The omote and ura of tenouchi
By Michael Shane
Tsukanigiri (柄握り) and tenouchi (手の内) refer to how to properly grip the sword. As with most budo concepts, there is an omote (表) definition and a deeper ura (裏) aspect for these terms.
The importance of properly gripping the sword cannot be overstated because the hands are the interface between the weapon and the body, transmitting energy into the blade during cuts, thrusts, and parries and returning energy and information back into the body (and more specifically the tanden) as one transitions between cuts and targets.
Nakamura sensei wrote that, “through correct gripping of the hilt (tenouchi), the practitioner ensures that the blade does not wobble when it cuts through a solid target.” Even if the sequence of actions up to the moment of contact with the target has been correct, a deficient grip will result in a failed or even unsafe cut as the blade suddenly meets resistance. As a cut completes, other subtle actions like chakin shibori (茶巾絞り) are essential to completing the enkeisen (円形線) with a successful return of energy into the body. Proper tsukanigiri and tenouchi are absolute prerequisites for this process.
Tenouchi in particular is about more than just how the grip appears from the outside. The word literally means “the inside of the hand,” and in this way it also refers to the development of great sensitivity in the hands and often unseen manipulations that occur as one moves with the sword. The hands and fingers are filled with nerve endings, making them one of the body’s most sensitive tools for interacting with the physical world. In this way, the hands are an extension of the mind and also reflect the state of mind of the person gripping the hilt.
“Through correct gripping of the hilt (tenouchi), the practitioner ensures that the blade does not wobble when it cuts through a solid target.”
Musashi wrote in his 35 Instructions on Strategy (兵法三十五箇条) that, “without knowing the pathway of the sword, you cannot handle it freely. You cannot slash your opponent if you put too much force into it, if you do not have a sense of the back and side of the blade, if you shake it around like a knife or spoon for serving rice. You must train in hitting your opponent well always knowing the pathway of the sword and moving it calmly, following its weight.” It is impossible to achieve this ideal without a proper grip that is sensitive but also firm.
It is notable that Musashi uses the word michi (道) when writing about the pathway of the sword because he also uses michi when discussing “The Way” and the deeper path of strategy throughout his work. This shows that he considers the ability to perceive the pathway of the blade and its position in space as essential to using the sword according to “The Way”, and this cannot be achieved without a good grip and tenouchi. In another passage from The Scroll of Water, specifically about The Way of Gripping the Sword, he writes that, “…[I]t is not good to let the hand or the sword become fixed or frozen. A fixed hand is a dead hand, a hand that does not become fixed is alive.” In other words, it is impossible to wield the sword with sufficient sensitivity and fluidity if one’s grip is not properly developed.
“Without knowing the pathway of the sword, you cannot handle it freely.”
The same could be said of the mind belonging to the person who wields the sword, and ultimately one’s grip will reflect the mental state behind the blade. A sufficiently trained and sensitive opponent will be able to discern all of this and use it to their advantage, and this is the inner essence of tsukanigiri and tenouchi.
