Uke Nagashi 受け流し, which means “receiving and flowing,” is a classical sword movement where you receive an incoming cut on your blade while letting it glide/flow off, combined with evasive body movement (tai sabaki). As the archetypal deflection in many kenjutsu and iaidō schools, it’s characterized by using the shinogi (ridge) to take the cut; meeting the attack lightly, not blocking; and guiding the attack past you with tai sabaki. It’s usually done upward–diagonal or high–vertical. The opponent’s blade slides past so that you end in a strong counter-cutting position. The closest analogy in English is a soft redirect.
Uke-nagashi is one of the fundamental defensive movements and appears in many schools. In Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū, the kata Uke Nagashi (受け流し) teaches deflecting a vertical cut while drawing the sword. In Mugai-ryū and Shinkage-ryū, variations appear as flowing, angled deflections paired with body shifting. In Kendo, uke-nagashi waza are categorized under deflections using the shinogi (edge ridge).
Usage
- Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryū Kata Name: “受け流し” is the official name of the 5th kata of the Seiza no BuBu 武 is the principle of disciplined martial power used to prevent chaos, guided by ethics, self-control, and responsibility. More. (Listed in MJER curriculum materials, All Japan Iaido Federation documentation.)
- Muso Shinden-ryū – Uses “受け流し” in kata explanations to describe flowing deflections.
- Nihon Budō Taikei (日本武道大系) – Lists 受け流し as a classical kenjutsu defensive action meaning “receive and divert.”
- Kendo no Waza Terminology – Kendo Federation technical documents describe 受け流し技 as “deflecting technique using the shinogi.”
- Traditional Bujutsu Lexicons – 武道・武術用語辞典 (Budo/Bujutsu Terminology Dictionary) lists 受け流し as “a method of receiving and letting the opponent’s strike flow off.”
Related Terms
Nagashi-uke (流し受け)
This means “Flowing reception.” It has the same components reversed, but different emphasis. You avoid first (body movement) and only brush the attack with the blade as it passes. How it differs from uke-nagashi: More evasion-first, contact-second. Lighter touch; sometimes no blade contact until after the attack has already missed. More like slipping a punch then lightly guiding the arm. Characteristics: Blade angle is shallow, almost parallel to the attack. Used more in systems that emphasize yō (softness) or “ghosting” the enemy’s line. Closest analogy: A slip + brush rather than a direct reception.
Harai-uke (払い受け)
“Sweeping/blocking deflection.” You sweep the opponent’s blade away with a decisive, outward motion. Characteristics: Uses a firm sweeping action (harai = to sweep; to brush aside). Blade actively pushes the opponent’s sword off line. Contact is stronger than uke-nagashi. Often horizontal or diagonal sweeping motion. Result: You clear the line conclusively before attacking. Closest analogy: A parry rather than a redirect.
Translation
受け (uke)
受 — u(keru) — “to receive, accept, take on.”
け — okurigana.
Receiving an attack (not blocking it head-on), letting the force be guided.
流し (nagashi)
流 — nagasu / nagare — “to let flow, to divert, to cause to stream.”
し — inflectional ending.
To let the attack flow past, to shed or divert energy.
受け流し = “Receive-and-flow”
Receive the cut → redirect it → end in a superior cutting position.
