kendo endurance documentary

**Kingofmyrrh** · 19th July 2005, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by amatsuda

It was Documentary that was made and broadcast on a local TV station in Akita Prefecture Japan. I don't think that it was ever intended to be sold and distributed...

btw, one more observation on Ogata Sensei...Talk about Kanroku....You see him in plain clothes and also receiving treatment for his injuries and he looks like your typical Japanese father in his late 30s...i.e. slim and not so muscularly defined like Bruce Lee.

However, when he puts the bogu on...Man he looks huge...

amatsuda

I believe he was 39 when he undertook the challenge. The really scary thing is that apparently he was suffering from a cervical hernia at the time, which ups the challenge level from just plain old super-tough to utterly loony.

**iwatekenshi** · 19th July 2005, 04:33 PM

Missed seeing the program but...

Living in Iwate for some years now and being right next door to Akita I had always heard about this tachikiri. Iwate has its own, but not on the scale as this one in Yuzawa, Akita. Anyway, through my local kendo federation I was asked if I wanted to participate and represent Iwate this year. I was delighted they had asked! It was an unbelievable experience being on the "karari side" and going against these motodachi. (I did not see the NHK program but I did go up against a jodan only motodachi, maybe the program was about him this year?)

There are rules and timed matches with judging and it's not completely "all-out". However, points are unlimited in 5 minute intervals for three hours. Depending on how many participate, teams of 10 people or more rotate to face the motodachi. Those who are on the kakari side try to get as many points as they can and try not to loose to the motodachi. The motodachi try to get as many points as well and those with the most accumulated points win. The awards are set up by motodachi division and kakari division. Sometimes the winner of the kakari division will end up being next year's motodachi! OUCH!

Anyway it's just amazing to see these motodachi. Believe it or not, after standing for so long the motodachi usually ends up beating a fresh opponent. It is an absolute test of mental strength and endurance, but not impossible with correct training. Just think of it as a kendo marathon.

Women also participate as well. Same rules, but teams of women, and I think just 30 minutes shorter. Again an amzing feat!!!

Well, looking forward to going again next January and YES there's tons of snow!! It's about an hour away from home but I go the night before to crash at a hotspring and drink plenty of sake with other kendoka. In a sense, it's a festival!

Next year's tournament a friend of mine will participate in the women's division. I'm pretty sure she can handle it! She's working hard! Good on her!

Cheers

PS the program was produced by the Akita Prefecture NHK affiliate and probably will be rebroadcast in the future. However, this was a rebroadcast for the second time, so unfortunately chances might be slim. Check the All-Japan Kendo Federation homepage for updates since this rebroadcast info was shown on the main page menu starting a couple of weeks back. http://www.kendo.or.jp/index.html

**samurai999** · 20th July 2005, 01:37 AM

^^^

Wow. I really wish I could last that long let alone last through a regular dojo practice..... Congratulations on being a participant!

Tim

**Neil Gendzwill** · 20th July 2005, 02:42 AM

Thanks for that, Iwatekenshi. Sounds like it's not so brutal as a farewell practice. Usually those have lots of taiatari as the "kakari" side is purposefully trying to tire out the motodachi side. That gets really really tiring. If it's more like constant shiai that's not as bad but 3 hours is still brutally long.

**Charuzu** · 20th July 2005, 04:39 AM

If anyone has it recorded they should release a fan-sub in .torrent format. I see anime fansubs all the time so I think it would be leagal.

Correct me if I'm wrong

**nodachi** · 20th July 2005, 05:37 AM

As long as it isn't licensed by some company in your home country, yes it is definitely legal.... once a company buys some sort of copyright license so they have some sense of ownership of distributing the anime or most other foreign media, then it is no longer legal.

Although does that really stop anyone....

**iwatekenshi** · 20th July 2005, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Neil Gendzwill

Thanks for that, Iwatekenshi. Sounds like it's not so brutal as a farewell practice. Usually those have lots of taiatari as the "kakari" side is purposefully trying to tire out the motodachi side. That gets really really tiring. If it's more like constant shiai that's not as bad but 3 hours is still brutally long.

Neil, No problem, glad to be of help. Brutal? Yes, but within the rules of shiai. The kakari do test their limits though, but it is all in good spirit. I was told to give it all I've got. In the end though, it is not entirely different from regular shiai.

It has been mentioned by those who have participated in tachikiri, it is not so much physical strength but attaining that mental state of mu or nothingness of the mind. Physically strained, the mind takes over, and you become more clairvoyant against your opponent. Waza becomes automatic. Tachikiri allows you to experience this transcendental harmony of body and mind. A right of passage to that next level of kendo if you will. A spiritual matter, but every person I have spoken to has mentioned the same thing after being the motodachi in tachikiri.

Is it worth the experience? I have to say yes. With the correct mindset and planned training anything is possible.

Footnote: Nobody I have spoken to has ever volunteered to be motodachi. No need to guess why, but it is an honor to be selected it seems. It is done once a year and only 3 to 4 kenshi are appointed by their onshi (one's former teacher, most often a hachidan) Once chosen you don't turn it down. Happy training!

**Wark 1978** · 22nd July 2005, 11:14 PM

thanks to amatsuda, kingofmyrrh and iwatekenshi for providing more details about the tachikiri.

iwatekenshi, i'm sure everyone here would like to hear of your experiences in the tachikiri if you do it again next year.

good luck and all the best.

**iwatekenshi** · 25th July 2005, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by Wark 1978

thanks to amatsuda, kingofmyrrh and iwatekenshi for providing more details about the tachikiri.

iwatekenshi, i'm sure everyone here would like to hear of your experiences in the tachikiri if you do it again next year.

good luck and all the best.

No problem,

I will probably participate in the Iwate tachikiri in October so I'll have some news then. Don't know about the Akita tachikiri just yet but will probably go since a friend of mine will be participating.

Cheers!

**Wark 1978** · 26th July 2005, 11:22 PM

on sunday we had our clubs summer party. the discussion turned to the tachikiri documentary that this thread is about and many were talking about how amazing it was. one of my senseis, after a few beers and shochu, managed to talk himself into doing tachikiri at our clubs 20th anniversary party which will be held in october with the condition that if he doesn't win any of the fights, he will have to do it all again. he is a 3rd dan so all the clubs 5th, 6th and 7th dans are being kakari just to make sure that he has to do it again. doh!

**Andoru** · 23rd August 2005, 11:43 AM

I'd be interested in laying my hands on a copy of this documentary too! Truly insane!

**Andou** · 24th August 2005, 06:18 AM

I believe I have it somewhere in my collection of tapes that my grandmother tapes for my family. If I can find it and get it on the internet somehow I'll be sure to let you all know. It's somewhere in the middle of the Yagyu marathon she taped for us...

On another note, I believe the title was "Hi no Kamae De Motomeru" as amatsuda said. Aghh...I'll try and find it.