Bōjutsu performed by male members of the Shiraho Youth Association of Ishigaki Island presented at Ishigaki City Citizens’ Center on November 20, 2010.
While “bōjutsu” literally means “staff art,” it traditionally also included all sorts of plunt pole-like weapons of varying length as well as bladed weapons such as sickles (kama), spear (yari), and the short staff (yonshakubō) is traditionally considered to be a wooden substitute for the sword.
Only the excerpts involving fencing methods are shown here. The entire demonstration is extensive and consists of three parts:
1. The performers enter the stage, forming an evenly spaced line. Once two performers that constitute a pair reach the center of the stage, they face each other, assume a ready position, and begin a mock fight accompanied by battle cries. It’s all accompanied by the sound of gongs and battle cries. After the mock fight is complete, the entire line moves on until the next pair reach the center of the stage and perform their mock fight again. This continues until the last pair has completed their mock fight. Then the performers leave the stage in a line.
2. The performers enter the stage, forming a line of two. The line of two splits into two single lines of an equal number of people, and position themselves facing each other in the center of the stage and crouch, with their respective weapons held forward in the ready position. The first person in the left row and the last person in the right row stand up, assume a ready position, and accompanied by a battle cries, sneak up on each other and perform their mock fight. It’s all accompanied by the sound of gongs and battle cries. At the conclusion of the mock fight, still eyeing each other, they slink away to their starting position and after another battle cry in a fighting posture, they crouch again. Next, the second person in the left row and the second-to-last person in the right row rise, assume a ready position to the accompaniment of a battle cry, and conduct their mock combat as before. This continues until all mock fights are over. Both rows rise, the right row jogs rhythmically alongside the left row, zips into line, and the group in a single row does a few laps in rhythmic jog.
3. The group rhythmically jogs across the stage in a single row and distributed themselves on the stage in accordance with their pairings of weapons. Everyone assumes a fighting stance, and then all pairings simultaneously perform their respective mock fights. It’s all accompanied by the sound of gongs and battle cries. After all mock fights are finished, they regroup, everyone takes up a fighting position, and the group, in a single column, rhythmically jogs a few laps around the stage.
As for weapons, there are seven pairings. These seven pairings as well as the mock fighting techniques are the same in all three types of performance:
- Six-foot-staff vs. four-foot-staff
- Six-foot-staff vs. four-foot-staff
- Six-foot-staff vs. six-foot-staff
- Spear vs double sickle
- Six-foot-staff vs. six-foot-staff
- Six-foot-staff vs. double sai
- Six-foot-staff vs. six-foot-staff
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