Mountain Academy Martial Arts

64

// May 16th, 2012 // No Comments » // Master Rankin

Candles Flame in the Wind by Photos8.com (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I opened the door and fell on the floor

Lord I can’t believe I’m 64

I rolled on my back and stared at a spider

This isn’t me-I’m still a fighter

Lord I can’t believe I’m 64

Help me I’ve fallen and I can’t get up

All I wanted was to refill my cup

But instead there is a cake with my name

And surprise-a forest fire of candles

Making a big flame

I’ll blow out the candles from down here on the floor

Lord I can’t believe I’m 64….

Grand Master John W. Rankin

How to Choose the Right Martial Arts School

// May 6th, 2012 // No Comments » // Classes, General Info, Master Rankin

Joining a martial arts school is a lot like purchasing a used car: You don’t always know what you are getting until it’s too late.

In the marketplace of martial arts, all schools are not created equal. Martial arts teachers generally do not have to answer to a state regulatory commission or a government agency, and there is no consumer group to act as a watchdog to ensure the quality of instruction. Anyone, in fact, can acquire a business license, purchase a black belt, rent studio space and, to the unwitting public, appear to be the second coming of Bruce Lee.

How, then, can the discerning buyer make a knowledgeable choice when it comes to martial arts instruction? By shopping around. Like any other product, there are certain criteria that make some martial arts studios more appealing-and legitimate-than others.

Unfortunately, most first-timers-and some veterans-have a difficult time seeing past the price tag or the convenience of location when choosing a martial arts school. Those should not, however, be the only determining factors when deciding on a school. It is vitally important to visit as many schools as possible before committing to one. See what each school has to offer, then make your decision.

The first thing to do is make a list of the martial arts schools within your acceptable travel distance and your preferred style (if you have one). Then make an appointment to watch both beginning and advanced classes. If the school offers a free introductory class, take it.

The following are factors that should all be weighed before you sign on the dotted line.

Attitude

The attitude of both the instructor and the students can serve as an accurate indicator of school spirit. Instructors who treat their students with little respect, yet demand it themselves, may be on an ego trip. Student respect and discipline can be forced or natural; watch how the students react when the instructor is not within sight. If they step languidly through the motions or chat with one another, their previous show of respect and discipline was a facade. Hopefully, the students diligently continue with their drills in the instructor’s absence.

Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs

Warming up is essential to a martial arts workout. Stretching is especially important, since there is a good chance you will be performing kicking drills and could injure muscles or ligaments that are not properly conditioned. A short “cool-down” workout after a vigorous training session is also recommended. By visiting a school, you can discover whether these facets are included in the training.

Location

A school’s proximity to your home or work should be taken into consideration prior to signing up. Although an hour commute to class might not seem too bad at first, keep in mind that you will be making that drive two-to-three times a week for the next several years. Find a school that fits your needs, but is also within an acceptable driving distance.

Equipment/ Facility

Martial arts schools vary in the type of equipment and amenities they offer. Some are large and modern, and provide weight-training equipment, showers and lockers, while others do not. It is up to you to decide what is most important and necessary for your training. All schools should offer basic comforts, adequate equipment and learning essentials. Remember: A pretty school isn’t necessarily a highly functional school, and vice versa.

Styles

Most instructors recommend starting with one type of martial art and learning its essentials before trying another style. However, many martial artists like to be exposed to a variety of styles, and compare them to their own, instead of focusing on one art. There are schools that offer both types of training; you must decide which method you prefer. Ask instructors about the size and composition of classes before signing up for lessons. Adults may not want to be in the same class with children, some of whom may be able to perform the techniques better than their older counterparts.

Class Sizes and Schedules

Many new students prefer to be part of a large training group, rather than a small class. However, the benefits of a smaller class should not be overlooked. In a smaller class, you will likely receive more individual attention from the instructor, and there is less of a chance of becoming “just a number.” If you prefer private, one-on-one lessons with the chief instructor, that can usually be arranged.

You should also check with the instructor about what time of day classes are offered, as well as their duration. Some schools offer 90-minute classes, but most seem to be an hour long. Decide what length you would be most comfortable with before committing to a school that offers classes that are either too long or too short for your tastes.

Quality of Instruction

If the school is headed by a well-known martial arts master, many prospective students mistakenly believe they will receive their instruction from this individual. Such is rarely the case, however. More often than not, classes will be taught by an assistant or high-ranking students at the school. That’s not to say these individuals are not fully qualified to teach, but a prospective student should ascertain ahead of time who will be doing the instruction, and how available the master instructor will be to help you during the course of your learning.

Class Age Groups

Check to see if classes are separated by age and/or belt level. Adult students may not appreciate training with second-graders, some of whom may be able to execute the techniques better than they can. You may find yourself as the only adult in a class full of much younger students, and the different maturity levels could prove distracting to both you and them.

Ranking

Some martial arts instructors are in business simply to get your money and could care less about your progress in the art they teach. To discover if this is the case, ask the instructor about his belt ranking system. If he says you need to be proficient in a certain number of basic movements, forms, sparring and self-defense techniques before he will promote you to a higher belt level, you are likely dealing with an honest teacher.

If, on the other hand, the instructor tells you that you will receive a new belt every two months, be wary. You should never move up in rank until you are ready and qualified to do so. A good instructor does not push students to move up in rank merely to receive a belt-testing fee.

Size of School

Martial Arts schools come in all sizes. Some are part of a large chain, others are small operations run by a single instructor. The quality of instruction you will receive at a school is not necessarily related to its size. You can receive both poor or excellent instruction at a small school, and the same goes for large schools. Although large schools may have better equipment and a nicer facility, smaller schools offer students more personal attention from the instructor(s). Check out both types during your research.

Price of Instruction

Rarely do martial arts schools advertise their price of instruction in the phone book. Prices could be determined on a monthly basis, over several months, or by how often you train each week. In some cases, the price is negotiable depending on how many people will be taking classes with you (family package deals, for example). There are instructors who charge as little as $50 dollars a month for instruction, and there are those who garner $50 or more for a single one-hour session. It is up to you to determine what you feel is a fair and manageable price for instruction. After some research, you will know who is asking too much.

There are countless other minor details to consider when choosing a school. Is the school clean? A clean school is a sign of pride and respect.

Is the instructor receptive to your questions? If you are treated like an annoyance when trying to find out about the school, you will probably be treated like an annoyance while you’re taking classes. Conversely, if the instructor seems too eager to sign you up and answers with rehearsed responses, a warning light should go off in your head. Does the school have air-conditioning and/or heating? Seems like a silly question until it’s sizzling or freezing outside.

All of this may sound like a lot of work simply to find a place to take martial arts lessons. But if you are planning to invest hundreds of dollars and hundreds of hours in martial arts classes over the next few years, don’t you want to be sure of what you are getting in return? If you make a list of the things you feel are important, and check off those items as you visit prospective schools, you will find that your choices are quickly narrowed. Before long, you will be performing martial arts drills at a school that is right for you.

Grand Master John W. Rankin

Learn to Fight so You Don’t Have to Fight

// April 22nd, 2012 // No Comments » // General Info, Master Rankin

The availability of so many choices in martial arts study – Jujitsu, Kung Fu, Judo, Taekwondo, and Karate to name a few – has made it easy for almost anyone to sign up for classes, and as a result, many have.

Each style is slightly different to its approach of teaching, but they all have one general overriding philosophy. No matter which of the martial arts you choose to practice, you will find that they all focus on concentration, focus, discipline, self-defense, and spirituality. So not only do they provide a good exercise routine and teach a new life skill, they require the student to master other critical life skills in order to obtain knowledge of the whole practice.

The ultimate irony in martial arts, if there is one, is that once you’ve spent years of training and studying and mastering techniques, you can never use the fighting skills you’ve learned; unless of course, you have no other choice.

This is where the acquired skill of mental and physical discipline pays off. Because once you’ve learned a martial art, the hardest thing to do will be to exercise restraint to not use it at every opportunity, and that requires discipline. Intense discipline.

And then it suddenly becomes clear to you why spirituality, concentration, focus, and discipline were such a vital part of the teachings. You have to be aware of what’s all around you when you get in a situation, use your intellect to avoid a conflict if you can, and only then, when all other avenues have been exhausted, can you use your art to defend yourself.

As important as all of these mental attributes are to one’s training in martial art program, they often get overlooked or neglected to focus on the more obvious, tangible benefits of the program, like increased strength, improved flexibility, or weight loss. But these attributes are actually the core of a martial arts program, and ignoring them is self-defeating.

Anyone can get stronger, or more flexible, or lose weight if they want to, but the rigors of mental discipline, focus, concentration, spirituality, and serenity must be taught. And that’s the real benefit of martial arts.

Grand Master John W. Rankin

The Cane

// April 12th, 2012 // No Comments » // Master Rankin, Technique

In today’s society it is against the law to carry almost any type of object which may be deemed as a weapon. The cane may very well be one of the last “permissible” weapons available which you can carry to defend yourself without violating the law. Fortunately, the cane is easy to learn, versatile and an extremely effective weapon for self-defense.

The use of the cane in not uncommon to other martial arts. Many of the Korean martial arts include some instruction in the use of the ji pang e for self-defense. To see how the cane was used as a defensive weapon in ancient times, let’s take a look at its evolution in Korea.

Korean monks sometimes carried the cane during their travels. The cane served them in several different ways; it was used to help them maintain their balance climbing hills and over rough terrain. It was also used to help the monks defend themselves from bandits and wild animals during their travels throughout the country. Some Buddhist temples had animals they raised, and the monks would used their canes to help oversee their herds and flocks. If the temple was attacked, the cane could quickly become a defensive weapon, used to drive the invaders off.

Types Of Canes

There are primarily three different types of canes. The first type was from five and one-half to seven feet in length and curved like a hook at one end, similar to the canes carried by shepherds. The second type of cane was about waist-high, straight, with either a knob or short straight handle. The third type of cane is the type most commonly used both in the past and today. It is about waist-high, straight and has a curved (hook-type) end used as the handle. The common people favored it for its practicality.

The Shepherd’s Cane

There are primarily three different types of canes. The first type was from five and one-half to seven feet in length and curved like a hook at one end, similar to the canes carried by shepherds. The curved portion of the cane was quite often used for the application of kwan jyel sul (joint manipulation techniques). This was the type of cane the monks used for herding animals and sometimes as a walking pole on their travels.

Sometimes, in order to escape from bandits, a monk would use the curved portion of this long version of the cane, to hook a high branch of a tree, climb up the cane to the branch, then pull the cane up with him. This is another example of how certain monks got the reputation of being able to become invisible. The monk could remain hidden in the tree until the bandits had moved on. If it became necessary, he could use the cane to strike the bandits as they passed under the tree, or he could use the hook portion of the cane to pull them off of their horses. When the encounter was over the monk would again hook the cane to the branch, climb down, then continue on his way.

Another favorite tactic the monks used was to hook the top of a high wall with the ji pang e, then pull themselves to the top of the wall and over. A perfect example of how they could “walk through walls”.

The Aristocrat’s Cane

The second type of cane was about waist-high, straight, with either a knob or short straight handle. This type of cane was not as popular with the monks because it was not as practical for their needs. However, the straight cane was used very often by the hwa rang, members of the upper classes, and members of the royal families.

The cane became not only a sign of importance and wealth, but a deadly weapon for self-defense. Many times the handle bore the crest of the family, and was made of gold or silver with jewels embedded in it. In some cases a blade was concealed in the cane. A sharp pull on the handle and the blade would be ready for action. For the upper classes the straight cane was what suited their needs for both appearance and self- protection.

During the sixth century, Korea was divided into three separate Kingdoms; Koguryo, the largest of the three, was in the north, Baek-Je, the second largest was located in the southwest portion of the Korean peninsula; and Silla, the smallest of the three Kingdoms, was in the southeast. It was in the Kingdom of Silla where a group of young warriors called the Hwa Rang (flowering youths) were created. The hwa rang were instructed in several different forms of defense were also part of Buldo mu do (Buddhist martial arts); kwan jyel sul (joint manipulation), hyel do sul (striking vital points of the body), and ji pang e sul (cane techniques). They were instructed in the use of the cane by Korean monks including the famous Won Kang. As part of their specialized training, the hwa rang trained in the application of techniques using the cane for striking, throwing, controlling, and the application of kwan jyel defenses. They also carried the cane as a sign of their social position and status.

The Everyday Cane

The third type of cane is the type most commonly used both in the past and today. It is about waist-high, straight and has a curved (hook-type) end used as the handle. The common people favored it for its practicality. Korean Buddhist monks also used this type of cane for self-defense because the hooked portion aided them in the application of kwan jyel techniques, allowing for better control of an opponent without the use of excessive force.

Today the cane may be used as a means to defend yourself. You need not use an excessive amount of force to subdue an opponent, you can use kwan jyel techniques to immobilize the opponent by using the cane to help augment the techniques. The elderly can use kwan jyel techniques with a cane for self-defense with very little training.

The cane, combined with kwan jyel techniques, is one of the most practical and useful tools for self-defense you may find today. Be sure to use extreme caution when working with cane techniques. You will be able to exert much more power than you believe you can when you use the leverage of the cane to give added strength to your techniques. Always let your instructor guide you each step of the way with your training.

Grand Master John W. Rankin

Martial Arts = Peace

// February 17th, 2012 // No Comments » // General Info, Master Rankin

Image via Wikipedia

It may be because we just don’t know enough about it or because what we do know is that they deal with secrecy and come from a far off area, but whatever the reason, martial arts have always seemed a bit mystical. Hollywood found a way to make this entertaining by making entire movies based on ninjas, fancy action fights and different moves that show men dualing in crazy fashions. However, aside from the big Hollywood pictures, martial arts are actually around today in people’s lives and serve a practical purpose.

Children are among the people who can gain the most from martial arts because it is a excellent way to exercise and develop the body. Martial arts also helps children to focus and develop their minds. Children who practice martial arts will sometimes transform their entire personality because of the changes they go through during training. It isn’t a bad change either because while the children may appear to be the same, after training they actually have more self-confidence as well as self-respect. Regardless of what kind of child starts to practice martial arts, in the end they all end up improving certain elements of their personalities due to the practice and determination they must give in training.

Martial arts becomes a way of living. The number of children (or adults) who practice martial arts and actually make it all the way to a black belt may be very small. Many kids drop out after they figure out that it’s not all about spinning kicks and beating up bad guys. But for those who get past this, however, they enjoy the benefits that training, hard work and practice brings.

Aside from the characteristics most people think of when they hear martial arts (like looking fitter, being stronger, etc.), many people are able to find a sense of calm as a result of training. They may not even realize it at first, but with all of the movement that must be performed as well as the focus required in order to master a technique, many students are able to feel more relaxed as a result of their training. This calmness allows the students to feel more at peace with their surrounding world. While it may not seem like a calming type of exercise, martial arts can truly aid to put you at peace with the world.

Grand Master John Rankin

History of the Samurai Sword

// January 7th, 2012 // No Comments » // History, Master Rankin, Weapons Forms

Image via Wikipedia

Japanese Samurai Warriors were members of the top social hierarchy of Japan. This social class existed for hundreds of years until about the 19th century. Around this period, the Shogun reigned supreme.

The samurai sword is said to be one of three sacred treasures of the Japan. The Sacred Mirror and the Comma Shaped Beads are the other two. As early as 3 B.C. the Samurai Sword was used as an offering to the Gods. It is said to possess the three critical holy elements of purity, rarity, and value. The sword would later become the symbol of the Samurai Code or the Code of the Warrior.

The samurai sword is considered by many to be the spirit of old Japan. The history of Japan in many ways reflects the history of the Samurai Sword. In the Samurai Sword, we can trace the lineage, the history and the countless wars. In the sword, we see the craftmanship, the quality, the heart and soul of the people of Japan that would later go on to become a technological world leader. The sword was a predecessor to Modern Japan.

Japanese sword history can be divided into eight periods.

1. Ancient period (before A. D. 650): The art of making the weapon was introduced from the Mainlands of China and Korea. Many artisans and skilled black smiths from China and Korea emigrated to Japan to further develop the art of sword making. Swords during this period was yet to be perfected and the blades were designed straight.
2. Nara period (650 ~ 793): In the year 710, the first permanent Japanese capital was established in Nara. It was a city modeled after the Chinese Capital. There were large Buddhist Temples and monasteries. Later the capital would be moved to Nagaoka and then finally to Heian (Kyoto) in 794 where it would remain there for over a thousand years. This was the “Golden Age” of religious art, architecture, painting and sculpture. The art of making the sword was still primitive but some progress had already been made. Many wars ensued during this period, and he national army’s demand for swords were insatiable.
3. Heian period (794~1191): The Fujiwara family controlled the political climate during the Heian period over several centuries through strategic marriages with the Imperial Family and by occupying important polical offices in Kyoto. Japanese smiths began to produce their own swords with their own distinctive styling. The art of Japanese sword making had already improved dramatically. This was also the period where Japan found it’s own identity, gradually “Japanizing” all of it’s imported ideas and customs. It would become a more distinct culture, a Japanese culture, apart from Korea and China.
4. Kamakura period (1192 ~ 1336): Zen Buddhism was introduced to Japan during this period from China and Korea, otherwise known and Chan Buddhism. Large number of Samurai warriors became followers of Zen. The Samurai class would become a leading social hierarchy. Also during this period, Confucianism became widespread, instilling loyalty and social order to the people. Another noteable event in history during this period is the Mongol Invasion. The Mongols had already conquered China and was eyeing Japan. A large fleet of Mongol ships had made it’s way to Kyushu Japan, but was later forced to turn back because of horrendous weather conditions. A quite favorable event for the Japanese, as the Mongol army outnumbered the Japanese by a large number. Several more attempts would be made, but the Mongols would be forced back countless times due to hostile weather. Japanese smiths began experimenting with different kinds of metals and steel types to further improve the sword. The government demand for swords continued to fuel development and manufacturing.
5. Muromachi (Ashikaga) period (1337 ~ 1573): The Era of Civil Wars. Considered to be a very dark period in Japanese history. Bloody civil wars had broken out and the fuedal Lords and Shoguns of Japan raged relentless battles. The pouring of blood and death appeared to be without end. The demand for more fighting weapons and swords continued to rise. Ironically, this was the same period that the Portuguese traders and Jesuit missionaries arrived in Kyushu Japan and introduced the firearm and Christianity to the people.
6. Azuchi-Momoyama period (1574 ~ 1602): A more peaceful period. The arts in Japan began to flourish. Shogun Hedeyoshi made social distinctions between the Samurai Class and the Farmer Class. He forbade all Samurais from farming and had them live in castles. These attempts were made to create social order. With some new found peace, the people could now concentrate on developing their spirits. The art of sword making too, reached new heights.
7. Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603 ~ 1867): Edo was the Shogun’s capital at the time. Continued peace brought much economic anc cultural prosperity. This was also a period of international seclusion as the nation was closed from outsiders. Only a handful of foreigners including the Chinese, Koreans and some Dutch traders were allowed to enter the Land of The Rising Sun. It was a capital offense at the time to enter or leave the country. This closed border policy continued until the 19th century. Commodore Perry of the American Navy is credit with opening up trade relations with Japan. Shortly thereafter, internal strife combined with foreign pressure ended the Tokugawa period and initiated the emergence of Modern Japan.
8. Modern period (since 1868): After 1876, the national government forbade the public wearing of swords. Industrialization was introduced, factories were built, Japan became an active trading partner with the Europeons and Americans. Their military power continued to rise. They would later annex Korea and China. They would win a war against Russia and later lose in World War II. They would then rise from the ashes to become an economic power, manufacturing world class goods and their brands becoming household names such as Toyota, Honda, Sony, and Panasonic.

There was a legend from the smiths of Yamato Province in the history of Japan. The legend was about that the smith Amakumi in Yamato about A. D. 700 made the first samurai sword. Amakumi and his son gathered and examined the sword remnants after they found that nearly half of the returning soldiers from the war were carrying broken swords that they made. At that moment, Amakumi made a vow to himself that, “If they are going to use our swords for such slashing, I shall make one which will not break.” After that, Amakumi and his son prayed for seven days and nights to the Shinto gods. Besides, Amakumi selected the best sand ore he could obtain and refined it. They worked hard and tried to improve of making the better swords. Later, the smiths emerged with a single-bladed sword, which had curvature. Finally, Amakumi and his son continued with their work and made many improved types of swords. After the other war during the spring, all the returning soldiers were carrying the swords in perfect condition.

Generally, there are four categories of samurai swords as weapons, which are made of steel, single bladed, curved, and tempered. Besides, there are four periods in the history of the samurai swords:

1. Ancient sword (Chokuto or Ken) Period (until A. D. 900): The swords chiefly made by the smiths from China or Korea or by the early Japanese smiths during this period. The swords were made of steel and mostly were straight (chokuto) type. The imitation of Chinese sword was gradually developed into the typical samurai sword. Top officials usually carried expensive swords made in China.
2. Old sword (Koto) period (900 ~ 1530): Power was obtained only by means of warfare during this time. So, the sword became an everyday weapon and was carried constantly by the samurai. The swords with the cutting edge of more than 4 feet were often employed. The straight sword for stabbing was replaced by a single-bladed sword with curvature. About the year 900, the smith Yasutsuna in Hoki began forging excellent samurai swords. The most famous swords’ smiths appeared in Japanese history during the years 900 to 1450. After the year 1467, the smiths turned out blades in mass production due to the increasing demand for swords. So, there were only a few swords can be considered very good.
3. New sword (Shinto) period: The end of the long civil war caused the sword lost its functional value. The length of the long sword (daito) was shortened, the cutting edged being reduced to about 2 feet, and the samurai began carrying it by inserting it between the hip and the sash. The smiths engraved extravagant of flowers, shrubbery, and dragons on the swords, instead of the simple Sanskrit characters or grooves of older swords. Besides, pictures of maple leaves, cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums, or Mount Fuji could be found in the tempered lines of the swords. More than half of the samurai swords in today were made during this period.
4. Modern (Shin-shinto) period: The feudal system and the prestige of the samurai came to an end. Swords could no longer be worn. The smiths of swords lost their trade and turned to make hoes, scissors, and knives for their livelihood. So, a lot of the swords and its ornaments were exported to Europe and United States. Many books about the swords and its ornaments were published. Since 1926 until now, there has not been a single great smith of sword. A stamp of a cherry blossom with the character for Sho (1/8″ diameter) could be found above the signature of the smith on the tang of many blades. Besides, many swords like police and parade sabers, which were manufactured during the last forty-year cannot be considered samurai swords because of the plating and methods of forging contrary to the conventional methods of hand-forging and tempering of samurai swords.

Statistically, there were around 1 1/2 million swords existing before World War II. Around 1/3 of them were over 2 feet in length (daito). At present, there are more samurai swords in the United Sates than there are in Japan. Japan has no more than 100,000 swords today. Around 250,000 to 350,000 swords has been brought into United States as war souvenirs by returning servicemen after the end of Pacific War during the occupation of Japan. Most of them are long sword (daito) which is formerly used by Japanese commissioned and non-commissioned officers. Around 70% of the long sword are in United States today. Swords of buke-zukuri type, neo-army (shin-gunto) type, proto-army type (kyu-gunto) type, police sabers, army parade sabers, navy types, ken and jindachi-zukuri types have been brought into United States.

Samurai swords can be classified by length or by the types of mountings.

Classifications of swords by length

Japanese use the shaku to measure the length of the cutting edge of the samurai swords. 1 shaku = 11.903542 inches.

1. Long Sword (Daito): over 2 shaku in length; there are the longer of the two swords commonly worn by the samurai; difficult to temper a daito because of its length.
2. Medium Sword (Wakizashi): 1~2 shaku in length; worn by samurai as auxiliary sword, or by non-samurai, who were allowed to wear no more than one sword of this length.
3. Short Sword (Tanto): less than 1 shaku in length; the shorter of the two swords worn by the samurai as auxiliary swords. Women and tradesmen used them as protective weapons. Commonly called as hara-kiri knives. They are usually the hira-zukuri (without ridgeline) types.

Classifications of Swords by mountings

1. Ken mountings: The oldest type known for swords of the ancient sword period. Straight, either single or double-edged blades.
2. Jindachi-zukuri mountings: For the long sword of the Old Sword period and were 4 ~ 5 feet in length. There were two rings on the scabbard because the swords worn suspended from the hip by cords. Many imitations of these mountings copied in the past one hundred years in some areas of Japan.
3. Buke-zukuri mountings: Come from the New Sword period. The handle is bound with narrow tape or leather thongs. There were no rings attached to the scabbards because the words were worn on the left hip, inserted between the hip and the sash and not suspended. The full length of this mounting was 3 ½ ~ 4 ½ feet. This is the most common and is of great interest to connoisseurs. There have pockets for a kozuka (utility knife), a kogai (skewer), or a set of wari-bashi (split chopsticks) near the mouth of the scabbard. At the most, only two of these three itens were carried in the pockets of a scabbard.
4. Shira-saya mountings: Made of plain wood and were used to protect the blade or to replace a damaged mounting. It has no guard. It is also called as yasume-zaya (resting scabbard). This type is convenient for protecting a blade or an original mounting. A substitute blade (tsunagi) of wood or bamboo will be inserted to preserve the mounting when a blade is not kept in its original mounting.
5. Gunto (Army and navy swords) and their mountings:
1. Kyu-gunto (proto-army sword) mountings: The scabbard was chrome plated. The handle was wrapped with shark or giant-ray skin and bound with gold-colored wire. There was a strip of metal starting at the base to the top of the hilt.
2. Shin-gunto (neo-army sword) mountings: The scabbard of this type resembles that of jindachi-zukuri mounting but is made of brown-colored metal and usually covered with leather when used in combat area. The handle, which is bound by leather thongs or cord, resembles that of buke-zukuri type. The handle usually has cherry-blossom designs on its pommels and ornaments. Blue color of tassel is for company grade; red is for field grade; red and gold is for general grade.
3. Kaigunto (naval sword) mountings: Three types of swords used by the officers of the Japanese navy: (1) about 15 inches long short sword; (2)long and bears a close resemblance to the jindachi-zukuri type or new-army type; having two rings attached to its dark scabbard. (3) long, but narrow and looks like a police saber.
6. Shikomi-zue (Sword cane) mountings: Made after the Meiji Restoration and most of them are of a poor grade.

There are two main parts of the sword:

1. The blade
2. The mountings

Composite of the blade

1. The point (Kissaki):
1. The point is the most difficult part of a sword to forge and to polish. The value of the sword is mainly determined by the condition of its point. Tempered lines (boshi) on a point need not necessarily be identical on both sides of the blade. Points can be classified into different types of the blade regardless of size, by size and shape, or by their tempered lines (boshi):
2. Dividing line of surface and point (Yokote)
3. Ridgeline (Shinogi): This line will not be found on hira-zukuri blades.
4. Upper surface or ridge area (Shinogi-ji): Wide or narrow
5. Surface (Ji) and surface decoration:
6. Grooves: were made for preventing the sword from bending and to lesser weight originally. Gradually were made for pure decoration.
7. Carvings and inscriptions: A sword is not necessarily a good sword only because of its carvings or inscriptions on its surface or upper surface.
8. Tempered line (Yaki-ba): It is a continuous straight or wavelike line running the length of the blade. When skillfully polished, the tempered line, which is the hardest part of the steel, takes on a white color. It represents the most beautiful feature of samurai swords and is the most important item in their appraisal.
9. Back or top ridge (Mune)
10. Curvature (Sori): It is measured at the top ridge of a sword. Curvatures are classified into 2 types: deep and shallow.
11. Tang (Nakago): It fits in the handle or hilt. It is important in appraising samurai swords because they often reveal the date of a sword’s construction and the identity of its maker. It can be classified by the shapes of tangs, shape of tips of tangs, file marks on tangs (yasuri-me), rivet hole in the tang (mekugi-ana) or the inscriptions on tangs.

Mountings

Including all the fittings and furniture of the sword exclusive of the blade. Mountings are classified by:

1. Scabbard (Saya): It is made of wood to protect the blade. It is lacquered or inlaid usually. Some scabbards have pockets that we mentioned before.
2. Guard (Tsuba): It is made of steel, copper, silver or some other metal to protect the palm of the hand when holding the sword. It is usually has patterns or designs on both sides. More decorative design with maker’s signature will usually at the front side and the backside is usually less decorative. People like to do collection of tsuba because of the beautiful craftsmanship displayed in their construction. The front side of tsuba always face toward the hilt when mountings are assembled.
3. Hilt or handle (Tsuka): It is made of wood and is wrapped in ray skin and taped that made of silk, leather, or cotton and may be either broad flat tape or cords wound in sets.
4. Collar (Habaki): It is made to prevent the blade from rattling in the scabbard and from slipping out of the scabbard.
5. Spaces or washers (Seppa)
6. Pommel or metal sleeve (Fuchi)
7. Rivet hole of the hilt (Mekugi-ana)
8. Hilt ornaments (Menuki): A hilt has a pair of menuki with identical designs or companion or counterpart designs.
9. Pommel at base (Kashira)

Commonly, the samurai-sword blades are divided into the hira-zukuri type (without ridgeline) and the shinogi-zukuri type (with ridgeline). There are eight different types of the common samurai-sword blades:

1. Shinogi-zukuri, which is the most common and mostly found in long swords (daito).
2. Kanmuri-otoshi.
3. Unokubi-zukuri, which is found in short swords (tanto) after the late Kamakura period.
4. Shobu-zukuri, which was popular in the Muromachi period and generally, found in short blades.
5. Moro-ha, which is found in the tanto from the mid-Muromachi period. Straight blades with two cutting edges are known as ken.
6. Kata-kiri-ba, which is found in the short blades and was popular in the late Kamakura and the Momoyama period.
7. Kata-shinogi, the blades are generally short.
8. Hita-zukuri, which is the most common type for short blades without ridgeline.

Besides, there are five different types of construction of the blades:

1. Maru-gitae, which is with one grade of steel and used for mass production. Usually the swords reveal a smooth, grainless appearance on their surfaces.
2. Wariba-gitae, which is a better construction than Maru0gitae because harder blade-steel is applied to the blade.
3. Makuri-gitae, which is with the soft core that, surrounded by hard steel.
4. Hon-sanmai-awase-gitae, which is the skin steel cover the soft core and harder blade steel.
5. Shiho-zume-gitae, which is same as Hon-sanmai-awase-gitae with the addition of back steel.

The metal is heated, stretched and folded as many as twenty times before the sword assume its final form. Fine layers appear on the ridge area and surface that is called the grain (hada). There are different types of grains:

1. Plain (muji)
2. Straight grain (masame-hada)
3. Wood or wood-vein grain (itame-hada)
4. Burl grain (mokume-hada)
5. Curved grain (ayasugi-hada)

There were a lot of problems that faced the smiths in ancient times. The smiths discovered that a sword with a razor-sharp blade very often broke off when used against armor. However, an unbreakable blade made of soft steel would bend. Another issue was to make the light sword for use in combat. The smiths found that the most satisfactory weight for a sword is around 2 or 3 pounds. There are many methods of making swords. Some of the methods have to go through many times of repeating process of heating and folding of the steel. After that, the smith engraved his signature and the blade was transferred to the polisher. Meanwhile, different artists will work on different parts of the swords like hilt ornaments, handle bindings, guards, and the sheaths.

Care and maintenance of the sword

The beauty and the value of the samurai sword are chiefly on the excellence of its flawless polish. The blade should never be touched with the hand because it is dangerous and will lead to eventual rusting. The best way to prevent rust is to keep the sword lightly oiled with lightweight oil because the heavyweight oil will soil the interior of the scabbard by causing dust to collect. Apply oil once a month to the sword if it is kept in a salty atmosphere. If in mountainous areas, the sword should applied with oil once every three months. Do remember to wipe off the old oil from the sword with a soft fabric, such as soft tissue before we reapply the oil to the blade. Then, sprinkle special oil-removing powder or talcum powder on the blade surface. After that, wiping off the powder by a clean before apply the light oil to the blade. Please do not use metal polish on the blade or on the metal mountings, especially the guard (tsuba). Finally, the tang should never be polished because it contains vital information about the maker.

Samurai Sword History

The samurai sword, made from the heat and pounding of the skilled artisans, these weapons of single destruction bring homage and honour to the warrior that carries them. The samurai sword is priceless as it is one and the same with the warrior class that has defined the ultimate Zen Master of Fuedal Japan

Japan has a history that dates back thousands of years. Scientists believe the Japanese people descended from many groups that migrated to the islands from other parts of Asia, including China and Korea. As early as 4500 B.C., the Japanese islands were inhabited by fishermen, hunters and farmers. The early culture was known as “Jomon,” which meant “cord pattern.” That’s because the people made pottery decorated with rope-like designs. Scientists believe a caucasian race called the “Ainu” were the first inhabitants of what is now Japan. The Ainu still exist today, mostly in the northernmost islands of Japan called “Hokkaido.” The next major Japanese cultural changed occured about 200 B.C. The people were known as “Yayoi.” The Yayoi were mostly farmers. Scientists believe the present-day Japanese closely resemble the Yayoi in appearance and language.

War played a central part in the history of Japan. Warring clans controlled much of the country. A chief headed each clan; made up of related families. The chiefs were the ancestors of Japan’s imperial family. The wars were usually about “land.” Only 20% of the land was fit for farming. The struggle for control of that land eventually gave rise to the Samurai.

One of the important dates in the history of the Japanese warring class is 660 B.C. That’s when, according to legend, Jimmu Tenno became head of a confederation of warlike clans. Tenno was known as “The Divine Warrior.” He led his people from Kyushu to the Kinki region and conquered the people there. Tenno settled in the area of Yamato. This eventually gave rise to the Yamato dynasty and state. The leaders of Yamato believed themselves to be of divine origin.

The Yamato clans conducted many military campaigns on the Asian mainland. The targets included Korea and China. These campaigns led to the importation of Korean and Chinese culture, technology and martial arts.

Legend says that Emperor Keiko was the first person with the title of “Shogun.” The word meant “Barbarian-subduing General.” Legend continues that Keiko had a son named “Prince Yamato.” He was cunning, fearless, strong and a great martial artist. Many believe that Yamato was a role model for future Samurai.

Ancient Yayoi warriors developed weapons, armour and a code during the ensuing centuries that became the centerpiece for the Japanese Samurai. Early weapons included bows, arrows and swords. Armour included a helmet that protected head and neck, a breasplate that protected the chest, arm and shoulder protectors, and a belly wrap. Later armour included protection for the legs and thighs. Armour changed as the type of battles changed. A big change occured in the 5th century when horses were introduced to Japan. Another change occured in the 15th century because of the constancy of war and the introduction of guns into battle. The code developed from the Chinese concept of the virtues of warriors doing battle to the Samurai code of chivalry known as Kyuba no michi (“The Way of Horse and Bow”) to the Bushido (“Way of the Warrior”) code.

“Bushido” means “Way of the Warrior.” It was at the heart of the beliefs and conduct of the Samurai. The philosophy of Bushido is “freedom from fear.” It meant that the Samurai transcended his fear of death. That gave him the peace and power to serve his master faithfully and loyally and die well if necessary. “Duty” is a primary philosophy of the Samurai.

The Samurai rose out of the continuing battles for land among three main clans: the Minamoto, the Fujiwara and the Taira. The Samurai eventually became a class unto themselves between the 9th and 12th centuries A.D. They were called by two names: Samurai (knights-retainers) and Bushi (warriors). Some of them were related to the ruling class. Others were hired men. They gave complete loyalty to their Daimyo (feudal landowners) and received land and position in return. Each Daimyo used his Samurai to protect his land and to expand his power and rights to more land.

The Samurai became expert in fighting from horseback and on the ground. They practiced armed and un-armed combat. The early Samurai emphasized fighting with the bow and arrow. They used swords for close-in fighting and beheading their enemies. Battles with the Mongols in the late 13th century led to a change in the Samurai’s fighting style. They began to use their sword more and also made more use of spears and naginata. The Samurai slowly changed from fighting on horseback to fighting on foot.

The Samurai wore two swords (daisho). One was long; the other short. The long sword (daito – katana) was more than 24 inches. The short sword (shoto – wakizashi) was between 12 and 24 inches. The Samurai often gave names to their swords and believed it was the “soul” of their warriorship. The oldest swords were straight and had their early design in Korea and China. The Samurai’s desire for tougher, sharper swords for battle gave rise to the curved blade we still have today. The sword had its beginning as iron combined with carbon. The swordsmith used fire, water, anvil and hammer to shape the world’s best swords. After forging the blade, the sword polisher did his work to prepare the blade for the “furniture” that surrounded it. Next, the sword tester took the new blade and cut through the bodies of corpses or condemned criminals. They started by cutting through the small bones of the body and moved up to the large bones. Test results were often recorded on the nakago (the metal piece attaching the sword blade to the handle).

Japanese samurai warriors were ranked at the top of the Japanese social hierarchy for hundreds of years until 19th century. Shogun were the most powerful samurai who ruled Japan at the time.

The medieval swords of Japan was typically a long, straight or slightly curved blade having 2 two cutting edges set into a hilt or tang. There are many tang types. There is the full tang, the encapsulated tang, the rat tail tang, the half push tang, the half tang and the full push tang. The full tang is best because it will give your sword the most stability when making full contact. The sword was the samurai warrior’s most treasured weapon. It was a part of him. Swords were awarded as medals and some Samurai’s even died to retrieve a treasured sword for their Shogun.

Samurai Sword Timeline:

TIMELINE OF JAPANESE HISTORY: 1185-1868

*1185 – 1333 Kamakura Bakufu (rule of the Minamoto family)

*1336 – 1574 Ashikaga Bakufu

1567 – 1600 Period of Unification

*1603 – 1868 Tokugawa Shogunate

1868 – Age of Modern Japan Begins (Imperial Restoration) *PERIOD OF MILITARY RULE Dictionary Notes: Japan A country of Asia on an archipelago off the northeast coast of the mainland. Traditionally settled c. 660 B.C., Japan’s written history began in the 5th century A.D. During the feudal period (12th-19th century) real power was held by the shoguns, whose dominance was finally ended by the restoration of the emperor Mutsuhito in 1868. Feudalism was abolished, and the country was opened to Western trade and industrial technology. Expansionist policies led to Japan’s participation in World War II, which ended after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (August 1945). Today the country is highly industrialized and noted for its advanced technology. Tokyo is the capital and the largest city. Population: 124,961,000.

(Reference: Dictionary.com)

Notable Samurai Warriors

Bashô

1644-1694

Famous poet

Matsuo Bashô stands as one of the greatest – if not greatest – of Japan’s haiku composers. A samurai turned wandering priest, Bashô wrote a book called ‘Narrow Road of Oku’ and many of his poems remain well-known in Japan – and around the world.

Chikamatsu

1653-1725

Playwright

Chikamatsu Monzaemon, whose real name was Sugimori Nobumori, was born in Nagato Province and into a minor samurai family. He was at first a monk, then returned to secular life and established himself at Osaka. Starting at around age 30, he would become one of Japan’s most prolific and beloved playwrights, composing as many as 160 plays for the Kabuki and Bunraku (puppet) theatres. Many of his pieces were historically based and as many were on contemporary subjects that appealed to the common people. One of his favored devices was the tragic love between either a samurai or a townsman and a courtesan. In most of his plays, he presented a moral dillemna – the hero was presented with the confliction of duty and emotion – of what society expected and with what the hero felt in his heart. His most famous work was Chushingura, the story of the 47 Rônin. It may be that part of his ability came from the demands of writing for the Bunraku – he once commented that writing for that stage required him to make his dialogue as compelling and vivid as possible, given that, after all, the audience was looking at simple puppets.

Hasegawa Tôhaku

1539-1610

Noted painter

Tôhaku was born at Nanao in Noto Province. After painting a number of Buddhist-influenced works in his native Noto, he moved to Kyoto around 1471 and studied the Kanô school of painting. He produced a volume of work over the next 30 years and in 1603 was given the title Hôkyô. He died on March 20 1610. Tôhaku’s paintings were done in a number of styles, from his earlier buddhist efforts to his later, black-ink genpitsu tai productions. His most famous works include ‘Picture of Pine Forest’, ‘Picture of Monkey in Dead Trees’, and ‘Picture of Flower and Trees’. Tôhaku is attributed with the ‘Portrait of Takeda Shingen’ (which has long defined the popular perception of Shingen) but recently scholars have wondered if the subject of that work was in fact a Hatakeyama lord.

Ihara Saikaku

d.1693

Novelist

Saikaku was one of the mid-Edo Period’s most popular authors. Like Chikamatsu’s plays, Saikaku’s works appealed to the common people and were often amusing while being supurbly crafted. His favorite theme was the life of the bourgeois, which provided him with a volume of material to depict both realistically and in a skillfully light manner.

Imai Sôkyû

1521-1591

Noted tea master and merchant

Sôkyû was one of Sakai’s most important merchants and a member of the city’s leadership council. When Oda Nobunaga demanded that Sakai acknowledge his authority, Sôkyû urged the council to submit and sent Nobunaga two valuable tea items (Matsushima no Tsubo and Jôô no Nasu) as a good-will gesture. Nobunaga awarded Sôkyû for his efforts by giving him a lucrative commisson to manufacture firearms for the Oda. Shôkyû instructed Nobunaga in the tea ceremony and as a tea master later enjoyed the favor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was present for the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony.

Kamo-no-Chomei

1155-1216

Noted author

Chomei was the second son of Kamo-no-Nagatsugu, an important figure at the Kamo Shrine. Chomei proved himself a talented poet, being published in the Imperial poetry anthology Senzai-wakashu and a member of a number of notable poetry circles. He became a monk in 1204 and moved into the countryside. During his self-imposed exile he wrote the Hôjôki, a powerful view of the harshness of the world around him. In addition, he produced an anthology of his own poetry called the Kamo-no-Chomei-shu.

Kano Eitoku

1543-1590

Noted painter

Eitoku was the son of Kano Shôei (1514-1562) and carried on the Kano school of painting as established by Kano Masanobu (1434-1530). Eitoku was likely tutored at a young age by his talented grandfather Motonobu (1476-1559), who introduced him to shôgun Ashikaga Yoshiteru in 1552. In 1566 Eitoku produced a number of paintings for the Abbot’s Quarters of the Jukônin in the Daitokuji. He was contracted by Oda Nobunaga to produce a series of wall paintings (shôhekiga) for Azuchi Castle around 1578 but these were all lost when Azuchi was destroyed in 1582. He afterwards worked for Toyotomi Hideyoshi and produced work for Juraku and Osaka Castle. Eitoku died suddenly in 1590 and his unfinished projects were completed by his son Mitsunobu. His most famous works included ‘Chinese Lions’, ‘Flowers and Birds of the Four Seasons’, and ‘Scenes In and Around Kyoto’ (a screen Nobunaga sent as a gift, along with ‘Tale of Genji’, to the eastern warlord Uesugi Kenshin in 1574). The last is useful to historians in picturing life in Kyoto in the mid-16th Century.

Murasaki Shikibu

d.1030?

Famous novelist

Shikubu was the daughter of a certain Fujiwara Tametoki and married Fujiwara Nobutaka. Beyond educated conjecture, little is known of her early years. Her husband’s death in 1001 marks the first date in her life history can assign with any certainty. She seems to have retired to her home after Nobutaka’s death and presumably began work on the her great work, the ‘Tale of Genji’. Around 1005 her father arranged for her to become a lady-in-waiting to the consort of the Emperor Ichijô. Even here the details of her life remain obscure, despite her diary. We might assume that Shikibu accompanied the Empress of the late Ichijô (who died in 1011) into the latter’s retirement at a detached palace but when she retired or died is unknown – she simply disappears from history after about 1525. Despite this fact, her ‘The Tale of Genji’ (Genji Monogatari) remains as one of the world’s literary milestones – it is believed to be the first example of what we today would describe as a novel (or, strictly speaking, a psychological novel). Genji was also one of the world’s longest novels – at 630,000 or so words, it stands at twice the length of ‘War and Peace’. The novel’s scope is broad, occuring over the course of about seventy years and involving some 430 characters. (For a detailed look at Murasaki Shikibu, her novel, and times, see Morris: The World of the Shining Prince’).

Rai San’yô

1780-1832

Historian

San’yô was the son of Rai Shunsui, a historian and author of such works as the Fushin-shi. San’yô, who was also something of a poet, produced the Nihon Gaishi and Nihon Seiki. He was also notable for his sympathy for the cause of Imperial Restoration, which did not occur for decades after his death.

Samurai Notable Warriors Who Wielded The Samurai Sword

Satomura Jôha

1524-1602

Poet of linked verse

Jôha was the younger son of a temple servent at the Ichijôin in Nara who died when Jôha was 12. After a period of monastic life, Jôha became a priest though he elected to devote himself to poetry and traveled with noted renga composer Shûkei to Kyoto in 1542. He trained under Satomura Shôkyu and assumed the Satomura name after the death of the latter in 1552 – as well as becoming a foster father to Shôkyu’s son Shôshitsu. As head of the Satomura school of renga, Jôha’s fame gradually increased and he gained as patrons both Miyoshi Chokei and Matsunaga Hisahide and later became a teacher for Chokei’s son Yoshioki. He gained the favor of Oda Nobunaga in 1568 when the latter entered Kyoto and over the next ten years composed verse with such great names as Akechi Mitsuhide and Hosokawa Fujitaka. When Akechi killed Nobunaga in 1582, Jôha managed to spirit the crown prince out of Nijô and harm’s way – which held him in good stead when Hideyoshi questioned him afterwards (he had been involved in a provocative linked-verse session with Mitsuhide only days before Nobunaga’s death). He became active in politics under Hideyoshi and a companion of Toyotomi Hidetsugu – which led to his banishment to Miidera when Hidetsugu was ordered to commit suicide in 1595. He was allowed to return to Kyoto in the fall of 1596 and was soon forgiven by Hideyoshi. While enjoying the reputation of being Japan’s last true renga master and a discerning critic, Jôha’s reputation suffered from what some saw as opportunism and ambition in his character. His most notable works included the Renga shihôshô (Book of the Supreme Treasure of Renga) and his own journal, which detailed a trip he took to view Mt. Fuji in 1567.

Sei Shônagon

c.968-c.1025

Famous author

Shônagon was the daughter of Kiyowara Motosuke and a maid of honor to the consort of the Emperor Ichijô. A colorful figure, she produced the famous ‘Pillow Book’, or Makura no Sôshi, which provides the reader with an insider’s view of the going’s-on of the Imperial Court as well as Shônagon’s opinions on such subjects as love, good looks, commoners and gossip. Written around 1002, the Pillow Book stands as the second of the two great literary works of the day – next to Murasaki Shikibu’s ‘The Tale of Genji’. Shônagon was known for her wit and openness on all matters, leading Murasaki Shikibu to pen in her own diary, ‘Sei Shônagon has the most extraordinary air of self-satisfaction.’. (TWSP, pg.263)

Sen no Rikyû

1522-1591

Master of the tea ceremony

Sen no Rikyû was a man of merchant background from Sakai and was known for much of his career as Sôeki. His father was Sen (Tanaka) Yohyôe, himself the son of a certain Sen’ami whom we are told fled Kyoto during the Ônin war and took up in Sakai. Rikyû’s first mention in surviving documents is a listing (as ‘Yashiro’, which he was known as in his youth) as a contributor to a Sakai temple in 1535 (AWC, pg. 211). A practitioner of the tea ceremony from at least the age of fifteen, Rikyû had been trained as a tea man in the elegant Ashikaga style. He would in time reject this school in favor of a very different approach. The nobility’s tea ceremony had been developed to cater to the sorts of individuals that partook of it, with elegant Chinese utensils and great pains taken to avoid offending any guests of higher status. In his own vision, Rikyû substituted the pricey utensils with simple, practical ones, and replaced the expensive and often gaudy teahouses of the nobility with the Sôan, or ‘grass hut’ style teahouse. The only way into the tearoom of a Sôan was through a small door, the nijiriguchi, which was only some two and a half feet square. Guests therefore entered by crawling, a deliberately humbling device intended to create a sense of equality once inside. Rikyû intended for the tea ceremony to be an activity free from social and political trappings, though in this he was to be ultimatly disappointed. As Rikyû was making a name for himself, the warlord Oda Nobunaga was also gaining fame through his steady expansion and at length came to meet Rikyû. Rikyû’s early connection with Nobunaga is uncertain, as are the specifics of their relationship in general. However, it seems clear that Rikyû’s prestige grew over the roughly 14 years Nobunaga dominated Kyoto. His star would contine to rise under the good graces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi after Nobunaga’s death in 1582; in fact, Rikyû was performing ceremonies at Hideyoshi’s behest at Yamazaki (the site of the latter’s victory over Nobunaga’s destroyer) before the year was out. It has been speculated that Rikyû and Hideyoshi had known one another since the 1570′s – yet even their later relationship is hazy. Clearly, however, Hideyoshi – who used culture as a tool in the legitimization of his rule – saw many uses for Rikyû. This is perhaps ironic – the warlord who basked in the ostentatious – the teaman who stressed the humble. At any rate, as Rikyû’s prestige grew, so did his opportunities to throw his voice into the political arena. The most obvious case in point may be the visit of Kyushu daimyô Ôtomo Yoshishige (Sôrin) in 1586. Ôtomo had come out of retirement to beg for Hideyoshi’s assistance against the encroaching Shimazu family. After the fact he would observe that Rikyû’s assistance was most vital for anyone hoping to have an audience with Hideyoshi (AWC, pg.216). Rikyû’s career seemed to be at its height when he assisted Hideyoshi in a tea ceremony held for the emperor Ôgimachi in 1585. Two years later he accompanied Hideyoshi on the latter’s invasion of Kyushu; he would also entertain him during the 1590 Odawara Campaign. Yet, in 1591, Hideyoshi suddenly ordered Rikyû placed under house arrest in Sakai and was two weeks later made to commit suicide. This shocking turn of events provides historians with one of the great mysteries of Hideyoshi’s later career. Various theories have been presented over the years but none quite seem to satisfy. The official cause for Rikyû’s fall from favor and subsequent suicide concerns a gate to the Daitokuji in Kyoto. In 1589 Rikyû had donated money so that the gate (which had gone uncompleted since the 1520′s) could be finished and in tribute a statue of Rikyu had been added at the top of the structure. Hideyoshi, then, was infuriated at the notion of passing under the image of an inferior should he enter the temple and thus brought his fury down on Rikyû. In fact, Hideyoshi had the offending statue crucified along with ordering Rikyû’s suicide. Certain scholars have suggested that Rikyû had also incurred Hideyoshi’s displeasure in another way – that he was selling tea utensils for a great profit, thus abusing his position (and the fact that he could set the prices as he saw fit) (AWC, pg. 220). An alternate theory has Rikyû caught in the midst of a struggle within the Toyotomi ranks. This holds that Rikyû, who evidently favored a softer hand in dealing with the daimyô and their rights, was executed to appease those who took a harder line (such as Ishida Mitsunari). At any rate, Rikyû’s passing has been described as the end of an era – for Japanese culture in general and the tea ceremony in particular. Rikyû stands as one of the more complex and fascinating figures of Japan’s 16th Century, his fatal association with Hideyoshi somehow very appropriate and in keeping with the nature of that colorful time.

Suzuki Harunobu

1725-1770

Woodblock artist

Harunobu was a noted painter in the ukiyo-e (‘pictures of the floating world’) style and is thought to have been the first to produce a full polychrome print. His trademark was his delicate depiction of his female subjects.

Zeami

1363-1443

Pioneer of Nô drama

Zeami was the son of the playwright Kan’ami (1333-1384). In 1374 one of Kan’ami’s plays was preformed before the shôgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and the latter was much taken by the young Zeami, an actor in the work. Yoshimitsu arranged for Zeami to be placed in his custody and saw that the young man received a strong education and cultural refinement. Under the patronage of that great patron of the arts, Zeami flourished. The leader of his own troupe, he developed many plays (though scant few traces of his original work remain) and refined what would become known as ‘classic’ Nô drama. Yet his later life was to be marred by misfortune. His two sons would predecease him and after 1429 he suffered a troubled relationship with the shôgunate. In that year Zeami and his son Motomasa (himself author of the famous drama ‘Sumida River’ and others) were banned from entering the shôgun’s palace by Ashikaga Yoshinori and in 1434 Zeami was exiled to Sado Island for reasons unknown. He returned to Kyoto around 1441 but died only a few years later. His heir would be a son-in-law named Komparu Zenchiku (1405-1468). Among the many works attributed to Zeami are counted ‘Atsumori’, ‘Hanjo’, ‘Izutsu’, and ‘Yamamba’. Nô would remain a favorite of the upper-class into the Edo Period, when it was to fall out of favor somewhat at the start of the 18th Century.

——————————————————————————–

Sources:

Berry, Mary Elizabeth. Hideyoshi Harvard University Press, 1982 Ellison, George and Bardwell L. Smith, eds. Warlords, Artists, and Commoners The University Press of Hawaii, 1982 Hall, John Whitney and Toyoda Takeshi. Japan in the Muromachi Age University of California Press, 1977 Kamo-no-Chomei Hojoki Stone Bridge Press, 1996 Morris, Ivan The World of the Shining Prince Peregrine 1969 Sansom, G. B. Japan. A Short Cultural History Tuttle 1973 Tsunoda, Ryusaku, Wm. Theodore De Bary, Donald Keene. Sources of Japanese Tradition Columbia University Press, 1965 Tyler, Royall (ed.) Japanese Nô Dramas Penguin 1992

Note:

Word History: Stamp collectors know that Nihon and Nippon on Japanese stamps mean “Japan” what they probably don’t know is that Nihon, Nippon, and Japan are all ultimately the same word. In the early part of the Chinese Tang dynasty in A.D. 670, to be precise Japanese scholars who had studied Chinese created a new name for their country using the Chinese phrase for “origin of the sun, sunrise,” because Japan is located east of China. In the Chinese of the time (called Middle Chinese), the phrase was nzyet-pwun. To this the scholars added the Chinese suffix -kwuk, “country,” yielding a compound nzyet-pwun-kwuk, “sun-origin-country, land of the rising sun.” The consonant clusters in the word were not pronounceable in Old Japanese, so the form was simplified to Nip-pon-gu or *Ni-pon-gu, the latter developing by regular sound change to Ni-hon-gu. The forms Nippon and Nihon of today are the same as these, minus the “country” suffix. Interestingly, the Chinese themselves took to calling Japan by the name that the Japanese had invented, and it is from the Chinese version of the name that English Japan is ultimately derived. In Mandarin Chinese, one of the forms of Chinese to develop from Middle Chinese, the phrase evolved to Rìb nguó, an early form of which was recorded by Marco Polo as Chipangu, which he would have pronounced. The early Mandarin word was borrowed into Malay as Japang, which was encountered by Portuguese traders in Moluccas in the 16th century. These traders may have been the ones to bring the word to Europe; it is first recorded in English in 1577, spelled Giapan. (Reference: Dictionary.com)

Samurai VOCABULARY TERMS

bakufu

Japanese military rule; rule of the shogun

budo

The Way of combat; a name adopted in the 20th century for martial arts in general with an emphasis on their peaceful aspects

bushi

Warrior; name given to all the warriors who made up families with a warrior tradition

bushido

Way of the warrior; a code of honor and social behavior; succeeded the unwritten code of the Way of the bow and the horse

daimyo

a feudal lord; maintained a great number of samurai in their service, who all swore an oath of allegiance to them according to the rules of Bushido

ken-jutsu

The warrior art of the sword; art of using the sword as soon as it is drawn from the scabbard, in order to attack the enemy; transformed into the art of kendo

kendo

Way of the sword; a martial art (budo) of using the sword (ken). This art was developed from the earliest times by the warriors (bushi) of Japan, and from the 14th century on by the samurai. Ken-jutsu was prohibited in 1876 when the samurai were forbidden to carry swords, but was transformed into a martial sport (kendo) for physical and mental training of the young.

naginata

weapon used by foot soldiers against horsemen or to cut the tendons of horses or to disembowel them; also favorite weapon of the wives of samurai and of warrior monks

ninja

a group of men and women specially trained for espionage and assassination; generally drawn from the lower classes and used by the daimyo to assassinate enemies and penetrate enemy fortresses

ronin

during the Tokugawa period, name given to all bushi and samurai who did not serve a particular master, either because the master had died or because his lands had been confiscated. A number of these ronin became martial arts teachers or began some other job which was compatible with their samurai status (e.g., bodyguards).

samurai

a class of bushi (warriors). The original samurai were there for the protection of their lord and were especially trained in martial arts. Later the name was given to all bushi of a certain rank belonging to warrior families

seppuku

the act of ritual suicide performed by the samurai (The expression hara-kiri, to cut the abdomen, more widely used in the West, is considered more vulgar.)

shogun

title given by the emperor to the daimyo who showed himself to be the richest and the most powerful of all the lords

so-jutsu

techniques of using the lance, and performed wearing the ancient armor of the samurai

2012 – Looking Ahead

// December 28th, 2011 // No Comments » // General Info, Master Rankin

As we look forward to the coming year I would like to first wish everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year.

2012 promises to be another exciting year for the Mountain Academy. Testings are scheduled for March 10^th, June 9^th, September 8^th and December 8^th. We look forward to testing a number of students for increased rank this year.

Our new branch of the Mountain Academy will be in full swing starting in January. It is located at 250 E Dry Creek Road, Littleton, Co. in the Inspirations Dance Studio. You can contact Mr. Colson at jcolson at mtnacademy dot net  or Master O’Hara at masterohara at mtnacademy dot net  for more information. Class times and prices can also be found here. Master Bishop will be moving his classes including weapons from the Link to this location.

Our classes at the Link will continue as they did in 2011.  2012 will mark our 12^th year with Lakewood and the Link under the capable guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Barrow and given me a place to teach. It has been a pleasure to work with the City of Lakewood and the Link. They have helped us be a success. A Tournament is planned in October at the Link.

The Gilpin County and Idaho Springs schools continue to do well under the watchful eyes of Mrs. Rich and Mr. Beasley and are looking forward to a great year. A tournament is planned in Gilpin County in April.

Several Black Belts have made themselves available for private lessons. They are listed at the Mountain Academy website here. 

We are always trying to improve our school, if anyone has any suggestions please get them to us via the contact section on the website, they are much appreciated.

I am very proud of our Mountain Academy family and look forward to seeing each and every one of you in the coming year.

Happy New Year!

Grandmaster Rankin