How did the soft rush help train Samurai?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

May 23, 2002

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The soft rush (Juncus effusus Linnaeus) is a wetland species native over much of the temperate zones of the world: Eurasia, North America, Australia, New Zealand, and eastern and southern Africa. Soft rush forms clumps of cylindrical stems, the leaves are greatly reduced and seldom noticed.

The soft rush (Juncus effusus Linnaeus) is a wetland species native over much of the temperate zones of the world Juncus effusus (Rush) Mark Bolton Buy Photographic Print at AllPosters.com

The stems are filled with pithy tissue called aerenchyma [air rink' e ma]. Under magnification, this tissue looks like the metal cross-supports of superstructures like the Eiffel tower. Soft rush's aerenchyma solves several engineering problems; it supports the shape providing strength to the length of the stems while reducing weight and it gives buoyancy keeping the stems afloat should a heavy wind knock them into the water.

Rushes were frequently collected in the past to serve as bedding for farm animals and to cover dirt floors in homes. The Japanese took the rush covering to an art with tatami, thick woven mats. The base mats, tatami-doko, are made of rice straw. The beautifully woven covers, tatami-omote, are made of igusa or soft rush.

Tatami-omote was also used in Samurai training. The woven covers were rolled and soaked. These practice targets for test cutting, tameshigiri, trained the Samurai swordsmen in proper stance, distance, grip, angle, and timing. Tatami-omote targets are said to cut with the precise stroke that is required to remove the head or limb of an attacker.

Japanese Culture Mania has an excellent article on tatami. To read more about the beautiful tatami mats and philosophy of washitsu rooms, click on the link:

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/026/mitemite/200202.html

Dojo of the Four Winds explains tameshigiri, part of the art of Japanese swordsmanship. To view the website, click on the link:

http://www.dojoofthefourwinds.com/tameshigiri.html

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