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Sport Chanbara, Thai fencing, Aikido and many more.

 

• Introduction
• Weapons

Sportschanbara

The Development and Evolution of Chanbara

What Black Belt magazine says

Man has used tools and weaponry for eons. Originally created
from wood and stone, these evolved into metal in the Bronze
Age, when man experienced great advancements in bladed
weaponry – especially the mighty sword.

Ancient man was always on the lookout for danger. The innate
desire for self-preservation gave him this inborn vigilance and
this is still in our blood today.
The sword long represented power and wealth and was one of
man's most prized possessions. Design and technique were
created for the practicalities of war and defense. The only other
usages were for ceremonies, social and cultural events or
traditions.

Japanese warlords trained their armies with various metal and
wood practice weapons. This proved dangerous; one wrong
move, one poorly executed technique and injury or death could result.

Each warlord developed his own fighting techniques, which were passed
on to his warriors and tested on the battlefield. Some techniques were
retained while others were discarded, depending on how efficient they proved in battle.

After centuries of civil unrest and war, Japan united into a single government. The warrior no longer fought wars but the samurai spirit remained. Toward the end of the Edo period (circa 1875) one of the larger sword schools developed a new combative sport, called kendo. This evolved into a national sport that employed protective gear. Now one could practice without fear of great bodily harm.

Kendo utilizes a sword made from strips of bamboo. This old-fashioned practice sword combined with protective head and body gear made for a safer way to practice.

Then Tanabe Tetsundo and his group founded Goshindo, also called sports chanbara by the younger students. These traditional swordsmen, aware that times were changing, began to educate the public in the way of the modern samurai while utilizing traditional ways and techniques.

Swords made out of flexible plastics (called a ‘choken’) proved a stroke of genius, because wearing a light head mask for face and eye protection was all that was required for safety.

This innovation made such a difference that the Japanese public wholeheartedly embraced this new combative sport. Chanbara has now evolved into a fun recreational pastime plus a major stress reducer. It is a part of the Japanese Department of Education and Recreation. Today, chanbara is the fastest-growing combative sport in the United States, boasting 200,000 combatants worldwide.

The word “chanbara” loosely translates to “sword fighter.”