Nippon-to: The Japanese Sword
By Brett Denison, Mizukan Dojo
There
is no weapon that has played such a dominant and symbolic part in the cultural
history of a people as the sword has in Japan. The Japanese people consider
themselves as chosen and as mythology has it, their emperor descends directly
from the sun-godess Amaterasu Omikami. One of the three regalia of the
emperor, besides a mirror and crown jewels, is the sword the god Susanoo
gave to Amaterasu after he defeated a dragon with eight heads. The typical Japanese
sword as we know it today, can be traced back to the eighth century, when mounted
soldiers already used a relatively long variety (tachi). The tachi
was carried on the left thigh with the edge downward, thus enabling the soldier
to deliver a long, upwards cut without losing his own defense. According to
a smith named Amakuni, a curved blade proved to be much stronger and more effective
than its straight counterpart. In time, the length diminished and the weapon
became suitable for man-to-man fights on firm ground.
It was only in the sixteenth century that this
type of long sword (daito, katana), together with a shorter one
(shoto, wakizashi), was worn in the bugei's belt with the sharp
edge upwards, thus opening the way to true iai. At the end of the turbulent
Muromachi and Momoyama periods and during the more or less quiet Edo era in
Japanese history, until well into the nineteenth century, the samurai reigned
supreme and developed the versatile etiquette of the feudal class, in which
other art forms, apart from the martial arts, played an important role as well.
After the Meiji-restoration, which began in 1867 and which opened Japanese society
to influences from the West, wearing the daisho (matching long and short swords)
was prohibited. This meant a shrewd blow for almost all martial arts traditions,
to be compared with the ban on weapons during the American occupation following
the Second World War. However, a new iaido and kendo movement was primed in
the first decades of the twentieth century, which finally gave birth to modern
iaido. Actual applications on the battlefield have now given way to the individual
education of its practitioners.
Appraising Japanese swords is an art in itself.
The blade continues under the hilt, which is fixed into place by a bamboo peg.
On this 'invisible' part of the tang the smith has often inscribed his name
(mei). Not only are all swords built throughout the centuries accompanied
by official documents; even some contemporary smiths are recognized as living
monuments of Japanese cultural heritage by the authority of the state! During
the process of forging, when the steel is folded many times to spread the carbon
evenly, the blade has been given a relatively soft core and a hard surface.
The many layers can be clearly seen in the structure of the metal, especially
after polishing. This renders the sword extraordinarily sharp but still flexible,
and thus difficult to break. The edge is additionally hardened and has a different
grain, reducing the possibility of damage to an absolute minimum. This section
can be identified by a certain pattern on the surface of the blade (hamon),
which emerges when the smith heats it to a higher temperature and cools it quicker
than the rest of the blade by using layers of clay. Traditionally, the hilt
is made out of ray (same) or sharkskin, wrapped with cotton, silk or
leather string (tskamaki-ito). Ornaments in relief (menuki) provide
the swordsman with a better grip. The handguard (tsuba) is forged and is seen
as a work of art in its own right by collectors. A wooden scabbard (saya)
protects the blade; it is attached to the belt around the waist with a special
braid (sageo).
Kenjutsu ("the
art of the sword")
Kenjustu is usually recognized as combative.
It always begins with the sword already drawn with aggressive intent. The first
recorded historical systematic teachings of the Japanese long sword began about
800 AD. Since that time, over 1200-different ryu (schools) have been documented.
Many exponents of kenjutsu began to question
if a higher understanding could be achieved through practice and study with the
sword. These kenshi (swordsmen) developed the art of the sword (kenjutsu) into a
way of the sword (kendo). To signify their advances, they coined the name kendo.
This divisive move began around the middle of the 14th century.
Kenjutsu is considered a classical bujutsu
(art of war or martial art), having been well formulated prior to the Meiji
reformation (the classical/modern dividing line). Classical kenjutsu ryu
(schools) tend to be quite secretive of their techniques, being very closed to
outsiders. Classical kenjutsu ryu are the closest to classical warrior training
in the modern world. Examples are Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, and Tenshin Shoden Katori
Shinto Ryu.
Kenjutsu wear is traditional, consisting
usually of hakama (split skirt trousers), keikogi (a heavy weight jacket worn
tucked in) and obi (belt). As a rule, there are no belt colors in kenjutsu, but
only titles; Deshi (student), Renshi (instructor), Kyoshi (teacher) and Hanshi
(master).
Kata (prearranged forms or exercises) are the
usual way of learning the intricate motions required. Initially one practices
solo, but later pairs or multiple kenshi kata are performed. The standard
practice tool is either a bokken (simulated wooden sword) or an actual live
blade. Actual cutting, and thrusting of the blade against water soaked rolled
mats and bamboo poles, called tameshigiri, give the more advanced exponent
practice in actual impact of the live blade against a target.
(Please, visit the website of Denison sensei on http://www.mizukan.org/ )