Kincho

Warriors are said to have placed their tsuba together when they made important promises to each other in the feudal period, to demonstrate they would follow through with their promise whatever their circumstances. This practice was known as "kincho". Conversely, the merchant class were free to take the convenient path in their dealings with others, including breaking their promises.

This is also an element of the approach taken in our training in Masaki-ryu Nakajima-ha, a martial art transmitted from the samurai.

藩政時代の武士は固い約束をするときに、刀の鍔を合わせて誓ったそうです。

これは金打（きんちょう）と言いますが、成すことにおいて何があっても約 束を貫くを意味する行為です。一方では商民などはお金を稼ぐために約束を破っても、都合のよい選択肢をとる行為が許されました。

武士の武術として伝わった正木流中島派では、このような心構えで修行しております。