Sho-dan written test cheat sheet

**Nanbanjin** · 15th November 2006, 12:45 PM

9. What to watch out for when taking off kendo-gu

(1) Take off your bogu slowly after being certain to untie all himo knots. Never rush to remove your bogu
(2) Take off the right kote, the left kote and place them in front of your knees with the heads facing forward (<- does anyone actually do it this way?)
(3) Untie your men-himo, take the loose himo up in loops, hold the men at the cheek position with both hands and take off from the top first. Place the bundled himo inside the men and place the men on the kote such that the centre of the mengane is lined up between them
(4) Take of your men-towel and wipe off your sweat (also wipe the sweat from insite your men) spread it out and place it on top of your men
(5) Untie the lower and then upper do-himo (<- I've been doing it wrong all these years!) and place in front of your kote with the inside of the do facing you
(6) Untie the tare-himo and after removing the tare place it on the do, standing it in front of the do lacquer

**Nanbanjin** · 15th November 2006, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by xvikingx

2 questions:
1. Is it recommended to use Kansai-style when tying your men at shinsa?

Remember that these answers were originally compiled by the Osaka-fu Kendo Renmei. I have never tried kansai style but from watching other people it seems to take longer.

2. How closely do they inspect your himo? Granted someone grading for shodan really shouldn’t have to think too hard about how to put on their bogu properly, but the reason I ask is that although I have always tied my men himo the way it says here, slightly below center (or for me bellow the little knob on the back of my skull), I get corrected and told to tie my men differently every time. Each of my sensei has a different opinion about where I should tie my men; one will tell me to tie it lower, so I do and then another will tell to tie it higher, and so on. And if it’s the head sensei correcting me it’s usually followed up with “Nihon no kendo wo namen nayo!” and a whack to the skull. This has left me a little confused and slightly nervous about my up coming shinsa.

You really need to find yourself a nice eigth dan! Preferably the one who is also the head judge at your next shinsa.

At the club I train at in Tokyo the instructor pulls out a ruler and a pair of scissors and trims long himo during kihon, pulling people with suspect himo aside individually. No angst about it - a simple formality really.
I remember the first time I put my men on I was told not to tie it too low or it would give me a headache. The instructor said that at the centre of the back of the head was best. It feels a lot more comfortable now that I have a tailor made men.

**xvikingx** · 15th November 2006, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Nanbanjin

Remember that these answers were originally compiled by the Osaka-fu Kendo Renmei. I have never tried kansai style but from watching other people it seems to take longer..

I'll have to check but I can't imagine that the Osaka and Hyougo renmei differ that much, considering how big the Japanese are on uniformity.

Originally Posted by Nanbanjin

You really need to find yourself a nice eigth dan! Preferably the one who is also the head judge at your next shinsa..

Damn you, you vegemite loving, croc wrastlin', beach-monkey.

Originally Posted by Nanbanjin

At the club I train at in Tokyo the instructor pulls out a ruler and a pair of scissors and trims long himo during kihon, pulling people with suspect himo aside individually. No angst about it - a simple formality really.
I remember the first time I put my men on I was told not to tie it too low or it would give me a headache. The instructor said that at the centre of the back of the head was best. It feels a lot more comfortable now that I have a tailor made men.

That's pretty funny about your sensei snipping wayward himo.
I have no trouble tying my himo it's just that my sensei (all of them) can't agree on where I should tie it. I would normally tie it a little below center because my men is small and that is the best way to keep it in place.

**Nanbanjin** · 16th November 2006, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by xvikingx

I'll have to check but I can't imagine that the Osaka and Hyougo renmei differ that much, considering how big the Japanese are on uniformity.

My instructor in Brisbane was completely prejudiced against Kanto. Still, not much difference between Hyogo and Osaka I agree.

Damn you, you vegemite loving, croc wrastlin', beach-monkey.

Me circa 1982
http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200611/16...64_1272632.jpg
Not quite a croc and not quite the beach, but the Vegemite was never far away.

That's pretty funny about your sensei snipping wayward himo.
I have no trouble tying my himo it's just that my sensei (all of them) can't agree on where I should tie it. I would normally tie it a little below center because my men is small and that is the best way to keep it in place.

Save up for a tailor made.

**xvikingx** · 16th November 2006, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Nanbanjin

Me circa 1982
http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200611/16...64_1272632.jpg
Not quite a croc and not quite the beach, but the Vegemite was never far away.

Hey you're not aboriginal!
It may not be a croc but proportionally is of equal stature.

Originally Posted by Nanbanjin

Save up for a tailor made.

I have been ichien tins and hopefully around Christmas I will have at least one piece of my kit that fits me properly. I have a separate stash so I can buy a proper set when I feel I am good enough to look like I am better than I really am.

**Nanbanjin** · 17th November 2006, 10:57 AM

10. Kake-goe (vocals)

Kake-goe is so important to kendo that it is sometimes called another waza.
Kake-goe should be stong, weighty and big, coming from the bottom of the stomach.
A weak kake-goe from the only using your mouth and sounding the "howling of a distant dog" will give an impression of impotance and will be counter productive.
However, you should not utter unnecessary or vulgar kake-goe.

The effect of kake-goe is to:
(1) Harness your will, increase your energy and develop your spirit.
(2) Make your opponent feel your power (<- respect your authoritai!)
(3) Bring your mind, spirit and energy (or spirit, sword and body - kikentai) together
(4) Make your strikes sharper and easier to perform

**kartoffelngeist** · 21st November 2006, 03:53 AM

Originally Posted by Nanbanjin

10. Kake-goe (vocals)
(2) Make your opponent feel your power (<- respect your authoritai!)

Love the alternative translation...

**bobdonny** · 21st November 2006, 09:19 PM

has anyone ever failed for the written parts..? and do you just repeat the question?

**Nanbanjin** · 21st November 2006, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by bobdonny

has anyone ever failed for the written parts..? and do you just repeat the question?

Does anyone actually mark the written test?
You just answer the question. You might be able to repeat the answer if you have studied beforehand.

Gradings have three parts - Keiko, kata and written. It generally works like this:

Keiko - Possible to fail
Kata - Unlikely to fail
Written - Very unlikely (almost impossible/impossible) to fail

You could of course clarify this by submitting nothing but drawings of sailor moon on your written test. I say give it a go and satisfy all of our curiosity.

**Ignatz** · 21st November 2006, 11:55 PM

On ikkyu or shodan test there was a question that nobody understood or could answer (lots of sharing there). Someone suggested that we turn the page over, on the back were the answers.
Nidan I wrote a serious, in depth answer, nobody noticed.

**mark** · 22nd November 2006, 02:12 AM

Originally Posted by Nanbanjin

Does anyone actually mark the written test?
You just answer the question. You might be able to repeat the answer if you have studied beforehand.

Gradings have three parts - Keiko, kata and written. It generally works like this:

Keiko - Possible to fail
Kata - Unlikely to fail
Written - Very unlikely (almost impossible/impossible) to fail

You could of course clarify this by submitting nothing but drawings of sailor moon on your written test. I say give it a go and satisfy all of our curiosity.

As Neil has said previously, we do not have a written test in Canada. Nevertheless, I find these cheat sheets important reading and another source of information I might be able to use to improve my kendo. Whether they are graded or not during your exams is interesting. In my opinion, it does not detract from the importance of thinking about the topics that you are describing.

**kenshi212** · 18th January 2007, 06:42 PM

This forum kicks ASSSS!! with 3 s's!! thank you guys, I might pass now..

**bobdonny** · 19th January 2007, 03:33 AM

(a) Name the parts of the shinai
(b) Detail what is meant by 'kikentai-no-itchi'

These are mine for this weekend..... and not a saussage on the forums