Meanwhile Miyamoto Musashi was like, I have two swords, I'm gonna use both, you're dumb if you only use one for a specific task. If you die not having used every weapon with you, you fail as a warrior.
@@karanjain3481 Scripted videos are 90% of TH-cam. Scripting things is far superior to ad-libbed knowledge; delivery of a script is a skill in and of itself. Much more knowledge in much less time with no stuttering.
Your absolutely amazing and doing a great service to share the knowledge of Japanese Culture as well as everything surrounding it! I found you randomly 3 days ago and have started watching every episode you have put out to learn so much of what I love....Japanese Culture! So thank you!
Fun fact: Musashi's special system of swordsmanship developed as a result of a situation where he was unexpectedly forced to draw his second sword, and use them both at once. He was surprised by how effective it was, so it was developed into a formal style by him.
Read homeboys book of five rings He literally ponders why they do in an early part and concludes something to the extent of “cause” I believe the direct quote is, “for whatever reason, warriors in our land uses two swords”
I tried that rationale with my wife, but she was against letting me have a girlfriend, too. In fact, she said she didn't care if the saying came from the Coast Guard Walruses.
It makes sense and I didn't know that this was a question people asked. Even in Europe knights and men at arms carried a sword and a dagger. So having a longer reach weapon and a shorter backup is part of fighting cultures on the other side of the planet too. Very good video and I enjoyed the visuals. Quite informative too.
@@CertifiedSunset or even the Sax in Norse culture which was a big honking knife carried as a backup by Vikings or the Dirk carried by Scotish Warriors. The list goes on and on.
@@CertifiedSunset the wonderful thing is that it's only one example too. So many cultures have their own example. Rome had the pugio and we already mentioned Vikings and Scots and the people of Nepal have the Kukri. Everybody has a short range bladed weapon, so why should samurai be any different?
It was even more common to wield 3 to 4 weapons, depending on how rich you were. For example a spear, a battle axe, a sword and a dagger wasn't a rarity for a noble (which Samurai were too). Thats the reason why the halberd counts as one of the most innovative weapons, because it combined utilities to fight against knights on horses, has a long range, is effective against heavy armored enemies etc.
Miyamoto Musashi said himself, in the first of his 36 Articles of Swordsmanship, that his use of two swords at once implies nothing significant. It was basically a way to train proficiency in the use of one sword in a single hand, a skill he saw woefully neglected among his peers. It should be noted that he never fought a single duel with more than one weapon, and there is no fighting tradition for dual-wielding in Japanese sword arts either. And indeed, both swords - all, if you include the tanto - are worn on the left, to facilitate drawing with the right hand.
I am from Spain. In my culture, the golden century swordsmen sometimes have two swords. One is the "ropera", long and main sword, and a short sword, or dagger, called "vizcaína". The main sword was used in "common" ways. The second had a brutal use: when the main swords collided, the dagger would slide into the guts of the enemy.
I've often talked to people about the Wakizashi who refuse to believe that it was used for fighting that it was only ceremonial, saying things like "Why would you want a knife in a sword fight...?" (Good line anyways.) But this confirms my thoughts that a shorter blade would be used if inside. Or if someone was already within striking distance but you hadn't pulled out your sword yet. Why would you want a shorter blade? So it doesn't get stuck in the ceiling or wall, and so you can actually unsheathe it from your hip.
They always break in a real hardcore fight...many samurai would actually carry 3 swords...or they would have a servent to carry even more swords for them....and the shorter sword is for suicide! Lol 😅
@@J_Braz_ If I may kindly disagree, I believe it perhaps wasn't necessarily obsolete. One can still fight with honor, while also not allowing the enemy to use your honor against you. The samurai method shown in the game represents a noble, but in need of a reform, method. Not an obsolete one. It is ran by hardliners, where as it might need some reformation. Jin isn't entirely correct either, depending on how one plays him and your views on right and wrong. Yet, perhaps his ways provide an anti-thesis to that era's samurai culture, and for the Universe of Ghost of Tsushima, allows for a few reforms. Besides, even in real history, the Samurai didn't do too poorly against the Mongols even if it can be considered a disaster. After all, they never fought the mongols before, and both sides had different views on war. Though the Typhoons did help a lot (Almost entirely saving them). We also saw that, after the first Mongol invasion, the Samurai stepped back and pondered what went wrong and reformed. Not leaving behind old traditions, but adapting it in such a way that it remains recognizable but has adapted. A Rose that first buds is still the same rose when it fully develops. The Rose simply had to make a few extra steps to get where it needed to go to survive. But it remains a Rose, even if it is no longer a seedling or a bud.
@@MrTrueWizardry Unless its considered dishonorable in their culture, im sure somebody has been stabbed to death by a katana. If impaling your opponent means you live another day. Maybe thats a very western way of thinking.
Supposedly, when Miyamoto Musahi fought Shishido Baiken (an expert on the sickle and chain kusarigama), Musahi's strategy was to attack with his wakizashi and when Baiken ensnared the wakizashi with the kusarigama, Musahi used his free uchi-katana to strike Baiken. The usual strategy is to attack with the uchi-katana first and only use the wakizashi if you lose the uchi-katana but Musahi changed the strategy because he knew that Baiken was going to use the kusarigama to ensnare the first sword he used.
@Jeremy Seely unlike a flail the kusarigama had a long chain and actually could be used to ensnare/bludgeon from a distance, also the kama on one end on it's own is a decent weapon.
I'd love for you to explain why the merchants were the lowest social class in japan, even lower than peasants. I did a bit of research on this for a college practice but it was still confusing. If anyone is interested in this too, please like this comment
It was to prevent them from owerthrowing the shogunatte. Because merchants had more money and if their class was high that could cause them to have more power, even more power than the government as seen when samurais overthrew the emperor because they were the ones that actually had the power, they could overthrow government
@@justaguythatwatchesalotofyt Pretty brilliant and pragmatic, tbh. You keep those that have and control money in-line, otherwise they're bound to do some pretty unsavory things down the road through greed.
@@lilyschrodingy3600 Yeah, Tokugawas were brilliant in controling the country, after all that's why they lasted for 250+ years. I heard that they made it so your job was already predetermined, for example if your grandfather was a shoemaker, your father and then you will be shoemakers, and it'd be forbiden to change your profession. Also if your birthplace was, for example, Hiroshima, you are bound to live in Hiroshima for the rest of your life, as well as your descendants. And through controling basically the society as whole, they had been in charge for over 2 centuries, and i believe they could last longer if Japan wasn't in Americas intrest
I think it is fascinating, that while samurai carried two swords for centuries, we didn't really see them weilding both swords simultaneously in battle until Miyamoto Musashi came along. I also love how all of the martial principles for swordsmanship translate to modern day combat and gunfighting. Short sword was used for CQB, short barrled rifles are used for CQB. Really love this channel and appreciate the educational value of the content. Thank you!
I believe it was inherited from the Confucian system where it was based on wealth generation. Scholars (or in this case samurai) are at the top, then Peasants because peasants generate wealth from nothing, then Artisans because artisans take wealth and generate more wealth out of them and Merchants at the bottom because merchants only move wealth around without generating any.
It's no different than the feudal systems of europe. the merchant was always the lowest of the low until free trade became common. likewise, the artisan became rarer and rarer once the industrial revolution kicked off.
@@ListersHatsune so what is the pyramid visualizing? Normally it is population %, which is why peasants are on the bottom, there are a lot more of them.
@@vidard9863 no, that thing never visualised population it shows who haves a higher rank than the others. It's just a common thing that were are more people with lower rank.
It is always nice to see your videos. You have the grace and talent of a teacher.I like hearing things again that I already knew. Thank you for being here. 👍
It was used on land to deeply impale horses. It wasn't swung and was held in a very low stance due to massive size. it would be stabbed into the ribcage of the horse and causes incredible amounts of damage.
3 ปีที่แล้ว +1
@@_rami_745 wasn't zanbatou (斬馬刀) used to strike the horse? Nodachi is suposed to be a "field sword" (野太刀), and odachi (大太刀) a giant tachi (太刀).
@@_rami_745 They already had spears to impale horses - no need to invent a shorter, less straight weapon more prone to breaking for that purpose. The no-dachi was probably used in much the same way European greatswords were. It is worth mentioning that the nodachi's popularity took place at a time when mounted samurai still used bows first and foremost, and so would not normally be charging infantry. Moreover, by the time Takeda Shingen changed cavalry tactics, using massed cavalry charges, the nodachi was all but gone from the battlefield. In period artwork, the nodachi is seen mainly in charging other infantry.
Thank you, Shogo! I thought I knew, but it was more complex than I'd thought. And I love that, as I'm watching this video, your current subscriber count is 1.76 Million!
I always thought they had two in case one of them breaks or gets lost during battle so they could fight even if they lost their sword. Thanks for the explanation!
Thank you for including the historical and cultural aspects instead of just describing the weapons. Context is king, and you're rightly enthroned for adding it in this "Stuff I Never Knew" video.
I think you are in my head !! I was going for a walk today, and a random thought came to my mind "why do Samurai carry two swords!?" And, TH-cam read my mind, and was like "we got this.." 🤔
Miriam Manolov, "...and a random thought came to my mind...". Did it, or was it placed there ( Alexa, TH-cam, Google ) ? We Are being manipulated, beyong our dreams ...
You should do a colab with The Metatron. He has a channel that focuses primarily Medieval, Roman, & Japanese arms and armor but he also does videos on Japanese language and culture. He's Italian but speaks fluent English (with somethin of a British accent), as well as fluent Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese; his day job is a University language professor and he has actually studied and lived in Japan.
The Metatron hast very different views. According to him, katanas are mostky sidearms and Back Up weapons, as well as status Symbols. Samurai mostly used mounted archery, so their Main weapon was the bow. Battle field weapons were usually longer than the katana, which is, as mentioned before, a sidearm. Main weapons are for example nodachi or Yari. Personally, I Trust the Metatron, mostly because I've known him longer and Just stumbled across this video
I have recently watched a video regarding the tea ceremony, in which it was said that because the entrance to the tea room is too small, samurai had to leave their Katanas outside as they wouldn't be able to enter with them on and that it also helped with the peaceful and calm environment in which the tea ceremony created. In your video you mention Wakizashi was always carried around. Does this apply to tea ceremonies too or there are exceptions regarding certain rituals or even matsuri? Great work and keep it up!
Tea rooms were not small until right near the end of the sengoku era, thanks to the introduction of the Rikyu school of formal tea ritual. In fact, originally the tea ritual was held outdoors. The uchigatana-wakizashi combo predates Sen no Rikyu by two centuries, so tea rooms were not a factor.
Shogo-san, thank you for your knowledge, effort, and willingness to educate us. Would you comment on the notion that sumo wrestlers (and maybe some other classes) were allowed to carry wakizashi? Also, my adopted mother from Tokyo, her family handed down a short sword that was to be displayed at funerals. It was the length of a wakizashi but sheathed in a simple wooden scabbard and had a very short handle of wood-only for one hand. Have you seen or heard of these? Thank you for your response.
A Japanese sword housed in a plain wood scabbard (a scabbard is called a saya) is carried in what is called a shirasaya. The handle is not wrapped. The shirasaya is often used for long term storage of a sword and one would also have a working saya that is lacquered and has fittings such as a piece to hold silk cord known as a sageo, and a handle wrapped in silk with a fuchi metal or horn piece at the entry of a sword to the saya, and a gashira end piece of the handle. Inside the wrap are also small decorative pieces known as menuki.
Your goal is to have 10,000 subscribed by July, you might achieve 100,000. Know why? The respect you have for history has arrived before you do. Bravo!💌
Hey, Great video, I have a question about something I never understood: when I watch movies and anime about samurais and ninja I always notice that ninjas never have a curved katana but a straight one, and the same thing for samurai; i guess my question is what difference does the curve make in a katana ?
Thank you very much for leaving a comment and asking me a question! The curve was created to make the katana easier to draw! The ninjas had to move around a lot so their katanas were shorter, and that's why they didn't have to be curved!
Hey! Nice explaination! I have a couple of questions though. Is a no-dachi a type of tachi, a different name for the same thing or is it distinct? Also I find it weird that skilled craftsmen/artisans like fletchers, smithies, clothiers etc were lower in the social caste than peasants. What’s the reasoning behind this?
Nodachi or Odachi are distinct from katana in the same way a western two-handed or greatsword (zweihander, claymore, etc) are distinct from longswords. As for peasants being higher than merchants, this was because peasants were largely farmers or directly servants of samurai and were therefore more valuable to the society (service is honorable, food is all important), and while craftsmen were important, mercantilism was seen as distasteful.
watching from 2022, seeing your goal of 10k subs, and seeing you now at over 988k is amazing, i'm so glad i found your channel, and love your information
this makes perfect sense, and agree with historical evolution of swordmanship swords in the old world, became a sidearm specially since the 14th century with introduction of gunpowder, and most armies used other weapons like spears, pole-axes, traditional cavalry started losing to anti-cavalry weapon, specially gunpower, and they had to change by forgowing their armor, and thus heavy swords became useless, and most started using light sabers as a sidearm
You wanted 10,000 subs by 2021 as stated at the end of this show! Now you have 1,150,000 subscribers you made your goal and the channel exploded. Congratulations on such success! Happy Trails
Hey love your video very interesting and amazing information and history. Making your channel was a amazing idea and your story telling is very interesting to listen to .
Thank you for leaving a comment! The other four are "Otachi 大太刀" "Naginata 薙刀" "Tanto 短刀" "Ken 剣 / Chokuto 直刀"! I'll try to make more videos about katanas soon! If you can understand any Japanese, this is a nice website! www.touken-world.jp/tips/9755/
FYI, in English the word "samurai" is used in both singular and plural forms, never "samurais". "Samurai's", with the apostrophe, would be used to show possession. Sorry for the grammar lesson! I love your content.
well.......after spending over 6 years looking for straight answers on this kind of knowledge....and a year after i virtually gave up.....i stumble across this wonderful channel.......how pleasant
Excellent video. I suggest that "fighting on foot" over "fighting on land." Foot soldiers and cavalry fight on land. The Navy and Marines tend to fight on the sea.
I second this. We understand what you mean Shogo-san. For native American speakers it just produces an moment of "disorientation" when we hear ~Fight on foot versus Fight on land~.
I watched this just to get an better understanding of the "Tachi" in "The Expanse". I learned a lot, thank you! I also see the very natural flow to the Rocinante.
A long sword for distance and a shorter sword for indoors/close range. Makes sense. I didn’t know that the earlier mounted samurai also carried two swords. Cool video.
Thank you for this informative video. It was interesting to learn about the changes in the length and curve-depth of the words, because of the differences in battlefield tactics. Well done!
Hahaha.. ts so simple. The short one is for fighting in Smal rooms and Coridors. And the long one to fight outside, in the Garden.😂🤣😂🤣 And master Musashi had a short arm, like Bruce Lee a short leg.😜 So he Equalised the distance to his Enemies.👍👍 And now i check the reason (why) they give you a sword in your hand.😉
This is my first video of you that I have watched and I must say I will be sure to check you out more. I think you did an excellent job being informative, clear, but not beating the different parts of the subject to death. I enjoyed this video very much
Remember switching to your sidearm is always faster than reloading
I can’t believe this made me laugh so much 😂😂😂
*reloads katana* The rest is up to the gods...
Nice one soap
Nani! 🤣
Comrade
"Man, I really need to sleep."
TH-cam: You ever wonder why samurai carried two swords?
"... One more video."
This happened to me now in 2am midnight
I hear that!
Always! XD
That's me often... lol.
*see his channel "One more sleepless night"
"I never understood why some knights feel the need to carry _two_ swords." Jaime Lannister as he steals the knights other sword
Heh.
😂
Perhaps he understood after he got his sword hand chopped off and was useless with the other one.
says the man who could afford a squire(have to pay to feed them and such).
says the man who wouldn't be without sword and wouldn't have to steal one to be armed if he himself had carried *two swords.*
Remember: Switching to your wakizashi is always faster than reloading your uchi-katana
Underated comment
take my like as my gratitude for your joke
My katana has an extended mag.
Remember: “Uchi” roughly translates to “pump action”
True dat
Because one is for humans and another for monsters.
Same thing
Both used for monsters.
one was silver ?
Hm...fuck!
kokorowatari and Yumewatari
Meanwhile Miyamoto Musashi was like, I have two swords, I'm gonna use both, you're dumb if you only use one for a specific task. If you die not having used every weapon with you, you fail as a warrior.
except for Kojiro, where he only had a single, extra long wooden sword ;) -- tactics matters
Nothing beats the mighty power of the stick! @@jduncanandroid
"Two swords are better than one." *Miyamoto Musashi*
Main carry pistol, ankle pistol, pocket pistol, trunk/truck gun...with 3 mags each....lol
@@stansenter2660 No knive?!
Great novel by Eiji Yoshikawa! Worth the reading.
‘It’s hard at first, but everything is difficult at first.’
As the old saying goes: Two is one and one is none.
Very informative and structured. I love how there's a summary at the end. Most educational content in youtube should be like this.
I love how this uber-polite, incredibly well-mannered guy who picks every word so carefully, is like, oh, and here is my sword.
It is scripted and well edited lol
@@karanjain3481 I mean, scripting is pretty much the best consistent way to carefully pick your words. I agree that it is well edited though.
A true gentleman always strives to be nice. Until it's time to not be nice. Then a gentleman shows his fighting skills.
@@karanjain3481 Scripted videos are 90% of TH-cam. Scripting things is far superior to ad-libbed knowledge; delivery of a script is a skill in and of itself. Much more knowledge in much less time with no stuttering.
@@karanjain3481 Actually that was way too many edits for my taste.
Your absolutely amazing and doing a great service to share the knowledge of Japanese Culture as well as everything surrounding it! I found you randomly 3 days ago and have started watching every episode you have put out to learn so much of what I love....Japanese Culture! So thank you!
I like the fact that you include a closure that restates the essential points to your video lesson.
that is the general goal of a conclusion.
@@scopilio13
OP was saying that most people don't do it, and was expressing his approval for Shogo doing it.
Swords are like a brush / All of their strokes are final / They're never undone...
Shogo! ありがとうございます
As a certified weeb with over 20 years of inexperience, I can confirm 2 swords are better than 1 mainly because Miyamoto Musashi said so.
them weeb skills, how amaze!
Fun fact: Musashi's special system of swordsmanship developed as a result of a situation where he was unexpectedly forced to draw his second sword, and use them both at once. He was surprised by how effective it was, so it was developed into a formal style by him.
I was VERY disappointed when a video with "two swords" in the title about samurai doesn't even HINT AT Miyamoto Musashi. Just disgraceful.
Read homeboys book of five rings
He literally ponders why they do in an early part and concludes something to the extent of “cause”
I believe the direct quote is, “for whatever reason, warriors in our land uses two swords”
i prefer 3...
“Two is one and one is none” - Navy Seals
I tried that rationale with my wife, but she was against letting me have a girlfriend, too. In fact, she said she didn't care if the saying came from the Coast Guard Walruses.
It makes sense and I didn't know that this was a question people asked. Even in Europe knights and men at arms carried a sword and a dagger. So having a longer reach weapon and a shorter backup is part of fighting cultures on the other side of the planet too. Very good video and I enjoyed the visuals. Quite informative too.
Indeed, examples like the Rondel Dagger come to mind.
@@CertifiedSunset or even the Sax in Norse culture which was a big honking knife carried as a backup by Vikings or the Dirk carried by Scotish Warriors. The list goes on and on.
@@darrenskjoelsvold Oh yeah, I totally forgot about hte Seax! I love that knife!
@@CertifiedSunset the wonderful thing is that it's only one example too. So many cultures have their own example.
Rome had the pugio and we already mentioned Vikings and Scots and the people of Nepal have the Kukri. Everybody has a short range bladed weapon, so why should samurai be any different?
It was even more common to wield 3 to 4 weapons, depending on how rich you were.
For example a spear, a battle axe, a sword and a dagger wasn't a rarity for a noble (which Samurai were too).
Thats the reason why the halberd counts as one of the most innovative weapons, because it combined utilities to fight against knights on horses, has a long range, is effective against heavy armored enemies etc.
Miyamoto Musashi said himself, in the first of his 36 Articles of Swordsmanship, that his use of two swords at once implies nothing significant. It was basically a way to train proficiency in the use of one sword in a single hand, a skill he saw woefully neglected among his peers. It should be noted that he never fought a single duel with more than one weapon, and there is no fighting tradition for dual-wielding in Japanese sword arts either. And indeed, both swords - all, if you include the tanto - are worn on the left, to facilitate drawing with the right hand.
I am from Spain. In my culture, the golden century swordsmen sometimes have two swords. One is the "ropera", long and main sword, and a short sword, or dagger, called "vizcaína". The main sword was used in "common" ways. The second had a brutal use: when the main swords collided, the dagger would slide into the guts of the enemy.
yes and they mostly used pikes or spears because its always better to keep your enemy at distance.
Buenardo
My man do be using 'la verdadera destreza' here
Sword and dagger, very nice duo indeed and one of my favorite
Nice
Thank you for your kindness and generosity in sharing what you have learned. I find your videos very informative. You have helped me in many ways.
"using your pistol is faster than reloading"
-some cool british guy
@Mugen00 call of duty 4 MW
That's called a 'New York reload'.
Switching to your pistol is faster than reloading?
@@shadowstrider5033 just get better at reloading 4head
@@thunderborn3231
b4head?
I've often talked to people about the Wakizashi who refuse to believe that it was used for fighting that it was only ceremonial, saying things like "Why would you want a knife in a sword fight...?" (Good line anyways.) But this confirms my thoughts that a shorter blade would be used if inside. Or if someone was already within striking distance but you hadn't pulled out your sword yet. Why would you want a shorter blade? So it doesn't get stuck in the ceiling or wall, and so you can actually unsheathe it from your hip.
Maiq the Liar would say: "I always carry 2 words, what if one breaks?"
@MR.Twentysix he just always say "I'm groot"
They always break in a real hardcore fight...many samurai would actually carry 3 swords...or they would have a servent to carry even more swords for them....and the shorter sword is for suicide! Lol 😅
Me too
@Chirag M May your road lead to warm sands
"Why has he got two swords? Is it in case the first one breaks? Bloody genius, that is"
Why two swords? Sometimes you need to reload.
Isshin be like:
@@matthiasgrabmayr3122 Beat me to it
I like the respect he showed by using both the metric and imperial systems.
Well, it’s fairly easy: one is for fighting with honor, and one is for stealth. Ghost of Tsushima solved this
BUT a samurai doesnt strike from the shadows as it is considered cowardice and dishonorable.
@@Major_oc3lot you sound fun at parties
@@thewhitesludgemonster2345 he sounds like shimura
Jin proved that the samurai method, though noble was obsolete.
@@J_Braz_ If I may kindly disagree, I believe it perhaps wasn't necessarily obsolete. One can still fight with honor, while also not allowing the enemy to use your honor against you.
The samurai method shown in the game represents a noble, but in need of a reform, method. Not an obsolete one. It is ran by hardliners, where as it might need some reformation. Jin isn't entirely correct either, depending on how one plays him and your views on right and wrong. Yet, perhaps his ways provide an anti-thesis to that era's samurai culture, and for the Universe of Ghost of Tsushima, allows for a few reforms.
Besides, even in real history, the Samurai didn't do too poorly against the Mongols even if it can be considered a disaster. After all, they never fought the mongols before, and both sides had different views on war. Though the Typhoons did help a lot (Almost entirely saving them). We also saw that, after the first Mongol invasion, the Samurai stepped back and pondered what went wrong and reformed. Not leaving behind old traditions, but adapting it in such a way that it remains recognizable but has adapted.
A Rose that first buds is still the same rose when it fully develops. The Rose simply had to make a few extra steps to get where it needed to go to survive. But it remains a Rose, even if it is no longer a seedling or a bud.
Switching to your secondary sword is faster than pulling out the main sword from the enemies gut.
😂😂😂
You stab them in the gut and them pull out the other blade and finish the job while they're stunned
But you should never need to pull your sword from the enemy's guts because katanas are not meant for impaling.
@@MrTrueWizardry I don't make the rules, I just break them.
@@MrTrueWizardry Unless its considered dishonorable in their culture, im sure somebody has been stabbed to death by a katana. If impaling your opponent means you live another day. Maybe thats a very western way of thinking.
Supposedly, when Miyamoto Musahi fought Shishido Baiken (an expert on the sickle and chain kusarigama), Musahi's strategy was to attack with his wakizashi and when Baiken ensnared the wakizashi with the kusarigama, Musahi used his free uchi-katana to strike Baiken.
The usual strategy is to attack with the uchi-katana first and only use the wakizashi if you lose the uchi-katana but Musahi changed the strategy because he knew that Baiken was going to use the kusarigama to ensnare the first sword he used.
so pretty much musashi used the japanese equivalent of rapier and main gauche
There will never be another Warrior like Musashi!
it's meant to be "uchigatana" because it's a compound word and easier to pronounce.
@Jeremy Seely unlike a flail the kusarigama had a long chain and actually could be used to ensnare/bludgeon from a distance, also the kama on one end on it's own is a decent weapon.
@Jeremy Seely the Kusarigama is a weapon that in the hands of a master is very controlled, and extremely unpredictable for most opponents.
I'd love for you to explain why the merchants were the lowest social class in japan, even lower than peasants. I did a bit of research on this for a college practice but it was still confusing.
If anyone is interested in this too, please like this comment
All I know is it has something to do with handling money
It was to prevent them from owerthrowing the shogunatte. Because merchants had more money and if their class was high that could cause them to have more power, even more power than the government as seen when samurais overthrew the emperor because they were the ones that actually had the power, they could overthrow government
@@justaguythatwatchesalotofyt Pretty brilliant and pragmatic, tbh. You keep those that have and control money in-line, otherwise they're bound to do some pretty unsavory things down the road through greed.
@@lilyschrodingy3600 Yeah, Tokugawas were brilliant in controling the country, after all that's why they lasted for 250+ years. I heard that they made it so your job was already predetermined, for example if your grandfather was a shoemaker, your father and then you will be shoemakers, and it'd be forbiden to change your profession. Also if your birthplace was, for example, Hiroshima, you are bound to live in Hiroshima for the rest of your life, as well as your descendants. And through controling basically the society as whole, they had been in charge for over 2 centuries, and i believe they could last longer if Japan wasn't in Americas intrest
U train both styles? I wanna see a demo video of you doing stuff
Thanks!
Genji : one is for ult the other for the deflecting rockets
I think it is fascinating, that while samurai carried two swords for centuries, we didn't really see them weilding both swords simultaneously in battle until Miyamoto Musashi came along. I also love how all of the martial principles for swordsmanship translate to modern day combat and gunfighting. Short sword was used for CQB, short barrled rifles are used for CQB. Really love this channel and appreciate the educational value of the content. Thank you!
I was surprised by the pyramid: peasants were above craftsmen and merchants.
Same
I believe it was inherited from the Confucian system where it was based on wealth generation. Scholars (or in this case samurai) are at the top, then Peasants because peasants generate wealth from nothing, then Artisans because artisans take wealth and generate more wealth out of them and Merchants at the bottom because merchants only move wealth around without generating any.
It's no different than the feudal systems of europe. the merchant was always the lowest of the low until free trade became common. likewise, the artisan became rarer and rarer once the industrial revolution kicked off.
@@ListersHatsune so what is the pyramid visualizing? Normally it is population %, which is why peasants are on the bottom, there are a lot more of them.
@@vidard9863 no, that thing never visualised population it shows who haves a higher rank than the others. It's just a common thing that were are more people with lower rank.
It is always nice to see your videos. You have the grace and talent of a teacher.I like hearing things again that I already knew. Thank you for being here. 👍
There was also Odachi or Nodachi as well and I was curious about that one too.
It was used on land to deeply impale horses. It wasn't swung and was held in a very low stance due to massive size. it would be stabbed into the ribcage of the horse and causes incredible amounts of damage.
@@_rami_745 wasn't zanbatou (斬馬刀) used to strike the horse? Nodachi is suposed to be a "field sword" (野太刀), and odachi (大太刀) a giant tachi (太刀).
@ you look like you know more than me so i suppose so
I have a lot of curiosity about the nagamaki.
@@_rami_745 They already had spears to impale horses - no need to invent a shorter, less straight weapon more prone to breaking for that purpose. The no-dachi was probably used in much the same way European greatswords were. It is worth mentioning that the nodachi's popularity took place at a time when mounted samurai still used bows first and foremost, and so would not normally be charging infantry. Moreover, by the time Takeda Shingen changed cavalry tactics, using massed cavalry charges, the nodachi was all but gone from the battlefield. In period artwork, the nodachi is seen mainly in charging other infantry.
Thank you, Shogo! I thought I knew, but it was more complex than I'd thought. And I love that, as I'm watching this video, your current subscriber count is 1.76 Million!
I always thought they had two in case one of them breaks or gets lost during battle so they could fight even if they lost their sword. Thanks for the explanation!
Thank you for including the historical and cultural aspects instead of just describing the weapons. Context is king, and you're rightly enthroned for adding it in this "Stuff I Never Knew" video.
Shogo, your English is very good. Not always perfect, but you speak quite well and you are easy to understand.
He lived in the states for 6 years.
I like how this video is structured. I can tell that you're really into this! It's nice.
I think you are in my head !! I was going for a walk today, and a random thought came to my mind "why do Samurai carry two swords!?" And, TH-cam read my mind, and was like "we got this.." 🤔
Miriam Manolov,
"...and a random thought came to my mind...".
Did it, or was it placed there ( Alexa, TH-cam, Google ) ?
We Are being manipulated, beyong our dreams ...
@@fjb4932 😂😂😂😂 I need one of them aluminum hats 😳
Your video is so informational! Thank you for taking the time to share with us!
You should do a colab with The Metatron. He has a channel that focuses primarily Medieval, Roman, & Japanese arms and armor but he also does videos on Japanese language and culture. He's Italian but speaks fluent English (with somethin of a British accent), as well as fluent Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese; his day job is a University language professor and he has actually studied and lived in Japan.
It might be difficult with Metatron being in Italy and Shogo being in Japan.
@@donkeysaurusrex7881 It can be an online colab..
That would be great.
The Metatron hast very different views. According to him, katanas are mostky sidearms and Back Up weapons, as well as status Symbols. Samurai mostly used mounted archery, so their Main weapon was the bow. Battle field weapons were usually longer than the katana, which is, as mentioned before, a sidearm. Main weapons are for example nodachi or Yari. Personally, I Trust the Metatron, mostly because I've known him longer and Just stumbled across this video
Interesting facts .. I often wondered about the two swords but no one really could honesty answer .. Thx
I have recently watched a video regarding the tea ceremony, in which it was said that because the entrance to the tea room is too small, samurai had to leave their Katanas outside as they wouldn't be able to enter with them on and that it also helped with the peaceful and calm environment in which the tea ceremony created. In your video you mention Wakizashi was always carried around. Does this apply to tea ceremonies too or there are exceptions regarding certain rituals or even matsuri? Great work and keep it up!
Tea rooms were not small until right near the end of the sengoku era, thanks to the introduction of the Rikyu school of formal tea ritual. In fact, originally the tea ritual was held outdoors. The uchigatana-wakizashi combo predates Sen no Rikyu by two centuries, so tea rooms were not a factor.
Can I just say how much I appreciate your videos! These are great
Shogo-san, thank you for your knowledge, effort, and willingness to educate us. Would you comment on the notion that sumo wrestlers (and maybe some other classes) were allowed to carry wakizashi? Also, my adopted mother from Tokyo, her family handed down a short sword that was to be displayed at funerals. It was the length of a wakizashi but sheathed in a simple wooden scabbard and had a very short handle of wood-only for one hand. Have you seen or heard of these? Thank you for your response.
I’m not sure at all, but the wooden pieces may function as a holder or protection for the blade.
A Japanese sword housed in a plain wood scabbard (a scabbard is called a saya) is carried in what is called a shirasaya. The handle is not wrapped. The shirasaya is often used for long term storage of a sword and one would also have a working saya that is lacquered and has fittings such as a piece to hold silk cord known as a sageo, and a handle wrapped in silk with a fuchi metal or horn piece at the entry of a sword to the saya, and a gashira end piece of the handle. Inside the wrap are also small decorative pieces known as menuki.
Loved the presentation of the question and info in the expressed answer. 👍👍👍
"emergency seppuku" there's a concept that's hard to get your head around :o
yeah, I have always thought the short one was only to be used on one's self.
Well, since the enemy would've tortured them if caught, a quick seppuku would've been better
@@saf4433 "quick"... lol
I was doing a bit of research while working on some writing and this was super useful.
Your goal is to have 10,000 subscribed by July, you might achieve 100,000.
Know why? The respect you have for history has arrived before you do. Bravo!💌
I would subscribe but you show too many errors in your terminology...makes me think maybe you don't know your subject very well.
I've always found katanas fascinating and I really enjoyed this video.
Hey, Great video, I have a question about something I never understood: when I watch movies and anime about samurais and ninja I always notice that ninjas never have a curved katana but a straight one, and the same thing for samurai; i guess my question is what difference does the curve make in a katana ?
Thank you very much for leaving a comment and asking me a question!
The curve was created to make the katana easier to draw! The ninjas had to move around a lot so their katanas were shorter, and that's why they didn't have to be curved!
@@LetsaskShogo I read somewhere that the curve katana made slicing bodies easier!?
It would be interesting if you made a video about this difference.
Ninja used ninjato, samurai used katana, different weapons. Ninjato better for stabbing, katana better at slicing.
I'm so happy I found this channel
Your voice is so relaxing, your informations are so interesting
I love this channel, keep up the good work
Hey! Nice explaination! I have a couple of questions though.
Is a no-dachi a type of tachi, a different name for the same thing or is it distinct?
Also I find it weird that skilled craftsmen/artisans like fletchers, smithies, clothiers etc were lower in the social caste than peasants. What’s the reasoning behind this?
Nodachi or Odachi are distinct from katana in the same way a western two-handed or greatsword (zweihander, claymore, etc) are distinct from longswords.
As for peasants being higher than merchants, this was because peasants were largely farmers or directly servants of samurai and were therefore more valuable to the society (service is honorable, food is all important), and while craftsmen were important, mercantilism was seen as distasteful.
Thanks for your knowledge and insight into an area I have long been interested in!
Quick wait I need to commit an emergency seppuku!
watching from 2022, seeing your goal of 10k subs, and seeing you now at over 988k is amazing, i'm so glad i found your channel, and love your information
It's kind of like how knights carried a main sword and a long dagger
Domo for all the knowledge you are sharing with us.
Uchi-katana: often used to spam running R1 attacks.
Only while wearing masters robes and blindfold
@@VividFizzy Or full havels while ninja flipping depending on the game.
Beautifully done explanation and video. Thank you so much.
this makes perfect sense, and agree with historical evolution of swordmanship
swords in the old world, became a sidearm specially since the 14th century with introduction of gunpowder, and most armies used other weapons like spears, pole-axes, traditional cavalry started losing to anti-cavalry weapon, specially gunpower, and they had to change by forgowing their armor, and thus heavy swords became useless, and most started using light sabers as a sidearm
"...and most started using light sabers as a sidearm."
As a science fiction nerd, I cannot help but read this as "lightsabres".
You wanted 10,000 subs by 2021 as stated at the end of this show! Now you have 1,150,000 subscribers you made your goal and the channel exploded. Congratulations on such success! Happy Trails
The long one was to actually fight and the shorter one to properly commit seppuku. :)
Hey love your video very interesting and amazing information and history. Making your channel was a amazing idea and your story telling is very interesting to listen to .
What are the other 4 types of Katana you mention in the video? Where could I learn more about them?
Thank you for leaving a comment!
The other four are "Otachi 大太刀" "Naginata 薙刀" "Tanto 短刀" "Ken 剣 / Chokuto 直刀"!
I'll try to make more videos about katanas soon! If you can understand any Japanese, this is a nice website!
www.touken-world.jp/tips/9755/
@@LetsaskShogo so big sword, sword-on-a-stick, short sword and straight sword?
Thanks Dude and best of luck in your training! We owe you a cup of tea!!!
Why did they wear sandals?
Because Japan is warm, sandals were formal one. Roman dress is also sandals.
Because Air Jordan is too expensive
Because carrying them was too cumbersome
Your measured, succinct speaking style with an American Midwestern accent is very appealing. Listening to you is so enjoyable.
FYI, in English the word "samurai" is used in both singular and plural forms, never "samurais". "Samurai's", with the apostrophe, would be used to show possession. Sorry for the grammar lesson! I love your content.
well.......after spending over 6 years looking for straight answers on this kind of knowledge....and a year after i virtually gave up.....i stumble across this wonderful channel.......how pleasant
"Always be prepared"
-boy scouts
Robert Baden-Powell was talking about his pork sword when he told the boys to "Be prepared".
HAD to make it weird
Have you done a video about all 7 major types of Katanas? I would love to learn how their weapons changed with the Era/situation/culture/region, etc.
Excellent video. I suggest that "fighting on foot" over "fighting on land." Foot soldiers and cavalry fight on land. The Navy and Marines tend to fight on the sea.
I second this. We understand what you mean Shogo-san. For native American speakers it just produces an moment of "disorientation" when we hear ~Fight on foot versus Fight on land~.
I watched this just to get an better understanding of the "Tachi" in "The Expanse". I learned a lot, thank you! I also see the very natural flow to the Rocinante.
Is it legal to own a katana? Can you bring it outside in the public? And how did you got to own a katana?
Is it sharp or blunt, is it a weapon or a training sword?
I think you can carry a sharp one around as long it's wrapped or boxed with some sort of permit.
A long sword for distance and a shorter sword for indoors/close range. Makes sense. I didn’t know that the earlier mounted samurai also carried two swords. Cool video.
Zoro: hold my beer
Santoryu Onigiri
Excellent video. Very informative and well-produced. Thank you!
MEANWHILE: Zorro Lost Again
I always learn something new in watching yiur videos.thank you very much sir!
Roronoa Zoro be like: Ohh ???
Thank you for this informative video. It was interesting to learn about the changes in the length and curve-depth of the words, because of the differences in battlefield tactics. Well done!
"whats the point of having a sword if you die when its at your waist"- Musashi Miyamoto
Musashi never actually fought with two swords.
I see that 10k goal is coming along nicely. Well done.
They carry two swords for the same reason I carry three guns...
More is more.
Two axes are better than one and three is even better
Paranoia?
Pistol smg fmg
to make them slower?
Thank you, sir, for your hard work and precious time.
大変お世話になりました。貴重な時間をありがとうございました。
Zoro carries three swords.
Great video. Very enjoyable and informative. Thank you!
Hahaha.. ts so simple.
The short one is for fighting in Smal rooms and Coridors.
And the long one to fight outside, in the Garden.😂🤣😂🤣
And master Musashi had a short arm, like Bruce Lee a short leg.😜
So he Equalised the distance to his Enemies.👍👍
And now i check the reason (why) they give you a sword in your hand.😉
Love how informative this was
just do zoro style, all 3 swords and then start doing some backflips
This is my first video of you that I have watched and I must say I will be sure to check you out more. I think you did an excellent job being informative, clear, but not beating the different parts of the subject to death. I enjoyed this video very much
Very excellent video Shogo! Great information and excellent with explanation. Keep them coming.
Thank you. That was a very good video.
I learned so much Shogo, thank you.
Thank you so much for the very clear explanation...
Thank you for explaining, Shogo.