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Thread: Deploying Polearms while Wearing Daisho

  1. #1
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    Default Deploying Polearms while Wearing Daisho

    To start off: Is there a practical method of handling the bo when wearing the two-swords? Are there (a) ryu that trains on the basis that the bo/jo wielder wears the two-swords? I've only done some basic experiments on my own with a bo and jo and I cant make it to work. The spear is easier to comprehend with daisho, but a bo is more trickier for me to imagine a proper way to use with two-swords in your belt. A jo, and the way I was taught how to use it, makes wearing a long-sword difficult for proper (shinto muso ryu) usage. For SMR though I was told that as the Ashigaru were the main users of the Jo then they would have prolly not have carried a long-sword but maybe a kodachi and/or jutte or other short-weapon. Of course this is all just a simplification of visual observations with some amateur experimenting, but it is interesting none-the-less and I thought I'd ask here for info from peeps with real experience. (might be good for jump-starting the "Bo, Naginata and Yari" forum too )

    So what about the other koryu that incorporate bo/jo? Like for instance Yagyu Shingan ryu, Katori Shinto Ryu, Hyoho Niten Ichi ryu (and so on). Whats their view on bo/jojutsu while wearing daisho.
    Fredrik Hall
    "To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous." /Confucius

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    Hi Fred!
    The bojutsu of the Katori Shinto Ryu works well with a sword or two at the side. We hold the bo very high over the hip when in sha no kamae, which is the basic kamae in TSKSR bojutsu. Proper hanmi is very important here. We dont wear a sword while practicing bojutsu but i have seen it demonstrated by my teacher (to explain why to hold the bo that high) and tried it myself several times.
    Regards
    Sven Beulke
    sven@bugei.org
    Bremen, Germany

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    I believe the katana was not typically worn if the user was planning on weilding a hafted weapon. However, in the case of an emergency, the user can push their katana behind them to a vertical position roughly behind the left leg out of the way, and use a hafted weapon pretty well. Wearing a tachi slung from the waist would seem a bit more practical for hafted weapons than a katana though.

    When using a long haft weapon, backup weapons were typically worn in the waistband in the event their primary weapon broke or was neutralized. In the case of Tendo-ryu naginatajutsu, naginata is used while wearing kaiken, tanto, or kodachi in the center position, and does not get in the way of the naginata techniques. The naginata haft in fact appears to more around the kashira barely missing it.

    Regards,
    Nathan Scott
    Nichigetsukai

    "Put strength into your practice, and avoid conceit. It is easy enough to understand a strategy and guard against it after the matter has already been settled, but the reason an opponent becomes defeated is because they didn't learn of it ahead of time. This is the nature of secret matters. That which is kept hidden is what we call the Flower."

    - Zeami Motokiyo, 1418 (Fūshikaden)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Nathan Scott View Post
    I believe the katana was not typically worn if the user was planning on weilding a hafted weapon. However, in the case of an emergency, the user can push their katana behind them to a vertical position roughly behind the left leg out of the way, and use a hafted weapon pretty well. Wearing a tachi slung from the waist would seem a bit more practical for hafted weapons than a katana though.
    Hi Nathan!
    I heard this a bit diffrent. If i remember it correctly Karl Friday posted here (or maybe in the Iaido-mailing-list, didnt find it yet!) that both types of montings, Katana and Tachi are used with armour, depending on the personel choice. Tachi would be preferred by mounted samurai.
    Regards
    Sven Beulke
    sven@bugei.org
    Bremen, Germany

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    Well after seeing this thread I thought I would try it. From my knowledge of bo i found that the shoto was fine, infact it seemed to help with making sure my body was aligned. However, once daisho were on the bo became a one-sided 2.5 dimensional weapon. I think that yari would be fine, but bo or naginata would be far too hindered to wield while wearing daisho.

    Only my view from having a bit of a play.
    Lawrence Fisher

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    I don't know anything about pole-arms, but I did recently have a discussion with my teacher about sword placement both unarmored and armored. It started over the placement of a single long sword in unarmored situations. It is acceptable to wear a single long sword in a way that you could not wear your long sword should you be wearing daisho.

    Wearing daisho in katana mounts puts your long sword in quite an awkward position for using a third weapon so I asked about mounted archers in the past. Part of the solution was using a tachi, slung edge down on himo rather than stashed through the belt. Another solution was wearing your shortest blade on your lower back. This would then also allow you to wear or move your tachi in ways that were more conducive to shooting your bow. Yet another consideration is the actual length of your shortest sword; is it a yoroidoshi, a wakizashi, a tanto?

    -Eric
    無雙直傳英信流・日本古武道居合研究会 - Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu ・ Nihon Kobudo Iai Kenkyukai
    東京蘆洲会 - Tokyo Roshukai

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