A FENCING TOURNAMENT IN YEDO.

By Government permission.] [From the middle of the 4th month.

ASSAULT OF ARMS!

Carried on on the site of the former Osumi yashiki,* adjoining the Rei-E-Men Street, on the upper part of the Kande, River. Now, this Assault of Arms is to be as follows :—To choose out and collect together gallant somuroit of renowned name ; to make a temporary place for practice, with a boundary of similar nature to a wrestling ring; to decide correctly victory and defeat ; and in the large number of bouts, to determine the sword play. We have lately obtained the permission of the Government, and laid out the preparations for the kind attendance of all the gentry; and we earnestly beg both old and young, men and women, high and low, without any distinction, to come the whole day long to look on.

REGULATIONS.

L The price of entry is Axed at be (1 be.about Is ld.) alike for one hour or for the whole day, according to the pleasure of the spectators.

IL It is requested that persons who wish to enter the lists will send in their cards beforehand, on the previous day. This is for fear of disarranging the fixed pairs of combatants.

III. It is decided that this is to last for about 10 days, when the respective grades of skill will be determined X

IV. Practice in fencing is limited to the time from 6 to 10 a.m.

V. The sum of £800 cash is requested as fee for the loan of accoutrements. (Signed) NAKIIWARI Rir016, Originator of the Assembly. (Signed) Dram Rork, Superintendent.

SUCH was the announcement by which it was made known to the good folk of Yedo, in the month of April, 1873, that a famous fencing-master of that city would give a display of swordsman- ship for the benefit of the populace. And right well was the invitation responded to, for the Japanese are truly a sight-seeing race ; anything in the way of novelty or amusement is sure to claim a large share of their attention. Let us mingle with the expectant crowd, as they enter the roughly-built shanty of bam- boos and mats, wherein are to take place those feats of arms they have come to witness.

The building (though it is hardly deserving of that name) is square in shape, and capable of holding some 1,000 or more persons. A gallery runs all round it, and just over the entrance are three small "boxes," decked with white hangings, on which appears conspicuously the crest of the Master of Fence. In one of these boxes are seated some half-dozen guardians of the peace, in the shape of Yedo policemen, clad in sombre garments of foreign make, remarkably ill-fitting, and adorned with a little red braid. These gentry wear on their heads badly-shaped cocked hats, made of felt, the colour of which harmonises with that of their other habiliments, and long cudgels complete their equipment. In the other boxes are seen some gentlemen, evidently of a well-to-do class, who are accompanied by several ladies, both old and young, the bright colours of whose dresses quite throw into the -shade the policemen aforesaid, or the bourgeoisie who form the greater portion of the audience, and who are now squatted in the gallery, or else upon coarse mats spread on the ground. In the centre of the building is the ring within which the combatants are to try their skill. It is made of earth, thrown up to the height of one foot or so above the level of the ground, and is circular in shape, being marked out, after the manner of a Japanese wrestling-ring, by a number of the cylindrical straw-bags used for holding rice ; these are laid down lengthways, half-buried in the ground, the space enclosed within them being about six paces in diameter. Above the ring is erected a sort of canopy, formed of light wooden frames Yashfki, the mansion of a Bain:Ilya or nobleman.

&Mira, ft member of the military clam or gentry, entitled to wear two 'words. X The length of the fencing-sticks Is fixed at 3 feet 8 inches. covered with blue and white paper, supported by four posts planted in the ground just outside the ring. The posts are covered with some cotton cloth wrapped tightly round them, two being pink and two white, alternately. About half-way up each of the pink ones is fastened a rod of white wood, two feet in length, from which hang down curiously-cut strips of white paper, such as are usually seen in Japanese shrines. In the centre of the ring are three little heaps of salt, ranged from east to west ; and again, at the eastern and western extremities of the lists, are also placed three more heaps. This is supposed to be efficacious in keeping the combatants from coming to harm in their rough encounters. To the north of the ring, in a little square space separated by a low bamboo barrier from the rest of the audience, sits the fencing-master,—a hale, well-built man, of great muscular power. He is tall—that is, for a Japanese—being about 5 ft. 8 in. in height ; his features are well and regularly formed, and his jet-black hair is done up in the old-fashioned Japanese queue. For this worthy by no means panders to the craving for foreign dress and style of dressing the hair that is so rife among his countrymen. A staunch Conservative in politics, and a zealous partisan of the Tokugawa* cause, he is determined not to demean himself by descending to any new- fangled fashion that he deems unworthy of a Japanese of the old school. Although, in former days, he was one of the Ilatamoto,f or petty nobility of the Court of the Shogun (better known to foreigners by the title of " Tycoon "), still, since the overthrow of the last of the Tokugawa family, he has not only lost his title, but is absolutely driven to earn his bread by giving lessons to those who still desire to perfect themselves in the old Japanese style of fencing. It is needless to remark that these persons are nearly all of families who, in common with himself, espoused the Tokugawa cause in the recent civil war, and throughout the length and breadth of Japan you would have difficulty in finding any knot of men whose political opinions and general ideas so thoroughly coin- cide as do those of the master and his pupils. The latter are now seated on mats laid on the ground to the east and west of the ring ; they are mostly young fellows of from eighteen to twenty- three years of age, and nearly all wear, ready buckled on, the cuirass, made of slips of bamboo, or of plain or lacquered leather, used in fencing. All round, the place is thronged with a pleasure. seeking and laughter-loving audience, packed together as tightly as well can be. Many of them have brought their food with them, and are busy discussing it, while little waitresses from the neigh- bouring tea-houses run about bearing trays, teapots, cups, &c., to the guests who have honoured their particular houses with orders. The audience indulge in food and drink, and send up clouds of tobacco-smoke to the roof, expressing the while, in free and open language, their opinions as to the various merits of the fencers about to engage ; and among the ring of pupils, too, slang and banter, " chaff " and jokes, are the order of the day. Sud- denly, at a given signal, one of the attendants advances and claps together two heavy pieces of wood, the audience settle themselves more comfortably in their places, and the bum of voices is hushed. Four stools are now placed immediately under the posts supporting the canopy above the ring, and upon these stools four worthies seat themselves. These are the masters of the ring, who also in turn succeed to the office of umpire, when the person on whom that duty devolves—and who comes forward with them—grows wearied by moving about the ring. These five men are clad in the loose upper garment and wide trousers of Japanese samurai; the um- pire and some of the others wear the kamishimo or dress of ceremony with wings of hempen cloth, and nearly all have swords in their belts as a sign- of their office. They step into the ring and bow to the audience, and one of their number makes a short speech, which is greeted with loud cheers and a plentiful allowance of " chaff " from some wits in the rear. After they have retired to their places the umpire advances alone, holding a fan, with which he points towards the western extremity of the lists, proclaiming aloud the name of the combatant who is to advance from that side; then turning towards the east, he repeats the ceremony. Forth- with one of the pupils from each side advances towards the ring, and squats down on the boundary-line of it, while the ceremony of announcing the names is once more gone through. Each com- batant then rises and moves to the right, just outside the ring, where he is presented with a small lacquered cup filled with . The last or Tokugawa dynasty of &Ogles was founded by Iydsaan, in 1603, A.D. and ended when the last of the line resigned in 1867, at the time of the civil war against the Mikado's forces.

The Brat Ilatamoto were the retainers of Iyiyasu, ennobled by him. They were 80,000 in number.

water, wherewith to rinse his mouth, after which he returns to his place, and proceeds to don his defensive armour. This con- sists of a padded helmet with an iron-barred visor, and padded flaps to cover the shoulders, which is fastened on the head by long strings of twisted cotton, a cuirass of leather or of bamboo, perhaps fancifully decorated with the owner's crest or device, and which only covers the breast, some padded flaps fastened round the body below the cuirass; and finally, a pair of long padded gauntlets reaching nearly up to the elbow, from which place, as far as the shoulder, the arm is unprotected. The fencing-stick is made after the style of the Japanese two-banded

sword ; it is 3 ft. 8 in. in length, and is formed of slips of bamboo firmly bound together. The guard is a circular piece of thick leather, which can slide freely up and down on the hilt, according to the position of the hands. Down the blade of the stick is drawn a cat-gut string, to mark the supposed back of the weapon, and all hits must be fairly dealt with the edge. The combatants advance towards the centre of the ring, and squat down facing each other, their sticks resting on the ground, with the points towards the enemy. The umpire stoops down by their side, and watching for the moment when they both draw breath at the same time, springs up and gives the signal by raising his fan. The fencers rise to their feet, and grrsping their sticks with both hands, the right hand being next to the guard of the hilt, advance towards each other. Thrust and blow, parry and counter, follow in rapid succession ; they close, and each tries to throw his antagonist, then spring apart, standing warily on guard, and so the sword- play goes on till one or other makes a fair hit,—that is, either full on the crown of the head (" pear-splitter " stroke), on the side of the body (" breast-plate cutter"), or on the right-hand gauntlet (" gauntlet " stroke), or else a fair thrust at the throat. The umpire immediately parts them, they rest awhile, and then re- engage, till at last one gets the best of three hits, and so wins the battle. The defeated champion retires from the ring, while his vanquisher squats down at his proper side of the lists and removes his helmet. The umpire opens his fan, waves it over the winner, and proclaims aloud his name, 'whereupon the successful competitor bows, and is then pulled down amongst his comrades. The names of the next pair of swordsmen are now read out from the printed list kept by the fencing-master, and the same ceremonies having been gone through, the second round is fought out.

This continues in rapid succession, to the great glee of the audience, who clap and shout at any remarkably well-contested round, and perhaps, at the end of such, a coat or other garment is flung into the ring, to be redeemed afterwards with a small present of money to the winner. Large placards, too, are brought in and read out ; they are to the effect that such and such a person has made a present to the master of a sum of money, a tub of saki, or some other equally acceptable gift. The master is evidently a favourite with the Yedo populace, for as the day goes on presents pour in more quickly, till sometimes there are as many as half-a-dozen or so to be acknowledged at the same time. The placards are afterwards hung up round the building.

A young lady, not over remarkable for beauty, now enters the lists. She is dressed in male costume, has a white handkerchief bound round her head, and bears in her hand a bamboo stick shaped so as to represent a halberd, in the use of which weapon ladies of good family generally used in olden times to take lessons. This stick is about seven feet long, and is curved at the end, to represent the sword-blade fixed upon the real weapon. She wears no armour, and merely exhibits by herself her gill in the use of the deadly implement. Unheeding the derisive applause, and the cries of "There's a beauty l" "Mind you don't get beaten," &c., with which she is freely assailed, she goes through her evolutions, and is finally hailed as a conqueror by the umpire. She then retires, and another lady comes forward, dons cuirass, gloves, and helmet, and advances to encounter one of the pupils, who is armed with a sword. She delivers quick thrusts at him with her halberd, and cuts at his legs ; he endeavours to dash inside her guard, and close. It is no use, however ; the lady is evidently the better fencer, and the discomfited youth retires crest-fallen, while his fair antagonist is proclaimed mistress of the field.

A new weapon is now introduced, called the lcusari-gama, or "chain-sickle." This consists of a short stick, in the end of which, and at right angles to it, is fastened a small blade some four or five inches long, which is carefully wrapped round with cloth to prevent accidents. This is the shape of the ordinary grass-sickle used by the Japanese peasantry. To the top of the stick is also attached a three-feet rope, with a leathern ball at the end of it, which is supposed to represent a chain connected with

a ball of iron. The fencer who bears this also carries in his belt a short dirk. The other is armed with the ordinary long sword, and comes on valiantly to the attack; but his opponent skilfully whirls the ball around him, trying to entangle the swerd-blade, and then locks in to catch his antagonist's helmet with the hook of the sickle and drag him down. Once he succeeds, but has to spr'ng back again to avoid a heavy blow from the sword, and so for that time they are quits. Finally, however, by a dexterous turn of the wrist, he brings down the ball full on the other's head, and so wins the first hit. In the next round, the swordsman has the best of it, and the combat eventually ends in a draw.

After this, various other feats of arms are displayed, such as fencing with both the long sword and a short dirk, sword against spear, &c. ; and by this time, the pairs of combatants, having fought out their several rounds, and evening coming on, the master gives the signal for the general melee, or " gempei," as it is styled, from the names of the two families of Gen and Hei, or Minamoto and Taira, whose struggle for supremacy in the twelfth century so filled Japan with slaughter and bloodshed. The pupils all disappear to arm for the great event, while the stools are removed from the lists, and the masters of ceremonies, the assistant-teachers, and the attendants take their places round the ring, with fencing-sticks in their hands, to direct the combat and determine how the day goes. Two drums are now produced, decorated respectively with white and red loops of cloth, the colours of the two parties. These drums are hanged vigorously by their holders, and when the drumming has ceased, a youngster steps forth with a huge conch-shell, into which he blows with all his might. By this time the fencers are ready, and they file in towards each extremity of the lists, the Gen to the west and the liei to the east. Each one bears fixed on the top of his helmet a small piece of wood, from the centre of which rises a tiny crest of paper, the colour of which is white for the Gen and red for the Hei ; they are all armed merely with the long sword. Three of ‘each party advance into the lists, while on both sides a second Tank of five men forms behind these, just outside the ring. Two umpires, from the left and the right, come into the middle ; at a -signal they spring aside, and the six swordsmen rise and dash at one another. After a short scuffle, the Hei are borne backward -to their end of the ring, when their second rank rush forward with a yell, and drive the victorious white crests pell-mell before them. The second rank of the Gen then charge up in like manner, and the sixteen combatants engage fiercely, striking with all their might, without attempting to guard. The two drums are again -set going, the conch-shell chimes in too, and these, with the -" clackety-clack " of the rattling bamboo-sticks, produce a fearful din. The spectators stand up in their places and yell and shout -as either side seems to gain some advantage, though they spring -out of the way lightly enough when some two or three of the combatants, locked in a close struggle, roll down from the ring /into their midst. But as the fight goes on, and those who have -lost their crests, been forced out of the ring, or have received a fair hit on the crown of the head, are set on one side by the umpires, the ranks begin to thin, and the swordsmen keep more nearly in the centre of the ring. At last, but one of the Gen is left, opposed to some four of the Hei party ; with a loud shout he throws himself on the weapons of his advancing assailants, and battles bravely for a few moments; then he, too, is declared conquered, and the Hei remain masters of the field. They retire, shouting triumphantly, to their end of the lists, the umpires proclaim aloud the result of the fight, and then all the combatants retire, to divest themselves of their warlike array.

This concludes the entertainment, and the crowd melts away and streams out at the door, well pleased with the spectacle, and passing many an encomium both upon the master who has so well taught and the pupils who have so well learned the use of the .noble weapon which has been styled by one of the old rulers of Japan "the living soul of the Samurai."