Odd bokken-bokuto revisited.

[estcrh]

I posted pictures of this wooden sword awhile back and there was some controversy as to what this item was since it has sword type fittings including kurikata. I just found a quote which offers an explaination as to how these types of bokken-bokuto could have been used.

 

Classical weaponry of Japan: special weapons and tactics of the martial arts, Serge Mol

http://books.google.com/books?id=ZzIXkF ... nbo&f=true

Contrary to what one might expect, it was not uncommon for samurai to use short wooded swords up to 61 centimeters long for defense since these were adequate against some weapons. Iwai Kohaku mentions the example of the Takasaki domain (in present day Gunma Prefecture), where it was forbidden to bring swords into certain areas of the lords castle, while guests were only allowed to carry a ceremonial dagger less than 8 sun (about 24 centimeters) long into an audience with the lord. The lord was protected by guards armed with a bokuto-about 61 centimeters in length, with a metal hand handguards and other sword fittings-rather than a real wakizashi (short sword) since the bokuto provided protection against the ceremonial daggers carried by guests. Bokuto also had an important advantage over the wakizashi in that they limited the possibility of bloodshed within the palace grounds. An attacker could be restrained with jujutsu techniques and, if necessary, be disarmed and knocked down with the wooden sword. He could then be removed from the premises without the need to kill him.

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Interesting, Eric. Many thanks for the find.