent, and both sides use Seme in order to strike the other. Both sides try very hard to create opportunities, but things don’t always go as planned. To give an example, you and your opponent are pressuring each other, and when you suddenly calm down, your opponent forcefully comes in. This is not an opportunity that you created yourself, but rather an opportunity that appeared because you had presence of mind in that situation. This is also an important opportunity which can lead to a successful strike, so you don’t want to miss it. You must of course create your own opportunities, but you must also seize the opportunities that appear. By chasing both of these opportunities, we can increase the probability of landing a valid strike.
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