southpaws and mei

[Strider]

This may seem like a strange question, but has anyone ever heard about any nihonto being made for left handed users? Would the mei be on the other side as well as the menuki. I ask this because I was given a gendaito many years ago and the menuki now seem backwards compared to what I see on all swords. Scott

[Stephen]

was told by the ex wife...one was not allowed to be left handed. :?

[Stever]

My understanding is that there were two conventions for menuki placement - one that places them under the palms and the other places them under the fingertips.

 

cheers,

/steve

[Guest Simon Rowson]

The Yagyu school of swordsmanship (official instructors to the Tokugawa shoguns) reversed the normal placement of menuki under the ito to improve the grip.

 

Also, one of the few senior members of the Shinsengumi to survive the Bakumatsu Jidai, Saito Hajime, was left handed and even used a much-feared "left-handed thrust".

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saito_Hajime

 

In the fictionalised movie "When the Last Sword is Drawn" Saito (played by actor Koichi Sato) is depicted as wearing a left handed dai-sho with even the kurigata of the saya mounted on the opposite side to usual.

 

Simon

[Strider]

It never ceases to amaze me the things that come up when you throw out a seemingly trivial question. It is nice to know that a person can get his silly questions answered on this board without fear of judgement by wiser members. I just bought a blade for study and plan to try to translate the mei on my own and then ask for a confirmation or correction from this group. Thanks guys Scott