Hello,
Did you know that they use to practice their sword cutting techniques on corpses and also on live individuals who had been sentenced to death.Yes, so very true!Can you imagine some guy, going to try and see if he can cut you in half or not, to check out his technique. You can't get any more real than that.I know it's a sad thing but it's true.
What do you think?

Yes, they practiced "cutting" also on prisoners of war. They would then write on the tang in either red enamel or best, gold enamel how many bodies were cut by the sword on what day. Have held some koto katana with such cutting mei--kinda creepy, neh?

Best Regards,
Gary Gabelhouse

Hi Brewer,

Not only was this done to the dead...but during the period of Iaijutsu & Battojutsu...do to the time of peace and a lack of opportunity to proove oneself during war.

The duelists came into fashion...looking to test their skill, this was also practised on peasants, who referred to Iaijustsu & Battojutsu as cross roads murder.

Just something to think about [IMG]http://bbs.fightingarts.com/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

Eric L. Bookin

In an old Japanese story, several peasents were wrongly accused of the Stealing of one Samurai's Wakizashi. As retribution (for the act he was aware they didn't commit) he was going to send their "limbs to the four". The peasents were tied up, and the Samurai cut into the first one with his katana, and the sword shattered, a pice lodging in his own throat drowning him in his own blood. The peasents had swallowed large stones as their last rasberry to their accuser. The remaining two peasenets were set free. Kinda morbid, but demonstrates Japanese ideals. Revenge can be amusing, and poetry in failure.
Cameron.