Is yawara still practiced? If so where?

[Jody Holeton]

Dear all,


I've heard of yawara, being the component of a couple koryu, especially in my own MJER. I have heard that no one practices that anymore...

Has anyone heard any different?
Does anyone in MJER practice the bo or yawara techniques anymore? Not even in Shikoku?

If anyone has any info I would really like to know.\

Thanks--Jody

[ghp]

Jody,

"Yawara" is alternatly pronounced as "ju." The kanji is the same as in judo, jujutsu and yawara.

Often shallowly interpreted as "soft" and "gentle," yawara/ju more closely resembles "pliable/flexible" in English -- giving a better translation for judo/jujutsu.

So, is "yawara" still studied? I would say "yes;" but, it is now called "jujutsu" or "judo." So, if you've seen the recent spate of idolism for Japan's recent girl's judo champion, you'll now understand why they call her "Yawara-chan."

Just in case you aren't aware, "~chan" is a diminuitive appended to a noun, similar to "~y" or "~ie" in English (e.g., John -> Johnny; Charles -> Charlie; etc.).

Regards,
The Trivia "Guy"

[MarkF]

Jody,
Guy is correct, but I get the feeling you are referring to a weapon called "yawara?"

It seems I have read or heard of such a weapon but I don't know what, exactly, it is.

Mark

[BrianV]

Hi Mark,
Yewara also refers to a small "hand stick" type weapon. It is usually a piece of wooden dowel, or even a bit of light metal used for pressure point and nerve strikes and manipulations.
I know of quite a few styles of gendai Jujutsu which use it, but I don't really know the history of it in Koryu.

Anyone else?

Brian Vermeulen

[Jody Holeton]

Dear all, epecially MarkF and Mr.Power,


Thank you for your quick response. I was hoping to dig up some info on Japanese "grappling" styles: yawara,jujitsu,judo and a couple of the shoot-fighting ones (even police ones using standing percussion techniques that go down to the ground for submission techniques.

More importantly I was hoping that someone could tell me where those lost forms of MJER are practiced? I've been told by my instructors that MJER used to be a "kitchen sink" koryu BUT most instructors dont know the different weapons or even the 2-man forms anymore.
Does anyone know where the complete Eishen-ryu way is taught?
Iaido is great (especially Eishen-ryu) but having the yawara and the different weapons make it even better.

Thanks---Jody

[Neil Hawkins]

Jody

I'm just running out the door to training, so sorry for the brevity.

The yawara is still practiced by Kukishinden Ryu and Tsutsumi Hozan Ryu.

As for the 'lost bits' of MJER can't help sorry.

Neil

[Paul Steadman]

Hi All,

Yarrrawa like techniques are still utilised in MJER Iaijutsu! Just look at the application of waza/kata such as Taki-otoshi in the Chuden series ie: Attempting to wrench ones saya free from an opponents grab, culminating in applying an inner wrist-lock on the opponent by twisting/turning your scabbard prior to drawing your swor and stabbing him!

I've also seen some yarrawa like techniques in the MJER Kumitachi no kata (aka Tachi-ai, Tachi Uchi no Kurai etc), where the opponents arm is gripped prior to stabbing, where an otoshi-waza (take-down) is applied prior to placing your katana on the ground and applying an atemi-waza with your right fist. There are others but I can't think of them at the moment.

If you look carefully you will probably see yarrawa applications in all of the MJER waza across the whole series of instruction. All the best.

Regards,

Paul Steadman
Shidokai Koden Bujutsu

[Earl Hartman]

Jody:

According to Masaoka Sensei's book, the yawara component of the original MJER curriculum was fairly extensive. He lists quite a number of forms. I put all of this information up on e-budo B.C. (Before Crash) but I guess I'l have to do it again.

Mr. Steadman has mentioned the "yawara" type elements of various kata (e.g., Takiotoshi), and many of the paired kata have these elements also. However, there actually was a separate part of the syllabus that was specifically yawara, i.e., primarily concerned with grappling as opposed to sword work. Masaoka Sensei's book contains no specific information about it, but to take the Takenouchi Ryu as an example, the yawara/taijutsu curriculum was often not completely unarmed as is modern judo, but involved small weapons such as daggers. In Nagao Ryu Taijutsu, for instance, a lot of the techniques are unarmed defense against a sudden armed or unarmed attack, or are techniques for actually attacking someone without a weapon. MJER was originally a "sogo bujutsu" (comprehensive martial system) and had, as you have been told, bojutsu and torinawa techniques, in additon to solo and paired sword exercises and yawara/taijutsu techniques, so I imagine that the hand to hand stuff dealt with many of the same kind of scenarios as other ryu of this type and dealt with unarmed defense against a variety of armed and unarmed attacks.

[Jody Holeton]

Dear Mr.Hartman,

Does anybody do the full sogo bujutsu format for Eishinryu?
Anybody in Shikoku?Kyoto?

This seems like an important koryu subject to me?
Eishinryu is like the second most popular iaido style in Japan right now? Right?

Anybody have any advice on where I can find more info?

Thanks again---Jody

[Earl Hartman]

Jody:

I doubt very seriously that anyone has the full MJER curriculum anymore, but I don't know that for certain. The only thing I can think of is to contact someone in one of the koryu organizations in Japan.

[Robert Reinberger]

Originally posted by Earl Hartman
According to Masaoka Sensei's book, the yawara component of the original MJER curriculum was fairly extensive. He lists quite a number of forms. I put all of this information up on e-budo B.C. (Before Crash) but I guess I'l have to do it again.
Actually, this was one of the posts I missed very much since the crash, and regretted that I haven't saved it, thinking that I will always be able to find it at this site.

So, Mr. Hartman, if you would be so kind to do that work again, I would appreciate it. (Refrained from asking for it, but now, as you brought it up .... ;) )


Regards,
Robert

[Jeff Cook]

I'm sure you can find elements of yawara in virtually every japanese art from that period, and following that period. If there is a grappling or a striking element in a japanese weapons form, one could argue that these are elements of yawara.

All of the combative arts were practiced together at that time (samurai practiced mulitple methods of combat, both armed and unarmed [e.g. yawara]), and it is reasonable to assume that the combative arts shared the same combative principles. No gems of discovery there, in my opinion.

As for the weapon/tool referred to as a "yawara" or "yawari," I have been told by some reputable sources here that although those labels are commonly used to describe the same weapon, it is an incorrect usage.

In deferrence to their judgement, I now refer to the weapon/tool by it's modern name: the kubotan.

Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu

[Earl Hartman]

Robert:

I started a new thread called "MJER Curriculum" in the Sword Arts forum.

[mike hamel]

Mr.Frank Atsuo Matsuyama passed away in 1957. He had came to the US in about 1905, after learning Yawara from his father (His father's name was Miyakonojo Atsusane Matsuyama
and his mother's was Kiku Takemoto).

At least one of Matsuyama's sons is still alive in California (born 1927). He did Yawara as a youth (and perhaps later).

Main student was Mr.Frank Goody, who passed away in 1995 (Denver,Colorado). He originally was given a letter of introduction to Matsuyama (1935 California).

During World War II (into the late 1940s), Matsuyama was required to move inland (1808 Stout St, Denver, Colorado); and taught policeman, etc. in Colorado, Nebraska.

Later, Matsuyama returned to California.

There are dozens of Mr.Goody's Yawara students ranging in age from early thirties to mid-seventies. They were usually brown or black belts in other arts (judo, karate, aikido, etc) before starting Yawara.

One thing interesting is that Matsuyama mentioned that he had never seen a Yawara contest that lasted more than seven minutes.

[Matsukaze]

Mr. Hamel,

Would this be the same Frank Goody that taught in Denver, Colorado? I seem to recall that he claimed to be the 10th dan successor to Frank Matsuyama and the "Matsuyama-ryu" of yawara, as well as the 10th dan successor to a Chinese-Okinawan karate system called "Shingoju ryu". His school in Denver also supposedly offered 32 different forms of budo (?!). I have heard some interesting stories about Mr. Goody over the years. Were you by chance a student of his?

As an aside, many forms of traditional budo use the term "yawara" to denote their grappling methods (i.e. the Katori Shinto ryu and Tatsumi ryu). I think that is the question that was originally asked by Mr. Holeton (I could be mistaken). My understanding of Mr. Matsuyama was that he taught a "modern" method of defense to police officers after WWII, not a koryu.

Back to lurking,

Pat Thomas

[mike hamel]

This reply should be taken with a grain of salt. My intelligence is quite low, my reflexes are extremely slow, and am lacking in any inherent talent for the martial arts. Have only seen the lowest 5% of Yawara; and am clueless in performing even slightly advanced techniques. Everyone including personal friends would agree with this assessment.

Intention of getting historical information on Yawara and Matsuyama, was to offer it as a gift to Mrs. Goody in Mr. Goody's memory.

Matsuyama teaching police departments, etc. self-defense and phyical culture was "perhaps" a 'day-job'. Beyond these seminars and rookie training classes, some students went to regular Yawara classes {including classical weapons} at his school. Fewer still would take private lessons.

Matsuyama {in his sixties} wrote a booklet for policemen, demonstrating using the yawara stick. This booklet has only three photographs of Matsuyama {wearing a suit, or long sleeve white shirt}. In the back of this booklet are recommendation letters {including one from an ex-police captain inferring that Matsuyama taught him starting in 1932--- it also talked about 'combative' yawara versus yawara required by policemen}

Have seen a photograph of Matsuyama in his thirties or forties (1920s??), wearing traditional Japanese attire with a fairly long katana. Early 1950s photographs show Yawara students wearing hakimas, and doing a two-man form with a distinctive short sword.

There was also a distinctively shaped short spear with at least four forms; and at the "very least" one katana form {I know there are more, but do not have a number}.

Have been told that majority of Yawara was taught as individual techniques--- including open-hand throws, locks & strikes; knife, jo, bo, japanese riding whip (almost the length of a jo, but very flexible}.

Three characteristic {and quite splendid} things about Mr.Goody.

First, he taught 'pure' Judo in Judo class, 'pure' Karate in Karate class, 'pure' Aikido in Aikido class, etc.

Second, many things (special martial arts, forms, techniques} were taught privately to small groups of people, or to indiviuals.

Third, the 'opposite of bragging'. He was very impeccable talking about martial arts and his teachers. Here are three examples:
1). Every bit of 'historical' information {that I have found} about Matsuyama has agreed with Mr.Goody's conversations [or was found thru these talks].
2). In the beginning of a long open-handed TaiChi form, some moves didn't agree with Sophia Delza's book, or even the elderly lady Wu's book---- but they did agree with the founder's son photographs {www.wustyle.com}.
3). In about 1975, mentioned that he had met and studied with Fairbairn (knife fighting, etc.) in 1935 or 1936 in Shanghai. He mentioned that Fairbairn had a martial arts school; gave a physical description of Fairbairn {which didn't agree with WW II or later photographs}; and mentioned that an ex-bodyguard of the Empress of China and an ex-bodyguard of the Emperor of Japan would hang-out at this school. A 1999 article by Alan Pittman {Journal of ...Martial Arts-- based on interviews with Fairbairn's family) had a photograph of a young Fairbairn which corresponded to Mr.Goody's description; confirmed that Fairbairn had a school; and gave a name for the chinese bodyguard.

Would like to hear more stories about Mr.Goody--- my email is hamelam@navsea.navy.mil

mike hamel

[Matsukaze]

Mr. Hamel,

Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I myself never met or trained with the man, but when I first moved to the Denver area, I had the opportunity to meet a couple of former students of the late Mr. Goody. These students allowed me to read some of the articles published by and about him and they were truly something to behold.

As for Mr. Matsuyama, I have read several blurbs about him in various publications over the years, such as Jay Gluck's "Zen Combat". I remember seeing somewhere that following WWII, soldiers could use the GI Bill to attend his school.

There is an interesting site online for those interested in the Matsuyama/Goody legacy, http://www.yawara.com . The site also offers videos wherein "Yawara master Daryl Pennington explains how to model your entire being after the laws of the cosmos."

Apologies for the thread drift,

Pat Thomas
P.S. I would enjoy hearing from you as well. My email address is matsukaze@home.com

[Edited by Matsukaze on 11-24-2000 at 12:37 PM]

[mike hamel]

Mrs. Pauline Goody is in Denver (American Budo-Judo College). Please give her my best wishes. A very admirable lady.

There are many of Mr.Goody's students with high levels of skill and decency. Members from the late 1940s-early 1950s would visit, but I personally only worked out with one of them.

Of the 1960s-1970s-and early 1980s Yawara students--- one especially was very skilled. It would be very interesting to see him at this stage of time. He was extremely good then-- so imagine him now. (Assume that he still only practices privately).

Mr.Goody also had studied Judo (nidan in the late 1950s or early 1960s), jujitsu, aikido (started in 1953 or 54), and aikijitsu--- but he always said that Yawara was his favorite.

Believe that I heard in the mid-1970s--- there were two men in Japan in their eighties that did Matsuyama's Yawara, and they had no one to pass it on to.

mike hamel

[MarkF]

Here is a bit of history regarding Yawara, and Frank Atsuo Matsuyama: This is from "Pacific Citizen," 1948:




"At the time of the article, Matsuyama was aged 62, stood 5'3", and
weighed 134 pounds. (His fighting weight was 94 pounds, so he'd put on
weight over time.) Matsuyama said he was the son of a Satsuma samurai.
Has the usual story about starting judo because of being unhealthy (a
horse fell on him at age 8; he started at age 11.) Came to US in 1903 at
age 17. Worked as houseboy, dishwasher, farm hand; ran a hog and chicken
ranch; worked for Jack London for a bit, then ran a repair shop for Model
Ts. In 1928 he returned to yawara, opening a gym in Berkeley, CA, and
teaching police. Aged 42, weighed 114 pounds, and had to hurt five
officers before the police believed there was something to the stuff.
Spent 1928-1942 teaching police, etc. At start of WWII, he started
training 600 auxiliary police in Eastbay area of California; with letters
from the police, he relocated to Denver rather than camps. In Denver he
trained state guard, denver police, etc. Four sons (eight children)
served in the US Army, but no first names available.

His favorite device was the yawara stick, what we would now call a
Kubotan; it was not as dangerous, or as likely to draw public ire, as the
blackjacks that it replaced, and got better compliance from drunks. ("Hit
a man on the head with a blackjack," Matsuyama says, "and he gets mad. He
fights back. But hit him on the hand with the yawara stick, and it takes
the spirit out of him. He has to fight with his hands. If his hands hurt,
he doesn't want to fight.")

Training time required to be reasonably effective with the yawara stick
was about a week.

"Yawara, according to Matsuyama, is an ancient Japanese system of
self-defense taught for centuries only among the nobles. It is scientific
in the same way as judo, but more robust and roughneck as it includes
punching and kicking along with trick holds... Matsuyama contends he is
the only yawara instructor in the United States. Even in Japan yawara
instructors are rare. A recent issue of Stars and Stripes published in
Tokyo said an American army sergeant, Daniel L. Kinney, who learned
yawara from Matsuyama, started yawara classes at Tachikawa air base when
no native instructors could be found."

***

FWIW, Hosokawa is still alive and living near Denver, so he might have
some idea of who Matsuyama's kids are, and where they are today."

Joe Svinth







[Edited by MarkF on 01-02-2001 at 04:16 AM]