Giho 62 Chisho ken/ 地昇剣

Chishouken

When practising Tenshinryuu’s kenjutsu, one first learns 刀法 (touhou – lit. “sword method”).
刀法 (touhou) refers to an accumulation of one-shot techniques whose number exceeds one hundred.
Yet even having learnt a multitude of 刀法 (touhou), they are not techniques that easily used in real combat.
Combining several of those 刀法 (touhou) to create 勢法 (kata), we practise until we are able to utilize the 刀法 (touhou) freely.

Explanation

Please allow me to explain the 刀法 (touhou) technique 地昇剣 (chishouken).
地昇剣 (chishouken) is spelt with the kanji 地 (earth/ground), 昇 (to rise/go up) and 剣 (sword), meaning “the sword that rises from the earth/ground”.
This is not just a kenjutsu technique, but also used as a 二の太刀 (ni no tachi) in battoujutsu.

After slashing, without changing your hand form, turn the sword over within your hands, then cut upwards.
Since you basically turn the sword around with your 手の内 (te no uchi), you do not turn your arm over to do the rising cut.
Without changing your hand form, rotate the sword within your hands and then cut upwards.
If you assume 青眼の位 (seigan no kurai) after this cut, you will go into 逆青眼の位 (gyaku seigan no kurai – “reverse seigan stance”).

About the actual use

I’m now going to explain how to actually use 地昇剣 (chishouken).
After cutting or injuring the opponent, or if they managed to dodged our attack, right in that instant we turn the sword with our 手の内 (te no uchi) by 180° and cut upwards.

Sample practice with an opponent

(1) stopping them before they can attack

(2) actually cutting upwards