For as long as I can remember, I have heard the story about how the Satsuma Clan had sailed from their Southern Japanese home and defeated the Okinawans. This event, and the Satsuma’s subsequent occupation and weapons ban, was long passed down to us as the impetus for the development of an empty hand self defense art on Okinawa and for their development of weapons systems that utilized everyday work implements – bo, kama, eku, etc. (The author also presents possible evidence that this form of kobudo was taught to the Okinawans by the Satsuma.)
The Samurai Capture A King: Okinawa 1609
, by Stephen Turnbull, is a great book about what had previously been a poorly documented event, the Satsuma’s attack on Okinawa. Before now, little was known about what motivated the Satsuma to attack Okinawa, how they masterminded a plan that allowed them to achieve victory in a matter of days, and the sad story about how they treated Okinawan King Sho Nei. This little book is beautifully illustrated and an enjoyable and very informative read.
, by Stephen Turnbull, is a great book about what had previously been a poorly documented event, the Satsuma’s attack on Okinawa. Before now, little was known about what motivated the Satsuma to attack Okinawa, how they masterminded a plan that allowed them to achieve victory in a matter of days, and the sad story about how they treated Okinawan King Sho Nei. This little book is beautifully illustrated and an enjoyable and very informative read.As always, the name of the book is linked to Amazon, to make it easier to find it. And, if you purchase the book via this link, I am paid a percentage, which helps fund the writing of these articles and helps keep my blog going. ;-)
Hanshi, the Satsuma legend is prevalent but to the best of my knowledge it is false. The king of Okinawa had banned weapons from commoners years earlier (I seem to recall it was 200 years earlier but I do not recall for certain at this time.)
ReplyDeleteThe Satsuma simply liked the idea and continued it. Again, as I recall, it is believed that when they reported back to the mainland government at the time, the shogun then instituted this weapons ban there.
Chuck, the book begins with a chapter on the history of Okinawa, including the bans that were inacted along the way. (Bans were nothing new in that part of the world.) This is the first scholarly (meaning a well researched and documented) look at what had previously been based on speculation and folklore.
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