| There are tales of single swordsmen fighting and | | | | students would start to learn the staff or spear they |
| beating large numbers of enemys at a single time, | | | | learned to use it first against a sword. |
| however these are for the most part just tales. The | | | | Regardless of whether you are learning jujutsu, |
| famous swordsmen Musashi, Ittosai, and Yagyu had | | | | aikido, or judo there is a very strong influence of |
| all at one time faced several opponents and not only | | | | swordsmanship. Even the notorious ninjutsu was |
| survived but managed to win those encounters. | | | | influenced by the ever present Japanese sword. |
| Combine theses feats with the dueling record of | | | | Ironically, you will find that people training in martial |
| Musashi and you have what it is that makes these | | | | arts that have been influenced by the Japanese |
| swordsmen remembered as the best in Japan's rich | | | | sword are unable to hold that weapon correctly. |
| history. | | | | There are few weapons that carry the same |
| Most who followed the way of the sword did not | | | | mystique as the Japanese sword. It is forged under |
| realistically expect to live to an old age, and most | | | | rites that are directly connected to Japan's Shinto |
| didn't. But the men mentioned earlier all died of natural | | | | religion, and labeled the "Soul of the Samurai," the |
| causes despite the number of duels and battles that | | | | Japanese sword serves as both a work of art and as |
| they had fought in. All these men started their own | | | | a deadly weapon. |
| schools and essentially their own martial arts. They | | | | For literally hundreds of years, the sword also served |
| continued to wander the countryside looking for | | | | as a symbol of rank. According to legend, there was |
| opponents with whom they can improve their skills. | | | | a swordsmith by the name of Amakuni that created |
| In martial arts, no other weapon held the same | | | | the first true Japanese sword sometime around |
| status as the Japanese sword. It was central to | | | | 700A.D. Although there were small changes in the |
| training. But it had to be considering that this weapon | | | | overall design of the blade during the next thousand |
| was being carried by all warriors as was their right | | | | years the actual shape of the weapon has changed |
| too. When you look at the older schools their kata | | | | very little since it was invented. |
| has the sword as the central element. As the | | | | |