The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-30
JAPANESE FENCING.
sSlllsul WORK vIrH fouls MADE
OF SRuT ssMeoo.

An Eaconnter Witnessed In the sanris<
sz~s;esssSs Club Of Heneluia-sarpris.
tag oS.ekness asd skin In Attacking
sd Defending.
II Won are ever asked 90 engage in a
duel with japanese. being the chal.
lenged party, select any implement
rather than the singleStick. for unless
yon are proficient in thrusts and parties
yOu viii be ''done up" in short order.
In feudal times every ablebodied
japanese was obliged to become an ex.
pert svordsman. so that in the event Of
war he could so 10 the front and do his
share CT fighting. But with the i'm
! rrovement in the methods Of warfare,
which the japanese We're quick 10 adopt.
T the short sword has been relocated 10
/ the back yard and the shop Of the brio
a-hrac dealer. and fencing is merely
pastime known as GEEK ken. In the civil
war in japan, is years ago, However,
there were certain companies Of guards,
armed with swords, who did some very
effective and bloody work with them. :
~ u.
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 is probably der
sire on the part CT the leaders 10 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 Sim
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 a 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
The men stepped to the center
Of the room and saluted each other by
a motion Of the arm. and then one ut
tered cultural sound signifying his
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 10 resist and
ward off any blow that might be di-
rected toward him. Once he was
Yajimai gave him crack
on the helmet that resounded through
The room. All the time the men were
fencing they were shouting as if warn
ing each other 10 look out for what
might be coming.
To the stranger who is not familiar
with the rules there seemed to be no
-est for the men. If one should receive
, blow which under ordinary circum-
stances would warrant his going down
Tor few seconds, long enough to re-
,over, it must simply end with the de-
ire, and bis next move will be to get
back at his opponent. In this exhibition
Aarikawa, who was rather more stock
ly built than his foe, had the best of
he first Of the fight, but the end was a
lraw, and the men retired MINDLESS and
With the perspiration pouring from their
aces.
The wrist seemed to be the part of the
oftenest aimed at, and while
hat part of the arm is projected by u
padded gauntlet the humerus is bare,
md strong blow means heavy welt
md q sore arm. At the end of the con-
est spoken of, here Yajimai carried q {,
mark which was quite blue. If blow
IN the wrist is severe enough, it will
disable fencer, and the fight ends, and
I 1t cannot be accomplished in that way
! fencer will raise his stick high above
md inclined toward the back Of his
read, very much after the style of an
,ient executioners in the choppipg block
process, and bring it down with all his
strength ON his rivals head-if he can.
CELEBRITY marks every movement vt the
encer, 80 that the observers eye is taxed
% its utmost to keep track of the men.
Singlestick fencing among the Japa-
,ese is 80 different from anything at
empted by the white people that it is
iifiicult to make comparisons or draw
II quickness in an attack
,r parry is the secret of the game, YAH
mai and Karikawa should be entitled
% positions as experts. Their endurance,
100, is remarkable. considering the
thickness of the clothing worn. Swathed
,s they are in heavily padded suits, evil
iently much depends upon the eye, and
& Is when one of the fencers catches the
BYE OF his opponent off bis guard that he
attempts blow. but to ascertain when
The eye Is not attending to its business
10 much too difficult for stranger to !