The tetsubo in Japanese military history

Hi. I have been discussing the actual existence/use of tetsubo with
some fellow RPG players.

Tetsubo ("iron staff"?) are those big and heavy iron studded staves
often seen in old samurai prints. They seem to have been popular
during the Gempei war and/or Kamakura period. I have also read that
they were used as a kind of psychological weapon, to intimidate the
enemies with a "big fu*king club". (I seem to remember that nodachi
blades were also used for a similar purpose, in later eras).

According to another source found on the internet, the tetsubo was
also - and foremost - employed from horseback (which surprised me,
because I would have thought that a such a weapon would be too
cumbersome to be used effectively from the saddle), so the wielder
could add the mount's momentum to his swing, for a truly devastating
blow.

I still wonder to what extent the tetsubos were actually used on the
battlefield.
Were they a common sight on the battlefield or were they limited
to earlier historic periods and/or specific tactical purposes?
Were there a specific martial style associated with the tetsubo, such
as to allow something like basic parries, counterattacks or "called
shots", or their use was simple and straightforward (a- lift weapon;
b- lower weapon on enemy's head; 3- repeat from 1.)? They don't look
like they could be used like a naginata, a bo staff or anything like
that.

Any info on the subject is appreciated.
Thanks.

--
C E Z

CEZ
I did own a tetsubo some years ago but it was of late manufacture and actually had a sword blade inside. Whilst I may be wrong, I believe they were, like the naginata, a prefered weapon of the yama-bushi or warrior monks. I think towards the end of Edo period they were more used as ornaments in daimyo processions and the like. I have a Meiji period photo of an armoured samurai with a tetsubo, so they certainly did exist. I am surprised that it was used from horseback and am sure that tetsubojutsu was a minor martial way.
Clive Sinclaire

----- Original Message -----
From: cez_72
To: samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 3:29 PM
Subject: [samuraihistory] The tetsubo in Japanese military history


Hi. I have been discussing the actual existence/use of tetsubo with
some fellow RPG players.

Tetsubo ("iron staff"?) are those big and heavy iron studded staves
often seen in old samurai prints. They seem to have been popular
during the Gempei war and/or Kamakura period. I have also read that
they were used as a kind of psychological weapon, to intimidate the
enemies with a "big fu*king club". (I seem to remember that nodachi
blades were also used for a similar purpose, in later eras).

According to another source found on the internet, the tetsubo was
also - and foremost - employed from horseback (which surprised me,
because I would have thought that a such a weapon would be too
cumbersome to be used effectively from the saddle), so the wielder
could add the mount's momentum to his swing, for a truly devastating
blow.

I still wonder to what extent the tetsubos were actually used on the
battlefield.
Were they a common sight on the battlefield or were they limited
to earlier historic periods and/or specific tactical purposes?
Were there a specific martial style associated with the tetsubo, such
as to allow something like basic parries, counterattacks or "called
shots", or their use was simple and straightforward (a- lift weapon;
b- lower weapon on enemy's head; 3- repeat from 1.)? They don't look
like they could be used like a naginata, a bo staff or anything like
that.

Any info on the subject is appreciated.
Thanks.

--
C E Z





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cez -
I used to think they were just for show but read recently that one
of the Shichihonyari at Shizugatake often used one. I wanna say this
was Katagiri Katsumasa but I am not sure. If I find the reference I
will post it.
-t

On Dec 21, 2006, at 7:29 AM, cez_72 wrote:

> Hi. I have been discussing the actual existence/use of tetsubo with
> some fellow RPG players.
>
> Tetsubo ("iron staff"?) are those big and heavy iron studded staves
> often seen in old samurai prints. They seem to have been popular
> during the Gempei war and/or Kamakura period. I have also read that
> they were used as a kind of psychological weapon, to intimidate the
> enemies with a "big fu*king club". (I seem to remember that nodachi
> blades were also used for a similar purpose, in later eras).
>
> According to another source found on the internet, the tetsubo was
> also - and foremost - employed from horseback (which surprised me,
> because I would have thought that a such a weapon would be too
> cumbersome to be used effectively from the saddle), so the wielder
> could add the mount's momentum to his swing, for a truly devastating
> blow.
>
> I still wonder to what extent the tetsubos were actually used on the
> battlefield.
> Were they a common sight on the battlefield or were they limited
> to earlier historic periods and/or specific tactical purposes?
> Were there a specific martial style associated with the tetsubo, such
> as to allow something like basic parries, counterattacks or "called
> shots", or their use was simple and straightforward (a- lift weapon;
> b- lower weapon on enemy's head; 3- repeat from 1.)? They don't look
> like they could be used like a naginata, a bo staff or anything like
> that.
>
> Any info on the subject is appreciated.
> Thanks.
>
> --
> C E Z
>
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- Tom Helm <toryu@...> wrote:

I used to think they were just for show but read

> recently that one
> of the Shichihonyari at Shizugatake often used one.
> I wanna say this
> was Katagiri Katsumasa but I am not sure. If I find
> the reference I
> will post it.
> -t

> On Dec 21, 2006, at 7:29 AM, cez_72 wrote:

> > I still wonder to what extent the tetsubos were
> actually used on the
> > battlefield.
> > Were they a common sight on the battlefield or
> were they limited
> > to earlier historic periods and/or specific
> tactical purposes?

This is completely conjecture, but while on the whole,
tetsubo were limited to the Gempei War through Onin,
it's certainly conceivable that an eccentric warrior
would carry one even later. A modern analogy would be
the old, crusty Colonel who refuses to give up his .45
caliber pistol, despite the fact that the Army has
used the 9mm Beretta M9 for decades now. (this is a
true story, by the way--I know the guy, and he caused
his officer in charge of ordering ammunition all kinds
of heartache trying to find .45 rounds for the darn
thing.) While unusual, there's nothing that would
actually prevent someone from carrying a tetsubo in
1583, to use Tom's example of Shizugatake. The guy
would probably have thought he was being a badass.



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All - some examples of tetsubo (also known as kanabo) can be seen on page 82 of "Arms & Armour of the Samurai" by I. Bottomley and A.P. Hopson (Bison Books, London, 1988). IMHO this book should be in every Samurai student's library.

Happy New Year to All,

Barry Thomas.

----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Helm
To: samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 2:25 PM
Subject: Re: [samuraihistory] The tetsubo in Japanese military history


Cez -
I used to think they were just for show but read recently that one
of the Shichihonyari at Shizugatake often used one. I wanna say this
was Katagiri Katsumasa but I am not sure. If I find the reference I
will post it.
-t

On Dec 21, 2006, at 7:29 AM, cez_72 wrote:

> Hi. I have been discussing the actual existence/use of tetsubo with
> some fellow RPG players.
>
> Tetsubo ("iron staff"?) are those big and heavy iron studded staves
> often seen in old samurai prints. They seem to have been popular
> during the Gempei war and/or Kamakura period. I have also read that
> they were used as a kind of psychological weapon, to intimidate the
> enemies with a "big fu*king club". (I seem to remember that nodachi
> blades were also used for a similar purpose, in later eras).
>
> According to another source found on the internet, the tetsubo was
> also - and foremost - employed from horseback (which surprised me,
> because I would have thought that a such a weapon would be too
> cumbersome to be used effectively from the saddle), so the wielder
> could add the mount's momentum to his swing, for a truly devastating
> blow.
>
> I still wonder to what extent the tetsubos were actually used on the
> battlefield.
> Were they a common sight on the battlefield or were they limited
> to earlier historic periods and/or specific tactical purposes?
> Were there a specific martial style associated with the tetsubo, such
> as to allow something like basic parries, counterattacks or "called
> shots", or their use was simple and straightforward (a- lift weapon;
> b- lower weapon on enemy's head; 3- repeat from 1.)? They don't look
> like they could be used like a naginata, a bo staff or anything like
> that.
>
> Any info on the subject is appreciated.
> Thanks.
>
> --
> C E Z
.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A while back I mentioned that Katagiri Katsumoto may have used a
Tetsubo,
I find that the idea came from the woodblock print series the "life
of Hideyoshi", which I referred to for info when I was researching
this man. I found a number of Generals were depicted as carrying
these and the image must have stuck in my head. So no good source for
tetsubo use yet...
-t