Samurai Weapons. Don Cunningham
Samurai
Weapons
Samurai
Weapons
TOOLS OF
THE WARRIOR
Don Cunningham
TUTTLE PUBLISHING
Tokyo • Rutland,Vermont • Singapore
Disclaimer: Please note that the publisher and author(s) of this instructional book are NOT RESPONSIBLE in any manner whatsoever for any injury that may result from practicing the techniques and/or following the instructions given within. Martial Arts training can be dangerous—both to you and to others—if not practiced safely. If you’re in doubt as to how to proceed or whether your practice is safe, consult with a trained martial arts teacher before beginning. Since the physical activities described herein may be too strenuous in nature for some readers, it is also essential that a physician be consulted prior to training.
Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offices at 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 U.S.A.
Copyright © 2008 Don Cunningham
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cunningham, Don (Don A.)
Samurai weapons: tools of the warrior / Don Cunningham.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0749-6 (ebook)
1. Martial arts weapons--Japan--history. 2. Samurai. 3. Weapons--Japan--History. I. Title.
U821.J3C86 2008
952’.02--dc22
2007020864
Distributed by
| North America, Latin America & Europe Tuttle Publishing 364 Innovation Drive North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436 U.S.A. Tel: 1 (802) 773-8930 Fax: 1 (802) 773-6993 [email protected] www.tuttlepublishing.com | Japan Tuttle Publishing Yaekari Building, 3rd Floor 5-4-12 Osaki Shinagawa-ku Tokyo 141 0032 Tel: (81) 3 5437-0171 Fax: (81) 3 5437-0755 [email protected] | Asia Pacific Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd 61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12 Singapore 534167 Tel: (65) 6280-3320 Fax: (65) 6280-6290 [email protected] www.periplus.com |
First edition
12 11 10 09 08 07 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in Singapore
Frontispiece: In this print by Ichiyusai Kunitoshi, two feudal police officers use a jutte and chains during an attempt to arrest the famous robber Inuzuka Shinao.
TUTTLE PUBLISHING® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
In memory of Nawa Yumio (1912–2006), the last sōke of Masaki-ryū Manrikigusari-jutsu and Edo Machikata Jutte-jutsu. Thank you for sharing your insights and details unavailable from any other source about feudal-era arresting implements and procedures.
For Robert Gruzanski, son of Charles Gruzanski (1933–1972), author of Spike and Chain: Japanese Fighting Arts and inspiration for my study of feudal Japanese martial arts history. Thank you for sharing memories of your father and his contributions to the martial arts.
Contents
Preface ix
Chapter 1
Japanese Martial Arts Culture 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Truncheons 103
Chapter 6
Polearms 149
Preface
One of the benefits of working for a Japanese telecommunications manufacturer was the frequency of opportunities to continue my study of Kodokan Judo in the country where this remarkable martial art originated. Practicing judo at local Japanese judo dojos and participating in the frequent tournament competitions after work and on weekends, I gained many friends who shared my interest in judo as well as in other Japanese martial arts. I also took up kendo, or the Japanese art of fencing with bamboo swords. The etiquette and practice of kendo is strongly influenced by traditions dating back to the classical Japanese martial art styles. Because of this, I became fascinated with Japan’s martial arts culture and wanted to learn as much as I could about the samurai and their ancient traditions. After reading as much as possible about Japanese history and weaponry and seeking out the very few schools which still taught Japanese swordsmanship in the ancient combat styles, I became particularly interested in jujutsu, the unarmed fighting styles.
For entertainment and partly to further develop my limited language skills, I would often watch jidai-geki (period dramas) on Japanese television. A popular genre of both Japanese television and film—and sometimes referred to as chambara, a word representing the sound of clashing swords—jidai-geki retells old legends, recreates epic historical events, and in general honors the samurai spirit. Rooted in the early traditions of Japan’s kabuki and nō theater arts, jidai-geki are most frequently set during the Edo period, Japan’s feudal era (1603–1867), and usually feature lots of samurai swordplay and simple themes whereby the evil are punished and the good are rewarded.
While surfing channels in my Japanese hotel room one afternoon, I came across a jidai-geki series featuring Zenigata Heiji, a one-of-a-kind character. Heiji was a goyōkiki, basically a poor non-samurai assistant working for the higher ranking police officials in Edo. He solved crimes based more on investigation than brute force. Since he was not a member of the samurai class, Heiji was forbidden by law to wear a sword or carry a bladed weapon. To compensate for this limitation, Heiji displayed a remarkable ability to throw heavy coins like bullets, to disarm and capture criminals. He also was armed with a strange-looking iron truncheon, called a jutte, which he used to disarm his opponents without bloodshed. Although the coin throwing skill was obviously a writer’s invention, I noticed that many feudal era police characters in other jidai-geki were also armed with jutte.
I frequently trained at Asahi Judo Academy during my stays in Japan. Located in Higashi-Hakuraku district near the center of Yokohama, the dojo is well known as one of the top