The sword is the soul of the samurai.

TOKUGAWA IEYASU, PRECEPTS

Of all samurai abilities, none is more important than prowess at the martial arts: it is through them that you become a true samurai. The first shogun, Minamoto Yoritomo, was a great statesman, but he was foremost a superb martial artist. Without that accomplishment he would have earned no respect from his fellow samurai, nor indeed would he have been able to exercise his statesmanship if he had not already vanquished those whom he now ruled. Whatever rank one holds in the grand scheme of things, a superlative sword and a well-made suit of armour will be of use to their owner only if he has been trained in the martial arts.

Practise the Martial Arts: No Pain – No Gain

Wherever you live, your lord will probably employ a teacher of sword-fighting (or other martial arts) who has a distinguished record and has earned the honoured title of sensei – which means so much more than just ‘teacher’. Over the years you will develop a close relationship with your sensei, and hopefully the skills of the great teacher will rub off on you. This man will be a superb martial arts practitioner in his own right and will hold a glorious position in your lord’s army when he takes to the battlefield, but the greatest service he will render in his entire career is the training he provides for young samurai like you. He will certainly have in mind a training plan that will include kenjutsu and yarijutsu (sword- and spear-fighting techniques), as well as the use of specialized edged weapons such as the naginata (glaive), the dagger (tanto) and the nodachi (extra-long sword). Other specialists employed in your lord’s entourage will cover archery, horsemanship and the vulgar, though sadly unavoidable, skills of gunnery and shooting.

The perennial problem for these experts lies in how to train young men like you in the use of real, sharp-edged weapons without thereby causing dreadful injuries. Well, one way is through the use of kata, which are set moves performed time and time again to rehearse every possible combination of thrust and counter-thrust. As the essence of kata lies in the fact that no contact is made, sword kata can be performed using real swords and spear kata with real spears. A very advanced form of training involves tsumeru, which is the use of real swords but with the blow pulled short of its target. Needless to say, this is very difficult to achieve, and no greater praise can be heaped upon a swordsman than to record of him that he has the skills and the control to perform tsumeru. The great swordsman Miyamoto Musashi (whom you may even meet one day as he makes one of his famous warrior pilgrimages round Japan, challenging worthy opponents) is supposed to be able to sever a grain of cooked rice placed upon an opponent’s nose without breaking the man’s skin.

The age-old problem of how to practise effectively with real swords has partly been solved by the introduction of the bokken. This is a wooden sword of the same weight as a steel sword, meaning realistic blows can be delivered.

When it comes to developing a samurai’s skills with edged weapons, there is no substitute for hours and hours of practice using wooden imitations of the real thing. Some people think that using carved timber swords or spears is a soft option, but those people have never been knocked almost unconscious by a blow from a dummy weapon. For example, the bokken (wooden sword) is made from just oak, but it has the weight and the balance of a real sword, and can really hurt. The only thing it lacks is a keen metal edge, so be prepared to take the blows and give some back.

Real fights with real swords will occur on the battlefield, and there is no substitute for this experience; I must, however, make it clear that no lord should ever allow his young samurai to go out on to the highways and start fights just to practise their skills. That is not in accordance with the Way of the Warrior. One day, perhaps, just perhaps, you may become such a superlative swordsman that it will be fitting for you to venture on a warrior pilgrimage like those undertaken by Miyamoto Musashi, but you will do well to remember that not all of his dojo yaburi (challenges) are to the death. Musashi is not a murderer and does not consider it beneath his dignity to fight with a wooden sword if that is sufficient to convince a challenger of his superiority. Of course, if that challenger is not convinced that he has lost and insists on a fight with real swords then that is an entirely different matter. He may well end up being killed, and serve him right; the mere sight of Miyamoto Musashi drawing his sword is enough to persuade most opponents to surrender. All this is in accordance with the Way of the Warrior because, in the eloquent words of His Most Illustrious Highness, a sword is in its position of greatest strength when it lies sleeping in its scabbard.

A samurai swordsman holding his katana with one hand. His secondary weapon, the wakizashi (short-sword), is also thrust through his belt.

Sword-Fighting Techniques

A later section will describe how the sword is used to its best advantage on the battlefield, but in the dojo (practice hall) you will learn a series of techniques that are of universal application, whether you are fighting a friendly contest with wooden swords, or engaged in a duel to the death with steel blades.

The first principle you must understand is that, as well as being an attacking weapon, your sword provides you with defence. In many foreign countries warriors use things called shields, which are small boards carried in the non-striking hand that are used to receive an opponent’s blow. The warrior then retaliates with a cut of his own delivered by the other hand. By contrast, Japanese swords are two-handed weapons, and if used properly can become their own shields, deflecting blows aimed against you as well as providing a means of following-up. A one-handed sword used in Europe called a rapier involves a similar idea, but the rapier is only a thrusting weapon. The Japanese sword can be used for both cutting (kiri) and thrusting (tsuki), and therein lies its unique qualities and strengths. When you practise sword-fighting, you will be taught to direct cutting attacks against the top of the head, the wrist, the side and the leg below the knee, with a thrusting movement being used to attack the throat. In a melee on the battlefield you will probably have to hit out at any target that presents itself, but these simple principles of attack are valuable because they strike at the most vulnerable parts of an unarmoured body.

Yet a list of preferred targets is much less important than the swordsman’s overall attitude and composure. The self-control to appreciate a possible weak point and to deduce the means to attack it (perhaps even using an unorthodox sword-stroke), may well be the samurai’s key to survival. The swordsman going into a contest must be completely calm. He will present an air of relaxation and detachment, even though he is totally alert and ready to spring out of the illusion of carelessness into sudden and violent action. He might therefore begin the contest with an iai stroke – a blow delivered straight from the scabbard. The sword is normally thrust through the belt with its cutting edge uppermost so that such a devastating initial blow may even win the contest in a single stroke. This is not the case with samurai in armour, who usually deliver the first blow using a spear, and so sling the sword from their belt.

We may envisage two swordsmen facing each other, their swords already drawn and their sword-tips almost touching. Many are the preferred stances adopted by renowned swordsmen: some will stand with the sword pointing forwards and its tip inclined slightly upwards (the seigan position); others will hold it almost vertical; and some keep it close to their faces with the cutting edge projecting forwards (the takanami position). Others have it held behind them in a seemingly careless manner, taunting their opponent to strike first – here the deadly stroke could well be the second blow that is delivered, the recipient having either dodged or deflected the first. In ordinary clothes a sword-cut against an unprotected arm or leg could well disable the victim, making no further blows necessary. In armour the situation is very different, and numerous blows will be exchanged before the combat is resolved.

The ferocity of a sword-cut must always be complemented by the swordsman’s delicacy of movement. He should be able to slide and glide in smooth, controlled turns that are executed as gracefully as a shrine maiden performing a dance for the gods. By these means a cut delivered against him may simply be sidestepped rather than parried, leaving his opponent in a very vulnerable position. Various ryu (schools of sword-fighting) have their own favourite sets of movements, just as they have their own preferred techniques of cutting and thrusting. One sensei may speak of his ‘dragonfly technique’, another of his favourite ‘lightning strike’, both of which will be complete mysteries to those who are not his pupils.

SEIGAN This is the classic fighting stance. The point of the blade is held towards the opponent’s throat.	TAKANAMI The sword is raised and held horizontally, as if preparing for a thrust.
UKAGE KENNOSEI This position looks almost casual, as if inviting your opponent to strike first.	DOFAN SO SEI Two swordsmen in seigan stances clash their swords in cutting strokes.
NUSHIN JUKENNOSEI The swordsman in takanami has his sword blocked by his opponent’s upward sweep.	INSHIN NO KIRIME A sudden undeflected thrust by the swordsman on the left takes his blade towards his opponent’s heart.
KAISIN NO KIRIME Stepping smoothly to the side, the swordsman on the left avoids his opponent’s cut, responding with a slash of his own.	JUSHIN NO KIRIME A slide to the right allows the swordsman to deliver a blow against his opponent’s exposed wrists.

To illustrate the above points I will recount an incident related to me about Miyamoto Musashi, who was once simultaneously attacked by seven men. The ruffians made a circle around him, but Musashi stood quietly, putting them off guard with his remarkable composure. Then he suddenly exploded into action, drawing his sword in an iai stroke with his left hand and plunging it almost by instinct into the opponent standing behind him. Withdrawing the blade he switched it to his right hand and took out two more opponents with a swift horizontal slice, cutting down a fourth with the return sweep of the blade. The remaining three were now disorientated, and their initial advantage of numbers had been reduced. Wielding his sword in a kisagake (whip-like) slash, Musashi completed his victory.

Spears and Other Polearms

These remarks about swordplay are equally applicable to the training of samurai in the use of spears as well as other edged weapons. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that training for spear-fighting is more important than training for sword-fighting. Why? Simply because the spear will be your primary weapon on the battlefield, and it is only when you close with your enemy that you will draw your sword. So honour the Japanese sword of course, but if your spear-fighting techniques are not up to scratch you will not live long enough to use it.

The most important battlefield weapon for a samurai is the yari (straight spear). This is essentially a thrusting weapon that can be used on foot or from horseback.

The essence of successful spear-fighting lies in appreciating that the spear is primarily a thrusting weapon rather than a cutting weapon, and this piercing action may be performed either from horseback or on foot. The naginata (glaive) is quite different, because this is a cutting weapon mounted on a spear-shaft, and only the most expert practitioner can use one effectively from horseback. Superlative riding skills are also needed to wield the naginata, because you will have to control your horse using only your legs, so as to free up both arms for the weapon. The nodachi (field sword) is even more difficult to use from horseback as it is heavy and requires more agility. The amazing performance by the Makara (father and son) at the battle of Anegawa in 1570 is the only example I can think of where a nodachi was used by a mounted warrior. Furthermore, please do not be fooled by the giant nodachi you see in temples: these exaggerated weapons are made as offerings to the gods and are not intended for battlefield use.

Wielding the naginata (glaive) requires greater skill than the yari (spear) because of its curved blade. It is difficult to use from horseback, but the momentum given to the cutting edge by swinging the long shaft makes it a deadly weapon in the right hands.

The naginata has a long curved blade, and is used for fierce slashing strokes.

The Way of Horse and Bow

Many young warriors forget that centuries ago a samurai’s worth was measured not by his skills at sword-fighting or spear-fighting, but by his prowess with a bow and arrow from the back of a horse. You were a good samurai if you could shoot an arrow into an enemy while galloping along on a horse – proficient in what was called the Way of Horse and Bow (the forerunner of the all-encompassing code to samurai behaviour that we now call the Way of the Warrior). Speaking as one who can neither ride nor shoot arrows well, I have the greatest respect for anyone who can do both at once; it is always a delight at certain shrine festivals to watch skilled young samurai dressed as huntsmen performing the martial art of yabusame. Yabusame involves galloping along a track and releasing three arrows in succession against fixed wooden targets. Alas, modern warfare, with its emphasis on meticulous movement and the control of large blocks of troops, is not what it used to be, making the opportunity for individual horse archery a rare thing indeed. Samurai nowadays are far more likely to be seen delivering a cavalry charge armed with spears or naginata. It is no less honourable, but it just isn’t the same.

Equestrian skills are absolutely vital for a samurai, who has not only to ride a horse, but also to use weapons from the horse’s back. The martial art of yabusame and hunting are both good training for a horseman.

Mounted archery, naturally, involves outstanding ability in the skills of both horsemanship and bowmanship, so how may these be practised? My answer is that from time immemorial no pursuit has surpassed hunting as a form of training for samurai. It still serves this function, even though it is now more frequently enjoyed simply for the thrill of the chase. Sadly, the techniques of hunting (along with those of warfare) have changed with the times. Animals are now driven by beaters into a wide corral where samurai spear them from their horses, bring them down with arrows or even (dare I mention it?) shoot them dead with guns. No, if hunting is to be a meaningful form of training you must ride out, seek your game and then pursue it across the landscape.

Hunting has long been regarded as good practice for mounted warfare, although now, in the Edo period, it’s not what it used to be. The present custom is for game to be corralled by beaters rather than being pursued.

The Pistol – A Promising Innovation

My negative views on firearms are well known, but before we leave the question of horseback warfare I am delighted to be able to inform you that a new type of gunpowder weapon has recently been introduced. I think that it might transform mounted warfare, making it resemble once more the individual combat with bows at which your ancestors excelled. The new weapon is called a ‘pistol’, and from my own limited knowledge of it I believe that this may be what we have all been waiting for, because it enables a samurai to use a firearm without any connotations of vulgarity. A pistol is like a very short arquebus that you can hold steadily in one hand rather than two, making it ideal for the noble mounted samurai, as distinct from the ignoble unmounted foot soldier. What is most interesting about the pistol is that the powder in the chamber is ignited not by a slow match, with all that procedure’s inherent dangers, but by a flint from which sparks emerge when a metal wheel rotates against it. It takes time to reload a pistol, of course, but as every noble samurai has attendants waiting upon him, this would be an ideal task for them to perform: while you fire two pistols your servant can be reloading a third. His Most Excellent Highness firmly believes that a pistol can be fired from the saddle with no loss of dignity, so at last we have a firearm that can be considered honourable for samurai to use in this often-depressing world of modern warfare.

The recently introduced wheel-lock pistol provides new opportunities for a Tokugawa-era samurai to join combat from horseback. Several pistols are employed, all of which are reloaded by servants.

Unarmed Combat – The Samurai’s Last Resort

There may come a time on the battlefield when you have lost your spear, your sword and your dagger. In such circumstances bare hands will decide the outcome of combat, and a wide range of grappling arts exist to help you overcome your opponent. You may well have tried sumo wrestling, either for pleasure, training or as an offering to the gods, but even though sumo is very entertaining, there are other grappling techniques that will be of much greater use to you. The first is karate, which teaches you to use your fists and your feet as if they were sword-blades or spear-points. The second is ju-jutsu, a technique that enables you to throw an opponent, hold him down and apply subtle locks to his joints to immobilize him. The great advantage of learning ju-jutsu is that you may practise using full contact without the inherent risks associated with sword-play. So neglect ju-jutsu at your peril, and take heart from the example of Lord Kato Kiyomasa, who became one of the ‘Seven Spears’ (the day’s most valiant warriors) at the battle of Shizugatake in 1583. He defeated his final opponent in a ju-jutsu contest that ended with both of them falling over a cliff.

Sumo wrestling is an ancient grappling art much performed at festivals. It is of limited use to a samurai, for whom ju-jutsu techniques are more suitable.

Unarmed combat is the samurai’s last resort, and there exist a number of techniques in ju-jutsu whereby the unarmed fighter may overcome an opponent, such as throwing him on to his back or placing force against his joints to immobilize him.

How to Swim in a Suit of Armour

When you read the old chronicles and battle stories that I recommend in a later section, you will be struck by the number of times skilled samurai swam their horses across rivers so that they might be first into battle. Certain of your contemporaries, however, go even further than that. Many years ago I visited the territory of the lord of Aizu, who gave me a demonstration of the unusual martial skills cherished by his samurai; not only can they swim while wearing suits of armour, but they can also operate bows as well. He even has a pond within the courtyard of his castle where his samurai practise. The secret of their technique lies in the strange jacket they wear over their suits of armour, which is made from a substance obtained from the bark of trees in countries such as Annam and Champa. It is called cork, and it floats in water without becoming saturated. I marvelled at the display in which a samurai sat upright in the pond – as if he was on an invisible horse – and loosed arrows at a target. By all means try this yourself, but practise using an old suit of armour. To risk rust appearing on a cherished family heirloom would be disgrace indeed.