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Takeuchi-ryu Iai Batto: Shin No Kata
The Takeuchi-ryu (or Takenouchi-ryu) was founded some 460 years ago by Takeuchi Hisamori. His direct family members passed down the art since that time. The ryu eventually split into two lines, through two branches of the Takeuchi family, in Mimasaka province (central Okayama Prefecture), the soke and sodenke lines. One strain also arose and developed in Bitchu province (southern Okayama), and it was called Bitchu den Takeuchi-ryu.
Ono Yotaro is the 16th headmaster of the Bitchu-den Takeuchi-ryu. I studied at his dojo in Kyoto, Japan.
The iai forms of the Takeuchi-ryu are characterized by a rather light, quick, snappy type of cutting movement. The movements are fluid and not as intent on power as it is on moving swiftly, in smooth motions. The emphasis is to use the sword like a surgical tool, to cut into the weak points of an opponent.
The kata being demonstrated is called Shin, or Shin No Kata. Shin is written for the character "straight," or "proper." It is the first and most basic kata, and teaches the student the basic drawing, cutting, and chiburi techniques of the style. Ono sensei showed me this kata without wearing a hakama so I could see how his feet moved.