剣道の歴史

剣道の歴史を遡るとき、欠くことのできない基本的な段階がいくつかある。

その源は日本刀の出現である。

彎刀で鎬(しのぎ)造りの刀は日本独特で、平安時代(794～1185)の中頃に出現した。その原形は日本列島東北地方に住み騎馬戦を得意としていた部族が平安初期には既に使っていたと思われる。以来、武士集団に使われ、日本最初の武士政権,鎌倉幕府末期に製作技術は飛躍的に進歩した。「鎬をけずる」といわれる剣の技は、日本刀とともに日本に生まれたものであると言っても過言ではない。

When looking back into the History of Kendo, there are several fundamental points that cannot be overlooked.

The first point is the advent of the Japanese sword. The Japanese sword that emerged in the middle of the 11th Century (middle of the Heian Era [794-1185] ) had a slightly arched blade with raised ridges (called Shinogi). Its original model was presumably handled by a tribe that specialized in cavalry battles in northern Japan during the 9th century. Since then, this sword was used by the Samurai and production technology advanced rapidly during the period of early Samurai-government reign (end of the Kamakura Era in the 13th Century). In this manner, it is not an exaggeration to say that both its wielding techniques using Shinogi which produced the expression of Shinogi-wo-kezuru, engaging in fierce competition and the Japanese sword were Japanese born products.

室町幕府(1392～1573)の後半、応仁の乱が始まってから約100年間、天下は乱れた。この頃に剣術の各流派が相次いで成立している。1543年種子島に鉄砲が伝来した。日本には河床に沈積した品質の良い砂鉄があり、たたらふき法で製鉄し、刀を鍛造していたが、短期間に同じ方法で質のよい鉄砲を大量に生産することに成功した。それによりそれまでの重装備の戦闘方式は軽装備の白兵戦へと大きく変化した。そうした実践体験を踏まえて刀を作る技術の高度化・専門化が進み、洗練された刀法が確立され、新陰流や一刀流などの諸流派に統合されて後世まで継承されている。

After the Onin War occurred in the latter half of the Muromachi Era (1392-1573), Japan experienced anarchy for a hundred years. During this time, many schools of Kenjutsu were established. In 1543, firearms were brought to Tanegashima (Island located off the southern tip of Japan). The Japanese sword was made using the Tatarafuki casting method with high quality iron sand obtained from the riverbed. However, it did not take long before large quantities of firearms were made successfully using this high quality iron sand and the same casting method to produce swords. As a result, the heavy-armored battling style that prevailed up to then changed dramatically to a lighter hand-to-hand battling style. Actual battling experiences resulted in advanced development and specialization of sword-smithing as well as the establishment of more refined sword-handling techniques and skills that have been handed down to the present through the various schools such as the Shinkage-ryu and Itto-ryu.

江戸幕府(1603～1867)の開府以後、平和な時代が訪れるに従い、剣術は人を殺す技術から武士としての人間形成を目指す「活人剣(かつにんけん)」へと昇華し、技術論のみでなく生き方に関する心法まで拡がった。幕府初期には柳生宗矩の「兵法家伝書」、第三代将軍家光のために「剣と禅」を宗矩にたのまれて沢庵が解説した「不動智神妙録」、宮本武蔵の「五輪の書」などは、そうした思想を集大成した兵法書である。中期・後期にも各流派の理論が出され、夫々は今日でも多くの剣道家に示唆を与える名著になっている。

これらの書が武士に問いかけたことは、如何にして死を超越して生に至るかという問題であり、それはそのまま武士の日常生活の教育でもあった。武士は、これらの指導書、また教養書を学び、日常生活は厳格で質素であり、才能を磨き、武術に励み、善悪を知り、一旦緩急があれば藩のために国のために命を捧げることを知っていた。通常の仕事は現代でいうと官僚であり軍人であった。ここで生まれた武士道の精神は264年に及ぶ平和の中で養われ、封建制度の幕府が崩壊しても日本人の心として現代に生きている。

他方、太平の世が続き、剣術は実践的な刀法から華麗な技がつくられていく中で、新たな基軸をうちだしたのが直心影流の長沼四郎左衛門国郷である。長沼は正徳年間(1711～1715)に剣道具(防具)を開発し、竹刀で打突し合う「打込み稽古法」を確立した。これが今日の剣道の直接的な源(みなもと)である。その後、宝暦年間(1751～1764)に一刀流の中西忠蔵子武が鉄面をつけ、竹具足式の剣道具(防具)を用いて打込み稽古法を採用すると、またたく間に多くの流派に波及した。寛政年間(1789～1801)ころには、流派の壁を越えて他流試合も盛んになり、強い相手を求めて武者修行をする者も相次いだ。

こうして江戸幕府後期には、「袋しない」よりも腰の強い「四つ割り竹刀」が発明され、胴もなめし革をはり漆で固めたものが開発された。俗に「江戸の三大道場」といわれる千葉周作の玄武館、斎藤弥九郎の練兵館、桃井春蔵の士学館などが勇名を馳せるのもちょうどこの頃である。千葉はまた、竹刀打ち剣術の技の体系化をはかり、打突部位別に技を体系化した「剣術六十八手」を確立した。千葉が命名した「追込面」や「摺揚面」など、多くの技名は今日でもそのまま使われている。

Japan began to experience a relatively peaceful period from the beginning of the Edo Era (1603-1867). During this time, techniques of the Ken(the Japanese sword) were converted from techniques of killing people to one of developing the person through concepts such as the Katsunin-ken which included not only theories on strong swordsmanship, but also concepts of a disciplinary life-style of the Samurai. These ideas were compiled in books elaborating on the art of warfare in the early Edo Era. Examples of these include: “Heiho Kadensho (The Life-giving Sword)” by Yagyu Munenori; “Fudochi Shinmyoroku (The Unfettered Mind )” by Priest Takuan which was a written interpretation of Yagyu Munenori’s “Ken to Zen (Sword and Zen)” written for Tokugawa Iemitsu, Third Shogunate for the Tokugawa Government; and “Gorin-no-sho (The Book of Five Rings)” by MiyamotoMusashi. Many other books on theories of swordsmanship were published during the middle and latter half of the Edo Era. Many of these writings have become classics and influence many Kendo practitioners today.

What these publications tried to convey to the Samurai was how to live beyond death. These teachings were to be used for everyday life. The Samurai studied these books and teachings daily, lived an austere life, cultivated their minds, and devoted themselves to the refinement of Bujutsu, learned to differentiate between good and evil, and learned that in times of emergency they were ready to sacrifice their lives for their Han (clan) and feudal lord. In present day terms, they worked as bureaucrats and soldiers. The Bushido spirit that evolved during this time, developed during a peaceful 246 years of the Tokugawa period. Even after the collapse of the feudal system, this Bushido spirit lives on in the minds of the Japanese.

On the other hand, as peaceful times continued, while Kenjutsu developed new graceful techniques of the Ken created from actual sword battling skills, NaganumaShirozaemon-Kunisato of the Jiki-shinkage-ryu school developed a new foundation in techniques of the Ken. During the Shotoku Era (1711-1715) Naganuma developed the of Kendo-gu (protective equipment) and established a training method using the Shinai (bamboo-sword). This is the direct origin of present day Kendo discipline. Thereafter, during the Horeki Era (1751-1764), NakanishiChuzo-kotake of Itto-ryu started a new training method using an iron Men (headgear) and Kendo-gu made of bamboo, which became prevalent among many schools in a short period of time. In the Kansei Era (1789-1801), inter-school competition became popular and Samurai traveled beyond their province in search of stronger opponents to improve their skills.

In the latter half of the Edo Era (beginning of the 19th Century), new types of equipment were produced such as the Yotsuwari Shinai (bamboo swords united by tetramerous bamboo). This new Shinai was more elastic and durable than the Fukuro Shinai (literally, bag-covered bamboo sword) which it replaced. Also, a Do (body armor) that was reinforced by leather and coated with lacquer was introduced. During this time, three Dojos that gained great popularity became to be known as the “Three Great Dojos of Edo.” They were: Genbukan led by Chiba Shusaku; Renpeikan led by Saito Yakuro; and Shigakkan led by Momoi Shunzo. Chiba attempted to systematize the Waza (techniques) of bamboo sword training by establishing the “Sixty-eight Techniques of Kenjutsu” which were classified in accordance with striking points. Techniques such as the Oikomi-men and Suriage-men and other techniques that were named by Chiba are still used today.

明治維新(1868)になり、新政府が設置されて武士階級は廃止され、続いて帯刀が禁止されたことにより失業者は激増し、剣術は下火になった。

その後、明治10年西南の役を契機に警視庁を中心に復活の兆しが見えはじめた。明治28年(1895)には、剣術をはじめとする武術の振興を図る全国組織として大日本武徳会が設立された。ほぼ同じころの１８９９年に武士の思想の集大成とも言うべき『武士道』という書が英文で出版され、世界に影響を与えた。

After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the Samurai class was dissolved and the wearing of swords was prohibited. As a result, many Samurai lost their jobs and Kenjutsu declined dramatically. Thereafter, the Seinan Conflict which occurred in the 10th Year of the Meiji Era (1877) was an unsuccessful resistance movement of Samurai against the Central Government that seemed to give an indication of Kenjutsu’s recovery mainly among the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. In the 28th Year of the Meiji Era (1829), the Dai-Nippon Butoku-Kai was established as the national organization to promote Bujutsu including Kenjutsu.　 At around the same time in 1899, “Bushido” was published in English which was considered a compilation of Samurai’s thoughts and philosophy. It was influential internationally.

大正元年(1912)には剣道と言う言葉が使われた「大日本帝国剣道形(のち「日本剣道形」となる)」が制定された。流派を統合することにより日本刀による技と心を後世に継承すると共に、竹刀打ち剣道の普及による手の内の乱れや、刃筋を無視した打突を正した。竹刀はあくまでも日本刀の替りであるという考え方が生まれ、大正8年、西久保弘道は「武」本来の目的に適合した武道および剣道に名称を統一した。

In the First Year of Taisho (1912), the Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kendo Kata (later renamed to Nippon Kendo Kata) was established using the word Kendo. The establishment of the Kendo Kata provided for the unification of many schools to enable them to pass on to later generations the techniques and spirit of the Japanese sword, and to remedy improper use of hands which had been caused by bamboo sword training and to correct inaccurate strikes which were not at the right angle to the opponent. It was thought that the Shinai (bamboo sword) was to be treated as an alternative of the Japanese sword. And, in the Eighth Year of Taisho (1919), Nishikubo Hiromichi consolidated the original objectives of Bu (or in other words Samurai) under the names of Budo and Kendo since they conformed to them.

第２次大戦敗戦後、連合国軍の占領下におかれた日本で、剣道は抑圧されていたが、昭和27年(1952)独立回復後、全日本剣道連盟が結成されるとともに甦った。今日では、学校体育の重要な一部分を構成するとともに老若男女を問わず、庶民の間に拡がり、数百万人に及ぶ幅広い年齢層の愛好家が竹刀を持ち、ともに稽古に励んでいる。

また、世界各地で剣道を愛好する外国人も増え、昭和45年(1970)には国際剣道連盟(IKF)が結成され、第1回世界剣道選手権大会が日本武道館において開催された。平成24年(2012)5月にはイタリアのノヴァラにおいて第15回世界剣道選手権大会が開催され、48カ国・地域から選手が集まった。

After the Second World War, Kendo was suspended for a while under the Occupation of the Allied Forces. In 1952, however, when the All Japan Kendo Federation was established, Kendo was revived. Kendo presently plays an important role in school education and is also popular among the young and old, men and women alike. Several million Kendo practitioners of all ages enjoy participating in regular sessions of Keiko (Kendo training). Furthermore, Kendo is gaining interest all around the world, and more and more international practitioners are joining the Kendo world. The International Kendo Federation (FIK) was established in 1970 and the first triennial World Kendo Championships (WKC) was held in the Nippon Budokan in the same year. In July 2009, the 15th WKC was held in Novara, Italy. Kendo practitioners from 48 different countries and regions participated.