Nukitsuke
抜き付け
Also known as: Batto, Sayabanare
Drawing the sword from the scabbard combined with the first cut; according to Kamimoto Eiichi, control of the opponent through the draw itself.
Quick Facts
Katas containing this technique
About
Nukitsuke (抜き付け) is, in iaido, drawing the sword from the scabbard (saya) combined with pulling the scabbard back (sayabiki), the first, cutting stage of the draw. The Southern California Kendo Federation (SCKF) describes it as drawing the blade from the scabbard and gives other names for it, batto and sayabanare. According to Kamimoto Eiichi, hanshi 9th dan, nukitsuke means thwarting the opponent's attack before it begins; it controls the opponent through the draw itself, not just the cut. This sets it apart from nukiuchi, striking the opponent down with the draw to kill. Nukiuchi also names the 12th kata of the ZNKR seitei set, while nukitsuke is a general movement in several kata. In the 1st kata, Mae, the sufficiency of the sayabiki is assessed for it; also mentioned in the 3rd kata, Ukenagashi. In the SCKF warm-up it is practised in series of batto and noto and in the sequence batto, furikaburi (raising the sword for a cut from above) and kiri-oroshi. SCKF exam rules for 6th-2nd kyu require five kata from the ZNKR iaido set, chosen by the board, each beginning with nukitsuke.