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Sasaki Kojirō
was a Japanese swordsman who may have lived during the Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods and is known primarily for the story of his battle with Miyamoto Musashi in 1612, where Sasaki was killed. Although suffering from defeat as well as death at the hands of Musashi, he is a revered and respected warrior in Japanese history and culture.Bokken- Art of the Japanese Wooden Sword, Dave Lowry, Ohara Publications, 1986, p. 21 History Sasaki Kojirō went by the fighting name of , which was also the name of the ''kenjutsu'' school he had founded. It is said that Sasaki studied the Chūjō-ryu of sword fighting from either Kanemaki Jisai or Toda Seigen. Toda Seigen was a master of the ''kodachi''. If Sasaki had indeed learned Chūjō-ryu from Seigen, he would have been his master's sparring partner. Due to his master's use of the kodachi, Sasaki used a '' nodachi'', or a long ''katana'', against him, therefore eventually excelling in its use. It was after defeating his maste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Fukui Prefecture has a population of 778,943 (1 June 2017) and has a geographic area of 4,190 km2 (1,617 sq mi). Fukui Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to the east, Shiga Prefecture to the south, and Kyoto Prefecture to the southwest. Fukui is the capital and largest city of Fukui Prefecture, with other major cities including Sakai, Echizen, and Sabae. Fukui Prefecture is located on the Sea of Japan coast and is part of the historic Hokuriku region of Japan. The Matsudaira clan, a powerful ''samurai'' clan during the Edo period that became a component of the Japanese nobility after the Meiji Restoration, was headquartered at Fukui Castle on the site of the modern prefectural offices. Fukui Prefecture is home to the Kitadani Formation, the Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins, and the Tōjinbō cliff range. Prehistory The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iwakuni
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. History Iwakuni was formerly the castle town of the Iwakuni han, which was formed by Lord Hiroie Kikkawa after he was banished there for supporting the defeated shōgun. The Kikkawa clan ruled the han during the Edo period. The han was originally assessed at 30 thousand koku, and later, 60 thousand. Iwakuni han prospered for 300 years up until the Meiji Restoration. Before being re-founded with the same name following the mergers in 2006, the city was first founded on April 1, 1940. On March 20, 2006, Iwakuni absorbed the towns of Kuga, Mikawa, Miwa, Nishiki, Shūtō and Yū, and the village of Hongō (all from Kuga District) to create the new and expanded city of Iwakuni. Geography Located at 34° N, 132° E, Iwakuni is in the eastern part of Yamaguchi Prefecture, bordering the Seto Inland Sea. Climate Iwakuni has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') with hot summers and cool winte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kintai Bridge
The is a historical wooden arch bridge, in the city of Iwakuni, in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The pedestrian bridge was built in 1673, spanning the Nishiki River in a series of five wooden arches. The bridge is located on the foot of Mt.Yokoyama, at the top of which lies Iwakuni Castle. Kikkou Park, which includes the bridge and castle, is a popular tourist destination in Japan, particularly during the Cherry blossom festival in the spring and the autumn color change of the Japanese maples (''momiji''). It was declared a National Treasure in 1922. History After Iwakuni Castle was completed in 1608 by Kikkawa Hiroie, the first lord of Iwakuni Domain, a series of wooden bridges was built. However, most of them were destroyed by floods several times before the construction of Kintai Bridge. Afterwards, Kintai Bridge was built by the third lord, Kikkawa Hiroyoshi in 1673. The new stone piers replaced the old wooden ones. Though thought to be flood-proof, the bridge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swallow
The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The term "swallow" is used colloquially in Europe as a synonym for the barn swallow. Around 90 species of Hirundinidae are known, divided into 19 genera, with the greatest diversity found in Africa, which is also thought to be where they evolved as hole-nesters. They also occur on a number of oceanic islands. A number of European and North American species are long-distance migrants; by contrast, the West and South African swallows are nonmigratory. This family comprises two subfamilies: Pseudochelidoninae (the river martins of the genus ''Pseudochelidon'') and Hirundininae (all other swallows, martins, and saw-wings). In the Old World, the name "martin" tends to be used for the squarer-tailed species, and the name "swallow" for the more fork ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Feudal Japan
The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millennium BC when new inventions were introduced from Asia. During this period, the first known written reference to Japan was recorded in the Chinese ''Book of Han'' in the first century AD. Around the 3rd century BC, the Yayoi people from the continent immigrated to the Japanese archipelago and introduced iron technology and agricultural civilization. Because they had an agricultural civilization, the population of the Yayoi began to grow rapidly and ultimately overwhelmed the Jōmon people, natives of the Japanese archipelago who were hunter-gatherers. Between the fourth to ninth century, Japan's many kingdoms and tribes gradually came to be unified under a centralized government, nominally controlled by the Emperor of Japan. The imperial dynasty established a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sasaki Kojiro
Sasaki () is the 13th most common Japanese surname. Less common variants are 佐咲, 佐佐木 and 笹木. Notable people with the surname include: Overview *, Japanese figure skater *, Japanese alpine skier *, Japanese idol and singer *, Japanese motorcycle racer *, Japanese baseball player *, Japanese shogi player *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese race car driver *, Japanese professional wrestler * Daizo Sasaki (born 1990), Japanese kickboxer *, Japanese businessman *, Japanese musician *, Japanese Zen Buddhist *, Imperial Japanese Navy admiral *, Japanese handball player *, Japanese footballer * Hideo Sasaki (1919–2000), American landscape architect *, Japanese samurai *Hiro Sasaki, Japanese professional wrestler *, Japanese film director and screenwriter *, Japanese footballer and manager *, Japanese footballer *Hiroko Sasaki, Japanese pianist *, Japanese mime *, Japanese geneticist *, Japanese golfer *, Japanese footballer and manager *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese foo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harada Mukashi
Harada (written: ) is the 52nd most common Japanese surname. Notable personalities with this surname include: *, Japanese actor *, Japanese professional wrestler *, Japanese Zen Buddhist monk *, Japanese swimmer *, Japanese rock climber *, Japanese anime producer *, Japanese World War II flying ace *, Japanese game producer *, Japanese equestrian *, Japanese mathematician *, Japanese novelist *, Japanese boxing champion *, Japanese ski jumper *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese comedian and actor *Takashi Harada, associated with the Harada Method of management development *, Japanese tennis player *, Japanese pastor, former president of Doshisha University *, Japanese motorcyclist *Yasuko Harada (原田康子, 1928-2009), Japanese novelist See also *Toyo Harada, fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by the American publisher Valiant Comics Valiant Comics is an American comic books, comic book publisher. The company was founded in 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swallow Cut
The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The term "swallow" is used colloquially in Europe as a synonym for the barn swallow. Around 90 species of Hirundinidae are known, divided into 19 genera, with the greatest diversity found in Africa, which is also thought to be where they evolved as hole-nesters. They also occur on a number of oceanic islands. A number of European and North American species are long-distance migrants; by contrast, the West and South African swallows are nonmigratory. This family comprises two subfamilies: Pseudochelidoninae (the river martins of the genus ''Pseudochelidon'') and Hirundininae (all other swallows, martins, and saw-wings). In the Old World, the name "martin" tends to be used for the squarer-tailed species, and the name "swallow" for the more fork- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wakizashi
The is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords ('' nihontō'') worn by the samurai in feudal Japan. History and use The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods:Transition of kotō, shintō, shinshintō, and gendaitō. Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World * ''Jokotō'' (ancient swords, until around A.D. 900) * ''Kotō'' (old swords from around 900–1596) * ''Shintō'' (new swords 1596–1780) * ''Shinshintō'' (newer swords 1781–1876) * ''Gendaitō'' (modern or contemporary swords 1876–present) The ''wakizashi'' has a blade between in length. ''Wakizashi'' close to the length of a '' [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suburitō
A is a type of ''bokken'', a wooden practice sword originating in Japan and used in Japanese martial arts. ''Suburi'' (素振り; literally, "basic or plain swing") means "practice swing"; a ''suburitō'' is therefore used to practice sword-swinging. Description and use The suburitō is much thicker at the blade than the handle which makes the suburitō much heavier than a normal bokken. Suburitō are used for practicing '' suburi'' (sword swinging exercises) and ''kata'' (prearranged exercises). The weight of the suburitō is used for strengthening and conditioning in addition to development of spirit. The suburitō is used to perfect individual technique as well. A ''suburitō'' is commonly around 115 cm (45 in) in length, with a mass of 1 kg (2.2 lb). However, these bokuto can vary widely in size and weight. Suburitō generally do not include a guard. Legend has it that Miyamoto Musashi carved a bokken that resembled a ''suburitō'' out of a boat oar as h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bokken
A ''bokken'' (, , "wood", and ''ken'', "sword") (or a ''bokutō'' ) is a Japanese wooden sword used for training in kenjutsu. It is usually the size and shape of a ''katana'', but is sometimes shaped like other swords, such as the ''wakizashi'' and ''tantō''. Some ornamental ''bokken'' are decorated with mother-of-pearl work and elaborate carvings. Sometimes it is spelled "boken" in English. ''Bokken'' are traditionally composed of red oak or white oak, although any hardwood can be used. In comparison, practice swords made of flexible, soft wood such as bamboo are referred to as ''shinai''. History It is hard to determine precisely when the first ''bokken'' appeared due to secrecy in ancient martial arts training and loose record-keeping. While various mock weapons were surely used during the earlier periods of Japanese history, usage of ''bokken'' in their modern form first emerged during the Muromachi Period (1336–1600) for the training of samurai warriors in the var ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
