Nitoryu (two-swords) style 1

Today, I am introducing Nitoryu (two-sword) style. Historically, Musashi Miyamoto, who is the author of “The book of five rings”, is a famous Nitoryu style swordsman.

What I introduce this time is not a hundreds years ago, but 2014 Tokyo district tournament match.

The following video is a match. Red player is Kaneko who is a two-sword style player, and white is Ogawa who is a standard style player.

In Nitoryu, usually right hand holds shorter sword and left hand holds normal length sword. Short sword can be used as a defense, but it is not for getting ippon.

Nitoryu is very difficult; Handling by one hand requires strong grip and muscles. This red player has strong power, as you see in 0:45 serial hit.

From viewpoint of Nitoryu side, Man and Kote are the most likely places to hit. Do and Tsuki are usually too complicated.

1:42 red player’s Men was good timing. This player also showed interesting move like 1:48-. I have never seen this kind of tricky movement in ordinary one-sword players’ match.

2:37 white player hit unguarded Men as red player was at a loss after aggressive Tsuki attack.

2:55 red player tried to Tsuki in return, but end up in failure.

3:46 Men was excellent, red player focused timing and welcomed white player to come to his reach and hit.

White player’s last gyaku-Do at 4:11 was fast and sound. So, the score finished 1 – 2 from red to white.

By the way, I have once matched with Nitoryu player. At that time, I won with Tsuki, but it took time and was very difficult to hit Men or Kote, …maybe because two-swords play made it easier to defense various places at the same time. (Or just I wasn't used to matching two-swords player.) Anyway, it was not easy and comfortable to play, so I don’t want another match.