(no subject)

In The History of the Samurai, Did they always draw thier sword with thier right hand even if they were lefty ? I appreciate a factual answer. thanks


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Short answer: Yes.

The sword or swords were always worn on the left hip, the draw was
always with the right hand, and the two-hand grip was always with
the left hand closest to the body. If you were left-handed, you
simply
trained to be proficient either way.

Did the Japanese 'train out' left-handedness as the Europeans used
to? I don't know.

Having said that the a swordsman would be proficient with either hand
- as for example Miyamoto Musashi who is credited with founding the
Niten Ichi Ryu (Two Heaven School) in which both swords are drawn -
his argument being if you have two swords why only use one? Even so,
he continued to wear both swords on the left side.

I do not know the draw technique.

I was once told by a collector he came across a short sword with the
tang (the bit that goes into the hilt) curved the opposite way to the
blade (so the whole thing looked vaguely S-shaped). He had been
told the sword had probably been made for a one-armed man, the
counter-curve of the tang helping the balance of the blade.

Unfortunately it was impossible to tell which arm the man used!

Thomas

They did not ALWAYS draw with their right hands, I
leanred a technique where you draw with your left.
this is not an easy move, it was used to drive the
pommel of the sword into the abdomen of an oponent,
the sword is then gripped with the right hand... and
used to take the head of the now winded oponent.

Myamoto Musashi Used the smaller of the two swords in
his left hand.


I hope this was helpful.


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