3. Peculiar Element in Japanese Old Martial Arts

As already announced, we will take up peculiar element in Japanese old martial arts. Three features are mainly mentioned. Clad in armor or not is a main characteristic of the old martial arts. Also old martial arts use special weapons. And when old martial arts are handed down from a master to a pupil or a person initiate into one school, there are severe rules.

First, take up about armors. It is the most important topic of the three. Because though the others still exist in modern martial arts, this was lost concept in modern martial arts. As time passes, weapons which were more excellent in murder capability were developed. Then a firmer armor was needed. When a firmer armor was developed, in order to break the armor, more powerful weapons were needed. Weapons and armors and martial arts have developed by the repetition. In a movie or an anime, people are moving and fighting easily in spite of their wear of armor. But in fact it is almost impossible. The armor is heavy and a motion is restricted. So in old martial arts, many skills to kill enemies by the minimum limited motion are handed down even in the present age. In Japanese old martial arts, when this is performed using a sword, it called 介者剣法(Kaishakempo). When this is performed without using the main weapons, it called 組討ち(Kumiuchi). Jujutsu originated in Kumiuchi. This will be explained in detail later. Both aimed at the vital part in the crevice between armor. It is hard to explain by means of language. So we explain using some photographs.





介者剣法(Kaishakempo)

組討(Kumiuchi)

    Second, we introduce some special weapons. Japanese modern martial arts use weapons imitating sword and 薙刀(Naginata) and occasionally spear. But, if we were in ancient battlefield and the weapons which we have were broke, whichever weapons we gathered, we had to handle these. Or in ancient battlefield, we had to use anything even though they are originally not weapon. So, old martial arts use various special weapons. Seeing is believing. Here, we will give a mere example.



棒(Pole)

杖(Stick)

短刀(Knife)

手裏剣(Trowing Knife)

鎖鎌(Sickle and Chain)

十手(Jitte)

鉄扇(Iron Fan)

寸鉄(Suntetsu)

 

Finally, take up about the rule of old martial arts. It is very severe rule.  The skills of old martial arts are top secrets. Even present age, some schools impose a seal of blood on a person who want to initiate into the school. There are many opinions about this. People should be considered about the right or wrong of traditional culture in your country.

A list of references: 図解日本甲冑辞典(Illustration Japan armor dictionary)  笹間良彦(written by Yoshihiko Sasama)

                                 日本伝統武術真髄(Japanese tradition martial art essence) 　小佐野淳(written by Jun Osano)