Yawara
The yawara is a Japanese
The yawara stick was popularized for police officers in the 1940s by Frank A. Matsuyama, who made his own version in 1937 or earlier.[1] The upgraded yawara was made of Bakelite plastic and had golf shoe metal spikes on both ends. A yawara can be used by the general public for self-defense in some countries. A variation of the yawara is a kubotan which is about six inches long, made of plastic, weighs about two ounces, and has no sharp edges. The kubotan is used by police officers and the general public. It is considered to be a modern version of a yawara, which is "a little shorter and broader". In the United States, yawaras are not intrinsically illegal in any jurisdiction. In the UK it's illegal for any member of the public to carry a lethal or non-lethal self defence weapon.
History
Numerous types of jujutsu make use of a small rod, made of wood, that extends somewhat from both ends of a person's fist which is known as a yawara. The shaft of a yawara is often "carved to fit a user's fingers and to improve grip". The yawara is around 15–25 cm (5.9–9.8 in) long. Either end of the yawara can "be used to strike or apply pressure to sensitive vital points on an opponent's body". Pressure points that can be easily struck with a yawara are "the forehead, bridge of nose, upper lip, chin, temple, jaw, bicep, solar plexus, elbow, forearm, kidney, wrist, hypocondrium, genitalia, testicles, and knee". When a yawara is "held across the palm", it can "be used to block strikes of blows, even knife and sword slashes".[2] Sometimes a wielder would add a short "rope or cord" that would be looped around the user's wrist, allowing the yawara to be propelled as a distraction while in combat. With the cord setup, the user can easily retrieve the yawara and the cord itself can be used to capture the other person's "limb or weapon as well as to restrain an attacker after they had been subdued". The cord or hook were sometimes called torihimo or "bird rope".[3]
It is believed by some historians that methods of using a yawara were created by
Due to metal being expensive and requiring forging by tools, wood (of any type) was used to create a yawara. Because it is easy to carve and use a yawara, it has been used as part of multiple self-defense styles in the western world.[2] In feudal Japan, some yawara included miniature claws on one end, allowing someone to "hook the opponent's clothing to pull the attacker off-balance and throw him". The claws could also be used to attack an opponent's face.[5]
Police use
Assistants of the Japanese police force created various ways to capture a criminal with the rope of the yawara.
General public use
The yawara has also been created by using hard nylon and aircraft-grade aluminum for use by the general public. Depending on the company, the yawara can be built as either hollow or solid. For self-defense, the yawara can be aimed at the neck, throat, temple, eyes, or nose. A yawabara is easy to hide and might also have an attachment for a keychain. For use by the general public, a yawabara is inexpensive.[8] Martial artist Miguel Ibarra stated of a yawara, "It can give a person who might lack physical size, strength or highly developed technique an edge against an attacker". Martial artist Roy Goldberg said, "Stay away from the types of yawara that have knives or blades concealed inside them. If you practice right, you be very effective with the plain stick; you don't need the blade." Goldberg also said that "there is more risk of being prosecuted for carrying a concealed weapon if you have a yawara with a blade inside".[5] The senior black belt demonstration division of the American Jujitsu Association can demonstrate how to use a yawara among other weapons.[9]
A variation of the yawara is a kubotan which is "about six inches long, made of plastic, weighs about two ounces, and has no sharp edges. The kubotan is used by police officers and the general public. It is considered to be a modern version of a yawara, which is "a little shorter and broader".[10]
Etymology
The kanji for yawara and ju in jujutsu or judo is the same (柔). The kanji also translates to "flexibility" or "giving way". Another term for yawara is tenouchi which translates to "inside the hand".[2]
Legality
In the United States, yawaras are not intrinsically illegal in any jurisdiction.[5]
See also
References
- ^ Patent 2,099,447; Issued 16 November 1937; Police Weapon; Frank A. Matsuyama
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4629-0749-6.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4629-1705-1.
- ^ "Single-pronged vajra (tokkosho)". Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ a b c Active Interest Media, Inc. (August 1989). Black Belt. Active Interest Media, Inc. pp. 52–53.
- ^ Matsuyama, Frank (1948). "How to Use the Yawara Stick for Police" (PDF). University of Hawaii. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Truncale, J. J.; Connor, G. J. (1985). "Police Yawara Stick Techniques, Second Edition". National Criminal Justice Reference Service. University of Illinois. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ "Featured Non-Lethal Self-Defense Weapon: The Yawara". Off The Grid News. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ "Tournament Handbook" (PDF). American Jujitsu Association. September 23, 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Active Interest Media, Inc. (June 1982). Black Belt. Active Interest Media, Inc. pp. 47–48.