Were martial arts ever banned in feudal Japan?

Discussion in 'Off Topic Area' started by hardball, Dec 8, 2013.

  1. hardball

    hardball Valued Member

    Yea, I was very surprised to hear that! It's a crying shame; glad I don't live in London. On the other hand it goes back to the ancient history of martial arts like jujitsu and karate. When the ruling clans outlawed swords people turned to martial arts. (gunpowder wasn't invented yet) The ruling clans then tried to outlaw martial arts techniques and people began to study in secret. No wonder the U.K. martial arts culture is so big. History repeats itself.
     
  2. Dean Winchester

    Dean Winchester Valued Member

    You might want to read up a little on your history.
     
  3. Dean Winchester

    Dean Winchester Valued Member

    Please do, it would be interesting to see what sources you are using.

    While you are at it you might also want to look at the connection between the sword and jujutsu in many classical arts.

    I believe you claim to study a system of jujutsu?
     
  4. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    Play nicely now, and in another thread. Let's not derail this one.
     
  5. hardball

    hardball Valued Member

    Meet Up

    When I see you I am going to take you to a Japanese steak house, buy you a beer and discuss feudal Japan!! Cheers Mate!
     
  6. hardball

    hardball Valued Member

    Martial Arts training was once outlawed in feudal Japan. Would you believe that they have outlawed "Choke Holds" In parts of New York, USA?
     
  7. Dean Winchester

    Dean Winchester Valued Member

    Source.

    What was outlawed, by who, when?

    Define outlawed too if you don't mind.
     
  8. hardball

    hardball Valued Member

    Outlawed by the Government.
    Choke holds are illegal in New York.
     
  9. Dean Winchester

    Dean Winchester Valued Member

    Isn't punching someone in the face illegal too?

    :confused:

    In what way are they illegal? You need to give it some context.

    Who outlawed what in Japan?
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2013
  10. hardball

    hardball Valued Member

    I'll try to find the source and footnote but I't won't be today. I have hundreds of books and magazines in my martial arts library.
     
  11. PointyShinyBurn

    PointyShinyBurn Valued Member

  12. Dean Winchester

    Dean Winchester Valued Member

    So ultimately no different to any other use of force.
     
  13. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    precisely
     
  14. pgsmith

    pgsmith Valued dismemberer

    I'm sorry, but that is absolutely inconsistent with everything that I've read on Japanese history. I've sent email to a couple of friends of mine that teach Asian history at universities in case I've managed to miss something in my reading. I'll let you know what their response is if you'll let me know where you discovered that martial arts were outlawed in feudal Japan.
     
  15. bassai

    bassai onwards and upwards ! Moderator Supporter

    My understanding is that there was a weapons ban in Okinawa , this is where a lot of this stuff comes from.
     
  16. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    Incorrect.

    The theory that the Okinawans were disarmed was due to a mistranslation (in 1926 by Iha Fuyu) of a monument erected in the Palace grounds in 1507. This combined with the fact that the Okinawans deliberately hid their weapons capabilities from Captain Basil Hall in the early 19th C created the 'myth' of a disarmed Ryukyu. According to Karate historian Mitsuga Sakihara, Ryukkyu has never been officially disarmed.
     
  17. bassai

    bassai onwards and upwards ! Moderator Supporter

    That's me told :)
    While we're at it why did Funakoshi allude to only being able to train at night and in secret in his youth ?
     
  18. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    Karate training was a private activity of the nobility. He wouldn't have been able to train in the day as Itosu and Azato had day jobs.
     
  19. hardball

    hardball Valued Member

    I still haven't had a chance to look it up but I'll eat humble crow if I'm wrong. Ha ha. I wanna believe it was around the same period that swords were outlawed.
     
  20. mattt

    mattt Valued Member

    I'll throw out there without any sources or footnotes an anecdote from a Japanese chap who told me that many martial arts were outlawed in post ww2 Japan by the occupancy of the merciuns. Aikido was apparently allowed as it wasn't considered a threat...
     

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