Cunningham Don. Taiho-Jutsu: Law and Order in the Age of the Samurai

Tuttle Publishing, 2004. — 192 p. — ISBN: 0-8048-3536-5.In Taiho-Jutsu: Law and Order in the Age of the Samurai, author and judo second-dan Don Cunningham provides a fascinating introduction to the civil society of Edo-period (1603-1867) Japan — particularly the role played by the well-known warrior class, the samurai.During the enforced peace of this era, many of the samurai were unemployed and had great difficulty earning a living. Some were even forced to join the lower classes — of merchants and chain (commoners) — to get by. These circumstances redefined the part the samurai played in Japanese society and challenged the traditional caste system.Cunningham shows that the samurai were not, as commonly portrayed, always all-powerful mediators ruling the chain through the power of their swords. During this period the samurai became a part of the complex system of Japanese law enforcement. Made up of samurai as well as machi-bugyo-sho (town magistrates), yoriki ("assistant" samurai), doshin (samurai patrol officers), komono (assistants), goyokiki (part-time police assistants) and okappiki (informants and spies) — this intricate structure mirrored the Japanese society of the day.Taiho-Jutsu offers a detailed look at the weapons these law enforcement officers used — including the jutte (iron truncheon), tesson (iron fan), yori-bo (wooden staff), sodegarami (sleeve entangler), sasumata (spear fork), and torinawa (arresting ropes) — as well as a fascinating illustrated look at the techniques used to apprehend criminals. From kamae (stances) to parrying and striking and throwing techniques, these explanations demonstrate the practical techniques in Edo-period Japan.