In this picture at a Seminar in 2001, Sensei Arthur Bolen (student of Kyoshi Masayuki Shimabukuro) demonstrates the application of the Joho Giri (slanted cut to the neck of the opponent) to Bound Reeds.  In olden days, swords and their ability to cut well was tested on corpses.  This was replaced as local health laws in Japan put an end to this practice.  Bound reeds or Bamboo (Temeshigiri). have been used to replace the human body and serve well to demonstrate the ability of the sword to cut well and for the swordsman to use his Ki to drive the sword through the intended target.