Monday, November 6, 2023

The Japanese Sasumata spear

 



 

The sasumata (spear fork) together with the tsukubō (push pole) and the sodegarami (sleeve entangler) comprised the torimono sandōgu (three tools/implements of arresting) used by samurai police and security forces.[1] Samurai police in the Edo period used the sasumata along with the sodegarami and tsukubō to restrain and arrest suspected criminals uninjured. The head of the sasumata would be used to catch around the neck, arms, legs, or joints of a suspect and detain them until officers could close in and apprehend them (using hojōjutsu). The sasumata had a long hardwood pole usually around 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in length with sharp barbs or spines attached to metal strips on one end of the pole to keep the person being captured from grabbing the pole. The opposite end of the sasumata pole would often have a metal cap, or ishizuki like those found on naginata and other pole weapons.[2]

 

However in the Japanese Language there are Three "words" for "sasumata"; same spelling, different character meanings.

So different characters "spelling out" the same name!

 

1) 刺股 ('thorn/stab-crotch')

2)刺叉 ('thorn/stab-fork')

3)指叉 ('pressure-fork')

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