Concerning Swordsmen

I have heard that only samuri had the right to weild swords...But I have seen numerous examples of Kenshi (swordsman) who are not samurai but still fight & know the sword arts... So were there really kenshi or were the samurai the only ones allowed to wield swords?


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Hello,
The 'basic' answer to the question here is that the Samurai WERE the only
ones allowed to hold the 'Daisho' (two swords)..with the exception of members
of the Doshin police, and other people associated with the court allowed to
wear one sword.
However I think that the reason you seem confused on this point is that
these edicts really only were enforced throughout the Tokugawa
period..starting roughly at the time of Hideyoshi's great 'Sword Hunt' at the
end of the 16th century.
Before the Edo period many 'Kenshi' were trained in Kenjutsu and many became
famous..despite their 'non-Samurai' status. During the Edo period it was
still possible to be trained in these systems as the authorities clamp down
was not 100% successfull and could not be enforced.
I am not too sure about this but I believe that it was only the Daisho set
up that was the sole right of Samurai..Peasants may have been 'allowed' one
sword (usually the Wakizashi) if their public duties required it of them.
Yagyu Shingan Ryu Heijutsu was a system that taught to many various classes
of people and the ryu has slightly different techniques depending on the
'needs' of the trainee...i.e Higher class members such as Daimyo or high
retainers were taught techniques both with the Katana and also the Muto-dori
that would have to be used in the presence of ones senior if attacked..Lower
classed trainees were taught techniques that could be used by them in
circumstances they could be caught up in.
The term used by the school for this is 'Bushi yawara' or Warriors Jujutsu
to seperate it out from, say, Suhada Jujutsu (or Jujutsu in 'everyday' clothi
ng)
Since the sword was also taught in the Yagyu Shingan ryu it can be assumed
that there were similarities there with the Jujutsu...
So basically wether the person was allowed to wear the swords depended more
on the time he is shown in and the position he occupies..Tokugawa society was
far more stratified than the organization had ever been before and the
classes were kept quite distinct during the period..It would have been 'bad
form' to train students in weapons they could not be expected to carry
openly..so the training was probably hidden or hushed up by the trainees.
Hope this helps ya!
Abayo.
Ben Sharples