Shishi ( 志士 ) , sometimes known as Ishin Shishi ( 維新志士 ) , were a group of Japanese political activists of the late Edo period . While it is usually applied to the anti- shogunate , pro- sonnō jōi ( 尊皇攘夷 , lit. ' Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarian[s] ' ) samurai primarily from the southwestern clans of Satsuma , Chōshū , and Tosa , the term shishi is also used by some with reference to supporters of the shogunate, such as the Shinsengumi .
35-448: There were many different varieties of shishi . Some, such as the assassins Kawakami Gensai , Nakamura Hanjirō , Okada Izō , and Tanaka Shinbei , opted for a more violent approach in asserting their views. Kawakami Gensai , in particular, is recalled as the assassin of Sakuma Shōzan , a renowned pro-Western thinker of the time. Several assaults on westerners in Japan have been attributed to
70-536: A bokutō , which has a much more similar shape and length to a Japanese sword and is made from a single piece of wood. However, both shinai and bokken are used in kendo . The slats of a shinai are usually made from dried bamboo . Some may also be treated by smoking them, or soaking them in resin . Shinai slats are also made of carbon fibre , reinforced resin, or other approved alternative materials. The shinai comprises four slats known as take ( 竹 ) , which are held together by three leather fittings:
105-528: A Shinsengumi raid at Ikedaya . Soon after, Gensai carried out his most famous and only confirmed assassination: that of Sakuma Shōzan . Together with at least three other assassins, they ambushed and attacked Shōzan in broad daylight on 12 August 1864, and ended with Gensai killing him in one stroke. Shortly after that incident, at the Tenryuji temple in Saga Tenryu-ji, Kyoto, Gensai told his confederates, "It
140-526: A shinai distinguishes it from other wooden swords such as a bokuto (木刀) , usually called a bokken (木剣) outside Japan, which is generally made of heavier, sturdier wood. The earliest use of a bamboo weapon to train with instead of a sword is credited to Kamiizumi Nobutsuna (1508–1572?) of the Shinkage-ryū . The modern shinai , with four slats of bamboo, is generally credited to Nakanishi Chuzo Tsugutate (died 1801) of Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū . The shinai
175-441: A tsuba , like Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū does. In Shinkage-ryū , the sleeve is lacquered Kamakura Red, and rather than covering the entire length, is tied off at the non-split end. This particular kind of fukuro-shinai is also called a hikihada ( 蟇肌 ) , or toad-skin shinai . The name comes from how the leather looks after lacquering; the sleeves are actually made of cow or horse-hide. Shinai are commonly used as
210-419: A hilt (tsuka), or handle wrapping ( tsuka-gawa ( 柄皮 ) ); a fitting at the tip ( saki-gawa ( 先皮 ) ) and a leather strip ( naka-yui ( 中結 ) ) that binds the four slats. The parts are all secured with a string ( tsuru ( 弦 ) ). The nakayui is tied about one-third of the length of the exposed bamboo from the tip . This holds the slats together and also marks the proper kendo striking portion of
245-411: A manner considered most appropriate by one's style, dōjō , or sensei . Many people believe that oiling and sanding a shinai prior to its first use, and then periodically during use, can greatly extend its life. However, some disagreement exists on what is considered proper shinai care. To properly inspect a shinai , one first examines the area around the datotsu-bu , inspecting all sides of
280-411: A metal katana , a shinai can be wielded in a fashion that allows quicker strikes than would be practicable with a heavier sword. This also makes shinai popular in producing movies and television shows; a prop shinai with a thin metal covering can look similar to a metal sword, while allowing cinematic, showy strikes that are nevertheless fairly safe to perform. The word " shinai " is derived from
315-428: A rubber ring tsuba-dome ( 鍔止め ) . The shinai is useful as a practice sword to simulate the weight and feel of a katana or bokken without injuring the user or the target. Upon impact the bundled slats dissipate the force of the strike by flexing/bending along the length of the blade, and expanding slightly, along its cross-sectional area (stress = force/unit area). As a result of this lack of rigidity, along with
350-401: A style that has its roots in the two-sword schools of swordsmanship such as Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū . A ni-tō combatant uses a long shinai called the daitō ( 大刀 ) , which is usually held in the right hand, and a shorter shinai , called the shōtō ( 小刀 ) , which is usually held in the left hand. The holding position can be switched, however, with the daitō in the left hand and the shōtō in
385-459: A wall. Some instructors require the base ( kashira ) of the handle ( tsuka ) on the floor and the tip ( kissaki ) leaning against the wall. In kendo, the shinai is treated in the same way as a edged or bladed weapon , like an actual metal sword, and competitors are trained to think of it as a dangerous instrument if misused. When a shinai is placed on the floor, it is considered poor etiquette to step over it. In kendo competitions that follow
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#1732951494039420-500: Is said to have commented " Kenjutsu (swordsmanship) with bamboo shinai is nothing more than play." At age 16 he was called to serve in the Kumamoto castle town as a menial in charge of cleaning ( Osōji-bōzu お掃除坊主). Although this was a low-level position, Gensai devoted himself wholeheartedly to it, using his free time to polish his martial and literary skills, as well as learn sadō (tea ceremony) and ikebana (flower arrangement). It
455-505: The Ansei Purge . In the aftermath of Ii Naosuke 's assassination, when a group of the escaping assassins suddenly entered the residence, it was Gensai who calmed down the subsequent uproar, calling for a doctor and having a private tea ceremony for the men. It was during this ceremony that he told the men of his admiration for them. In 1861, Gensai married Misawa Teiko , the daughter of another Kumamoto retainer. A martial artist herself, she
490-537: The Ikedaya Incident , to burn Kyoto at the height of the Gion Festival . As mentioned above, shishi were not necessarily in support of bringing down the shogunate. Shishi from Mito were responsible for the death of the shogunal grand councilor Ii Naosuke , who was a signatory to treaties that favored foreign nations, and who had placed an underaged boy on the shogunal throne. Other Mito men and women arose in
525-664: The Shokason-juku school, and educated many of the future government leaders of Meiji era Japan . Yoshida had connections to many prominent figures of the Bakumatsu era : Kawai Tsugunosuke , Katsu Kaishū , the aforementioned Sakuma Shōzan , and others. The more radical shishi from Chōshū and Satsuma went on to form the core leadership of the nascent Meiji Government . Some, such as Itō Hirobumi and Yamagata Aritomo , remained prominent figures in Japanese politics and society until
560-506: The Tengutō Rebellion , over the next several years. While these were definitely actions against the shōgun's government, they did not oppose the shōgun himself—indeed, the Mito shishi , who were retainers of a relative of the shōgun, believed they were only helping him. Other shishi had more scholastic leanings. A prime example of this was the scholar Yoshida Shōin of Chōshū . He founded
595-683: The manga series Rurouni Kenshin was inspired by Gensai. The character is a repentant former assassin who has sworn never to kill 10 years after the Meiji Revolution. The character Kawakami Bansai from the manga Gin Tama takes his name from Gensai. Shinai A shinai ( 竹刀 ) is a Japanese sword typically made of bamboo used for practice and competition in kendō . Shinai are also used in other martial arts, but may be styled differently from kendō shinai , and represented with different characters . The light, soft wood used in
630-431: The shinai for splinters. This is very important, as bamboo splinters can easily cause injury. The saki-gawa should be intact and the tsuru should be tight so that the saki-gawa does not slip off the end of the shinai during use. In addition, the nakayui should be tight enough as not to rotate easily. When not in use, shinai used in kendo practice should be either laid on the floor or leaned vertically against
665-407: The shinai , or datotsu-bu ( 打突部 ) . Inserted between the ends of the slats, under the saki-gawa , is a plastic plug saki-gomu ( 先ゴム ) , and under the tsuka-gawa there is a small square of metal chigiri ( ちぎり ) , that holds the slats in place. A hand-guard tsuba ( 鍔 ) is then fitted on the tsuka-gawa before it ends and the bamboo slats show. This is held in place by
700-466: The shishi and associated rōnin warriors. In a 2013 article, these assassins have been called "early terrorists" ( German : frühe Terroristen ) since they opted to spread terror among the foreigners. Other more radical shishi , such as Miyabe Teizō , plotted large-scale attacks with little regard for public safety. Miyabe himself was one of the ringleaders of the plot, foiled by the Shinsengumi at
735-466: The FIK rules, there are regulated weights and lengths for the use of shinai . Shinai are weighed complete with leather fittings, but without tsuba or tsuba-dome . The full length is measured. Maximum diameter of the tsuba is 9cm. Shinai are weighed complete with leather fittings, but without tsuba or tsuba-dome . The full length is measured. Maximum diameter of the tsuba is 9cm. The ancestor of
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#1732951494039770-624: The Kumamoto domain. Because of his harboring of some Kiheitai stragglers under his old comrade Oraku Gentarō, he was arrested in November 1870 and later transferred to a prison in Tokyo in 1871. He was later executed by decapitation in Kodemmachōin, Nihombashi ( 日本橋小伝馬町 , Nihombashi-kodemmachōin ) , Tokyo on 13 January 1872. He was buried at Ikegami Honmon-ji , Tokyo. The fictional swordsman and wanderer, Himura Kenshin also known as "Battosai", from
805-574: The Tokugawa regime, he participated for Chōshū and eventually won the battle. However, during action in Kokura, he decisively surrendered to Kumamoto forces, and was imprisoned until just after the Meiji Restoration . In the aftermath of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Gensai was released from prison. He changed his name to Kouda Genbei ( 高田 源兵衛 ) , and served as a military official and sword teacher for
840-447: The early decades of the 20th century. This Japanese history–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about an organization or organization-related topic in Japan is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kawakami Gensai Kawakami Gensai ( 河上 彦斎 , 25 December 1834 – 13 January 1872) was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period . A highly skilled swordsman , he
875-516: The lord in Edo that Commodore Perry arrived in 1853. As the shogunate subsequently entered into a series of increasingly unfair unequal treaties , Gensai left Edo in anger and returned to Kumamoto, where he entered the Gendōkan academy of the kinnō scholar Hayashi Ōen . After a thorough schooling in Ōen's kinnō philosophy, Gensai returned to Edo. Gensai was present at the Kumamoto residence in Edo during
910-413: The modern kendo shinai is the fukuro-shinai ( 袋竹刀 ) , which is still in use in koryū kenjutsu . This is a length of bamboo, split multiple times on one end, and covered by a leather sleeve. This explains the name fukuro , which means bag, sack or pouch. Sometimes the older and rarer kanji tō (韜) is used, but has the same meaning as fukuro. Some schools cover the entire bamboo in the sleeve and add
945-432: The relative innocuous nature of bamboo vs razor-sharp steel, the impacted area is less damaged and may experience only bruising, rather than life-threatening deep cuts or puncture wounds, even with strong and forceful strikes. A shinai must be properly taken care of or it can pose a danger to both the user and the people around it. Shinai should be inspected for splinters and breaks before and after use, and maintained in
980-584: The right. The daitō is shorter and lighter than a shinai used in the ittō style of kendō . Specifications for shinai used in kendō competitions that follow the International Kendo Federation (FIK) rules are below. Sizes and style of shinai vary. For example, an adult may be able to use a shinai that is too heavy for a younger person, so shinai with different sizes and characteristics are made. Shinai are available in many styles and balances. A shinai should not be confused with
1015-417: The verb shinau ( 撓う ) , meaning "to bend, to flex", and was originally short for shinai-take (flexible bamboo). Shinai is written with the kanji 竹刀 , meaning "bamboo sword", and is an irregular kanji reading . In kendo , it is most common to use a single shinai , sometimes called ittō (一刀) style. Some kendōka choose to use two shinai . This kendō style is usually called ni-tō ( 二刀 ) ,
1050-456: Was at this time that he met two men who were later important in the activities of the Ishin Shishi : Todoroki Buhē and Miyabe Teizō . Thanks to his discussions with them, he took a serious interest in the concept of kinnō (勤王), or imperial loyalty. In 1851, he joined the Kumamoto lord Hosokawa Narimori and went to Edo for his lord's sankin-kōtai rotation. It was during his service to
1085-481: Was chosen as the family's heir, at age 11 he was given in adoption to Kawakami Genbei ( 河上 彦兵衛 ) , another Kumamoto retainer and was renamed to Kawakami Gensai . He then entered the domain's school, the Jishūkan (時習館), and followed its academic and martial courses of study. Given his later prowess, it is rather curious to note that during his martial training he apparently did not win many bouts. With regards to this he
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1120-400: Was developed in an effort to reduce the number of practitioners being seriously injured during practice, making a practice weapon that was less dangerous than bokutō ( 木刀 ) , the hard wooden swords they were previously using. This is also the motivation behind the development of bōgu ( 防具 ) , the armour that protects the kendoka . Due to its lighter weight compared to a bokken or
1155-559: Was highly skilled in the use of the naginata . The couple had a son, Gentarō, who survived even after Gensai's execution, thanks to Teiko's efforts. In 1862, he joined Kumamoto forces who were posted to security duty in Kyoto. After the political event of Higo-han, he left there and went to Chōshū-han, where he became a personal body guard of Sanjō Sanetomi . It was at this point, he quit his job as bōzu , and soon after, left Kumamoto service altogether. In 1864, he lost his mentor Miyabe Teizō to
1190-527: Was one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period . Gensai's high-speed sword discipline allowed him to assassinate targets in broad daylight. He was born Komori Genjiro ( 小森 彦次郎 ) in Kumamoto , Higo Province , Japan in 1834 as the second son to Komori Sadasuke ( 小森 貞助 ) , a retainer of the daimyō of the Kumamoto Domain and his wife Waka ( 和歌 ) . Because Genjiro's older brother Hanzaemon
1225-426: Was the first time I actually felt I'd killed someone, the hair on my head stood on end because he is the greatest man of the time." While other assassinations have been attributed to him, only his murder of Shōzan can be proven. After this, he withdrew to Chōshū and took part in the military actions of Takasugi Shinsaku 's Kiheitai against the shogunate's Chōshū Expeditions . During the second Chōshū campaign by
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