{"id":2086,"date":"2025-04-08T22:14:52","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T13:14:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/?p=2086"},"modified":"2025-04-08T22:29:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T13:29:44","slug":"budo-beat-20-poise-under-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/?p=2086","title":{"rendered":"Budo Beat 20: Poise Under Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The \u201cBudo Beat\u201d Blog features a collection of short reflections, musings, and anecdotes on a wide range of budo topics by Professor Alex Bennett<\/a>, a seasoned budo scholar and practitioner. Dive into digestible and diverse discussions on all things budo\u2014from the philosophy and history to the practice and culture that shape the martial Way.<\/em>
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Kigurai<\/mark> (\u6c17\u4f4d)\u2014there it stands, elusive yet alluring, another one of those maddening Japanese budo terms that deftly dodge neat English equivalents. It drifted persistently through the air at the recent \u201c49th Foreign Kendo Leaders\u2019 Seminar\u201d (Kitamoto Seminar). As a translator, I gladly yield to its original charm and prefer simply to use the word kigurai<\/em> itself. By now, I suspect enough people already understand the term and its significance. When I do render it into English, however, it goes something like \u201cdignified presence\u201d <\/mark>or \u201ccommanding presence\u201d<\/mark>. I picture it as a flawlessly drawn bowstring\u2014balanced tension, graceful precision, poised with latent power\u2014qualities at the very soul of budo.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Interpreting at the 49th Kitamoto Seminar. This seminar is held most years (except when there are World Kendo Championships). This was was in the middle of March, 2025, in Katsuura.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In Japanese culture, the kanji for kigurai<\/em> literally combine the characters \u6c17<\/mark> (ki<\/em>), meaning \u201cspirit\u201d or \u201cenergy\u201d, and \u4f4d<\/mark> (kurai<\/em>\/gurai<\/em>), meaning \u201crank\u201d, \u201cstatus\u201d, or \u201cposture\u201d. Together, they signify a \u201cspiritual rank,\u201d or more precisely, a refined and elevated state of dignity that naturally develops through education, continuous effort, and accumulated experience. It implies respecting oneself and taking pride in one\u2019s own character and accomplishments. Yet, outside of budo, the phrase \u201csomeone with high<\/mark> kigurai<\/em>\u201d often carries negative connotations, associated with arrogance, excessive pride, or difficult personalities. In everyday contexts, it can imply self-centredness or narcissism, suggesting a person who is challenging to engage with socially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in the realm of Japanese budo, kigurai<\/em> embodies something entirely different. Far from self-centredness or vanity, it represents a deep and sincere quality cultivated over years of diligent training. Imagine a master musician stepping onto the stage before a packed concert hall; even before striking the first note, their poised silence fills the air, capturing everyone\u2019s attention and signalling their artistry. It’s kind of like that. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Historically in budo, the term kigurai<\/em> appears extensively from the Bakumatsu period (mid-1800s) onwards, reflecting widespread usage across various martial art schools of the era. Even within major martial traditions such as Hokushin Itt\u014d-ry\u016b, writings by disciples repeatedly referenced kigurai<\/em>. Chiba Sh\u016bsaku famously taught, \u201cTo let your spirit be like a high-ranking court noble, while your technique should be like a humble servant\u201d, or words to that effect. This instruction still resonates today in modern budo training, illustrating the ideal manifestation of kigurai<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, in budo, kigurai<\/em> is vividly demonstrated at the precise moment of engagement\u2014just before physical action begins. It is in this charged, silent instant, when two practitioners face each other, weapons drawn, that the true power of kigurai<\/em> emerges. The practitioner who exudes genuine kigurai<\/em> establishes psychological dominance<\/mark> through calmness, clarity, and inner authority<\/mark>, influencing the opponent\u2019s state of mind even before the first strike is executed.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Negishi Shingor\u014d (1844\u20131913), celebrated master of Shind\u014d Munen-ry\u016b and pivotal figure in early modern kend\u014d, renowned as the founder of Y\u016bshinkan dojo and teacher to many influential swordsmen, including Nakayama Hakud\u014d.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As described in the 19th-century text Gekken Shinan<\/em> by Negishi Shingor\u014d, \u201cOne must first master the previously outlined techniques, spirit (kiai<\/em>), and distancing (maai<\/em>), and only thereafter delve into the study of kigurai<\/em>.\u201d At this stage, the primary objective is to cultivate the inner fortitude of confronting a real blade. In this context, kigurai<\/em> emerges naturally, a dignified aura marked by serene fulfilment and steadfast composure<\/mark>, arising effortlessly through persistent practice and sincere commitment to self-improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Gekken Shinan<\/em>, 1884.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Thus, having kigurai<\/em> involves transcending mere physical techniques and cultivating an inner fortitude necessary when confronting a real blade. Kigurai<\/em>, described in Gekken Shinan<\/em>, \u201cinvolves elevating and broadening one\u2019s own mind to scrutinise the hidden intentions and schemes of the opponent.\u201d The practitioner must intuitively sense the opponent\u2019s intentions, as \u201crecognising the opponent\u2019s movements is neither about swiftness of vision nor rapid technique execution.\u201d Instead, it requires \u201cthe soul\u2019s direct perception<\/mark>\u201d, discerning precisely where the enemy\u2019s focus is lacking and exploiting vulnerabilities. (This connects nicely with the topic of my last blog post, \u2192 kizashi<\/a><\/em>. Ah, the budo puzzle\u2014each piece clicking gently into place, mostly by accident.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, effective use of kigurai<\/em> means enveloping and suppressing the opponent\u2019s spirit, causing the adversary to become \u201cbreathless and constrained in movement.\u201d How many times have you experienced this in the dojo? Going up against some old-timer, and somehow having the lifeforce mysteriously sucked out of you as you huff, and you puff yourself into oblivion \ud83d\ude30 … <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, Negishi tells us, victory emerges not from overtly aggressive actions but from subtly dominating the psychological battle: \u201cwhen confusion emerges, the mind cannot adequately focus on all points, inevitably exposing weaknesses.\u201d Mastery, he asserts, \u201cculminates in the silent understanding or intuitive resonance known as ishin-denshin<\/em>\u201d, the rather nebulous principle of transmitting thoughts without words. Ultimately, this level of mastery cannot be explicitly taught but must be \u201caccumulated through personal experience and understanding.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The widespread adoption and standardisation of the term kigurai<\/em> in modern budo owe much to Takano Sasabur\u014d, a prominent early kendo instructor. Takano frequently emphasised this concept in educational texts during a period when budo was incorporated into school curricula in the early decades of the 20th century, embedding the concept deeply into modern martial arts culture. Takano described kigurai<\/em> in the following way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKigurai<\/em>, much like kiai<\/em>, involves a subtle working of the spirit that is difficult to clearly express with brush or pen. In simple terms, one might describe kigurai<\/em> as the power emanating naturally from self-confidence. It arises from a spirit of unwavering resolve, free from doubt or confusion, and thus carries with it an air of inherent dignity and authority. From this vantage point, one stands elevated above the opponent, looking down upon them, intuitively perceiving their spirit and technique, thereby instilling in them a sense of dread and hesitation<\/mark>, forcing them inevitably into shrinking back.\u201d[2]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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Takano Sasabur\u014d (1862\u20131950), legendary kendo master and influential educator, known as the “Kensei of the Showa era.” Born into a samurai family in Chichibu, he later studied under the renowned swordsman Yamaoka Tessh\u016b, became an instructor at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, and served as professor at Tokyo Higher Normal School. He was instrumental in creating standardised kendo teaching methods, significantly shaping modern kendo practice and philosophy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

He went on to describe it as akin to observing an enemy from atop a high mountain\u2014where all hills, ridges, rivers, and valleys below seem clearly within immediate reach. With a calm and commanding spirit, the opponent\u2019s every movement becomes vividly apparent, and controlling, defeating, striking, or thrusting at them becomes effortlessly achievable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversely, from the enemy\u2019s perspective, engaging an opponent endowed with true kigurai<\/em> feels like peering into a bottomless abyss or attempting to scale an insurmountably high mountain. \u201cFear and confusion take hold, their movements become hesitant and constrained, mental clarity dulls, breathing grows strained, and ultimately, they succumb, unable to sustain their courage.\u201d We’ve all been there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The resonance of kigurai<\/em>, however, extends beyond the martial arts dojo and into broader human experience, finding compelling parallels in Western literature and historical figures. Ernest Hemingway succinctly captured its essence as \u201cgrace under pressure\u201d<\/mark>, an elegant phrase highlighting poised dignity amidst adversity. Marcus Aurelius similarly evoked this steady, dignified resilience by advising, \u201cBe like the cliff against which waves continually break; but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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A signed photo to “Professor Yamashita”. President Theodore Roosevelt learned judo under Yamashita Yoshitsugu at the White House during the months of March and April in 1904. He was also greatly impressed by Nitobe Inazo\u2019s book Bushido: The Soul of Japan<\/em>, reflecting his profound admiration for Japan’s traditional warrior ethics.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I recently came across 26th<\/sup> US President Theodore Roosevelt\u2019s famous dictum, \u201cSpeak softly and carry a big [kendo\ud83d\ude2c] stick; you will go far.\u201d I think that this, in an interesting kind of way, conveys the quiet yet commanding authority intrinsic to genuine kigurai<\/em>, where strength lies not in overt aggression but in composed, unwavering confidence. Apparently, Roosevelt\u2019s approach to what is known as \u201cbig stick diplomacy\u201d<\/mark> rested upon five fundamental principles, all delivered with the bracing clarity one might expect from Teddy himself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, he insisted on genuine military strength\u2014so impressive it would make potential adversaries sit up and reconsider their plans. He also counselled dealing with other nations justly<\/mark>, never bluffing (bluffers inevitably trip themselves up), and ensuring that when striking became necessary, it was done swiftly and decisively. Perhaps most cleverly of all, Roosevelt urged allowing the defeated adversary to depart with dignity intact\u2014a touch of grace preventing needless humiliation.<\/mark> Together, these qualities capture precisely that blend of authority and subtlety central to the notion of kigurai<\/em> in budo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In sports psychology, we\u2019re constantly told to \u201cfake it until you make it\u201d<\/mark>\u2014a neat mindset for gaining confidence or projecting positivity. But genuine kigurai<\/em> resists such easy imitations. Attempts to fake kigurai<\/em> inevitably fall flat, exposing the pretender not as dignified, but as obnoxiously arrogant, strutting about like a \u201csamurai fairy\u201d <\/mark>with their head firmly lodged somewhere unmentionable. True kigurai<\/em> emerges naturally, quietly asserting itself only after one\u2019s technical skill has matured, and the spirit has been thoroughly tempered.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Renowned iaido master Kaneda-sensei embodies the profound essence of kigurai<\/em>. Each demonstration radiates a commanding grace and intensity, captivating observers with movements as powerful as they are breathtakingly beautiful. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Thus, kigurai<\/em> is far more than a lofty abstraction or poetic flourish\u2014in some ways it\u2019s the tangible yet mysterious centre of budo, an unspoken dialogue between spirit and technique. Rather than offering easy answers or quick victories, it demands relentless attention, quiet reflection, and a lifetime of sincere, persistent practice. Ultimately, through cultivating kigurai<\/em>, martial artists come to understand not merely how to command a bout, but how to embody the subtle power and poised grace that transforms presence into artistry, and artistry into presence.<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/a> Negishi Shingor\u014d, Gekiken Shinan<\/em>. Self-published, August 1884.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/a> Takano Sasabur\u014d, Kend\u014d<\/em>, 1915, pp. 199-200<\/p>\n\n\n

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