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Wikipedia / Kenjutsu

is an umbrella term for all () schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration. is a martial art that puts more emphasis on various real-life sword combat scenarios, compared with its modern adaptation, , which has evolved into a modern sport with fewer target areas and attack patterns and more rules. Some modern styles of and that were established in the 20th century also include modern forms of in their curriculum. , which originated with the samurai class of feudal Japan, means "sword techniques", as opposed to , which means "the way of the sword".

The exact activities and conventions undertaken when practicing vary from school to school, where the word school here refers to the practice, methods, ethics, and metaphysics of a given tradition, yet commonly include practice of battlefield techniques without an opponent, as well as techniques where two practitioners perform (featuring full contact strikes to the body in some styles, and no body contact strikes permitted in others). Contact striking during kata is used for example in .

Although training has always been the mainstay of , in later periods schools incorporated sparring under a variety of conditions, from using solid wooden to the use of a bamboo sword () and armor ().

History

Early development

It is believed that the first iron swords were produced in Japan during the fourth century, utilizing technology introduced from China via the Korean Peninsula. Although swords held significant cultural and religious importance in ancient Japan, it was during the Heian period that the curved Japanese sword—now internationally recognized as the katana—was developed, marking their emergence as both practical weapons and symbolic objects. The oldest martial arts schools still in existence today originated during the Muromachi period (1336–1573), a time characterized by extended periods of inter-state warfare. Three major schools emerged during this period.

  • ()

These schools form the ancestors for many descendent styles, for example, from has branched and (among many others).

On the island of Okinawa, the art of includes a unique style of both and . This is the only surviving sword system from Okinawa. It was the martial art of the noble Motobu family during the Ryukyu Kingdom.

Edo period

During the Edo period (1603–1868), kenjutsu schools () proliferated, with more than 500 styles recorded. Training methods and equipment evolved significantly during this time. In the 19th century, the development of the bamboo practice sword () and protective armor () enabled practitioners to engage in full-speed sparring while minimizing the risk of serious injury. Prior to these innovations, training typically consisted of practicing fundamental techniques and paired using solid wooden swords () or, in some cases, live blades.

Decline

Beginning in 1868, the Meiji Restoration led to the breakup of the military class and the modernization of Japan along the lines of western industrial nations. As the samurai class was officially dissolved at this time, fell into decline, an unpopular reminder of the past. This decline continued for approximately 20 years, until rising national confidence led to an increase of the uptake of traditional sword arts again, particularly in the military and the police.

In 1886 the Japanese Police gathered together from a variety of schools into a standardised set for training purposes. This process of standardization of martial training continued when, in 1895, a body for martial arts in Japan, the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, was established. Work on standardizing continued for years, with several groups involved, until in 1912 an edict was released by the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai that highlighted a lack of unity in teaching, and introduced a standard core teaching curriculum to which the individual schools would add their distinctive techniques. The edict provided ten kata for the unification of many schools to enable them to pass on the techniques and spirit of the Japanese sword. This core curriculum and its ten is what then evolved into the modern martial art of .

Weapons

One of the more common training weapons is the wooden sword (ja-Latnnobokutō or ja-Latnnobokken). For various reasons, many schools make use of very specifically designed , altering its shape, weight and length according to the style's specifications. For example, used within are relatively thin and without a handguard in order to match the school's characteristic approach to combat. Alternatively, practitioners use a thicker than average with no curvature and with a rather large hilt. This of course lends itself well to 's distinct principles of combat.

Some schools practice with (a bamboo sword covered with leather or cloth) under circumstances where the student lacks the ability to safely control a at full speed or as a general safety precaution. In fact, the dates as far back as the 15th century.

ja-LatnNitōjutsu

A distinguishing feature of many kenjutsu syllabi is the use of a paired katana or and or , commonly referred to as . Styles that teach it are called ; contrast .

The most famous exponent of was Miyamoto Musashi (1584–1645), the founder of , who advocates it in The Book of Five Rings. is not however unique to , nor was the creation of Musashi. Both , founded in the early Muromachi period (c. 1447), and founded in the Eishō period (1504–1521), contain extensive two-sword curricula while also preceding the establishment of Musashi's school.

Notable historical Japanese practitioners

See also

Sources

Diane Skoss. Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. 3 vols. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Koryu Books, 1997–2002:

  • vol. 1: Koryu Bujutsu: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. 1997.

  • vol. 2: Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. 1999.

  • vol. 3: Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. 2002.

References