The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-03-26
JAPANESE FENCING.
sKlLLFul WORK WITH FolLs MADE
or sPLir BAMBOO.

F.
81 Il
A. Hnssuntse Wltnssssa n ~ N1ne1Ds
sinslsseask club q Hsssasla- -sRpsls-
ins Quis1asss aaA skill n AsansAans
saA Dsssaaane.
II you an, ever asked 10 engage-ln .
duel with . Japanese, being the chal-
lenged party, select any implement
rather than the singlestick. for unless
you are proficient in thrusts and parties
you will be 'done up'' in short order.
In feudal times every ablebodisd
Japanese was obliged to become an OK
pert swordsman, 90 that in the event Of
war he could 60 to the front and do bis
share Of fighting. But with the i'm
In the methods Of warfare,
which the Japanese were quick 70 adopt,
the short sword has been relegated to
the back yard and the shop Of the brio
a-brac dealer, and fencing is merely q
pastime known as gek ken. In the civil
war in Japan, 18 years ago, however,
there were certain companies of guards.
armed with swords, who did some very
effective and bloody work with them.
There is q club in Honolulu, with
headquarters ON Maunakea street. whose
members have an instructor in the use
Of the singlestick. The organization is
solely for amusement, rather than for
business, though there il probably . de-
sire on the part of the leaders to perpetu-
ate the old fashioned methods Of their
forefathers in quelling rebellions. just
now this club, the Sunrise, is without
an instructor, so that there is but little
practice and no exhibitions.
The headquarters of the Sunrise Sin
glestick club is on the lower floor Of
the building occupied by the Japanese
newspaper Of the same name. Through
the kindness of Editor Satto, and Hira-
Okla, business manager Of the paper, q
reporter was given an opportunity to
witness an exhibition between YAH
mai and Karikawa, two expert handlers
of the sticks.
By the way Of introduction the COM
batants removed their kimonas and
donned loose skirts and helmet with
strong iron bars across the face. Then
they sheathed their bodies with stiff
bamboo breastplates. Heavily padded
gloves with gauntlets finished the cos
tune. The "short sticks' are about five
feet long, and are made of several pieces
of bamboo fastened together. There
seemed to be no call Of "time" by q
referee. The men stepped to the center
of the room and saluted each other by
o motion Of the arm, and then one ut
tered cultural sound signifying his
unwillingness to begin the fray and
they crossed sticks, the point Of each
being held ON level with the neck and
the handle grasped with both hands.
Yajimai led, and throughout the bout
was acting on the offensive, while Kari
kawa braced himself so as to resist and
ward of any blow that might be di-
rected toward him. Once he was
thoughtless. Yajimai gave him q crack
on the helmet that resounded through
the room. All the time the men were
fencing they were shouting as II warn,
ing each other to look out for what
might be coming.
To the stranger who is not familiar
with the rules there seemed to be no
rest for the men. II one should receive
a blow which under ordinary circum-
stances would warrant his going down
for a few seconds, long enough to re-
cover. it must simply end with the de-
sire, and his next move will be to get
back at his opponent. In this exhibition
Karikawa, who was rather more stock
lily built than his foe. had the best Of
the first Of the fight. but the end was q
draw, and the men retired windless and
with the perspiration pouring from their
faces.
The wrist seemed to be the part OF the
anatomy oftenest aimed at, and while
that part Of the arm is protected by a
padded gauntlet the humerus ID bare,
and strong blow means heavy welt
and y sore arm. At the end Of the CON-
test spoken Of, here Yajimai carried a
mark which was quite blue. II blow
on the wrist is severe enough. IL will
disable fenoer, and the fight ends. and
if it cannot be accomplished in that way
a fenoer will raise his stick high above
and inclined toward the back Of his
head, very much after the style Of an
cient executioners in the chopping block
process, and bring it down with all his
strength on his rivals head-if he can.
Celebrity marks every movement Of the
fencer, so that the observer g eye 10 taxed
to its utmost to keep track of the men. .
Sinelestick fencing among the Japa-
nese is 60 different from anything at
tempted by the white people that 1t is
difficult to make comparisons or draw
conclusions. II quiokness in an attack
or parry is the secret Of the game, YAH
mai and Karikawa should be entitled
to positions az experts. Their endurance.
too, is remarkable. considering the
thickness Of the clothing worn. Swathed
az they are in heavily padded suits, evil
IDENTIFY much depends upon the eye, and
it is when one Of the fencers catches the
eye Of his opponent OF his guard that be
attempts . blow. but to ascertain when
the eye 10 not attending to its business
il much too difficult for stranger to
solve, shielded as the fencer's face ID