is a

traditional school The Traditionalist or Perennialist School is a group of 20th- and 21st-century thinkers who believe in the existence of a perennial wisdom or perennial philosophy, primordial and universal truths which form the source for, and are shared by, all ...

of the

Japanese martial art Japanese martial arts refers to the variety of martial arts native to the country of Japan. At least three Japanese terms (''budō'', ''bujutsu'', and ''bugei'') are used interchangeably with the English phrase Japanese martial arts. The usag ...

of ''

kusarigamajutsu is the art of using the Japanese weapon kusarigama. Kusarigamajutsu is featured in several separate martial arts such as Tendō-ryū, Suiō-ryū and Shintō Musō-ryū. The kusarigama is made up of three parts: the ''Kama (weapon), kama'' (a woo ...

'', the art of using the chain and

scythe A scythe ( ) is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops. It is historically used to cut down or reap edible grains, before the process of threshing. The scythe has been largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor m ...

(''

kusarigama A is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a ''kama'' (the Japanese equivalent of a sickle or billhook) on a kusari-fundo – a type of metal chain (''kusari'') with a heavy iron weight (''fundo'') at the end. The ''kusarigama'' is said ...

'').: Krieger, Pascal - ''Jodô - la voie du bâton / The way of the stick'' (bilingual French/English), Geneva (CH) 1989, Its exact origin is disputed, and may have been founded as early as the 14th century by the

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

Nen Ami Jion 念阿弥慈恩 (b.1351-?), but the modern-day techniques were compiled and incorporated no later than the 17th century, by the unification (''tan'isshin'', 丹一心) of Harayuki Uemon Ujisada (原志右衛門氏貞), hence the name. It is preserved in

Shintō Musō-ryū , most commonly known by its practice of ''jōdō'', is a traditional school ('' koryū'') of the Japanese martial art of '' jōjutsu'', or the art of wielding the short staff ('' jō''). The technical purpose of the art is to learn how to defeat ...

as a "''heiden''" (subsumed teaching).

History

The methods that were originally taught in this ryuha included

bōjutsu , translated from Japanese as "staff technique", is the martial art of stick fighting using a bō, which is the Japanese word for staff. Staffs have been in use for thousands of years in Asian martial arts like Silambam. Some techniques involve s ...

, hobaku (a.k.a. hojojutsu or torinawa), torite, kusarigama and

shuriken A ''shuriken'' ( ja, 手裏剣; literally: "hidden hand blade") is a Japanese concealed weapon that was used as a hidden dagger or metsubushi to distract or misdirect. They are also known as throwing stars, or ninja stars, although they were ...

. Some scholars date the origin to Harayuki Uemon Ujisada who compiled the techniques. Yet, his lineage harkens back to a priest who lived in the early 15th century, named Nen Ami Jion, as the ryuso (founder). In any case the ryuha eventually fragmented as the bōjutsu tradition was discovered to be practiced in

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

; the torite is recorded in

Numata is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 46,908 in 20,589 households, and a population density of 110 persons per km². The total area of the city is , making it the largest city in terms of area w ...

-han and Yoshida-han and still another branch was recorded as practicing the bōjutsu (as well as naginata) in

Yonezawa Yonezawa City Hall is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Yonezawa is most famous for ...

-han. The Kusarigama is perhaps the best known fragment of the ryuha.

The kusarigama

The original inspiration for the kusarigama is the ordinary scythe (''kama'') which was used by peasants to harvest crops and by infantrymen to clear out vegetation when on campaign. The Isshin-ryu tradition dictates that the claimed founder of Isshin-ryu, Nen Ami Jion, created the IR-kusarigama after receiving a vision of a divine being holding a scythe(''kama'') in one hand and a metal weight in the other. Among the various kusarigama-designs of other traditions the kusarigama found in Isshin-ryu is of a rather uncommon design. IS-kusarigama traits are the longer chain and straight, double-edged blade, with several other traditions preferring a curved single-edged blade and a much shorter chain. Early documents describing the weapon state that the blade is around 30 cm, with a chain length of 3.6 meters. The "kama" or blade is straight for the most part, and has a double edge with an attached metal handguard. The handle is made of hardwood and is approximately 36 cm in length.

Kusarigama methods

The kusarigama's role as a battlefield weapon was limited, as it required an open area in which to swing the chain and weight. The ability to use the chain effectively was slim on a crowded battlefield and even tall grass and tree-branches could prevent the chain from being swung properly. The kusarigama found its main usage in peace-time for law-enforcement or duels in less hindering environments. As a practical weapon, the scythe-part of the IR-kusarigama is used to strike, slash or thrust at various parts of an opponent's body, including neck, hands, wrists and solar plexus. The scythe is also used to catch an opponent's sword between the blade and the handguard. A strength of the IR-kusarigama is that it can be wielded in the normal manner, with the scythe up, or it can be used upside down. The handle itself, being made of hardwood, is used to strike, thrust, block and parry. The chain can be swung as a flail and used to ensnare the opponent's sword, limbs or even the body itself making it difficult for the swordsman to maneuver or using his weapon effectively. In some forms (''kata'') the weight is deployed to strike the opponent's body, including the head, back and hands.

Training

The kusarigama is for the most part taught only to advanced students who have achieved a high level of proficiency in the Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo forms, though the level required is not standardized and different Jodo-organizations have different requirements. Modern Isshin-ryu exponents use a wooden version of the kusarigama for safety-reasons. The handguard (''goken'') is still made of metal but the chain and weight replaced by rope and a leather bag. A kusarigama with a metal (though non-sharp) blade is sometimes used for demonstrations.

Isshin-ryu kusarigama forms

In the Isshin-ryu system of modern times there a total of 30 training-forms (''kata'') divided into three series, ''Omote'', ''Kage'' and ''Oku''. The forms of the ''Omote'' and ''Kage''-series share the same name but are different in application. Omote (表) and Kage (影) series # Ishiki (居敷) # Soemi (添身) # Hagaeshi (羽返) # Mugan (無眼) # Jûmonji (十文字) # Furikomi ichimonji (振込一文字) # Furikomi jumonji (振込十文字) # Iso no nami (磯之浪) # Makiotoshi (巻落) # Mitokorodzume (三所詰) # Ukifune (浮船) # Sodegarami (袖搦) Oku (奥) series # Mae (前) # Ushiro (後) # Hidari (左) # Migi (右) # Yariai zen (槍合前) # Yariai go (槍合後)

Acronyms

* ''IR= Isshin-ryu'' * ''SMR= Shintō Musō-ryū''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Isshin-ryu kusarigamajutsu Shinto Muso-ryu Ko-ryū bujutsu Japanese martial arts