Why Left Handed was Forbidden Among Samurai #Shorts

*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects

If samurai had their katana on their left or right waists randomly, they might accidentally hit and damage their sheathes with others’ as they both pass by.

Because in Japan, we walk/drive on the left side of the road, samurai were all forced to be right-handed and to keep their katana on their left waist to avoid trouble.

Even today, in almost every Japanese traditional culture such as budo martial arts (iaido, kendo, kyudo, etc.), tea ceremony, or shodo calligraphy, all the movements and practices are designed for right-handed people because of this tradition.

However, there are some famous samurai who could have been left-handed according to historical records and pictures of them.

●源為朝 Minamoto no Tametomo:
A giant, 2m-tall samurai who was famous for being a skilled archer. He was the uncle of Minamoto no Yoritomo who started the first Kamakura shogunate.

●宮本武蔵 Miyamoto Musashi:
One of the most well known swordsmen in Japanese history who wrote 五輪書 The Book of Five Rings.

●斎藤一 Saito Hajime:
The captain of the 3rd squad of Shinsengumi who was called the 無敵の剣 Invincible Sword.

The reason why there are no accurate records is because being left-handed was considered a physical dysfunction and was something you would want to hide from others.

However, in terms of swinging katana, your left hand gives the swinging power and your right hand controls the blade, so once you get used to it left-handed people actually have a bigger advantage.

▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼

▼Related videos in this channel▼
-How Samurai Trained Physically & Mentally Through Katana Training and Zen Meditation
-How Difficult is it to Swing a Katana in Samurai Armor?
-Who was the Strongest Swordsman in Shinsengumi? Not Okita Soji nor Saito Hajime…

▼MY DREAM▼

“To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in”

I will be using the profit I gain from this channel at restaurants, hotels, and cultural facilities in Kyoto to introduce them. The more you watch the videos on this channel, Kyoto and Japan will become a more exciting place, and you can support your own and others’ dreams in the future even more.

▼Join our Membership▼

●Membership benefits
-Limited behind-the-scene videos
-Weekly live stream
-Priority reply to comments

Every single yen we earn from this membership, we will be donating to groups of people who are fighting to solve social problems in Japan, the Japanese schools where foreign students can study, or use it to spread the works of people working with traditional culture in Japan to preserve the arts they are doing.

▼[Sub-channel] “Shogo’s Podcast”▼
Please subscribe!!

The perfect channel to learn about Japanese culture and history in your spare time, during your walk to school or work, and when you are cooking or doing house chores.

Not only will I be covering the topics in this main channel, but also some topics that you will only be able to enjoy in the sub-channel, like answering questions I receive, and my opinions towards some of the comments.

▼[Listen to the real voices of the Japanese] "Voices from Japan series"▼

▼[Places recommended to visit in Kyoto] "Kyoto Hidden Gems" series▼

▼Instagram▼
*Please ask me questions through the DM here!（⚠️I do not use e-mail）

♪Music♪
おとわび
トーマス大森音楽工房
ぽるぽるMusic

♪Sound effects♪
効果音ラボ

♪Pictures♪
かわいいフリー素材屋 いらすとや

#lefthandedsamurai #miyamotomusashi #saitohajime

[kevinsmith]

Us Lefties have an advantage in almost all martial arts, until we go up against each other. Then it just gets awkward.

[krealyesitisbeta]

Society: “You’re disadvantaged.”

The battle: “You’re too OP.”

*Basically society*

[sejembalm]

The Latin word for left handed is sinister, today meaning evil or malevolent in some way.

[anmolt]

I love the attention to detail in Rurouni Kenshin. I knew Saito Hajime was left handed because he was portrayed as such in the manga/anime

[drivestowork]

Didn't know the feudal Japan considered left-handedness a deformity.
Medieval Europeans considered left-handedness a sign of the devil.

The Latin word for left handed is Sinister. It's where we get the word.
Also where the scientific name for left handedness, Sinistral comes from.

But that begs the question why do the Japanese write from right to left?
The story I was told was the royalty and learned were left-handed and therefore wrote left handed.

[gregoryrogalsky]

Iv been training left handed for decades in Modern Kenjutsu for teaching and I think it makes one more balanced.

[animenerd-ni]

Pov: me thinking of zoro

My mind: he's mouth handed

[superlegomoose]

"they might damage their sheathes as they walk by"
*Shows an image of two people with sheathes on their left side*

[Liethen]

Question: What kind of color symbolism does Japanese culture traditional have? How does it compare with the meanings of different colors in other cultures? Some that mean similar things or have very different associations?

[gihan]

im honoured to know that im like Musashi in at least one way

[verge]

As a lefty this kinda boosted my confidence

[IKEMENOsakaman]

Do we walk (drive) on the left side of the road in Japan because of samurai's katana?

[MediHusky]

Me who writes right handed but plays sports left handed: this is confucius.

[a-warthog]

Japan has such a wonderful and long history

[giyuutomioka]

That's pretty cool, and I'm left handed

[Shadytalereal]

Me who had heard Miyamoto Musashi:Ayo thats the dude from Baki!

[themaverickblackbelt]

In your picture illustrating that random placement might lead to sheath damage, both figures are wearing their swords on their left. Perhaps this better illustrates why Japanese might tend to walk on the left rather than the right?

[Erick]

Left handed/leg people have the advantage for everything, because normal people are used to battle other “normal” people/ right handed people, but left handed people are used to fighting right handed people but right handed people are not used to it, giving left handed people an advantage

[ginger_jesus]

Random fact: Hanzo Hisashi, otherwise know as Scorpion is actually left handed, which is unique due to his clans heritage

[Froggy-nvep]

Is there any record of a samurai using 2 katanas at once?