Tameshigiri (試し斬り, 試し切り, 試斬, 試切)
In the crisp winter morning the only sound heard is the warble of a cactus wren in the chaparral outside the dojo. There is the faintest scent of creosote bushes infusing the quiet air. Breaking the stillness is the electric hum of a razor sharp katana as it slices through time and space on its way to the target. One, two, three, four cuts are made in rapid succession before performing noto, or sheathing of the blade. Tranquility, lightning quick movement, power and adrenaline, and again tranquility. These are the hallmarks of Tameshigiri or test cutting.
In the context of historical Japan Tameshigiri was a very practical activity. It came to popularity in the Edo period. It literally means ‘test cut’. Swords were commonplace weapons, and as such they needed to work. This means that they needed to be able to cut. And by that I mean cut through a human body. Indeed in feudal Japan, both cadavers and condemned criminals were routinely used for testing the cutting ability of a sword. Non-human materials such as bamboo and reed mats were often also used as targets, and it is these materials that are used by most tameshigiri practitioners today.
Typically what we use is goza; which is the outer covering of a tatami mat that has been tightly rolled into a tubular shape and soaked in water. This is said to approximate the density of human flesh and muscle tissue. It is usually positioned vertically on a wooden stand called a dodan, either signally or up to groups of four or more.
Gettings Sensei at Yamakawa Dojo
As mentioned, in old times, tameshigiri was primarily an activity to test the worthiness of a blade. While there are still some aspects of that involved, what we mostly use it for today is to test a swordsman’s ability. Because even though a blade may be sharp, it in no way guarantees you can cut cleanly through a target. I know many Iaido and Kenjutsu practitioners that have a very difficult time cutting through even a single goza, whilst using an excellent blade. Cutting is a skill that takes time to learn, and it’s definitely not easy.
If you swing the sword as if it were an axe or a baseball bat you will of course be spectacularly unsuccessful. It is not a chopping or hitting motion, but rather a slicing action. The movement begins at the tip of the blade and rapidly accelerates as you draw it towards you. The sound of a properly swung sword is unmistakable; as it makes a very distinctive hum as it slices through the air. This is accentuated in swords that have a pronounced bohi, or groove running the length of blade, but even weapons without bohi make that sound when they are in the right hands.
The way I was taught was in the Ryuseiken Batto-do style. I was very fortunate to get firsthand experience directly from the founder; Saruta Sensei. In this style the cutting takes place as part of a waza or kata. There is a proscribed form, starting from seiza, standing, drawing the blade and approaching the target; you then make your cuts: Kesa-giri, Kiri-age, and Yoko – Giri, then you perform noto and then back into seiza. I probably had close to ten years of experience in both Kendo and Iaido before I started tameshigiri. But without a shadow of a doubt it enhanced my Iaido proficiency immeasurably.
Saruta Mitsuhiro Sensei
You see, the thing is this… and make no mistake about it; you are wielding a very sharp and very dangerous weapon. It is designed to slice through human flesh. You have to be aware of this, and of your surroundings at all times. This forces you to pay close attention to perfect form. It is an especially common thing for a person to nick or slice their thumb open during noto if their focus wavers even a bit. But it is partly because of this element of risk wherein the appeal lies.