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.
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?
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!
Martial Arts training was once outlawed in feudal Japan. Would you believe that they have outlawed "Choke Holds" In parts of New York, USA?
Isn't punching someone in the face illegal too? In what way are they illegal? You need to give it some context. Who outlawed what in Japan?
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.
He's talking about this: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...ct-victims-domestic-violence-article-1.953453 I don't think it means you can't choke people in self defence, it's just meant to close a loop-hole that meant choking people was weirdly not covered by their statute on assault.
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.
My understanding is that there was a weapons ban in Okinawa , this is where a lot of this stuff comes from.
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.
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 ?
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.
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.
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...