Were there left-handed Samurais??

Posted by: GojuRyuboy13

Were there left-handed Samurais?? - 08/05/05 03:06 AM

Well,

And if there was, wouldn't that be a little off tradition and such.
Posted by: Shidokai

Re: Were there left-handed Samurais?? - 08/05/05 04:10 AM

Yes.
Posted by: Charles Mahan

Re: Were there left-handed Samurais?? - 08/05/05 11:33 AM

Handeness is a matter of genetics not tradition. So technically there were left handed Samurai, but to a man they were also ambidextrous and wore and used their swords just like everyone else.
Posted by: Shidokai

Re: Were there left-handed Samurais?? - 08/05/05 11:40 AM

I had heard a rumor that Musashi was left handed. No proof for it, though. Anyone else here got info on that? Hyaku?
Posted by: splice

Re: Were there left-handed Samurais?? - 08/05/05 11:53 AM

Quote:

I had heard a rumor that Musashi was left handed. No proof for it, though. Anyone else here got info on that? Hyaku?



No proof and little evidence, I think. I recall reading in Tokitsu's book (I believe, maybe it was Wilson's) that some people think he was left handed because of him using tadashii nito (kodachi in left hand) and sometimes throwing the kodachi with deadly accuracy. Still, I think I also recall he could do that with either hand equally, so it's not necessarily an indication that he was left handed.
Posted by: Benjamin1986

Re: Were there left-handed Samurais?? - 08/05/05 11:37 PM

By a matter of genetics, yes. However, most knights of any era trained enough to be at least moderately ambidexterous.

If you are a fellow southpaw thinking about supporting a request to learn kenjitsu or Iaido left handed, forget it. Today's Japanese schools stress tradition too much (especially Iaido), and the righties' main objection is simple and seemingly straightforward: the instructor can't show you exactly what to do because it's backwards.

Now, we lefties understand that, for us, mirroring actions is as natural as doing them straight. However, I've argued that before with Charles, and gotten nowhere. So, my advice: come over to the light. Start fencing.