{"id":2716,"date":"2025-12-17T12:49:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T03:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/?p=2716"},"modified":"2025-12-18T09:45:51","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T00:45:51","slug":"budo-beat-47-tsubazeriaithe-complicated-hustle-of-the-tsuba-tussle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/?p=2716","title":{"rendered":"Budo Beat 47: Tsubazeriai~The Complicated Hustle of the Tsuba Tussle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>The \u201cBudo Beat\u201d Blog features a collection of short reflections, musings, and anecdotes on a wide range of budo topics by Professor&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/researchmap.jp\/alexbennett?lang=en\">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><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A quick note at the outset: this instalment will probably not be of much interest to readers who do not practise kendo. It is, however, important reading for kendoka, particularly those involved in&nbsp;<em>shiai<\/em>&nbsp;and refereeing, because it deals with rule interpretation for&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;that directly shapes how modern matches unfold. This topic was also one of the key takeaways from the recent Asia-Oceania Shinpan Seminar held in Hong Kong in December 2025, which I wrote about in my&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/alexandercbennett.substack.com\/p\/budo-beat-46-three-angles-one-truth\">previous blog post<\/a>. The discussions there reinforced just how central&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;interpretation has become for referees working at any level.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!y_J6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F924526d6-bc31-4e63-abdf-fc2fa7a34c60_2048x920.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!y_J6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F924526d6-bc31-4e63-abdf-fc2fa7a34c60_2048x920.jpeg\" alt=\"A group of men holding sticks\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\" title=\"A group of men holding sticks\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Kiyono-sensei (l) and K\u014dda-sensei explaining correct tsubazerai to participants in the Sinpan Seminar.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Although now somewhat old news, in September 2024 the \u201ctemporary rules\u201d which had been in force since 2020 mitigate the spread of the COVID virus, were made almost entirely permanent. This was focussed particularly on the close quarters tussle known as&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The bad old days of tsubazeriai\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OsDxuXonY0E?start=3&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Before the pandemic,&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;often dissolved into long, awkward clinches that had more in common with rugby mauls than kendo! COVID forced the community to rethink this behaviour, and in a strange way it ended up improving the rhythm of&nbsp;<em>shiai<\/em>&nbsp;(kendo matches). These days, competitors are expected to break cleanly within a single breath using the mutual pressure of&nbsp;<em>tsuba<\/em>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<em>tsuba<\/em>&nbsp;to separate decisively. When both competitors (<em>shiai-sha<\/em>) do this properly, the match regains its shape immediately. The flow of&nbsp;<em>seme<\/em>&nbsp;returns, the distance resets naturally, and the bout resumes without that saggy pause that used to dull the energy of so many matches. The smoother rhythm is, I believe, a genuine improvement, but it comes with a catch:&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>&nbsp;now have to be sharply aware of the intention and mechanics behind each separation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Good tsubazeriai separation.\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/N9_6Zc4GL8w?start=1&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Put simply, the rule became:&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;may continue for only a single breath, that is, up to three seconds. If the contest continues beyond that duration, the&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>&nbsp;may either issue a penalty (<em>hansoku<\/em>) or call for separation (<em>wakare<\/em>). Judging from the All-Japan Championships held since 2020, most competitors strove to separate within three seconds, and penalties or referee-imposed separations were rarely seen. After the 2020 All-Japan Championships (actually held in March 2021), I thought that this rule ought to be made permanent, and apparently many others involved in kendo felt the same way. Well, that\u2019s except people who relied a lot on&nbsp;<em>hiki-waza<\/em>&nbsp;(pulling back techniques) from close quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">What makes the following data genuinely startling is just how much match time had quietly been swallowed by close-range clinching. According to the All-Japan Kendo Federation\u2019s \u201cMatch Analysis Report\u201d for the All-Japan Championships (Men and Women), the average&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;time in the 2019 pre-pandemic Championships was 3 minutes 45 seconds per 5-minute bout! That is most of the match time spent locked together in a dance of pseudo engagement. \u201cTry doing that with a real sword\u2026\u201d critics of this tactic would cry. Whereas in March 2021 it fell to 24 seconds\u2014a seriously dramatic decrease. It has managed to remain around this duration.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!nFZq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdab29329-d646-4e6a-ae65-2cc264f91052_2048x1536.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!nFZq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdab29329-d646-4e6a-ae65-2cc264f91052_2048x1536.jpeg\" alt=\"A group of people sitting on the floor\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\" title=\"A group of people sitting on the floor\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>\u201cThe purpose of the \u2018Regulations\u2019 is to get shiai-sha to compete fairly in shiai of the INTERNATIONAL KENDO FEDERATION (FIK), in accordance with the principles of the sword, and to properly referee the shiai without prejudice.\u201d Thus, K\u014dda-sensei lectured us, \u201cunfair tsubazerai must be judged carefully and critically.\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The nature of&nbsp;<em>hiki-waza<\/em>&nbsp;also changed markedly. Techniques drawn from prolonged&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;virtually disappeared, while&nbsp;<em>hiki-waza<\/em>&nbsp;executed at the instant the players entered&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>, or just before doing so, increased significantly. Some feared that referee-imposed separations (<em>wakare<\/em>) would increase, but in reality, they have been minimal: only one instance in 2020, and I haven\u2019t seen any since at the All-Japan championships. Competitors are voluntarily disengaging, which makes many wonder why we even&nbsp;<em><strong>need<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;the command \u201c<em>wakare<\/em>\u201d to separate competitors. I have yet to hear a compelling argument regarding this. What we are being taught now is that if&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;is longer than the [very approximate] 3 seconds, then somebody is guilty of an infraction&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In other words, if they are locked in&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>, for more than 3 seconds,&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>&nbsp;are supposed to identify the main culprit for the \u201cstickiness\u201d and penalise them. It\u2019s one or the other at fault. And that one must be penalised. We were told that \u201cideally it should NOT be both who are penalised.\u201d In any case, making these strict interpretation of the rules permanent was a bold and, I believe, sound decision that most now agree has improved the quality of matches.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!T2Lr!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16a48ea8-0100-4680-9e24-f62b06966944_1380x920.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!T2Lr!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F16a48ea8-0100-4680-9e24-f62b06966944_1380x920.jpeg\" alt=\"A couple of people wearing masks and holding swords\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\" title=\"A couple of people wearing masks and holding swords\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>\u201cAha\u201d, I hear you say. \u201cThat\u2019s not correct tsubazeriai. Surely it\u2019s hansoku.\u201d Maybe. Or maybe not. Context matters. Is this a sustained posture, or a momentary shift in the flow? The line between the two is where shinpan judgement comes into play.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To understand why today\u2019s rules may feel both strict and familiar, it helps to step back. Historically speaking, the treatment of&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;has long been a contentious issue in kendo regulations. When kendo resumed after the war, the first set of match and refereeing rules was promulgated by the AJKF in 1953. Eleven prohibited acts were listed, including&nbsp;<em>ashi-garami<\/em>&nbsp;(entangling the opponent\u2019s leg),&nbsp;<em>kumiuchi<\/em>&nbsp;(grappling),&nbsp;<em>hikiage<\/em>, deliberately stepping out of bounds, and&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;performed to waste time or resting the&nbsp;<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;on the opponent\u2019s shoulder during&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>. In the revisions between 1955 and 1958, it was established that three infractions would give the opponent one point. However, as far as&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;was concerned, referees simply called \u201c<em>wakare<\/em>\u201d to separate the players if it continued too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This changed dramatically with the 1979 revision. The command \u201c<em>wakare<\/em>\u201d was abolished, and a time limit (approximately 20 seconds) was imposed on&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;without attack. Violations resulted in a&nbsp;<em>ch\u016bi<\/em>&nbsp;(warning). Two warnings equalled one penalty, and two penalties equalled one point to the opponent. The reason why was because&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;was used unnecessarily to rest, or even to waste time. This revision was intended to correct such \u201cun-kendolike tendencies\u201d, and also to free referees from being constantly required to call&nbsp;<em>wakare<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>hajime<\/em>, thereby ensuring smoother matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In 1987, the rules were changed again. This was around the time when I started kendo as a high school student in Japan, so I didn\u2019t understand the meaning at the time. Records state that two warnings resulted in one penalty, and a third warning gave two penalties = one point (<em>ippon<\/em>). I do not recall whether this was applied consistently. Many bouts did involve two warnings becoming a penalty, and combined with out-of-bounds or dropped-<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;penalties, this often led to the opponent gaining a point. However, I do not remember many cases where three&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;warnings were declared.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!O3l8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb7685c91-0473-41d2-ad39-dd28935b7e2b_1380x920.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!O3l8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb7685c91-0473-41d2-ad39-dd28935b7e2b_1380x920.jpeg\" alt=\"A group of men in black fencing\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\" title=\"A group of men in black fencing\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>\u201cIsn\u2019t this gyaku-k\u014dsa? (A reverse crossing of the shinai). \u201cAnd aren\u2019t the shinai being reset on the shoulders?\u201d Both can be hansoku. But once again, it depends on whether this is continuous behaviour or a momentary adjustment in the flow.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A further major revision took place in 1995. \u201c<em>Wakare<\/em>\u201d was reinstated;&nbsp;<em>ch\u016bi<\/em>&nbsp;warnings were abolished; and improper&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;or time-wasting became an immediate penalty (two penalties gave the opponent&nbsp;<em>ippon<\/em>). Apparently&nbsp;<em>wakare<\/em>&nbsp;was reinstated as a kind of last resort:&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>&nbsp;should still impose penalties where appropriate, but when the exchange is entirely stalled, they may call for separation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It is generally acknowledged in kendo that positive forward-moving attacks should be primary and&nbsp;<em>hiki-waza<\/em>&nbsp;secondary. When I was at high school and university in Japan, competitors tended to regard&nbsp;<em>hiki-waza<\/em>&nbsp;as a major tactical weapon, and they were pretty goddam good at it. Some even specialised in these techniques wholly. The BJJ version of kendo, where the shiai-sha just goes straight in to grapply rather than punch it out. That\u2019s why more time was spent in close rather than at the&nbsp;<em>issoku-itt\u014d<\/em>&nbsp;(one sword, one step) distance which is considered \u201cproper\u201d kendo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Initially, \u201c<em>wakare<\/em>\u201d was sometimes called, but referees increasingly tended to identify penalties before resorting to separation. Determining when the exchange was \u201cstalled\u201d proved difficult, and identifying penalties was not always clear, especially as kids were so good at bending the rules, even making it look as though their opponent was at fault. It wasn\u2019t about sportsmanship; it was all about gamesmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Breaks for&nbsp;<em>g\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;(referee consultation) to discuss potential illegal tactics increased, disrupting matches. Some bouts in team competitions were decided by sequences of penalties, such as a&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;penalty followed by out-of-bounds or dropped-<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;penalties\u2014hardly satisfying outcomes. Furthermore, there was no clear impression that match time spent in&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;had decreased.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!v0z2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc1788db3-821b-497f-8b22-be3604783998_1380x920.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!v0z2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc1788db3-821b-497f-8b22-be3604783998_1380x920.jpeg\" alt=\"A group of men in suits\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\" title=\"A group of men in suits\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Shinpan consultation is for confirmation, not debate. If hansoku is required, the Shushin alone indicates it. Any explanation should be done through clear hand signals so the reason is understood by everyone.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In 1999, the police championships introduced a unique rule:&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;must be resolved within 10 seconds. In 2004, this was shortened further to five seconds. Following this, the High School Federation adopted a 10-second guideline from 2008, advising referees to identify improper&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;strictly and to assess time-wasting, or order \u201c<em>wakare<\/em>\u201d after about ten seconds of proper engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Nevertheless, the AJKF\u2019s own regulations remained unchanged. That is, until the external pressure of COVID-19 made close-range contact somewhat undesirable! Once \u201ctemporary rules\u201d were implemented, matches improved aesthetically. I should add that the recent permanent adoption of the temporary rules was implemented not by revising the \u201cRegulations of Kendo Shiai and Shinpan\u201d per se, but by revising the content and examples given in the \u201cHandbook for Kendo Shiai and Shinpan Management\u201d which I translated for the AJKF. (There is also another&nbsp;<em><strong>excellent<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;translation that was done privately by Robert Stroud-sensei many years ago that you may come across on the web. The AJKF-sanctioned translation, however, is constantly being updated, especially in the post-COVID era, so please download it by clicking on the graphic below.)<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img can-restack\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kendo.or.jp\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Handbook_for_Kendo_Shiai_and_Shinpan_Management.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!3Z8I!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54137953-b9a7-46f2-9743-249c36205560_726x1032.png\" alt=\"\u5168\u5263\u9023\u66f8\u5eab | \u5168\u65e5\u672c\u5263\u9053\u9023\u76df AJKF\" style=\"width:486px;height:auto\" title=\"\u5168\u5263\u9023\u66f8\u5eab | \u5168\u65e5\u672c\u5263\u9053\u9023\u76df AJKF\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The awesome Handbook for Kendo Shiai and Shinpan Management has many scenarios related to tsubazeriai contained within.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In other words, as Koda Kunihiko-sensei often puts it, these actions have always been illegal because they run counter to the \u201cspirit of kendo\u201d set out in Article 1 of the rulebook. What has changed is not the rules themselves, but \u201cour willingness to penalise behaviour that should have been penalised all along. In that sense, nothing has really changed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!GOCZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F11fe8319-68e0-435e-b317-7dab0a46f6f0_1380x920.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!GOCZ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F11fe8319-68e0-435e-b317-7dab0a46f6f0_1380x920.jpeg\" alt=\"A person in a kendo mask holding a sword\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\" title=\"A person in a kendo mask holding a sword\n\nAI-generated content may be incorrect.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>J\u014ddan and Nit\u014d shiai-sha are subject to exactly the same rules as everyone else. That said, they must be especially careful when separating from tsubazeriai. See my notes below.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Whether the status quo is optimal remains to be seen; further issues may emerge, and when they do, it will once again fall to referees to interpret intent, apply judgement, and preserve the shape and spirit of the match. Should that happen, the Handbook will likely be revised again. Looking back, one thing is clear though: rules have repeatedly changed the content of competitive kendo over the decades. In competition,&nbsp;<em>shiai-sha<\/em>&nbsp;adapt their strategies to the rules. If competitive kendo drifts away from its true essence, then it is the responsibility of those guiding the kendo world to amend the rules so that it does not depart from its proper course. That is precisely what is happening now with focus being placed on correct&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"image-link image2 can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/buymeacoffee.com\/alexanderbennett\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!2vwW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3acfbcfa-ad2a-4733-b9a0-c99d440acab4_1090x306.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3.562152133580705;width:467px;height:auto\" title=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em><strong>I\u2019m committed to keeping my work freely accessible to all budo enthusiasts, wherever they are. If you\u2019ve enjoyed what you\u2019ve found here and would like to support my ongoing efforts and projects, \u201cbuying me a coffee\u201d (beer actually), or my books, would make a world of difference. Cheers!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">What follows shifts from analysis to application. Think of this as a practical appendix for&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>, pulling together the key interpretations discussed during the seminar. I should add that I was concentrating more on getting my own calls right than taking perfect notes, but for what it\u2019s worth, here is what I took away. Again, please look at the Handbook as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>FYI Notes on Tsubazerai From the Seminar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">What constitutes&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em>&nbsp;(penalty) in&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>? These interpretations align with the purpose of encouraging positive kendo rather than standstill clinches. Note that&nbsp;<em>most<\/em>&nbsp;such judgments require&nbsp;<em>g\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;(consultation among&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>) first. If it is a repeat offence or a black-and-white offence, it may just be called&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em>&nbsp;without&nbsp;<em>g\u014dgi<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em><strong>1. Time-wasting or avoidance in tsubazeriai<\/strong><\/em>~<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Competitors must actively attempt a technique or actively resolve&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;by separating together rather than stall. Dragging the chain =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 If neither side attempts a technique or separation within the \u201cone breath\u201d guideline (about three seconds),&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>&nbsp;may judge it as time-wasting and apply&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em>. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Waiting for the referee\u2019s&nbsp;<em>wakare<\/em>&nbsp;(not that it\u2019s ever going to come) or&nbsp;<em>yame<\/em>&nbsp;instead of making an effort to disengage or attack should be judged as avoidance and result in penalisation. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em><strong>2. Improper or \u201cUnfair\u201d tsubazeriai~<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718&nbsp;<em>Tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;where the fists rather than the&nbsp;<em>tsuba<\/em>&nbsp;are essentially pushing each other. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Both&nbsp;<em>tsuba<\/em>&nbsp;should be locked at around navel height. If there is a tendency to keep going high, this is a penalty to the main perpetrator (preferably not both, but good luck working this one out). =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Repeated contact using the wrong part of the&nbsp;<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;(e.g., pressing the opponent\u2019s blade into their shoulder or neck, pressing or winding the opponent\u2019s&nbsp;<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;while separating)<em>.<\/em>&nbsp;=&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Using the&nbsp;<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;to hook or impede the opponent during separation. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Even if technically neutral at first,&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;that lacks intent to strike or forces a deadlock long enough can be penalised. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A momentary low contact or accidental touching of hands = OK<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Positioning that is tight but still reflects intent to strike or disengage cleanly = OK<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Rapid resolution \u2014 brief contact, separation, then legitimate continuing action = OK<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">*N\u012bt\u014d (Two-sword dudes) &#8211; This area is a frequent source of confusion and misjudgement in&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>. Treatment of Nit\u014d is actually under revision at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 The shorter&nbsp;<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;must be on the bottom with the longer one placed on top, with all 3&nbsp;<em>tsuba<\/em>&nbsp;locked together. If not =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!ppOv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc4770e72-008d-4d17-8c33-666633fd8025_464x1264.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!ppOv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc4770e72-008d-4d17-8c33-666633fd8025_464x1264.jpeg\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:193px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 If a N\u012bt\u014d player enters&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;but primarily uses the off-hand weapon to hold, hook, or impede separation, that will be judged as improper engagement and thus&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em>. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em><strong>3. Separation~<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Competitors are expected to break cleanly within a single breath using the mutual pressure of&nbsp;<em>tsuba<\/em>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<em>tsuba<\/em>&nbsp;to separate decisively to a distance where the&nbsp;<em>kensen<\/em>&nbsp;are clearly separated. Like this (again) \u2193<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Good tsubazeriai separation.\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/N9_6Zc4GL8w?start=1&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Repeated stalling where neither side strikes nor attempts a clean separation for several seconds (time-wasting). =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Detaching from contact without clear separation then immediately re-engaging without striking (passive \/ avoidance). =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Holding or twisting the opponent\u2019s&nbsp;<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;in a way that prevents clean separation instead of creating a striking opportunity. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 Stepping back first then stopping as the other competitor takes a big step back to break the distance. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 A competitor who repeatedly opens their&nbsp;<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;up or breaks their&nbsp;<em>ch\u016bdan<\/em>&nbsp;posture as they are retreating should be penalised. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 In the case of&nbsp;<em>j\u014ddan<\/em>, the competitor must retreat energetically in&nbsp;<em>ch\u016bdan&nbsp;<\/em>(right foot forward), and then only assume&nbsp;<em>j\u014ddan<\/em>&nbsp;again after the 2&nbsp;<em>kensen<\/em>&nbsp;(<em>shinai<\/em>&nbsp;tips) are separated. If the&nbsp;<em>j\u014ddan<\/em>&nbsp;competitor takes the overhead stance as they are retreating, or assumes&nbsp;<em>j\u014ddan<\/em>&nbsp;before the separation distance is met, this is a penalty. =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u2718 A Nit\u014d competitor must also stay in&nbsp;<em>ch\u016bdan<\/em>&nbsp;as they retreat energetically to the appropriate distance, and must have the same foot forward as the hand in which they are holding the short sword. i.e., if they are holding the short sword with the left hand (<em>sei-nit\u014d<\/em>) then it is their left foot which must be forward when they break distance and then assume&nbsp;<em>j\u014ddan<\/em>. If not =&nbsp;<em>G\u014dgi<\/em>&nbsp;\u2192&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em><strong>Some other referee points on tsubazeriai<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Fukushin intervention<\/strong><br>Even if a Fukushin notices a clear or ongoing abnormality in\u00a0<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>\u00a0that the Shushin has not picked up, they may NOT intervene. However, if there is no\u00a0<em>zanshin<\/em>\u00a0after the indication of a valid strike, a Fukushin may call for the bout to be stopped. The correct procedure is to raise both flags and clearly call\u00a0<em>yame<\/em>. Shushin then calls\u00a0<em>g\u014dgi<\/em>\u00a0to confirm the situation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>How&nbsp;<\/strong><em><strong>hansoku<\/strong><\/em><strong>&nbsp;is communicated<\/strong><br>In the early period after the introduction of the tentative&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;rules, referees were permitted to verbally explain the reason for a&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em>&nbsp;to the&nbsp;<em>shiai-sha<\/em>. That is no longer required, and in fact is generally discouraged. The preferred approach now is to move close to the&nbsp;<em>shiai-sha<\/em>&nbsp;and use clear, unambiguous hand gestures. This ensures that both the competitors and the spectators can immediately understand what the infringement was.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Momentary vs habitual infringements<\/strong><br>Some infringements in&nbsp;<em>tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;are obvious and should be called as&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em>&nbsp;immediately. Others may be momentary or borderline when seen in isolation. However, if the same behaviour appears repeatedly, typically two or three times, it should be treated as a habitual infringement. In such cases,&nbsp;<em>yame<\/em>&nbsp;is called, followed by&nbsp;<em>g\u014dgi<\/em>, and&nbsp;<em>hansoku<\/em>&nbsp;is awarded.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This point is perhaps best understood (I hope) through a familiar, everyday analogy. Imagine you are driving and the traffic light turns yellow (orange in NZ!) just as you reach the intersection. Do you slam on the brakes to obey the letter of the law, or do you continue through because stopping abruptly would actually be more dangerous? Both responses are, in their own way, attempts to do the \u201cright\u201d thing. The difference lies in judgement, timing, and an understanding of the broader situation rather than blind adherence to a rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Tsubazeriai<\/em>&nbsp;is not so different. Some actions are clearly over the line and should be penalised immediately. Others exist in a grey zone where the referee must decide whether an intervention at that precise moment improves the match or unnecessarily disrupts its flow. Excessive stopping may technically be correct, but it can also kill the rhythm of&nbsp;<em>shiai<\/em>&nbsp;and confuse both competitors and spectators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A useful case study here is the Men\u2019s Team Final at the 19th World Kendo Championships in Milan. The match became notorious for the sheer number of stoppages, and it has since been widely criticised within kendo circles. However, context matters. This was the first WKC after the pandemic, and both&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>shiai-sha<\/em>&nbsp;were still feeling their way through the practical application of the \u201ctemporary rules.\u201d What we saw was not incompetence so much as over-correction: a sincere attempt to enforce new standards before a shared sense of timing and tolerance had fully developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"19th World Kendo Championships: Men&#039;s Team Finals\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3CtLZjQOBRw?start=1&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Seen in this light, the match becomes a reminder that rules alone do not create good kendo. Sound judgement, consistency, and a feel for the match as a living thing are just as important. Like driving through a yellow light, the question is not simply \u201cis it allowed?\u201d but also \u201cwhat produces the safest, clearest, and most meaningful outcome in this moment in line with the spirit of kendo?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In any case,&nbsp;<em>shinpan<\/em>&nbsp;is a hell of a job! It really is. Before you sit down to criticise others doing their best, perhaps stand up flags in hand, and do it yourself.&nbsp;<em><strong>Kendo needs you to get good at shinpan. That only comes through keiko and experience.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/?p=2548\" href=\"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/?p=2548\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!_66N!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4dcd71f6-ab85-40aa-b6a5-cf9a243155da_1200x1702.jpeg\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7050584269957639;width:570px;height:auto\" title=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"image-link image2 can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!CyHV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3246a435-880c-4e3f-b5b8-db88aaaf3f28_270x90.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3.000246730816679;width:398px;height:auto\" title=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"image-link image2 can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/buymeacoffee.com\/alexanderbennett\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!mORJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd3f471c-a1d9-450c-b518-68f189d5322b_1090x306.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3.562152133580705;width:408px;height:auto\" title=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"image-link image2 can-restack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kendocoach.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!xMiw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff346e23f-0200-4ba3-8f8d-b05fc20cf15e_1584x396.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:412px;height:auto\" title=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Check out My brother\u2019s blog. Great stuff for dojo leaders of all budo.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The \u201cBudo Beat\u201d Blog features a collection of short reflections, musings, and anecdotes on a wide range of budo topics by Professor&nbsp;Alex Bennett, 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. A quick note at the outset: this instalment will probably not...","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[107,108,104,106],"class_list":["post-2716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-b-b-blog","tag-kendo-rules","tag-shiai","tag-shinpan","tag-tsubazeriai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2716"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2716\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2723,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2716\/revisions\/2723"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}