Tetsubo (iron club)

[BradfordE]

Hello

As I was reading through the book 'Samurai Warriors' by Stephen Turnbull, I came across an illustration depicting a samurai from the Onin War of 1467 holding a very large, studded iron club(pp. 56-57 plate #12).

Is anyone out there familiar with this type of weapon? Was this a common weapon used during that time?

Thanks!

Bradford Pomeroy

[Meik Skoss]

It's a tetsubo (lit., "iron staff). They were used, mainly by *very* strong individuals, but were never particularly common. There are no koryu associated with this weapon.

[Scott Irey]

Meik,

There you go dashing my dreams against the craggy shore of reality...no tetsubo in any of the koryu!! Are you sure?!? How about in the local batting cage?

Scott "who always wanted to learn but could never lift the damn thing up" Irey

[Yamantaka]

Hello!

Is there any koryu ryuha that still practices the Tetsubo?
Best

[Kenseii]

Can someone please advise me of any ryu that teach Tetsubo-jutsu as part of their curriculum? and of any printed works detailing techniques etc... This seems to be a much-ignored weapon and as such is something I would be interested in training in.

Thank you


Kenneth Andrews

[allan]

Hello,

There is an interesting discussion about the tetsubo and other related impact weapons ("brute force" weapons) at bugei sword froum:

http://www.swordforumbugei.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000136.html

Ellis Amdur suggestes that the tetsubo could not be wielded well by your average bugeisha; you've got to be strong !! Anyway, you'll do better reading it all for yourself.

Abayo,