Mat Cutters are NOT Samurai Masters
Hello everyone. Thank you for reading this article. I’m Shogo from Let’s ask Shogo, the interpreter of the online lessons and owner of this website.
Many YouTube videos explain that people who are good at Tameshigiri/Shizan mat cutting are “samurai masters.” However, Seki Sensei, your instructor here at our online lessons, is against this idea. There are 2 reasons why mat cutters are NOT masters of the katana.
- Mat cutting was originally not done by samurai
- The best way to cut mats is the worst way to handle the katana in Iai/Kenjutsu
Mat cutting in the time when samurai still existed, was a training method for professional “tool testers.” There were people whose job was to test cut with new katana that were made to prove the quality. However, these professionals were considered lower ranked than samurai. That’s because, at the official testing, they will test cut against corpses of criminals. Samurai would almost never cut mats regularly but would train more of Iaijutsu/Kenjutsu. Mat cutting finally became commonly done
Mat cutting is very close to tile breaking in Karate. It requires a unique set of skills, but it’s not what’s required for fighting with an actual person. Your opponent will not just stand there for you to cut him, and after attacking, there’s a chance they will attack back. So the way you swing back greatly to the side, and swing the tip of the katana all the way out are examples of things that are required for the mat cuting, but are huge taboos in Iai/Kenjutsu. For detailed information about how specifically mat cutting will badly influence your katana techniques, please watch the video we made about Tameshigiri/Shizan.
I, Shogo, am actually a Tameshigiri/Shizan trainee at a different dojo. What did I think about Seki Sensei’s explanation? I absolutely understand that mat cutting is not a martial art, but at the same time it does require unique techniques like having to be very relaxed and letting the katana do the katana. Nevertheless, I think it’s thrilling that you get to have a chance to swing a real katana. So I will never teach my own students in the future that mat cutting is the best way to train how to use the katana. However, I wouldn’t stop them from training.
What are your thoughts on Tameshigiri/Shizan mat cutting with katana? Please let us know in the comments.
I like your approach! Mat cutting looks really fun to do, and I can see getting the perfect katana for an individual’s style and cutting with it would be a very cool thing to train! Just as long as the true nature is preserved and taught along with it, though.
I’ve always thought may cutting looked fun, and I’d love to try it some time, but I always thought it was like target practice with a stationary target – it has its uses and its own skill requirements, but it’s not training for a real fight. ✌️
>but I always thought it was like target practice with a stationary target – it has its uses and its own skill requirements, but it’s not training for a real fight
I agree with this sentiment. It can be a useful exercise and a way to measure your skill at hitting a target/ cutting through mats, but in and of itself does not infer mastery or skill in the effective use of a weapon.
Simply put, being a good shot doesn’t make you a “soldier” or warrior.
I like your approach! Mat cutting looks really fun to do, and I can see getting the perfect katana for an individual’s style and cutting with it would be a very cool thing to train! Just as long as the true nature is preserved and taught along with it, though.
I’ve always thought may cutting looked fun, and I’d love to try it some time, but I always thought it was like target practice with a stationary target – it has its uses and its own skill requirements, but it’s not training for a real fight. ✌️
In our civilized times carrying weapons is prohibited or cutting criminals is against human rights. But i think as a kenjutsuka you have to learn how it really feels to cut something. So i think they found a nice alternative which produce evironmentfriendly waste. Since tatame is a natural product. And i prefer this over cutting resources which can used as food (pointing the finger at all the youtubers who are cutting meat or watermelons)