Zatochi has been added to the Star Wars canon in a crucial training scene with Sabine Wren. In Ahsoka episode three Wren is given a helmet that covers her eyes as Ahsoka is training her and it is reminiscent of when Obi-Wan gave Luke his helmet in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
Ahsoka makes another astonishing reference to the older films and animated TV shows and now a Rogue One favorite gets some love as well. George Lucas even confirmed the Jedi was inspired by Samauri who were in the Edo period.
According to Screen Rant, “Zatoichi is a fictional blind swordsman created by Kan Shimozawa” During the Edo period, this swordsman traveled around the world and often injected himself into wars and typically fought on the side of the oppressed. While this particular fictional character has been confirmed as the source for the Jedi or the training name in the Star Wars universe, we can say there are a lot of similarities to the Jedi Order.
Why the helmet?
Any crucial part of training in the life of a Padawan is the lesson of how all things are connected. Ahsoka explains to Sabine The Force connects all life forms and all life forms are connected to The Force. Using The Force does require you to expect the next moves from your opponent and to feel their next action. While sight is the biggest sense as you are in a sword fight, the lesson is to trust your instincts.
Near the end of that scene, Sabine seems to understand the lesson and starts to block the attacks just like Luke does, but she is unable to use the Force to pull the cup into her hands like Ahsoka did.
A New Hope wasn’t the first place this was used either since in Star Wars Rebels Kanan Jarrus was blinded by Darth Maul and was still able to be an effective warrior. Jarrus had to learn to trust his instincts. Likewise, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story gave us a former Guardian of the Whills who helped the Rebels take on the Empire during the Battle of Scariff named Churrut Imwe.
Up until now, there hasn’t been an official name for the training, and is just another easter egg for Ahsoka.