To-Shin Do Weapons Training

[camilyon]

Hello all. I am interested in To-Shin Do's program. I am inquiring specifically about weapons. Does to program cover a walking cane or tessen fan? Thanks in advance all

 

[Raynac]

well we do learn to fight with an assortment of stick like objects, which if im correct all follow basically the same principal. Im not sure if to-shin do teaches "walking canes" specifically but im sure if you went you would be able to use your cane proficently should you be attacked.

as for the war fan, I can't help you out there, Im only a yellow belt so I don't know to much, i never even thought a weapon like that exsisted. but don't let that get you down. I haven't even seen the tip of the to-shin do iceberg and I know it. there is alot of stuff hidden in our art.

maybe someone else from the art would be able to help me out here.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hi,

Honestly, the best source would be your teacher. I am not a member of Toshindo, so I can't comment on the different programs, but I'm sure Anshu Hayes would either have one, or one could easily be developed from the existing programs you already have access to.

Raynac, to give you a little info on the tessen, yes, it was (is) a real weapon. When entering a house, a samurai would remove his long sword, leaving only his short sword in the case of defending himself if need be. However, he would often have one or two other small items on or around his person as well, including (possibly) a jutte, hojo cord, or tessen. In fact, the tessen was probably more common, as the other two were more commonly found on a policeman, and the tessen often doubled as a badge of rank (similar to a jutte, different colour wrappings for the handle could denote position).

The tessen itself was originally just a regular folding fan (known as a sensu), and was a part of regular everyday wear thrust, through the obi. As time went on, samurai began having their fans made with solid iron outside plates, and steel ribs, making a rather heavy impact weapon when closed. Later versions did away with pretence entirely, being a solid iron bar in the shape of a folded fan. It's use has been a feature of a number of classical systems, and it's principles are very applicable to many modern implements you can find around you on a daily basis (say, a rolled-up magazine...).

If you want to get one yourself, I would recommend the one said to be based on one used by Kotaro Yoshida, one he is said to have killed a bear with, and is sold by bugei.com.

 

[Aiki Lee]

Hi,

Raynac, to give you a little info on the tessen, yes, it was (is) a real weapon. When entering a house, a samurai would remove his long sword, leaving only his short sword in the case of defending himself if need be. However, he would often have one or two other small items on or around his person as well, including (possibly) a jutte, hojo cord, or tessen. In fact, the tessen was probably more common, as the other two were more commonly found on a policeman, and the tessen often doubled as a badge of rank (similar to a jutte, different colour wrappings for the handle could denote position).

The tessen itself was originally just a regular folding fan (known as a sensu), and was a part of regular everyday wear thrust, through the obi. As time went on, samurai began having their fans made with solid iron outside plates, and steel ribs, making a rather heavy impact weapon when closed. Later versions did away with pretence entirely, being a solid iron bar in the shape of a folded fan. It's use has been a feature of a number of classical systems, and it's principles are very applicable to many modern implements you can find around you on a daily basis (say, a rolled-up magazine...).

If you want to get one yourself, I would recommend the one said to be based on one used by Kotaro Yoshida, one he is said to have killed a bear with, and is sold by bugei.com.

dude, I get this impression of you walking into the office a martial arts historian and you just putting your hands on his head and sucking all the knowledge out of his brain.

Seriously, write a book and call it Everything you ever wanted to know about martial arts and even some of the stuff you didn't even know you wanted to know "till I told you.

Just make the dedication out to me.

 

[SKB]

I'd buy the book! No really I would!

I have trained with canes. While a blue belt you spend a lot of time working with a hanbo. Same thing as a cane.

Iron fan....... haven't trained with on yet but does not seem much diffrent then the ideas behind several other weapons I have trained with.

 

[newtothe dark]

Yes Chris I agree write the book dude I will but it.

 

[Chris Parker]

I have trained with canes. While a blue belt you spend a lot of time working with a hanbo. Same thing as a cane.

Iron fan....... haven't trained with on yet but does not seem much diffrent then the ideas behind several other weapons I have trained with.

Hanbo and cane are actually a little different. The cane is a fair bit lighter than a hanbo, allowing for faster, whipping-style strikes, but making it a bit weaker for grappling aspects (think techniques such as Koshi Ori or Tsuke Iri [alternately known as Nagare Dori and Kasumi Gake against a short sword]). However, youdo have some other advantages. The hook/handle can be used to snare, manipulate, and trip an opponent, and a thrust with the handle end increases the power of the strike due to a heavier end being used.

With tessen, think of applications of jutte techniques, tegiribo, kabuto wari, even applications of some hanbo grappling techniques. And the iron just adds to the hurt.

The key to learning any new weapon is very simple. Look at what the weapon can do, what it can't do, and apply it to techniques you already know with the limitations and advantages in mind. And, of course, enjoy!

As for a book... well, most of what I've got already exists in various books, it would just be a rehash, or simply a collation of existing resources. And I don't know that there really is such a great demand for that. So thank you, but not yet, at least. And you are not the first to suggest such a thing, by the way...

 

[shadycrzy]

Hatsumi Sensei has a great stick fighting book out there that outlines some techniques that are very well suited to the tessen. I think he even mentions the tessen in the introduction at one point.

Ultimately it's all about understanding the principles of types of weapons. While a cane and hanbo might not be the same weapon they operate on the same principles. Knowing how to use one effectively allows you to use the other with competence.

We occasionally train with pens in our dojo which is like a tiny hanbo which is applied in the same way a tessen would be.

I've heard that Hatsumi Sensei's extensive training with weapons has given him a natural intuition for most hand-held weapons, even those he's never used before. I'm pretty sure there's a true story in there somewhere, I just know the essence of it.

 

[Chris Parker]

Very fun book, Quentin still apparently gets his hanbo and shorter sticks out from time to time... I hear his students refer to them as "Sensei's pain sticks".