Toyama Ryu Standard Cuts - Migi Kesa / Gyaku Kesa 右袈裟/逆袈裟

Falling diagonal cut to the right followed by reverse diagonal cut

Start in Migi Seagon Kamae
Announce the name of the cut “MIGI KESA GYAKU KESA” and raise the sword to the starting position.
- Movement should start with kissaki
- Reach out with kissaki as katana is raised overhead
- Do not change stance
Starting Position of cut
- Katana monouchi should be at about 10 degrees up. It has to be between horizontal and 45 degrees.
- Katana should be at least 6 inches above the head
- Koshira should be about 4 inches in-front of the forehead
- Koshira should be just within peripheral vision when looking forward
- Elbows should be pushed out to keep from obscuring view
- Bones in forearms should be aligned with tsuka
- Wrists should be pushed inward to “wring” the tsuka
- Keep the shoulders down and even
Making the first cut
- The left hand should never move the right or left
- Start the cut with the hand moving forward (not down)
- The left hand should rotate and the right hand push up to snap the kissaki up
- Reach out with kissaki to a point as far forward as possible 6” to the left of the left foot and one feet over the head
- The kissaki should pass directly in-front at about the chest level
- The edge should be angled slightly farther down than the direction of the cut
- Stop putting energy into the cut after reaching this point
- Do not allow pad of hand to slip off the tsuka
- Let the arms relax and let the sword drop into the final position of the cut
- The kissaki should not bounce
- Do not drop the body
Finishing position of the first cut
- Make sure the pads of hands are still on top off the tsuka
- The right arm should be bent with the elbows at the sides
- The kissaki should be forward and level with the knee and about 6” to the right of the right foot.
- The edge should be still be angled slightly farther down than the direction of the cut
- The shoulders should be down and even
- The left hand should be directly in-front of the navel
Moving back to starting position of the second cut

Rotate the body to the left keeping the torso straight
The shoulders should be kept level
The kissaki is kept at the height of the knee as the katana is shifted to the rear using the right hand
The left hand is kept directly in-front of the navel
The kissaki should be about 6” to the right of the right foot
The ha should be pointed downward and slightly forward (to the right)

Making the second cut
- The left hand is kept directly in-front of the navel
- Start the cut with the body starting to rotate counter clock-wise
- The left hand should rotate and the right hand push down to snap the kissaki forward
- Reach out with kissaki to a point as far forward as possible 6” to the right of the right foot and at the height of the knee
- The kissaki should pass directly in-front at about the chest level
- The edge should be angled slightly farther up than the direction of the cut
- Stop putting energy into the cut after reaching this point
- Try to keep the pad of hands on the tsuka
- Let the arms relax and let the sword continue up into the final position of the cut
- The kissaki should not bounce
- Do not raise the body
Finishing position of the second cut
- The kissaki should be as far forward as possible, about 6” above the head, and about 6” to the left of the left foot.
- The monouchi should be horizontal and the katana pointed forward
- The edge should be still be angled slightly farther up than the direction of the cut
- The hands should be above the head
- The shoulders should be down and even
- The left hand should be directly in-front of the navel
- The torso should be rotated to the left
- The back should be straight
Moving back to starting position for the next cut
- Keep the kissaki at the same level
- Move the hands is a straight line
- Rotate the katana is a counter clockwise arc
- Rotate the torso
- All movement should occur at the same time
- The back should be kept straight
- The shoulders should be kept down and level
Moving back to Seagon Kamae after all cuts
- Move back to the starting position for the next cut
- Make a slow motion chudan cut
- The back should be kept straight
- The shoulders should be kept down and level

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