![]() ![]() Most samurai would tie up the bottom of their hakama so as not to restrict their leg movements during battle. Some formal hakama were designed to prevent any fast movement of the feet at all. ![]() Each style was worn by the samurai on different occasions. The hakama comes in many forms: field hakama, riding hakama, undivided hakama, hakama with leggings and so on. The hakama (baggy trousers) is designed to hide the footwork of the swordsman.įact: This is a fallacy. They were based on the presumption that to be considered a full point, a strike had to be technically sufficient to kill an opponent. The karate authorities adopted the ippon shobu rules that had been established for kendo. The Ministry of Education insisted that karate authorities develop a set of competition rules before the art could be recognized as an official “Japanese budo” or form of physical education on the mainland. This misconception came from the adaptation of kendo rules to karate competition during the introduction of karate to Japan. This wasn’t a foreign concept to the Okinawan people, who had their own weapon arts. The karate concept of “one strike, one kill” originally came from the Japanese sword arts.įact: The aim of any martial arts technique is to achieve maximum effectiveness. Jujitsu techniques were designed to overcome an opponent at close range, not necessarily his sword at close range. Most jujitsu techniques can be better understood if examined as a complement to short-bladed weapons techniques. It’s at this close range that jujitsu techniques were used to arrest or control one’s opponent or to defend against an opponent if a long sword couldn’t be used. As any soldier knows, combat takes place at many ranges-first at long range, then at close quarters when all else has failed. Jujitsu techniques were designed to battle the samurai’s sword.įact: Actually, jujutsu techniques were employed as a complement a samurai’s arsenal. Unlicensed swords or those made by unlicensed smiths are confiscated, and the owner may be charged with possession of an illegal weapon. Each sword smith’s work is evaluated and rated by the token kai, and the prices are then adjusted. In Japan, sword smiths are allowed to produce only two swords a month as cultural artifacts. A certificate of authenticity and ownership permit are necessary. These swords must exhibit historical or cultural significance. Owning a katana is illegal for the ordinary Japanese citizen.įact: Ordinary citizens in Japan have the right to own Japanese-made blades that are registered with the Nihon Token Kai (Japanese Sword Association). But every sword has the potential to bend or break if the technique isn’t exact. A well-made carbon-steel blade is certainly less likely to break because of poor technique or target resistance than a stainless-steel sword is. It’s impossible to break a sword’s blade during normal cutting practice.įact: Every sword is different. All techniques must be learned under the guidance of a qualified instructor who corrects the swordsman’s technique. If the left hand is improperly aligned during a nukitsuke (drawing cut), it can cause the blade to twist, as well. If the hasuji is off by even a slight angle, a sword can bend. The samurai’s position was to protect the people and see to their welfare.Ī cut executed with poor technique will bend a sword’s blade.įact: Absolutely. ![]() It certainly has happened, but it wasn’t done by the majority of samurai. Samurai would occasionally test the quality of their blades by cutting down peasants who happened to be walking by.įact: Throughout history, civilized societies have been plagued with individuals who engaged in aberrant behavior. Armies may have spent hours facing each other in preparation, but duels were generally fought quickly. However, it’s doubtful that warriors spent hours posturing and assessing each other’s abilities-at least not in a dueling situation. ![]() On the battlefield, two samurai would often face each other for hours before the first attack was executed.įact: Hours? Perhaps a few minutes felt like hours when lives were hanging in the balance. Long answer the age-old question: Who would win during a samurai staring contest? Samurai Myths and Legends" series, Samurai Swordsmanship authors Masayuki Shimabukuro and Carl E. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |