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