Understanding Kamigawa

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Ever wondered what exactly a shaku is? Or what "junkyo" means? Or where all the weird Legend names in Kamigawa come from? Even though the Kamigawa block has been complete for two months, many players still find themselves lost in the flavor of the set. For many, all the odd words and names are pure gibberish. But Wizards didn't just randomly make up these names, after all. The Kamigawa world is deeply rooted in traditional Japanese culture, and most of the Legends' names have been carefully constructed to reflect their bearers' identities.

Although Wizards has written several articles about the Kamigawa world, including a brief glossary in the Arcana for each of the sets, I thought it might be nice to compile that information (and more!) into a "crash course" of sorts. In this article, you'll find explanations of almost every Japanese name or term used in the Kamigawa block, as well as some pronunciation guides for the more difficult words - anyone else tired of hearing about Umezawa's "jit"?

*Before we get started, though, I'd like to note that when discussing Japanese words, I'll often be focusing on the kanji (written characters), and individual kanji will often be read differently from the way they are read when used in a compound. As an example, the kanji in "Akki" are separately read as "aku" and "imawa," but as a compound they are read as "a" and "ki."

The Basics

Let's start simple, shall we? First of all, the block is set in the world of Kamigawa. The name comes from the combination of kami (meaning "god" or "spirit") and kawa (meaning "river"). WotC mentioned the Kamigawa river in this article, pointing out that you can actually see the river in the art of Slumbering Tora. According to the article, the river started out being an integral part of the world, being the "source of the Kamitaki Falls that flow around the Minamo School." But as the sets developed, the river became less prominent. Consequently, the name became more figurative, merely alluding to the existence of the kami (pronounced kah-mee).

The five major races in Kamigawa are the Akki (pronounced ahk-kee), the Soratami, the Kitsune-bito, the Nezumi-bito, and the Orochi-bito. The word "Akki" combines two words meaning "evil" (aku) and "detestable" (imawa). According to WotC, the invented compound "Akki" means "little monster." On the other hand, the compound "Soratami" makes more literal sense, using the words "sky"/"heavens" (sora) and "people"/"nation" (tami). Meanwhile, the other three races are based on actual animals. We have foxes (Kitsune, pronounced kit-soo-neh), rats (Nezumi), and giant snakes (Orochi), while the suffix hito/bito means "person." The Orochi is actually a famous creature in Japanese lore, particularly referring to an eight-headed serpent defeated by the legendary Shinto god Susano-o.

There are also three tribes in the Jukai forest: the Sakura-zoku ("cherry blossom tribe"), the Matsu-zoku ("pine tree tribe"), and the Kashi-zoku ("evergreen oak tribe"). And among the Nezumi, there is a gang known as the Okiba, which translates to "large fang."

The Places

The Araba (pronounced ah-rah-bah) is a barren expanse of land. Appropriately, the name is formed from "ruined" (arai) and "place" (ba). In the middle of the Araba stands Eiganjo Castle (pronounced ay-gahn-joh), which comes from words meaning "eternity" (ei), "rock" (iwa), and "castle" (shiro). Its name refers to its strength as a fortress. The other well-known location in Araba is the city Reito (pronounced ray-toh), which was destroyed by the Kami in their first attack on the material world. Thus, the city's name comes from the words "ghost" (rei) and "city" (to).

The Sokenzan mountain range is known for its iciness. The name comes from the words for "frost" (shimo), "sword" (ken), and "mountain" (yama). But the Sokenzan range isn't just frosty; it's also the home to Shinka Keep, which derives its name from the words for "true" (shin) and "flame" (hi). Other names reference the mountains' height: the Tendo peaks translate to "heaven's door" (amatsu + to). The tallest peak, Untaidake (oon-tie-dah-keh), derives its name from "cloud" (kumo), "zone" (tai), and "peak" (take).

Then there's the Takenuma (tah-keh-noo-mah), a swamp (numa) filled with bamboo (take). One of the abandoned cities of the Takenuma is Numai, which also derives its name from the word "swamp" (numa), as well as the word "residing" (i). The swamp is also the location of Shizo, a battlefield strewn with corpses; the name itself means "death" (shi) and "storehouse" (sō). Saviors of Kamigawa later introduced the moaning well Miren (mee-ren), which is a Japanese word for "lingering affection" or "regret."

The dense Jukai forest's name comes from "tree" (ju) and "sea" (umi). Of all the temples in the Jukai, the largest is the Okina Temple; okina means "old man," though in this context, the Okina Temple is known as a "shrine to the grandfathers." The other notable place in the Jukai forest is the great tree Boseiju. The ju suffix is the same word for "tree" used in "Jukai," while the "bosei" comes from "mother" (haha) and "master" or "saint" (sei).

Oboro: Almost as hazy as
downtown Los Angeles.

The largest waterfall in Kamigawa is the Kamitaki Falls (taki means "waterfall"). This is where the Minamo School floats. The word minamo itself means "water surface."

Two other important locations in the Kamigawa world are the Oboro palace (oboro means "haziness") and the sacred island Mikokoro, whose name means "honorable" (go) and "heart" (kokoro).

The Legends

Not all of the Legends in the Kamigawa world have relevant names. Some are purely made up (Azami, Ben-Ben, Erayo, Ishi-Ishi, Kiki-Jiki, Meloku, Tok-Tok, Uyo, Zo-Zu), while others have names with little meaning (particularly among the Orochi). Most names derive their meaning from the characters used in writing the name OR from the meaning of the actual word. I'll briefly explain most of the significant Legend names. Note that not all of these are "official" explanations.

• Akuta, Born of Ash - akuta (ah-koo-tah) means "dust" or "trash."
• Arashi, the Sky Asunder - arashi means "storm."
• Ayumi, the Last Visitor - ayumi means "walking" or a "step."
• Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - azamuki means "deception."
• Azusa, Lost but Seeking - azusa means "catalpa tree."
• Chisei, Heart of Oceans - chisei means "intelligence."
• Dokai, Weaver of Life - dokai means "lump of earth."
• Dosan the Falling Leaf - Dosan's name is also the name of a feudal ruler (Saito Dosan) during the Sengoku period in Japan. He was known for his ruthlessness.
• Fumiko the Lowblood - The fumi part of Fumiko's name means "to step on" or "to trample on." ko is a typical ending for female names.
• Godo, Bandit Warlord - Although godo has little relevant meaning (the name is written as "five shrines" and the word means "enlightenment"), the rest of his full name does have some significance. In development Godo's first name was Mifune, a name strongly associated with the Japanese actor Mifune Toshiro, who played many samurai and ronin roles, including many Kurosawa films.
• Goka the Unjust - Goka's name comes from the words for "sturdiness" or "strength" (gō) and "fire" (hi).
• Heartless Hidetsugu - Hidetsugu is another historical name. Toyotomi Hidetsugu was a nephew and retainer of the great daimyō Hideyoshi, who succeeded Oda Nobunaga and ended the Sengoku period.
• Higure, the Still Wind - higure (hee-goo-reh) means "twilight."
• Hikari, Twilight Guardian - hikari means "light."
• Hisoka, Minamo Sensei - hisoka means "mystery" or "secrecy."
• Hokori, Dust Drinker - hokori means "dust."
• Homura, Human Ascendant - homura means "flame."
• Horobi, Death’s Wail - horobi means "ruin."
• Iname as One - The word iname (ee-nah-meh) has no meaning, but the name is written as the combination of "negation" (ina) and "life" (inochi), reflecting Iname's dual nature.
• Isamaru, Hound of Konda - Isamaru's name roughly translates to "full of courage."
• Isao, Enlightened Bushi - Isao's name is written as the combination of "merit" (isao) and "hero" (osu). He holds the title of bushi ("warrior"), which in many cases is synonymous with samurai.
• Iwamori of the Open Fist - Officially, Wizards says that the name translates to "rock of the woods," being derived from the words "rock" (iwa) and "forest" (mori). In writing, however, his name uses the character for "protect" (mori) instead.
• Jaraku the Interloper - Jaraku's name may be based on a word meaning "to play around."
• Jiwari, the Earth Aflame - As the kami of earthquakes, Jiwari's name appropriately comes from "earth" (chi) and "break" (wari).
• Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - kaisō means "remembrance" or "reminiscence."
• Kataki, War’s Wage - kataki means "enemy," alluding to Kataki's status as the Kami of retribution.
  
  
  "That which we call a camellia,
  by any other name..."
• Kiku, Night’s Flower - Somewhat appropriately, Kiku's name is written as the combination of "cut" (kiri) and "pain" (ku). Oddly, though, kiku is the Japanese word for "chrysanthemum," while Kiku's trademark flower is the camellia (as seen in the card's artwork).
• Kira, Great Glass-Spinner - kira comes from the words "beautiful" (ki) and "thin silk" or "gauze" (ra).
• Konda, Lord of Eiganjo - "Konda" has no significant meaning. His first name, Takeshi, is a common Japanese name meaning "brave."
• Kumano, Master Yamabushi - Kumano's name seems to be a reference to the Kumano region in Japan, a mountainous area that has been long revered as a home to the gods. Many people made pilgrimages to Kumano, especially during the Heian and Edo periods. In Kamigawa, Kumano is a yamabushi, or "mountain priest."
• Kuon, Ogre Ascendant - Kuon is a master of pain and suffering. His written name comes from "pain" (ku, the same as in Kiku's name) and "honourable."
• Kuro, Pitlord - Kuro's written name roughly translates to "playing with pain."
• Kyoki, Sanity’s Eclipse - kyōki means "madness." Interestingly, Kyoki's written name also means "evil oni."
• Maga, Traitor to Mortals - Maga's name combines the words for "curse" or "misfortune" (ka) and "self" (ware).
• Meishin, the Mind Cage - The name of this spell is derived from "bewilderment" (mayoi) and "mind" (shin).
• Nagao, Bound by Honor - Nagao's name is a combination of "leader" (osa) and "hero" (osu).
• Opal-Eye, Konda’s Yojimbo - Opal-Eye holds the office of yōjinbō, which means "bodyguard."
• Reki, the History of Kamigawa - Reki's name is written as the compound of "calendar" (reki) and the suffix "chronicle" (ki). The related word rekishi means "history."
• Sakashima the Impostor - sakashima means "reversal" or "inversion," an apparent reference to Sakashima's mastery of disguise.
• Seizan, Perverter of Truth - Seizan's name doesn't really have anything to do with perverting truth, but for those interested, the characters used to write Seizan's name are "to die" (yuku) and "to behead" (kiru).
• Sekki, Seasons’ Guide - In traditional East Asian cultures that use a lunisolar calendar, the 24 sekki (pinyin: jiéqì) are days used to divide the calendar into equal sections, helping to synchronize the calendar with the seasons.
• Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - Appropriately, Shimatsu's name comes from "death" (shi) and "festival" or "feast" (matsuri).
• Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker - A shirei is a departed soul.
• Takeno, Samurai General - The first half of Takeno's name indicates "warrior" or "military" (takeshi).
• Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang - tatsu means "dragon," and the second half of the name means "true" or "correct" (tadashii).
• Tenza, Godo's Maul - The weapon's name combines "heaven" (amatsu) and "chain" (kusari).
• Terashi's Cry - Terashi is the kami of the sun, and appropriately its name means "shine" or "illumination."
• Tobita, Master of Winds - The first part of Tobita's name is based on the word "to fly" (tobu).
• Tomoya the Revealer - The first part, tomo, means "wisdom" or "intellect."
• Toshiro Umezawa - His last name seems to have no particular significance (other than the last half meaning "swamp"). His first name is a common Japanese name meaning "talented" or "intelligent."
• Tomb of Urami - Urami, the oni who had been caged for centuries, takes his name from the word for "resentment" or "grudge" (urami).
• Yomiji, Who Bars the Way - Yomiji guards the passage between life and death, and accordingly the name means "road to Hades."
• Yukora, the Prisoner - The first two characters used to write Yukora's name mean "confined in a room" (yū) and "orphan" or "alone" (ko).

• Jugan, the Rising Star - The written name roughly translates to "jewel's eye."
• Keiga, the Tide Star - The written name is a combination of "capital" (kei) and "river" (kawa).
• Kokusho, the Evening Star - The written name is formed from "black" (kuro) and "miasma" (sho).
• Ryusei, the Falling Star - ryūsei means "meteor" or "falling star."
• Yosei, the Morning Star - The name is formed from "sunshine" (yō) and "star" (hoshi).

• Adamaro, First to Desire - ada means "enemy" or "revenge."
• Kagemaro, First to Suffer - kage means "shadow."
• Kiyomaro, First to Stand - kiyo(i) means "pure" or "noble."
• Masumaro, First to Live - masu means "to grow" or "to increase."
• Soramaro, First to Dream - sora means "sky," the same as in "soratami."

The Weapons

The Kamigawa world also introduces a variety of weapons to the Magic multiverse. Some are already well-known, such as the shuriken (a throwing blade or throwing star) and the bo (a type of staff). Others are more obscure.

• The daishō are a pair of swords, traditional weapons of the samurai. Literally, the term means "big and small," referring to the bigger katana and the smaller wakizashi.
• A hankyū is a small bow. The name literally means "half bow."
• The jitte (jit-teh) was a traditional weapon used by police officers during the Edo period. There are no cutting edges; it is designed to catch an attacker's sword, snapping off the blade with a twisting motion. The word itself literally means "ten hands."
• A kusari-gama consists of a scythe (kama) attached to the end of a chain (kusari), which would have an iron weight at the other end. By swinging the weight and throwing the chain, the wielder could effectively disarm or immobilize an opponent, then move in to attack with the blade end.
• The manriki-gusari is a weighted chain, which can be used both defensively and offensively. Like the kusari-gama, it can be used to disarm or immobilize an opponent, or it can function much like a whip.
• The neko-te is simply a set of claws. The name literally translates to "cat's hand."
• The no-dachi is a type of large sword.
• A naginata is a polearm with a curved blade at the end, typically spun and swung at opponents. The "o-" prefix used for the Magic card indicates that it is a large naginata.
• The shuko is also known as hand claws. It consists of a thick glovelike band worn on the hand with short spikes attached on the palm side. The spikes can be used both for climbing and for combat, while the thick band can be used for blocking. The name literally tanslates to "hand armor."

Miscellaneous

There are many more words and terms throughout the Kamigawa block that need some explanation. Here's a quick glossary:

• akuba: The akuba is an evil hag-like spirit. The name comes from "evil" (aku) and "hag" (uba).
• baku: In Chinese and Japanese mythology, the baku are chimera-like spirits that can eat the bad dreams of humans. In the Kamigawa world, the baku have turned hostile like the other kami, so they eat both good and bad dreams.
• budoka: "budoka" refers to the Kamigawa monks that study martial arts. budō is a term referring to Japanese martial arts.
• bunrei (boon-ray): In Shinto, a bunrei is a divided spirit, or refers to the process of dividing a spirit. When establishing a new branch of a shrine, a bunrei of the deity is taken and enshrined in the new branch.
• garami: A garami is an entangling spirit.
• genjū: The genjūs are spirits of the land. The word comes from the combination of "origin" (gen) and "beast" (kemono).
• gohei: In Shinto rituals, a gohei is a ritual wand decorated with zig-zag paper streamers.
• goryo: A goryō (or mitama) is a spirit of a dead person. In the Kamigawa world, the goryō are vengeful entities.
• hana: hana means "flower."
• hanabi: hanabi means "fireworks."
• haru: haru means "spring."
• hatamoto: In feudal Japan, a hatamoto was a direct retainer of a shogun or daimyō.
• honden: In a Shinto shrine, the honden is the central structure designed to house the shrine's deity.
• imi (ee-mee): imi means "taboo."
• junkyō (joon-kyoh): junkyō means "martyrdom."
• jushi: In Kamigawa, the jushi are wizards. The word is derived from the word for "spell" (noroi) and a variant of "samurai" (the same shi in bushi).
• kabuto (kah-boo-toh): kabuto means "helmet."
• kaijin: kaijin means "sea god," usually referring specifically to Poseidon/Neptune. For the Japanese print of Kamigawa, however, the word is replaced by suijin, which is used to refer to any god of water.
• kaminari: kaminari means "thunder."
• kannushi: kannushi is a term referring to a Shinto priest.
• kanzashi: Kanzashi are hair ornaments used by women in traditional Japanese hairstyles. There are many different types of kanzashi.
• kappa: In Japanese folklore, kappa are mischievous water imps. They are generally depicted as having thick tortoise-like shells.
• kemuri: kemuri means "smoke" or "fumes."
• kiri: kiri means "fog" or "mist."
  
  
  A kirin from the Ming dynasty
  (taken from Wikipedia)
• kirin: The kirin (pinyin: qílín) is a mythical hooved creature, originating from Chinese mythology, that is said to be a good omen. Traditional Chinese depictions show it as having the head of a dragon, while the Japanese describe it as being more deer-like.
• kodama: Kodama are tree spirits. One currently popular depiction of kodama can be seen in Hayao Miyazaki's film Princess Mononoke.
• koto: The koto is a traditional string instrument, played by plucking. A typical koto is several feet long and has 13 strings, each of which has a movable bridge used in adjusting the pitch.
• kumo: kumo means "spider."
• miko (mee-koh): miko is commonly translated as "shrine maiden." Traditionally, miko were young female attendants in Shinto shrines, involved in many of the shrine ceremonies and functions.
• myojin: myōjin translates to "bright divinity." In Kamigawa, the myōjin are very important kami.
• netsuke: Netsuke refer to miniature sculptures (now typically carved) used as toggles for pouches or containers hung from the sashes of traditional Japanese robes (which had no pockets).
• nikkō: nikkō means "sunlight."
• oni: In Japanese folklore, oni are creatures similar to ogres and demons.
• onna: onna means "woman." Be careful with this word, though, since it can have a somewhat derogatory connotation.
• reikai: reikai ("spiritual world") refers to the realm of the kami.
• rōnin: A rōnin is a samurai without a master.
• shaku: A shaku is a ritual scepter or baton. It originated as a formal attire accessory for court nobles, but now is used as an accessory for Shinto clergy.
• shinen: The term shinen is a combination of shin ("spirit") and en ("flame"). This should not be confused with the word for "thought" (shi + nen).
• shinobi: The term shinobi is often equated with "ninja." It roughly translates as "one who is concealed."
• shōji: A shōji is a screen consisting of a wooden frame covered in paper (known as washi). Shōji are generally used as a sliding door in traditional Japanese architecture.
• tora: tora means "tiger."
• torii: A torii is a gate/archway found at the entrance to a Shinto shrine. The set symbol for Champions of Kamigawa is a torii.
• uba: See akuba.
• yuki: yuki means "snow."

Owari (The End)

Whew! Talk about information overload! Don't worry if you don't remember everything; just think of this as a little guide that you can look at every now and then, each time learning a little more about the rich flavor behind the Kamigawa world. Wizards of the Coast has crammed quite a lot of Japanese culture into the block, and the more you understand, the more you can appreciate and enjoy the set. And as an added bonus, you'll be able to properly pronounce words like jitte!

That's all for now! Ja ne!

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Credits: bad banner by Qwerty, editing by Goblinboy

[Machius]

Thanks fadeblue, a nice informative article for people interested in the real world roots of the kamigawa block card names and story names.

[{G}PiLeDrIvEr]

I found it interesting, plus, I finally found out how to say Jitte right.

[!Chucklez!]

I try to be polite about it, but for some reason it annoys me to no end when people call it a "jit".
Man, this article really served to remind me how miserably I did in Japanese. I barely remember any Kanji.

[Rath]

I was gonna come home and study my vocab as I have my Japanese orals coming up, but now... I feel like I'm done.

I thought the second kanji in Kamigawa would be the three vertical lines one.... I still think it is. But anyway.

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Rath: If you check the Wizards website for Japanese language articles on Kamigawa, you'll see that they use the kanji mentioned in the article.

[edgecrusher]

One note: Umezawa's Jitte IS NOT A JITTE, it's a jutte. The jitte and jutte are completely different weapons, but for some reason everyone's gotten them confused (probably because 'jitte' however you pronounce it, generally sounds more appealing to the Western ear, while the jutte is clearly the more attractive weapon).

The jutte has the blade-catcher attached.

The jitte looks basically like a cross. You know, like the thing Jesus was crucified on.

I've been reading a book on Japanese weaponry, and was really quite surprised to come across this little known factoid. The guy in question has been studying Japanese weaponry for about thirty years, and owns almost every weapon they ever made, so he definitely knows his stuff.

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Originally Posted by edgecrusher

One note: Umezawa's Jitte IS NOT A JITTE, it's a jutte. The jitte and jutte are completely different weapons, but for some reason everyone's gotten them confused (probably because 'jitte' however you pronounce it, generally sounds more appealing to the Western ear, while the jutte is clearly the more attractive weapon).

The jutte has the blade-catcher attached.

The jitte looks basically like a cross. You know, like the thing Jesus was crucified on.

I've been reading a book on Japanese weaponry, and was really quite surprised to come across this little known factoid. The guy in question has been studying Japanese weaponry for about thirty years, and owns almost every weapon they ever made, so he definitely knows his stuff.

Hmmm... I haven't seen any indication of there being a difference. It's possible, but every source I've seen indicates that the jutte and the jitte are the same (they're written with the same kanji). I haven't seen any mention of the jitte being a cross, either. In fact, the name ("ten hands") is a reference to its use for snapping blades.

I'm curious, though... what's the name and author of the book? And are there references online, by any chance?

[Silver Knight]

Beautiful article! Thanks for all the hard work to better out understandings.

[rat-of-god]

nice... very nice

this jitte

http://www.savagesmith.com/Jitte2.JPG



and this is jutte
http://www.e-budostore.com/antiques/jutte05.jpg

pretty much the same (or should i say they're same?)

[edgecrusher]

Name: Classical Weaponry of Japan

Author: Serge Mol

It discusses most of the lesser known weapons of Japan, many of which are frankly ridiculous and look impractical, but as surprises I don't think you could beat them easily. Some are really damn cool, though, and the book includes literally hundreds of photographs from the author's own collection and from the collections of people he knows or museums, displaying the weapons in question.

He was a disciple of Tanaka Fumon, one of Japan's foremost authorities on classical martial arts and weird-ass weaponry, and Nakashima Atsumi, though I don't know who he is. Everything in his books is based purely on original Japanese sources, so any inaccuracies are ones the Japanese have bred in themselves.

As for online references... there's loads of places to buy it from... but little from the book itself. However, I'll quote the bits that are relevant in case you don't feel interested enough to fork over the $$$ (btw, it's worth it if you have any interest. Fascinating book).

ON THE JITTE

"The weapon is probably developed from the Yari (spear) and as a result is sometimes called yarijitte (*accompanying Japanese characters*) meaning 'pear-jitte'.... Its first striking feature is its odd shape and construction, which are difficult to describe. The main part of it was originally a spearhead (yariho) with a triangular or flat diamond-shaped cross section, the tang of which was shortened and adapted to become the hilt (nakago). Just under the narrowing section between blade and tang (kerakubi), a large hand protection (goken) was fitted to the hilt, making the ensemble look more or less like a cross.... Another characteristic feature is the L-shaped hook (kagi) attached to one side of the hand protection. In addition to being another handguard, this hook was used to catch an opponent's sword blade."
- page 36, if you find it in a bookstore. There's also three photos of a Jitte, showing how weird it looks. The wide guard could fold up against the blade to make it easier to carry.

"Although the Jitte, like the Jutte (*Jap. characters*) is equipped with a hook to catch an opponent's sword blade, the weapon's function was different. The jutte was an Edo-period weapon used by the police to capture criminals without bloodshed. The jitte, on the other hand, has its roots in a different era with different circumstances and was devised as a deadly weapon." - page 38. He then talks about how the jitte was used as part of the traditional two sword style in place of the short sword and stuff like that.


ON THE JUTTE (important here, because it shows where the misconception arises from, despite the Jutte and Jitte being related but still totally different weapons)

"The jutte, or jitte as it is also transcribed, is undoubtedly one of the best-known truncheon like weapons in Japan and in the West. It consists of a metal rod with a round, square, hexagonal, or octagonal cross section, and is usually fitted with an L-shaped hook known as the tachimogi no kagi (literally 'sword-plucking hook') just below the handle." - page 76

"There were a huge variety of jutte models, and one source claims that approximately two hundred kinds were used in the Edo period. The length ranged from 25-28 centimetres for short ones, and from 55-64 centimetres for long ones. Before the Edo period, however, long models measured between 70-90 centimetres. The short variety was nicknamed futokorojitte (*jap. characters*), koshijitte (*jap. characters*), and koshizashi (*jap. characters*) because it could easily be concealed in the futokoro (kimono fold) or inserted into the obi behind one's back to allow it to be drawn quickly. Some longer jutte that were more suited for serious fighting with armed and dangerous criminals or ronin (masterless samurai) were called sentoyo-jitte (*Jap. characters* 'fighting jitte/jutte')." - page 77

Despite the fact that the jutte is such a well-known weapon, its history is quite obscure, though there are a number of theories, some more plausible than others. The jutte, or, more accurately, jutte-like weapons that look similar to what later became famous as the jutte and which may have been the forerunner of the jutte, has been known under a wide range of names. It is imposiblle to list all of them, but some of the best known include: (*All of these are followed by the appropriate Japanese characters*) Jitte, jittei, koppu, tebo, tekkan, kesan, ginbo, tesshaku, jittetsu, jutto/jitto, sakate, and tenki. Some of the names refer to objects such as long and thin iron paperweights or iron rulers and scales that were similar to the weapon, or perhaps lay at the root of the development of certain jutte-like weapons. Other names do not have much meaning, as they are simply combinations of characters with the same reading as the original name of the weapon. In olden days, some people did not always know the correct character combination and wrote characters with the same sound. One story behind the popular name jitte (jutte) is that the weapon gave its user the strength of ten hands, so it was written with the characters (*cha.*) meaning 'ten hands'. Another combination with the same soud is (*cha.*), but the meaning is not relevant." - page 78. Basically, this shows how the misconception arises. They were written the same and often pronounced the same, primarily because they didn't exist in the same era but also because people didn't know any better. The writing can be misleading, despite the fact the jitte is the weapon with the much clearer history and lineage. He goes on...

"Finally, it is interesting to elaborate on some of the many theories on the development of the jutte. These propose:
1. that the jutte was based on an old Chinese weapon;
2. that the jutte or the concept of the jutte was imported from China;
3. that the jutte was based on other weapons used in Japan, including the tetto, the kabutowari, the kanamuchi, and the hananejibo;
4. that the jutte was invented Miyamoto Musashi's father." - page 78



Linking this stuff together, the jitte was speculatively based on the Chinese tesshaku, and it's likely that the jutte was based on the jitte, as the only thing the jutte is really missing is the point (most of those used were blunt) and the wide cross-guard. No proof, though.

Various sources have suggested the jutte was brought to Japan from China by a person named Odogen in the first year of Meireki (1655) or by Chin Genpin (Ch'en Yuan-Ping) in the first year of Manji (1658). This isn't likely due to Japanese governmental rules restricting outside contact, though. Also, the jutte's been reported before either of these dudes turned up.

Musashi's dad isn't likely, either, because he was from the wrong time period. He was known to be skilled with the jitte, however, and there is a drawing of a weapon that could be kind of thought to be a jutte, but the shape was wrong even if the basis was there.

But here's something which might explain all the general confusion:

"One theory holds that the jitte (*cha.*) developed into the jutte (*cha.*), but it is difficult to support this with evidence. When completely opened, the general appearance of the karakurijitte and the Miyamoto Minisai Jitte (MY NOTE: Musashi's granddad, was known to have innovated his own kind of Jitte) is a cross, or the shape of the character used for ten (*cha.*), so the characters used for jitte (*cha.*) may over time have changed to (*cha.*) which can be read 'jitte' or 'jutte'." - page 80

So, there you go. That's the reader's digest version of the differences. He makes more points, but largely he's concerned with how they were used and the like, which again differentiates them. Looking at the photos, there's no doubt at all. They just totally different. The blade structure on the jitte is completely unlike the jutte's, for one thing.

[edgecrusher]

Originally Posted by rat-of-god

nice... very nice

this jitte

http://www.savagesmith.com/Jitte2.JPG



and this is jutte
http://www.e-budostore.com/antiques/jutte05.jpg

pretty much the same (or should i say they're same?)

Nope, both of those are jutte. A quick search in an engine IS NOT GOING TO HELP. Remember, the proper Jitte is not popular, it's barely even known about. It's a weapon from the old days of Japan whose popularity wained, whereas the Jutte became super popular (its rise closely linked to the development of the Sai, which is also very popular), or at least insofar as many people know the weapon if not necessarily the correct name for it.

This is even further complicated because the jutte was CALLED a jitte by the Japanese themselves, even though it wasn't one in function, design, style or use. Mol clearly lays out the various problems with the rise of the jutte, and shows the linguistic complexities which have led to this massive, massive, MASSIVE miscommunication, both inside and outside Japan.

[Silver Seraph]

Nice Article. I skipped some things in the last part, but I'm happy I pronounced all things right. How 'Yosei' gets pronounced? I'm sure I'm not right, but Jo-sey sounds annoying...

[pooispoois]

Isn't Isamaru just an angram for "Samurai"?

[non_the_road]

Very nice article.

I should print this out and hand copies to the Magic players at the my gaming club. If I hear "Jeet" (rhyming with 'cheat') one more time...