The Three Shouts

The Three Shouts is a rule about the tactical use of the voice before, during, and after combat. It treats a shout not as decoration or mere noise but as an expression of energy, calibrated to the moment: it can disturb an opponent, help establish the fighter’s rhythm, and announce that the contest has been won.

The Three Moments

The rule divides shouting into three occasions: before the encounter, during it, and after it. The voice is described as a thing of life, capable of answering circumstances such as fire, wind, and waves; its force therefore belongs to the changing situation rather than to a fixed formula. The three-part sequence makes timing as important as volume.

In large-scale strategy, the opening shout is as loud as possible. During the battle, the voice becomes low-pitched and is used while attacking. After the contest, a shout follows victory. The sequence gives each stage a distinct function: the opening declaration, the voice accompanying action, and the final announcement that the struggle has ended in success.

Use in Single Combat

In a duel, the fighter makes as if to cut and shouts “Ei!” at the same time, using the voice to disturb the enemy. The cut with the long sword follows the shout, so the sound and the actual attack are related but not simultaneous in the same way as a flourish: the text specifically warns against shouting while flourishing the sword.

A second shout comes after the enemy has been cut down. This announces victory and completes the sequence. The before-and-after voices are called “sen go no koe,” meaning before and after voice; between them, shouting during the fight serves to get into rhythm. The distinction separates a sound meant to unsettle the opponent from the voice accompanying combat and the shout that declares its outcome.

Timing and Strategic Purpose

The rule belongs to a broader strategy of reading and shaping an opponent’s disposition. To know the times is to observe whether the enemy is flourishing or waning, judge the spirit of his men, and choose an advantageous position; in single combat, it means recognizing an opponent’s school, quality, strengths, weaknesses, metre, and modulation before attacking at the appropriate moment. The Three Shouts gives that attention to timing an audible form: voice is placed in relation to the opening, the action, and the result.

The book also describes confusing an enemy by varying techniques, feinting a thrust or cut, or making him think the fighter will close in. A shout can contribute to that disturbance, but its use remains disciplined rather than indiscriminate. Its practical measure is the situation: the voice must unsettle, accompany the fight’s rhythm, or announce victory according to when it is given.