 Woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada I (unsigned, the print is the upper part of a "two scenes" print; only the lower part is signed).The actors Seki Sanjūrō III and Bandō Shūka I as Inukai Genpachi and Inuzuka Kiba in a stage adaptation ofSatomi Hakkenden, performed at the Ichimura theatre in 1852. | |
| Focus | Weaponry |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Olympic sport | No |
Kenjutsu (剣術) is an umbrella term for all (ko-budō) schools ofJapaneseswordsmanship, in particular those that predate theMeiji Restoration. Some modern styles ofkendo andiaido that were established in the 20th century also included modern forms of kenjutsu in their curriculum.[1] Kenjutsu, which originated with thesamurai class of feudal Japan,[2] means "methods, techniques, and the art of the Japanese sword". This is opposed tokendo, which means "the way of the sword" and uses a bamboo sword (shinai) and protective armour (bōgu).[3]
The exact activities and conventions undertaken when practicingkenjutsu 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 and techniques whereby two practitioners performkata (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 inOno Ha Ittō-ryū.Although kata training has always been the mainstay, in later periods, schools incorporatedsparring under a variety of conditions, from using solid woodenbokutō to the use of a bamboo sword (shinai) and armor (bōgu).[3]: XII, XIII In modern times sparring in Japanesemartial art is more strongly associated with kendo and is mainly practiced by students or the police force. Although kendo is common in Japan, it is also practiced in other countries around the world.
It is thought likely that the first iron swords were manufactured in Japan in the fourth century, based on technology imported fromChina via theKorean peninsula.[4]: 1 While swords clearly played an important cultural and religious role in ancient Japan,[4]: 5, 14 in theHeian period the globally recognised curved Japanese sword (thekatana) was developed and swords became important weapons and symbolic items.[4]: 15 The oldest schools in existence today arose in theMuromachi period (1336 to 1573), known for long periods of inter-state warfare. Three major schools emerged during this period.[3]: XII
These schools form the ancestors for many descendent styles, for example, from Ittō ryū has branched Ono-ha Ittō ryū and Mizoguchi-ha Ittō-ryū (among many others).
On the island of Okinawa, the art of Udundi includes a unique method of both Kenjutsu andIaijutsu. This is the only surviving sword system from Okinawa. It was the martial art of the noble Motobu family during the Ryukyu Kingdom.[5]
During theEdo period schools proliferated to number more than 500,[3]: XIII and training techniques and equipment advanced. The 19th century led to the development of the bamboo practice sword, theshinai, and protective armor,bogu. This allowed practice of full speed techniques in sparring, while reducing risk of serious harm to the practitioner.[6] Before this, training in Kenjutsu had consisted mainly of basic technique practice and pairedkata, using solid wooden practice swords (bokutō) or live blades.[3]: XIII
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 thesamurai class was officially dissolved at this time,kenjutsu fell into decline, an unpopular reminder of the past.[3]: XIII, XIV 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 theJapanese Police gathered togetherkata from a variety ofkenjutsu schools into a standardised set for training purposes.[7]: 11 This process of standardization of martial training continued when, in 1895, a body for martial arts in Japan, theDai Nippon Butoku Kai, was established. Work on standardizingkenjutsukata continued for years, with several groups involved[7]: 11, 12 until in 1912 an edict was released by the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. This edict highlighted a lack of unity in teaching and introduced a standard core teaching curriculum to which the individualkenjutsu schools would add their distinctive techniques. This core curriculum, and its tenkata evolved into the modern martial art ofkendo.[7]: 11, 14 This point could be regarded as the end of the development of Kendo. Kata was provided for the unification of many schools to enable them to pass on the techniques and spirit of the Japanese sword.[8]
One of the more common training weapons is the wooden sword(bokutō orbokken). For various reasons, many schools make use of very specifically designedbokutō, altering its shape, weight and length according to the style's specifications. For example,bokutō used withinYagyū Shinkage-ryū are relatively thin and without a handguard in order to match the school's characteristic approach to combat. Alternatively, Kashima Shin-ryū practitioners use a thicker than averagebokutō with no curvature and with a rather large hilt. This of course lends itself well to Kashima Shin-ryū's distinct principles of combat.
Some schools practice withfukuroshinai (a bamboo sword covered with leather or cloth) under circumstances where the student lacks the ability to safely control abokutō at full speed or as a general safety precaution. In fact, thefukuro shinai dates as far back as the 15th century.
A distinguishing feature of many kenjutsu syllabi is the use of a paired katana ordaitō and wakizashi orshōtō, commonly referred to asnitōjutsu (二刀術,two sword methods). Styles that teach it are callednitōryū (二刀流,two sword school); contrastittō-ryū (一刀流,one sword school).
The most famous exponent ofnitōjutsu wasMiyamoto Musashi (1584 – 1645), the founder ofHyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū, who advocates it inThe Book of Five Rings.Nitōjutsu is not however unique to Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū, nor wasnitōjutsu the creation of Musashi. Both Tenshin Shōden Katori Shinto-ryū were founded in the earlyMuromachi period (ca. 1447), andTatsumi-ryu foundedEishō period (1504–1521), contain extensive two-sword curricula while also preceding the establishment of Musashi's school.[9]
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