理念The Concept of Naginata

なぎなたは、なぎなたの修練により、心身ともに調和のとれた人材を育成する。

The Concept of Naginata is, through training Naginata will develop people with balanced bodies and minds.

指導方針The Principles of Instructing

なぎなたの正しい指導により、技を練り、心を磨き、気力を高め、体力を養うとともに、なぎなたの特性の中に生きる日本の優れた伝統を守り、規律に従い、礼譲を学び、信義を重んじ、毅然として広く平和な社会に役立つ人を養う。

Through correct Naginata instruction, practitioners will be encouraged to develop their technical skills, cultivate their minds, enhance their vitality, nature their strength, preserve traditional Japanese culture embodied within the art of Naginata, maintain disciplone, show courtesy and respect to others, always act in good faith, and strive to become useful member of society promoting peace and prosperity among all peoples.

なぎなたと礼儀Naginata and reigi(manners)

なぎなたは、武道として伝えられてきたものであり、「礼に始まり礼に終わる」と言われ、礼儀を大切にしてきました。礼は形式だけのものではなく、真心から行うものです。どんなに技ができても、人をあなどったり、ごうまんであれば正しいなぎなたをしているとは言えません。練習時だけではなく、家庭でも社会でも常に真心を持って礼儀正しく人に接して、なぎなたの稽古を通じて立派な人格と精神を養う心がけが大切です。

Naginata has been regarded as one of the Japanese budo, or martial arts.Naginata has been said to begin and end with rei, etiquette, which means that good manners are emphasized in Naginata. Rei refers to the feeling of respect and gratitude one has towards others. Rei should not be performed perfunctorily but sincerely. However technically skilled the practitioners may be, if they are arrogant or inconsiderate, they are said to have deviated from what is held as the Naginata ideal. It is important to be sincere and polite to others not only in practicing Naginata but at home and in society. Please remember that you are developing your personality and cultivating your mind through the Naginata training.

礼法The way of rei(ritualistic bowing)

礼は人の謙虚な心の表れで、相手の人格を尊重し、素直な心や美しい姿勢を養います。礼には立礼と座礼があります。

Rei is considered as the expression of one’s modesty. It is thought to foster the feeling of respect one has towords training partners and the right frame of mind and elegance. Such feelings are expressed physically through ritualistic bowing, both from a seated position(zarei) and standing(ritsurei).

立法Ritsurei(the standing bow)

正面（試合場?練習場）に対して行う礼と、相手に対して行う礼があります。 正面に対する礼は、なぎなたは自然体の姿勢で注目し、上体を約30度に前傾します。左手は上体の傾斜と共に自然に左足ももに沿わせてやや内側におろします。このときになぎなたが前後左右に傾かないようにします。

Ritsurei is performed in two situations: to the shomen(the altar or sacred place in the match place or the practice plane), and also to your partner or opponent. In Naginata when performing ritsurei to the shomen, bend the upper body 30 degrees from the waist looking at the shomen in the shizentai posture. When performing ritsurei to your partner, bend the upper body 15 degrees from the waist looking at your partner. The left hand should slide down towards the inside of the left thigh the bow is performed. In either case the Naginata should not move or lean at all.

座礼Zarei(the seated bow)

座るときは、左足をわずかに引いて左ひざを折って床につけ、次に右膝を床につけて座ります。 両足の親指を重ね背筋をまっすぐにしてあごを引き、口を軽く閉じて前方を見ます。両手は、指をそろえて両足ももの上におき、上腕部を軽く体につけます。これが正座です。なぎなたには自分の右側に刃を外側にして、石突を膝頭より30cm前に出し、両手で静かに置きます。正座の姿勢で上体を前方に傾けながら両手を膝前に進め、肘を張らずに礼をします。立つときは、つま先を立て、身体をやや右に向け、なぎなたは右手で下から左手で上から握り、腰を伸ばしながら右足を踏み立てて立ち上がり、左足をそろえます。（左座右起といいます）

When sitting down, draw your left foot slightly backward and kneel down on the left knee.Then draw the right leg back and kneel on both knees. While seated, cross the tips of your toes and keep your back straight and your chin pulled in.Close your mouth lightly and gaze straight ahead. Both hands should be placed on the upper thighs with fingers together. The upper arms should lightly touch your body. This posture is called seiza. The Naginata is quietly placed parallel to your right side using both hands. The ishizuki should be 30 centimeters in front of the knee and the blade should be pointing behind and facing outwords. When performing zarei, in seiza posture bend forward from the hips and place both hands on the floor simultaneously in front of your knees. Do not spread your elbows. Then rise up again to the kneeling position. When standing up from this position, first sit up on your toes, and pivot slightly to the right and pick up the Naginata with the right hand at the bottom and left hand at the top. Then while standing up, step out with the right foot, and bring the left foot up next to it. (These action of sitting down and standing up are called Saza Uki).

自然体Shizentai

自然体とは、いかなる身体の移動にも、また相手の動きに対しても、敏速で自然に応じられる、最も自由で安定した体勢をいいます。

Shizentai, or natural standing position, is meant to be the most flexible and stable posture where you can move in any direction and respond to your opponent’s movement quickly and naturally.

中段の構えChūdan no kamae(left-sided and right-sided[in other words, left foot forward and right foot forward])

すべての構えの基本で、動作を起こしたり変化に応じるのに最も適した、攻防いずれにも有利な構え。

Chudan no kamae is considered the most basic of all the kamae, and the best for making a move, and for responding to your opponent’s moves. It is the most favorable kamae for both offense and defense.

中段の正しい構え方The main points of a correct chūdan no kamae

中段の構えはすべての構えの基本です。体を正しく半身に開き、切先は体の中心で、相手のみぞおちの高さにつけます。 脇は自然に伸ばし、手幅は足幅と同じく約二足長弱開き、後ろの手は石突きから前腕の長さを残して握って、後ろ足の内ももに軽くつけ、攻める気構えで気分を充実させます。

Chudan no kamae is the most fundamental of all the kamae. When in chudan no kamae, you must make sure that you keep your body sideways – your body is turned to the side(hanmi), that the kissaki of the Naginata covers the center of your body and it is aimed at the mizo-ochi, the pit of the stomach, of your opponent. Your arms must be extended naturally. The distance between your hands should be approximately the same as the distance between your feet. The distance between your feet should be between one and a half and two times the length of your foot, approximately shoulder-width. Feet are approximately shoulder-width apart. Your rear hand should hold the Naginata at about a forearm’s length from the ishizuki, and it must lightly touch the inner thigh of your rear leg. Your spirit must be filled with energy to attack.

下段の構えGedan no kamae(left-sided and right-sided)

切先を下げて自分を守り、相手の足下を攻め、変化に応じる構えで、相手の攻撃に応じて、打ち込む構え。

Gedan no kamae is a stance in which the kissaki is lowered to protect yourself from the attack. In this kamae, you can easily attack your opponent’s lower body and respond to your opponent’s move. It is good for defense and for counter-attack.

八相の構えHassō no kamae(left-sided and right-sided)

切先を上げながら持ち替えて、相手の動静を見て攻撃に変わる構え。

Hasso no kamae is a stance is which you lift the kissaki up from chudan and swap the positions of the left and right hands. It is considered a good kamae for observing your opponent and then making counter-attacks responding to your opponent’s actions.

脇構えWakigamae(left-sided and right-sided)

石突きを前にして、変化に応じ消極的であるが、相手を惑わす構え。

Wakigamae is a stance which the ishizuki points forward. It is good for responding to your opponent’s moves. It is not an aggressive kamae but is effective to make your opponents confused.

上段の構えJōdan no kamae(left-sided and right-sided)

石突きに十分威力を持たせて頭上に構え、いつでも攻撃のできる気位のある構えで、相手に威圧感を与える構えであり、特に気位をもち、気で攻める構え。

Jodan no kamae is a stance where the Naginata is positioned overhead and the ishizuki is kept pointing forward in readiness. It is considered the most offensive kamae, allowing you to your opponent and you should take this stance with ki-gurai, confidence.

無構えMugamae

なぎなたを右脇に構え、体の中を守り、無心の気持ちで構えるもの。

Mugamae is a stance where the Naginata is held on the right side of the body with a focused mind.

打突The datotsu(striking)

充実した気勢、適法な姿勢で打突部位を呼称し、刃筋正しく、物打ちで確実に打突し残心のあるものです。

The strike must be to a designated target area, made with correct posture with all your might, and with the correct part of the ha-bu, the monouchi. Upon impact the name of the intended target area must be-called out. After executing the strike, physical and mental alertness must be maintained(zanshin).

打突部位The valid datotsu-bui(striking target areas)

正面、側面（左右）、胴（左右）、咽喉、小手（左右）、外ずねおよび内ずね（左右）

Shomen, Soku-men(left-side and right-side), Dou(left-side and right-side), Inko, Kote(left and right), Inside and outside of Sune(left and right)

残心Zanshin

打突した直後の「心身の構え」のことで、油断をしない心の状態のことです。油断による心のゆるみや、相手から隙をつかれることを回避し、打突後も気勢をゆるめずいつでも打突できる心構え?身構えのことをいいます。

Zanshin refers to the body posture and state of mind after making a strike, in which you are alert enough not to be off your guard. It avoids giving a chance to your opponent to strike you and keeps yourself ready to respond or counter attack instantly, even after having already made a successful strike.

掛かり稽古Kakari geiko(attack practice)

掛かり稽古は自分より上位の相手に対して自分から積極的に、できるだけ多くの技を出して、体力、気力の続く限り打ちかかる稽古方法です。

Kakari-Geiko is the way of practice in which juniors attack seniors actively, using as many kinds of waza as possible for, as long as their physical or mental strength lasts.

修練の心構えAttitude toward training in Naginata

なぎなたは、日本の武道として歴史と共に発展してきたもので、現代は競技スポーツとしても行われています。その武道的特性を理解し、正しく学び、身に着け継承していくことが大切です。 心構えとして
①礼儀作法は人を敬う心のあらわれであり、日常生活で活かすことが大切です。
②正しいなぎなたの技術と理合いを学ぶことができます。
③素直な心で自己を反省し、目標を持って根気強く取り組むことができます。
④なぎなたを通して人との和を大切にし、仲間づくりの輪を広げることができます。
⑤健康管理や環境の安全に注意することが大切です。

Naginata developed throughout history as one of the Japanese martial arts. Today Naginata is practiced as an athletic sports, but it is important to understand its characteristics as a martial arts to learn it correctly and to master it to inherit. What you should have in mind are as follows:
①You manners and etiquette show how you respect others, and these should be made the most of in everyday life.
②You can learn the correct Naginata techniques and the meaning of them.
③You can reflect on your training without complaining and train patiently to fulfill your aims.
④Through Naginata you can value harmony among people and gain a large circle of friends.
⑤It is important to be more aware of your health and safety.