Suburitō
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. Please help improve the article with a good introductory style. |
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (November 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
A suburitō (素振り刀?) is a wooden practice sword possessing significantly greater size and weight than that of a typical bokken. As such, it is used for practicing suburi (sword swinging) and solo kata only, and is not intended for use in contact drills. Its main purpose is to perfect hasuji (edge-angle) and tomei (ability to stop the sword). It is usually used to practice with tanrenuchi, now typically a tyre stood upright in concrete base.
Its common dimension is around 115 cm (45 in), 1 kg (2.2 lb) weight, but can be as long as 130 cm (50 in) and 2kg (4.5 lb). Its weight and balance, rather than its dimensions, are better to simulate that of nodachi, as opposed to a bokken whose dimensions better simulate that of a katana. Unlike a bokken, it is not designed to be used with a guard.
A common misconception among people unfamiliar with the suburitō is that it is connected to nodachi training, due to its similar size/shape. Although its usefulness in that capacity could be argued, it was never intended for such training purposes.
Legend said that Miyamoto Musashi carved a suburitō out of a boat oar as he traveled to his famous duel with Sasaki Kojiro, and killed Kojiro by hitting on his skull and smashed Kojiro's left rib, puncturing his lungs.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
