Wearing of wakizashi with katana

[RDeppe]

A posting in the sword section made me remember to ask this. I have been thinking about it for years. Why doesn't uchi wear both swords? I know about a nice side effect of not wearing the kodachi in kage, but that seems like a side effect and not a reason.

Curious to hear your thoughts.

[Andy Watson]

I am basing this on no historical research but I would think that common sense would suggest:

a) not all Japanese warriors were necessarily of the samurai rank and therefore wore both swords
b) few warriors were accomplished in any nito-style system so the wakizashi served as nothing more than a sidearm to be worn indoors. On this basis it isn't a relevant part of martial arts practise.

Just me two pen'eth.

[UKPatrick]

Andy,

'Just me two pen'eth' - are you developing a northern accent?

Patrick

[renfield_kuroda]

Originally posted by RDeppe
Why doesn't uchi wear both swords?

The very practical answer Niina-gosoke gave us is:
Because the wakizashi gets in the way.
That is, once the samurai were no more, and folks in general did not wear a wakizashi on a regular basis, those who studied martial arts, even iai or sword-related arts, didn not use/wear a wakizashi because it was generally in the way and not serving any purpose. Moreso for jo, because often the uchi of jo is another jo student, not necessarily an iai or kenjutsu practitioner familiar with a wakizashi.

Then again even today some schools (mine for example) insist on wearing a second once a reasonable level of proficiency is achieved.
But this is the exception not the norm.

Regards,

r e n

[hyaku]

In my case the shorter weapon gives support to the longer weapon both in thrusting into the Obi and as a support weapon if the opponent is too close or in a confined space.

But I would go along with what Renfield said that it could get in the way. Drawing the long one is no problem. But drawing the short I need to support the weight of the longer weapon if action gets more aggressive.

To me its an extremly relevant part of research and practice. I would feel lost without my "companion".

[RDeppe]

Thanks for your answers. My own thoughts would also put me in favor of a historical answer-- I was just curious if there was any real knowledge of how it came about; such as "upto the 1800's both were worn and then there was a gradual decline until..." or some other completely different answer, such as the clan of this ryu never wore both swords, etc, etc.

[gmlc123]

Originally posted by RDeppe
Thanks for your answers. My own thoughts would also put me in favor of a historical answer-- I was just curious if there was any real knowledge of how it came about; such as "upto the 1800's both were worn and then there was a gradual decline until..." or some other completely different answer, such as the clan of this ryu never wore both swords, etc, etc.

Keep in mind that SMR Jojutsu was the secret art of the Kuroda-han ashigaru (foot soldiers of lowest rank). Although the status of the ashigaru changed during the reign of Hideyoshi, it may have still been inappropriate for ashigaru to wear two swords.

Perhaps someone who knows a little more about the historical context of the ashigaru's change in social status as Samurai could edify us as to whether it was or was not appropriate for ashigaru during the 1600-1800s to wear two swords.

I look forward to hearing others thoughts on it.
Greg

[renfield_kuroda]

Originally posted by RDeppe
Thanks for your answers. My own thoughts would also put me in favor of a historical answer-- I was just curious if there was any real knowledge of how it came about; such as "upto the 1800's both were worn and then there was a gradual decline until..." or some other completely different answer, such as the clan of this ryu never wore both swords, etc, etc.

I recall Niina-gosoke talking about when Shiokawa-sensei and others were creating the zenjoren seitei kata, and they discussed the wearing of two swords, but since most iai practitioners at the time didn't bother, they decided against it.

Regards,

r e n