Two years ago I decided to do something "Japanese" so I started my new hobby and passion of Aikido.  Aikido is a defensive martial art that uses a collection of joint locks as well as throws to move the attacker away from you and onto the ground.  Pretty cool!  To help focus our movements we do a lot of wooden sword drills or Kata.  These Kata have their roots in the sword schools and training yards of feudal Japan.
Last night I was lucky enough to have a private Aikido lesson with my teacher so we were able to practice several Kata together in depth and discuss the theory behind the motions.

Something that continues to amaze me is the difference between Eastern and Western sword philosophy.  Arms (aka weaponry) and Armor have fascinated me since I was about 8 or 9 years old and even now I find my self an eager learner.

Here is a quick Arms and Armor 101.
In 15th century Europe Armor was very thick and heavy.  Weapons were also big and heavy so that they could penetrate such heavy armor!

The main philosophy was to have thick enough armor to deflect an opponent's blow and then counter with your own heavy weapon.  It was also common to use your armor and or shield as a weapon as well, to either disarm, stun or batter your opponent!

This armor took a long time to put on and was almost impossible to put on by yourself.  Modern armor enthusiasts say that to put on a full suit of armor with help, takes about 15min.


In Japan at about the same time (Sengoku-jidai) the theory was totally different!
Armor was lighter, weighing only half as much as its European equivalent, and mobility was more important than stopping power.  Japanese sword technique stresses attacking exposed or weak areas in armor and moving around to your opponent's flanks for an attack.  Most sword technique also stresses a two handed grip on a sword.  I'm learning that with proper sword posture it is very hard for an opponent to close and attack you!

If you had armor of this quality, you were probably rich enough to have servants assist you in putting it on, but that does not mean that you couldn't do it yourself in a pinch.
I love instructional diagrams and this one is almost as good as one I found in Hikkone castle several years ago. Enjoy!