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| Kanegawa no Nicho-gama (Eisuke
Akamine) |
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| Yoshiko Hazama (Principal of Otohime
Theatre Group) commanding Sai. in 1963 |
There were two great turning points in the history of the Okinawan martial arts. The first was the 'Order of the Sword Hunt' implemented by King Shoshin (1477-1526), by which the carrying of weapons was prohibited for not only the general public but the warrior class people as well. The second was the 'Policy of Banning Weapons' enforced after the Satsuma Invasion in1609. The Ryukyuans naturally began to think of ways to defend themselves and their property using ordinary tools or farm equipment. They discovered that they could fight against swords or spears on the same footing using such tools. So they kept on studying and making inventions. The result was a secret form of hidden martial arts, Okinawa's martial arts with weaponry. However, a policy of secrecy was adopted and few secrets were made available to society in general.
Upon entering the 20th Century, a social movement was begun by masters
like Moden Yabiku (1878-1941), Shinko Matayoshi (1888-1947) and
Shinken Taira (1897- 1970), to undertake systematic research on
the Okinawan martial arts with weaponry to ensure their continuity.
The organization of schools and associations was accelerated.
Since then up to the present, many world tournaments of martial arts with weaponry have been held in Okinawa, as frequently as those for karate. |
