Some of you might have heard the expression “Meikyo-Shisui” (明鏡止水). It is a yojijukugo, a four character compound that carries importance in Kendo. It means “clear mirror, unmoving water”.
It sounds almost poetic, one can easily wonder what water, reflection, landscapes have to do with Kendo. That is what I will explain, starting with the ideas of Itō Ittōsai Kagehisa ; one of the greatest swordsmen of the history of Japan.
Itō Ittōsai Kagehisa (1560–1653) was the founder of Itto-ryu, the koryu tradition that had great influence on kendo. He was a mysterious swordsman of the Sengoku and early Edo period, famed to be undefeated in 33 bouts against a total of 57 people during his musha shugyo ( 武者修行 – warrior’s journey).
He wrote Kenpo-sho (一刀斎先生剣法書) book on sword laws, -unfortunately not translated to English- explaining ; suigetsu or moon on water (水月).
His style as recorded would not be too unfamiliar to that of present day kenshi. He gave great importance to distance and timing, while having a simple, precise style of swordsmanship.
The essence of combat is ma (間).
Itō Ittōsai
Ma is not an easy concept. It can be translated to distance, but is actually closer in meaning to interval. Ma can relate to the conception of both space, and time.
We often hear ma-ai (間合い) in kendo. The first part of ma-ai, ma is indeed interval, and ai (合い) is union ; implying interval relative to our opponent.
- Chikai ma-ai (近間合い) is the interval from which we can easily attack, sometimes without a step.
- Issoku itto no ma-ai ( 一足一刀の間合い) is the interval from which we can attack in one step.
- Tou ma-ai (遠間 合い) is the interval from which we need two steps or more to attack.
I am speaking about distance ; then where does time come into this? Time is distance, the swiftness of our attacks does not come from our arms, but from our legs.
Be it a large oki-men, or a small chisaii-men we cannot hit if we are not in the correct distance. So the time we take to attack also involves the time we take to get in the correct distance ; therefore our footwork. If our footwork is incorrect, or if we are at improper distance, our attack will be slow.
However, it is easier to conceal a smaller chiisai-men than a large oki-men. That is why it appears as though chiisai-men is faster – even if the actual duration of the movement is the same.
That is why staying in tou ma-ai is seen as safe, issoku itto no ma-ai as dangerous, and chikai ma-ai as foolish at lower levels. Attacks that come from to ma-ai seem slow, those that come from chikai ma-ai seem very fast because of the difference in distance.
Then, if ma is so fundamental, even claimed to be the essence of combat, shouldn’t we focus more on it ?
水月 (Suigetsu / moon on water) is an excellent analogy as to how the mind and heart of the kenshi should be.
If you think too much about ma, you will be incapable of reacting correctly to danger. If you do not think about it [and perceive it naturally], ma will be correct even if there is movement. That is why one should not attach oneself to ma, one should not visualize the ma in his mind.
Itō Ittōsai (translated to French in Budo by Kenji Tokitsu, Karate 10th dan)
One should be as the reflection of moon on water. If the mind is clear as a sky without clouds, you will be as water reflecting the moon, no matter the situation.
According to Itō Ittōsai, you should perceive the ma-ai (distance and time) that separates you and your opponent without thinking about it nor focusing on it ; as naturally as water reflects the moon.
Despite the incredible distance between the moon and the water, the reflection appears to be natural, clear and instantaneous.
However for water to reflect the moon clearly, it must be clear and still. If the wind rises, the water will be disturbed by waves and the reflection fade into nothingness. Focusing too much on ma disturbs the reflection and blinds the kenshi.
For Itō Ittōsai, when the ma was right, as soon as the opponent’s composure, mind and spirit was disturbed [through seme] it was time to use kiriotoshi or musoken.
Musoken (夢想剣) appears to be most akin to debana, an attack thrown without a single thought at the very moment the opponent started moving and opened his defence.
Kiriotoshi (切り落し) is a cut downward with a very precise timing, taking the central line of your opponent. That cut both defeats the opponent, and protects from his assaults.
That approach may seem very familiar to modern day Kendo practitioners, and that would be for a good reason. Itō Ittōsai’s tradition, Itto-ryu would not only stand the test of time, but flourish into many koryu traditions and become one of the greatest influences on Kendo.
The Way of the Sword 
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