Haitorei

[Guest Rayhan]

Hi all

 

I was wondering if the laws on swords passed in the Edo period by the Tokugawa Shogunate can also be termed Haitorei?

 

Ray

[Geraint]

Dear Ray.

 

As far as I understand it the haitorei is a specific law issued in March 1876 banning the wearing of swords except for specific groups of people.  There were other laws regarding swords issued at other times in the Edo period by the Tokugawa.

 

All the best.

[Guest Rayhan]

Thank you so much for the quick reply! I see that it was a series of edicts specific to the Meiji period, but does Haitorei have a direct translation / meaning in Japanese? Is there a specific rei for the Edo period edicts on sword possession and lengths?

[SteveM]

Hello, 

Wikipedia tells me the actual name (or the name commonly used) for the law banning the wearing of swords is 

大礼服並軍人警察官吏等制服着用の外帯刀禁止 

which translates roughly to:The prohibition on the wearing of swords except for official (government) formal attire and for members of the military and police forces which is shortened to just 廃刀令 (sword ban, or, the law banning swords) for simplification.

It is specific to the law passed on March 28th, 1876.

The wikipedia entry in both Japanese and English for Haitōrei (廃刀令) seem to be pretty accurate. There is a bit more detail in the Japanese entry. 

 

廃刀令 =　廃 (abolish) +　刀　(sword) +　令 (law, edict, rule) 

Hai + tō + rei

[Guest Rayhan]

Thank you!