Although some sources place the origin of the sasumata in the Muromachi period, most sources discuss its use in the Edo period. In Edo period Japan the samurai were in charge of police operations.
The sasumata (spear fork) together with the tsukubō (push pole) and the sodegarami (sleeve entangler) comprised the torimono sandōgu (three tools/implements of arresting) used by samurai police and security forces.[1] Samurai police in the Edo period used the sasumata along with the sodegarami and tsukubō to restrain and arrest suspected criminals uninjured. The head of the sasumata would be used to catch around the neck, arms, legs, or joints of a suspect and detain them until officers could close in and apprehend them (using hojōjutsu). The sasumata had a long hardwood pole usually around 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in length with sharp barbs or spines attached to metal strips on one end of the pole to keep the person being captured from grabbing the pole. The opposite end of the sasumata pole would often have a metal cap, or ishizuki like those found on naginata and other polearms.[2]
Firefightingedit
There were also firefighting versions of the instrument known as a chokyakusan, rinkaku, tetsubashira, or tokikama. A similar weapon in China[citation needed] was known as a chang jiao qian, and sometimes called a cha gan or huo cha (fire fork), which had a similar firefighting role.[citation needed] The sasumata type implements were used by firefighters to help dismantle burning buildings, raise ladders, and otherwise assist with their duties.
Modern useedit
Today, a modern version of the sasumata is still occasionally used by the police and as a self-defense tool. These modern sasumata are often made of aluminum, without the sharpened blades and spikes found on their medieval counterparts. They have been marketed to schools due to a growing fear of classroom invasions, which has prompted many schools in Japan to keep sasumata available for teachers to protect themselves and students and to detain a potential threat until the authorities can arrive.[3] The introduction of sasumata to schools came to be popular after the Osaka school massacre in 2001.[4]
In November 2023, an employee of a jewellery store in Tokyo used a sasumata to drive off three robbers wearing motorcycle helmets, attracting nationwide interest and increased sales of the weapon.[5]
Galleryedit
Edo period sasumata, used to capture criminal suspects and for crowd control
Edo period sasumata, used to capture criminal suspects and for crowd control
^McCurry, Justin (30 November 2023). "Foiled robbery attempt sees demand for ancient samurai weapon soar in Japan". The Guardian.
Sourcesedit
Cunningham, Don. Taiho-jutsu:Law and Order in the Age of the Samurai. Boston; Rutland, Vermont; Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2004.
神之田常盛. 剣術神道霞流. 萩原印刷株式会社, 2003.
Mol, Serge. Classic Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts. Tokyo; New York; London: Kodansha International, 2003.
External linksedit
Media related to Sasumata at Wikimedia Commons
May 03, 2024
sasumata, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, 2012, le. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Sasumata news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2012 Learn how and when to remove this message The sasumata 刺股 spear fork is a polearm used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan Weapons for capturing suspected criminals from left to right a tsukubō a sodegarami and a sasumata Contents 1 Description and use 1 1 Firefighting 1 2 Modern use 2 Gallery 3 See also 4 Citations 5 Sources 6 External linksDescription and use editAlthough some sources place the origin of the sasumata in the Muromachi period most sources discuss its use in the Edo period In Edo period Japan the samurai were in charge of police operations The sasumata spear fork together with the tsukubō push pole and the sodegarami sleeve entangler comprised the torimono sandōgu three tools implements of arresting used by samurai police and security forces 1 Samurai police in the Edo period used the sasumata along with the sodegarami and tsukubō to restrain and arrest suspected criminals uninjured The head of the sasumata would be used to catch around the neck arms legs or joints of a suspect and detain them until officers could close in and apprehend them using hojōjutsu The sasumata had a long hardwood pole usually around 2 m 6 ft 7 in in length with sharp barbs or spines attached to metal strips on one end of the pole to keep the person being captured from grabbing the pole The opposite end of the sasumata pole would often have a metal cap or ishizuki like those found on naginata and other polearms 2 Firefighting edit There were also firefighting versions of the instrument known as a chokyakusan rinkaku tetsubashira or tokikama A similar weapon in China citation needed was known as a chang jiao qian and sometimes called a cha gan or huo cha fire fork which had a similar firefighting role citation needed The sasumata type implements were used by firefighters to help dismantle burning buildings raise ladders and otherwise assist with their duties Modern use edit Today a modern version of the sasumata is still occasionally used by the police and as a self defense tool These modern sasumata are often made of aluminum without the sharpened blades and spikes found on their medieval counterparts They have been marketed to schools due to a growing fear of classroom invasions which has prompted many schools in Japan to keep sasumata available for teachers to protect themselves and students and to detain a potential threat until the authorities can arrive 3 The introduction of sasumata to schools came to be popular after the Osaka school massacre in 2001 4 In November 2023 an employee of a jewellery store in Tokyo used a sasumata to drive off three robbers wearing motorcycle helmets attracting nationwide interest and increased sales of the weapon 5 Gallery edit nbsp Edo period sasumata used to capture criminal suspects and for crowd control nbsp Edo period sasumata used to capture criminal suspects and for crowd control nbsp A modern sasumataSee also editMan catcher Sodegarami Torimono sandōgu Tsukubō Monk s spadeCitations edit Taiho jutsu law and order in the age of the samurai Don Cunningham Tuttle Publishing Apr 15 2004 p 96 Taiho jutsu law and order in the age of the samurai Don Cunningham Tuttle Martial Arts Tuttle Publishing 2004 ISBN 978 0 8048 3536 7 pp 93 100 Mainichi Shinbun 2004 瀬戸口和秀 森嶋俊晴 2021 06 07 付属池田小事件20年 受け継がれる五つの悔いと教訓 Asahi Shimbun 朝日新聞 Retrieved 31 May 2022 McCurry Justin 30 November 2023 Foiled robbery attempt sees demand for ancient samurai weapon soar in Japan The Guardian Sources editCunningham Don Taiho jutsu Law and Order in the Age of the Samurai Boston Rutland Vermont Tokyo Tuttle Publishing 2004 神之田常盛 剣術神道霞流 萩原印刷株式会社 2003 Mol Serge Classic Weaponry of Japan Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts Tokyo New York London Kodansha International 2003 External links edit nbsp Media related to Sasumata at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sasumata amp oldid 1219465052, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
