This page is a compendium of various matchup strategies of katana versus various weapon types showcased by Jieyu Wu and Alexandre Trinh.
Terminology Notes
Chūdan-no-kamae (middle guard)
Kasumi-no-kamae (mist stance)
Seigan-no-kamae (true eye stance)
Ōji-waza (counter technique)
Kaeshi-waza (returning counter)
Katate-waza (one-handed technique)
Renzoku-waza (continuous technique)
Key Principles
Dance outside their thrust range while maintaining low chūdan-no-kamae to constantly threaten ōji-waza (counter techniques). Many katana fencers misjudge this distance and end up being thrust in the face.
Force the opponent to move their blade through footwork, blade work, or psychological pressure.
When the opponent moves their blade, use strong footwork to close distance while maintaining guard to enter your striking range. This skill is essential and often missing among katana practitioners.
Perform kiri-kaeshi relentlessly once you are in range.
Effective Long-Range Waza
These techniques can out-snipe a longsword user if executed with correct distance and seme (pressure):
Katate-giri to the hands.
Katate-tsuki with a flat-blade twist to slip around the crossguard.
Use the above techniques with seme to set up follow-ups and pressure transitions.
Against Defensive Opponents Who Retract the Hands into a Tip-Up Guard
When they react to a ranged threat, rush in from kasumi-no-kamae and execute kiri-kaeshi or kaeshi-kote / kaeshi-men. Timing must be explosive and committed.
In Close Range
If the opponent successfully defends against two cuts, they are likely stuck in ox guard (often called hanging guard in HEMA terms). At this moment, switch to a "machete grapple" style, maintaining blade contact while controlling the opponent’s weapon with your left hand.
Against Opponents Who Favor Low Guards
After creating the proper setup from earlier exchanges, launch kote-men down the centerline. When the opponent reacts to your men attack, immediately convert into kiri-kaeshi to maintain initiative and break their defense.
Against Opponents Who Throw Aggressive Ballistic Thrusts or Master Cuts
Stay outside their thrust range while in low chūdan-no-kamae.
Step in and out of measure to bait the attack.
From out of distance, perform feint setups to trigger their strike, then counter with kaeshi-kote.
On Linking Katate-Waza and Renzoku-Waza
The timing between actions should follow a heartbeat rhythm — smooth, continuous, and decisive. Do not hesitate. If you can already see the opponent’s reaction, you are too late; their countermeasures are already active.
On Landing Kote
When kote connects, let the cut bounce off the opponent’s wrist and immediately transition into seigan-no-kamae to cover against the predictable afterblow aimed at your head.
Key Principles
You must spam kiri-kaeshi every time you are in range; never hesitate. They will block the first two strikes, but a continuous barrage will eventually get through since they only have one hand on their weapon.
Your katate-tsuki has the same reach as their weapon. If you are in a tough spot, you can always force a double with katate-tsuki.
There are multiple ways to set up an entry.
Bait a low guard. If they drop into long point, hit them with a kote–men, then rush into kiri-kaeshi.
From slightly beyond normal range, use gedan to bait an attack by stepping in and out at their striking distance; then beat their blade to enter into kiri-kaeshi.
As they transition from low guard to high guard, rush in while covering yourself in kasumi-kamae, and follow immediately with kiri-kaeshi.
If they hold a high guard, you can spam katate-tsuki. It will usually land first, or they’ll eventually be forced to change stance.
It's not a disadvantage to fence from the outside (touma range), using two-handed parries for defense and katate-tsuki for offense. Think of it as a "lightsaber fencing" meta.
When facing a sabreur, any offensive action from the katana side can be met by the sabreur stepping back and counter-cutting to the hands. Because of this, direct single-strike waza (such as shikage or uchi-waza) should generally be avoided unless the sabreur's control becomes unstable.
To create such instability, the katana fencer can pressure the opponent into flailing or over-parrying. Once their guard begins to break rhythm, a direct attack becomes viable. However, experienced sabreur will often respond by retreating into a high guard, using range and downward threat to punish any rush; engaging them head-on in this state often results in a double or a loss.
Much of the exchange is decided before the first strike. Instead of initiating with a cut, the katana fencer should initiate structure while advancing with controlled footwork and guard transitions to test reactions. Move in and out of their attack range without committing, observing how the sabreur responds. Once their defensive rhythm is understood, enter with an appropriate structural rush, such as kasumi-kamae or seigan-no-kamae, to close distance while protecting the centerline.
This approach helps lock out the counter-cut, creating openings for kaeshi-waza (return cuts) or suriage-waza (lift-and-cut deflections).
When the opponent adopts a high guard, apply harai (blade beats) to continually harass their tip. Maintain position just at the edge of their striking distance, provoking them to commit, then counter-cut while blitzing in to seize initiative.
General Principles
When facing a rapier, the katana practitioner must manage distance carefully. The rapier has greater reach and excels at maintaining the centerline through thrusts. Stay at tōma distance and approach deliberately, avoiding unnecessary exposure of your intent or distance.
The rapier’s main weakness appears when its point is displaced or forced off-line. Use light harai to test control of the tip and to apply pressure, but do not overuse them. Over-harassing the tip or advancing too much gives away your range and rhythm. When you do commit, it should be a decisive entry from tōma into chika-maai with full commitment to the exchange.
Distance and Pressure
Operate mostly at tōma, where you can provoke the opponent to commit or overextend. If you are uncertain of the opponent’s reactions, perform a small harai while stepping from tōma into uchi-maai, then immediately retreat back to tōma. This allows you to test their control without risk.
If you advance, it must be done with complete intention and acceleration. Partial advances allow the rapier to retreat, re-establish center, and thrust safely.
Avoid excessive forward lean, as it can reduce sprint speed when closing distance.
When timing your entry, look for the moment when the rapier user’s weight shifts forward onto the front foot. This is the optimal time to close distance and attack.
Guard Selection
Remain in low chūdan-no-kamae or gedan-no-kamae to protect against the underarm thrust that often follows a quick disengage. Avoid walking forward with repeated binds or tip pressure unless you intend to close fully. If you prefer to stay outside, continue to provoke movement from the opponent through footwork and blade contact rather than constant pressure.
Blade Manipulation and Entry
To displace the rapier’s point or break their structure, use the following blade control techniques, listed from strongest (but slower) to weakest (but faster):
Maki-age
Maki-otoshi
Uchi-otoshi
Harai-otoshi
Kote-men or other renzoku-waza
Techniques 1 and 2 can force the opponent’s blade to move and are best used when stepping into chika-maai.
Technique 3 provides moderate control and can transition smoothly into follow-up attacks.
Techniques 4 and 5 only work effectively when the opponent is already inclined to move or disengage.
When the opponent repeatedly disengages, strike to one side and immediately follow with a stronger action to the opposite side to force reaction. If the opponent continues to disengage, attack through the center using renzoku-waza during the disengage motion.
Engagement Rhythm
Most exchanges in this matchup occur at tōma distance, similar to the distancing of kendo kata. The goal is to control initiative through seme and rhythm rather than constant forward pressure. Once a favorable moment is identified, transition instantly from threat to entry with full commitment. The timing should feel like a heartbeat, steady and decisive without hesitation.
There are several styles of Sword and Buckler fighters, but for simplicity, they can be divided into two main types. It is important to quickly identify whether your opponent favors long-range play or short-range play.
Type 1: Long-Range Play
These fighters prefer to strike from a distance, using the sword to snipe while the buckler covers their openings against counterattacks.
Counter Strategy:
Use renzoku-waza directed toward the sword side, initiating your attack as soon as the opponent begins to advance. This type of fighter often reacts to pressure by instinctively raising their guard to protect the head, which creates an opening for nuki-dō as a finishing technique once you close the distance.
Type 2: Short-Range Play
These fighters like to close the gap and brawl, using the buckler to control or bind your sword while striking with their own weapon.
Counter Strategy:
Adopt a mindset of turning your katana into a firearm. Use katate-tsuki aimed at the face or a low-line thrust below the buckler. You can also perform katate-giri targeting the shins.
If the opponent rushes in, attempt a kote countercut. Once the exchange becomes close, switch to a two-handed style to improve defense and leverage.
General Principles:
The buckler can be both a threat and an opportunity. Wherever the buckler protects your opponent, it also restricts their movement and field of vision. This means you can safely move toward the buckler side and attack beneath or around it to exploit its blind angles.
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