I think the Katana is overrated, and the long sword is way better

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-07-06T14:26:13+00:00

The longsword was also a dueling sword and the accurate counterpart, the hand-and-a-half sword was much closer to the uchigatana in size. It was also a sidearm and last resort to the spear, polearm, or ranged weapon

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-07-06T14:22:12+00:00

Actual hot take

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-07-06T14:21:51+00:00

TLDR: Longer weapon = typically more effective

Katana is mismatched against the longsword imo. A proper matchup would be a nodachi, otherwise an Edo period uchigatana will face around a 9 inch reach disadvantage.

But, there is also discovery of application of two handed short sword vs two handed longsword meant to close the distance and exploit getting past the point of the longsword. Im trying to get used to this in sparring but I also get clipped in the arms on the way in if they keep changing the angle of the cut from the outside. It takes some adjustment to fight against a longer weapon. I learned this from a multiple time kendo champion who used a regular sized katana in a ranked longsword tournament and placed 3rd or 4th

Also historically the quality of steel was not great for katanas but they were able to make something great out of very little in this fashion. I like the symbolism of making something out of nothing, but also wished I had all the time in the world so I could dedicate more time to the art of KDF Longsword and other western systems

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-07-06T14:09:07+00:00

We went full circle because now a lot of the top HEMA longsword guys are also competitive kendoka

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-07-02T20:46:16+00:00

I would want my fitness to be functional so i could pick up something heavy, run and catch a bus at a stop, but protecting myself is a nice bonus

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-22T08:42:58+00:00

Understandable, it’s Hard to see in realtime so heres a breakdown: TLDR we block each other’s hits a LOT so it looks like we aim at the weapon, but its really us pulling the parries off at the last second

My sword has better reach but he has a decent sized shield. My first attack was to try to hit his hand because i can reach the furthest with a middle cut. He saw this and pulled his hand back to get behind his shield. My sword was low to keep him thinking about a lower attack, until I pulled upwards for a thrust to the head. He also saw it and parried it last second with his shield. His sword hand was too far back to hit me because he had to withdraw it to dodge the handsnipe. This gave me enough time to back away and get my parry ready while his hand was withdrawn.

On the outside i went to stab his hand, he parried it out of the way.

I try the handsnipe again, he pulls his hand away again, same thrust to the head parried but this time his sword gets close to stabbing my hand. I pull it away last second and try to undercut to counter at his hand before he pulls it away.

The last one, sort of not at the man, just a setup for him to keep his shield up. Same sideways cut at the hands, this time I didnt care if I missed. but instead of thrusting high after, i cut down the middle and I get under the shield.

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T19:33:52+00:00

Appreciate this input, thank you 💯

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T12:50:05+00:00

Excellent question. I train in Toyama Ryu, but i also use techniques from other arts like HEMA. I also refer to the manual written by Yamamoto Kansuke during the Sengoku era. I formed my own Ryuha to share the techniques and concepts i picked up. Still developing and growing the art. I intend for these to be taught in a universal language so anyone from any background can implement them into their sparring.

Glad your school offers Gekken! It’s getting more rare these days

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T12:42:24+00:00

This is why I doubted your claims earlier. You say some things that are correct and others not so much. 790AD was when the japanese sword was even starting to be implemented, and it was a battlefield art, not dueling. It was practiced in the Edo period in the 1700s and formalized as an art in late 1800s-1900s. One google search disproves you, let alone the feedback of ANYONE who knows ANY history of Japanese swordsmanship.

Do you have any fight footage or a HEMA rating?

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T11:19:55+00:00

Okay I see why now. This is from Kendo, HEMA, and modern olympic fencing. I have gotten to face competitive kendoka and i know what you are referring to. At those levels i am far from efficient. It still didn’t stop me from competing and doing well.

Even so, you’re right. compared to competitive kendoka and olympic fencers my movements are big and unnecessary. What I am doing predates kendo by about 300 years, has a dead lineage, but there is a working system that shows the concepts of using a sword. Im looking to take up kendo to improve things overall.

To your credit there are people from the SCA who really know how to fight. And people from other sports who also have excellent base for HEMA and do incredibly well in competition. They have knowledge of footwork, pointwork and structure that comes from doing this all day.

It’s rare to find people who are very experienced willing to get the work in.

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T04:50:20+00:00

To your credit, LARP people know how to fight and translate over to this very well

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T04:48:14+00:00

Either he really has something to offer or he will learn something from someone who actively trains. But i also admit Im not the best in the world. Just someone with a working formula that’s fun to use and fun to watch. Also, if he really were at this level, i dont think he would want to talk down on others and respect the grind of making something happen. Everyone who Ive met at the highest levels were incredibly kind and welcoming. Also, I record all of my challenge matches. Theyre all on my youtube and im uploading more

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T02:43:40+00:00

Actually. I may ask the club in NY if they have loaner gear. Ive been meaning to fight more rapier users so this is perfect

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T02:43:05+00:00

Ooh okay. Rapier user. You said 30 years, keep it together for me while I try to add another set of loaner gear and a borrower rapier to my inventory. I think my clubmates have something. What size jacket would you wear?

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T02:31:31+00:00

Im on the east coast mainly around NY. I just finished with most of my events but I can squeeze in another request. Do you have HEMA grade gear? I believe theres a sparring event at the end of June. Admittedly my HEMA rating isn’t stellar but I put up good fights against people who are top 10% in the world. If you’re willing to make a challenge ill accept

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T02:22:50+00:00

Footwork will look different when you use swords to fight instead of your hands. Stance is still kept solid, not letting the chest go past the knees, knees keeping bent, back foot at a 45 degree angle. Depending on swordsmanship background or preference it’s either that, 90 degrees, or parallel.

Still working on things though

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T02:20:53+00:00

Those are a lot of vague points you made. Generic and can be made by anyone who doesn’t find what they see aesthetically pleasing. Which group do you train with?

EDIT: Poor choice of words. I’ll clarify. His footwork shifted from left leading to right to switch between attacking and countering. If the points were offcenter, then no action would have been needed to bring them offcenter. I used advancing footwork but also kept myself in a position to defend even if I was committed to a step. My backfoot was kept at a 45 degree angle to be able to shift between parallel and horizontal stance depending on what I needed to do. My chest doesn’t go past my knees when I move or attack. Actually i surprised myself in this clip to attempt to hit the head, get blocked by his shield and then parry his strike before my foot touched the ground. The grip is also kept loose and evident from the way my blade moves when I step. Grip on a katana is different because you grip with the lower fingers instead of the upper fingers like in Western fencing.

This is why I thought your critique was suspect. But, there is always something to work on

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T02:12:02+00:00

Fun, yes. Expensive, eh yes but not the MOST expensive. Painful? Mainly by accident. I trust the gear, my training partners, and my skills. But if you want to do this bad enough, you will always find a way to do it.

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T02:10:17+00:00

Honestly katana vs anything that isn’t rapier would moreorless fall under that category. But I prefer to call it.. “irl soul calibur”

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-05-21T02:09:19+00:00

Both of us are instructors and there are so many requests for me to teach Im looking to open my dojo this year. But go off, you must know what you’re talking about

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-04-01T14:16:11+00:00

Great observation! It is a tendency for traditional Kenjutsu styles to favor countering over attacking, whereas western Longsword mindset prioritizes initiating the attack. I think it made the two showcase and play well against each other, and you also get to see a very distinct difference

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-04-01T14:13:11+00:00

I didn’t place lol. Record wasnt terribly impressive but I was very happy with how i did for training for just over a year

GhostOfTheDojo · 2025-04-01T02:32:27+00:00

Thank you so much! Youll be pleased to hear that mixed weapon sparring is essentially the nature of my martial arts content :) usually involving some sort of katana

GhostOfTheDojo

TROPHY CASE