Toru KAMEI Sensei’s Kendo Lecture: Kote Waza

The orthodox way to strike kote is off-course to go over the opponent’s shinai and strike. But before striking, it’s important to pressure them.

First, pressure the opponent by threatening to tsuki them. Fearing your tsuki and they will try and push your shinai down and, at that very moment, strike their kote. Threatening to tsuki, strike their kote. This is one style of striking kote that I do.

Strongly pressure them with the feeling that you are going to thrust at them, then strike kote. This is important.

You could of course simply strike kote without this feeling of pressure, but I think it’s important to display pressure both with your kensen and with your spirit before striking.

Another method is to pressure the opponent in the same way and strike them as they move forward. Even if they don’t move forward, you can strike their fists if they unintentionally raise them up. This is another way of striking kote.

Another method is to push down on the opponent’s shinai from above. If the opponent reacts to this by pushing back, immediately strike their kote. Whether the opponent comes forward or not, you can still use this method to strike their kote.

These are the three ways of striking kote that I use at the moment. Please give them a try.

Point: Rather than just strike at kote from nothing, you should pay attention to pressuring the opponent into moving first then strike.

If you threaten to thrust at them, the opponent will fear your attack and their fists will raise up. By pressuring your opponent whilst moving your shinai tip down, you will find their fists are easier to force up. Pushing down on the opponent’s shinai tip, they may attempt to push back. In that instant, quickly swing the shinai up and strike.

The text of this note is an excerpt of DVD> Toru Kamei's Kendo Improvement Course () Book – 2017/6/1 Toru Kamei (Author) and Toru Kamei's Kendo Improvement Course () Book – 2017/6/1

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    Release date: 2017/6/1

    ISBN-10: 4884584074

    ISBN-13: 978-4884584078