Learning nitto correctly...

[titus]

I've heard a couple of times that learning nitto ryu (is that the right spelling or is one t on nitto?), with the two swords, is difficult because there are very few qualified instructors. I guess many people just buy the two swords and start teaching themselves? I'm relatively new to kendo so I'd appreciate it if someone could clarify the situation.

It seems like something I'd like to learn, after I've got a few more years of experience, if only just for my own interest rather than actually competing with anyone else with it.

[Paburo]

interesting thread you started here titus.
just for the record, the spelling is nitou ryuu (most often written as nito ryu. and “ñ“� —¬�y‚É‚Æ‚¤ ‚è‚イ�z in japanese)

i've seen different nitou styles.

-shoto in right hand + right foot forward(as in chuudan).

-shoto in the right hand + left foot forward(as in hidari jodan).

-shoto in the left hand + ??(i think this is the style inoyue does)

now for the questions:

a) which one of them is the most common?
b) what is the very kihon waza for nitou?
c) is there a site with nitou ryuu videos?

i think thats all for now... thanks in advance :D

[titus]

This site has different nito kata with pictures and descriptions. Shoto in the left hand and right foot forward.

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8187/Nito.htm

In the two videos on the Kendo World site they have shoto in right hand and left foot forward:

http://www.kendo-world.com/goodies.htm

And this is the best site I've found with nito videos, lots of them. Shoto in right hand, with right foot forward? I honestly can't tell at all, the feet are obscured by the hakama and the video quality is a bit funny so the dark uniforms all meld together.

http://www.kenshinkai.com.au/nito/nito.htm

I'd appreciate opinions from anyone who does nito on the above videos: which are correct, etc. Just curious.

[Inouye02]

mine is shoto in the left hand, right foot forward, or at times left foot forward, depending what i'm trying to hit .

[moocow65]

i believe there is no set way to to nito. you can have whatever foot forward, and whatever hand can hold either shinai. the reason why i hold the shoto in my right hand and have my right foot forward is because i seem to get better seme out of it. i see the shoto as being my kensaki and so by having my right foot forward, it is easier to seme with it. also, since my left hand is holding the daito, it's just like jodan, and i can hit more targets easily with it than if i held the daito with my right hand. anyways, that's how i do it. one more thing, you can learn nito anyway you want, but just don't do it to look cool. if you're really serious about it, you'll get strong really quick. for me, in a matter of two years of nito, i believe i surpassed my kendo skills when i was doing seigan, which i did for about 13 years.

[M.K. Kawai]

Hi Moocow,

Any books,video, etc. that you can recommend for people to look at who are seriously considering learning nito ryu?

Thanks.

MKK

[Inouye02]

there will be a video coming out soon , so i was told after the championships..

[KATSUJIN]

ooohhhh.....will the video be available at the championship? if yes...i might be able to purchase it there....