Making tatami omote targets is quite easy; however, a certain amount of care and patience is required to make sure that each mat is rolled tightly and evenly so that they sit properly on the stand intended for use.
Tatami omote mats come in dimensions of 180x90 centimeters. These mats can be cut in half to make the standard "half target" or they can be left whole to make a "full target". If desired it is also possible to roll multiple mats together to make double, triple or quadruple targets. However, half targets are quite adequate for normal tameshigiri practice intended to improve ones understanding of hasuji (blade angle), tachisuji (sword angle) and general proper use of the sword.
Itto Ryodan assumes no liability for injuries to self or observers, or damage to your sword resulting during the practice of tameshigiri. It is very important that anyone wishing to learn or practice tameshigiri do so only under the instruction and supervision of a fully qualified and licensed instructor.
Please follow the directions below to make a proper target.
Lay the mat out on a clean surface. It is important that the mats remain free of dirt or other debris which might scratch or damage the surface of a highly polished blade.
Fold the mat in half and crease it in the middle. Use a sharp knife to cut it in half along the width leaving two halfs from which two targets can now be rolled.
Take one of the mat halfs and fold both sides inwards so that the rough edges are on the inside.
Begin rolling up the mat from one side, taking care that proper space is left for the pin.
You should roll the mat tightly and uniformly with enough space in the middle for the peg of the cutting stand you will be using. The peg should fit snuggly in either end of the target. After you soak the target it will expand and the hole will become slightly smaller. If the hole is too small you will have trouble fitting the target on the peg after it has been soaked. If the hole is too big the target will easily fly off of the peg when practicing upward cuts.
Once you have completely rolled up the mat keep pressure on it to make sure that it stays tightly rolled. You may use twine or gift ribbon to tie it off. We recommend using ribbon; not only does it look nice but it does not absorb water or stick to your sword. If small pieces of wet twine stick to your sword you may inadvertently get them stuck in your scabbard when you re-sheath your sword.
You can tie the mat off in 3 or 4 places. 4 ties are more secure and help to ensure that the targets do not unroll after you have begun to cutting them. It is best if the first ties are about 10 centimeters from the end and the rest of the ties are spaced evenly apart from each other. After tying the targets use your stand peg to make sure that the hole is the correct size. It is also possible to leave your peg in the end of the target while rolling to ensure the correct fit, however, we do not recommend this as it sometimes happens that the peg is inadvertently forgotten inside the target, which could result in damage to your sword.
After you have made your targets they will need to be soaked in water for 6-8 hours. You can soak them in a bathtub or in a rain barrel of the appropriate size. Before the targets have soaked up sufficient water you must take steps to make sure they are held down properly under the water. In a bathtub you can use a large board and buckets of water to hold them down. In a rain barrel with a lid it is often possible to tie or weigh down the lid to ensure that the targets stay submerged. In the case that the rain barrel is not deep enough, it is also possible to soak the targets for 4-6 hours and then turn them over for another 4-6 hours.
After soaking it is important that the targets are removed from the water rinsed and allowed to drain properly for 1-2 hours. Otherwise excess water in the targets will end up on the floor, where it can present a safety hazard if practitioners or observers slip during tameshigiri practice.
In order to make a full target simply skip step number two. Fold both sides of the full mat to the inside as seen in the picture below and then follow the steps 3-8 to complete the target.
