Different ways of passing by the opponent after striking right kote

by Olga
(Ukraine)

I’ve seen two ways of passing by the opponent after right kote strike, here they are:


1) We strike the opponent’s right kote and go forward from the opponent’s left side, crossing his/her shinai.

2) We strike the opponent’s right kote and go forward from the opponent’s right side, not crossing his/her shinai. (Like in your video for a small kote strike)

Questions:  Are both of those variants correct?

If yes, which one is considered to be basic?
And what are advantages and disadvantages of every variant?

Kendo-Guide.Com: I think we are talking about the basic single kote cut. Am I right?

Both should be OK, although I am sure some senseis prefer one way from another.

According to my fossilized memory, when I was a child, I think I went through the motodachi’s (receiver’s) left side in the practice of the basic single kote cut.

However, passing the right side of the motodachi even after striking the basic single kote cut makes more sense now.  It is because we are striking the right kote so it seems more natural to pass through the right side of the motodachi.

Having said that, they are both correct. But make sure you turn around in the right direction after passing through. It seems a bit tricky to many people.

If passing through the left side of the motodachi, beginners tend to carry their shinai on their left shoulder when passing through after striking kote. That develops bad habit.

If passing thorough the right side of motodachi, beginners tend to stab the motodachi because they have not developed good tenouchi yet.   

We should be able to do both for sure.

 “Sotai Dosa: Strikes with Fumikomi Passing Through” at the Kendo Video Download page explains which way you should turn. I have to make a page for this too, don’t I?

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Aug 31, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Straight for kihon
by: Matt

If its kihon kote practice you should be going straight through and motodachi should be moving to one side or the other, it is bad habit to 'go around' the person, though in jigeiko or shiai you often have to find a way to get through and the best way to go will depend entirely on what your aite (opponent) is doing.

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thanks for the good comment. Matt is exactly right. Kakarite (striker) should not go around his/her motodachi but motodachi should give kakarite way.

Basically, you should turn without showing your back to your opponent. So if you pass through your opponent?s left (your right), you should turn where your opponent is, which is on your left. So you turn around to the left.

If you pass through your opponent?s right (your left), you should turn around to the right.

Hope this helps.

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