Seiza and your sword...

[Kapplow]

when you sit in seiza does your shinai/bokken rest on your right or left side?

I've seen examples of ppl in meditation and while their putting on bogu and it's on the left side.

Then I've also seen examples of ppl performing seiza rei before kata having the bokken rest on their right side.

I'm confused, please help.

-Kapplow

[mystic_kendoka]

shinai is always on the left,
if you have both bokuto and shinai, shinai on your left, bokuto on your right (with bokuto blade pointed towards your side)

im not sure where the bokuto would be alone, i would say left, but since you start kata with it on the right, that would make sense too..

[Kapplow]

so basically, whenever you have a shinai in seiza it rests on the left.

And if I read your post correctly, the proper resting place for your sword in kata when in seiza is on the right.

[Henrik]

From what I've heard, it differs from dojo to dojo, but shinai on the left is most common. The dojo (Uppsala Kendo, Sweden) I train in (I'm a newbie.. only had like 6 classes) puts the shinai on the right side during seiza, with tsuru away from the body, and this is because it was the practice of a Tokyo dojo (I think) from where a high ranked kendoka came, who helped out and taught at my current dojo in the early 90's. The reason they did this, is because it's supposed to symbolize "peace".. because (again, only what I've heard from others), when in war-time, samurai put their swords on the left side with the edge out, to be able to draw it fast.

[Paikea]

shinai is always on the left,
if you have both bokuto and shinai, shinai on your left, bokuto on your right (with bokuto blade pointed towards your side)

im not sure where the bokuto would be alone, i would say left, but since you start kata with it on the right, that would make sense too..Shinai on left always, bokutoh on right always for us.

[Kapplow]

From what I've heard, it differs from dojo to dojo, but shinai on the left is most common. The dojo (Uppsala Kendo, Sweden) I train in (I'm a newbie.. only had like 6 classes) puts the shinai on the right side during seiza, with tsuru away from the body, and this is because it was the practice of a Tokyo dojo (I think) from where a high ranked kendoka came, who helped out and taught at my current dojo in the early 90's. The reason they did this, is because it's supposed to symbolize "peace".. because (again, only what I've heard from others), when in war-time, samurai put their swords on the left side with the edge out, to be able to draw it fast.

Ive heard something similar to that, I was told when the sword is on the right side it means "safe". I guess its because we draw the sword from the left so if someone has it on the right side, its kinda like saying, "I mean you no harm."
correct me if I'm wrong, just my humble opinion...

[h2o]

I also think this depends almost entirely on the dojo.

My first dojo put the shinai on the right side during rei and mokuso, my current dojo has it on the left side.

In iaido, we put the swords at our left during rei and mokuso. Have no other dojo to compare to though, but reiho seem to differ between sensei/dojo here to, which a few camps have shown me.

Putting your sword to the right is more peaceful since it makes it awfully lot harder to draw. That is why (if I understood things correctly) we, in iaido, put our swords in our right hand with the kissaki pointing forwards, towards the floor, edge down, while bowing to shomen. That should be the most peaceful of all positions, since it is impossible to draw your sword.

[Hyaku]

Put a sword on the left you can draw it. On the right you can't and symbolizes a lack of intent. Generaly face to bow to each other and its transfered to the right. Kamiza offers no threat. Go way back they dont even sit in seiza.

Its very individualized and could go on about the many methods. Thing is a shinai is a shinai and to mix it too much with sword etiquette is overkill.

[Hisham]

i was thaught that the shinai should always be on the left side while its "cutting" side is inward, also the tsubadome should be at the level of the knees while sitting in seiza.
As H2O said there are some slight variations as far as etiquette is concerned from a dojo to another, for instance how in some dojos the tenugi is placed inside the men and in others the tenugi is "half" opened and put on the rear of the men, or the way some kenshi hide there face with there men while wiping the sweat off there heads, one of the things that stuck with me eventhough not all my dojomates did it.

[nodachi]

I've always seen shinai on the left and bokuto on the right. Similar reasons about peaceful intentions and all concerning the bokuto being all sword like and treated as such as people have already explained. This is how all my dojo have been.

As for wiping sweat off the face hiding behind your men, that is a very traditional thing. It is not necessarily something that is taught to people and not necessarily one of those etiquete things that you have to do, but it is noticed and makes an impression on older sensei. I was never taught it when I started kendo, but saw people do it at the end of some big Japan tournament on a video. I inadvertantly picked it up and started doing it and my sensei was all surprised and used me as an example to the others of what one should do for uber traditional good behavior. It was really funny for a gaijin to be used as an example of proper etiquete to the every other Japanese person in that dojo. Just another example of how etiquete and politeness are so important and count for so much in all our kendo pursuits.

[Julian]

puts the shinai on the right side during seiza, with tsuru away from the body

Same at my dojo

[Kapplow]

Thanks to all

lots of good advice here