A credit to Doshin (Japanese Feudal Police)

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[Eric Joyce]

I was re-reading a few books over the weekend and read about the doshin and the many weapons and techniques they used to arrest criminals and samurai. Some of the books were Secrets of the Samurai (small blurb about doshin) Don Cunningham’s book on Secret Weapons of jujutsu, and Serge Mol’s book on Classical Fighting Arts of Japan.

After reading these books, it got me thinking. I feel that the doshin were really the modifiers of jujutsu and its practical application in arresting and/or defending oneself from aggressors. One reason is that the doshin were on the frontline all the time and they had to use these techniques to apprehend criminals. Some of the jujutsu techniques of the past were either too harsh were they might end up killing the person or the techniques weren’t effective in arresting these criminals. In essence, they had to modify them in order to take the person alive.

As I read through these books, I didn’t see a lot of credit given to doshin for their creation/evolution of jujutsu techniques. I was wondering if anyone else has opinions on this or if anyone else has information on doshin and their development of taihojutsu.

[Ron Tisdale]

You may want to try posting this same question at e-budo...somewhere where William Bodiford might see it...good question.

Ron

[Eric Joyce]

Thanks Ron. Who is he and what forum on E-budo does he visit?

[Ron Tisdale]

Dr. Bodiford is a professor of Japanese history, and a practitioner of Kashima Shin ryu (I think that's the correct ryu, the same one as Dr. Friday, I believe). He has some of the very best posts on e-budo. He seems to keep an eye on the koryu, sword, and history forums there. He might even have a email address in his profile...

Ron