The Transformation of Kenjutsu and Jujutsu during the Edo Period : Visit to Samurai Village
Bamboo Grove paths. Traditional Japanese houses. Kitchen. Bath. Living room. Bedroom. Backyard. Swords. Armor. This is a real settlement where samurai actually lived. It is not a theme park built for tourists. The life of samurai in the Edeto period after the age of wars. The daily life of samurai in the Edo period6031 1868 was very different from that of the waring states period. Once the age of constant warfare had ended, Japan entered a time of peace. Samurai transformed from being warriors on the battlefield into rulers and members of the governing class. Samurai served the shogunate or feudal lords standing at the top of the social hierarchy. Their income was measured in koku, the amount of rice one adult could live off of for a year, which could be exchanged for money. Lower ranking samurai often received allowances in rice portions or cash instead of actual rice. High-ranking samurai lived in spacious residences within castle towns while lower ranking samurai often lived in row houses nagaya creating a large gap in living standards residences with gardens tatami matted rooms and shukuri style architecture. They employed retainers and servants lived in simple row houses provided by the domain. These houses shared wells and toilets with other samurai families, reporting to the castle and serving in roles such as recordeping, finance, and security. Many samurai worked more like administrators than warriors. They continued practicing martial arts such as swordsmanship, archery, spear techniques, horsemanship, and jiujutsu. Yaido originated in this era of peace when armor was no longer worn. Unlike classical swordsmanship, kjutsu which begins with facing an enemy in combat, eido was structured around drawing the sword in everyday settings such as from a seated position indoors. Eido emphasizes rituals and forms kada and often includes ceremonial demonstrations. In contrast, bodto focuses on cutting practice with swords already drawn while eiido emphasizes techniques of drawing and cutting in a single motion. Test cutting was less common eido schools. In the waring states era, armored combat often involved closing distance after initial strikes, using grappling techniques to throw the opponent to the ground, pin joints, and finish with a dagger thrust into armor gaps. Some old schools still preserve techniques that symbolically finish a pinned opponent with a wooden sword. In the Edo period, with armor gone and society peaceful, jiujutsu evolved into arrest techniques used by samurai and policing roles. From this arts such as rope tying, hojutsu and metal trenchon techniques, judsu, developed and survive in some classical schools today. Samurai studied Confucianism, calligraphy, poetry, and tea ceremony. The ideal was to master both pen and sword. The samurai’s wife managed the household, practiced frugality, and educated the children. Boys learned martial arts and academics, while girls were trained in etiquette and household skills. Lower ranking samurai often struggled with low stipens and fell into debt. Some pawn their swords or clothing. Still, they upheld dignity following the saying, “A samurai uses a toothpick even on an empty stomach. To be loyal to one’s lord, Polish marshall skills and live with honor and simplicity.” Few opportunities for battle remained, and most samurai served as bureaucrats and officials. Narita airport used by most international visitors is located in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture next to Tokyo. Most travelers head straight to Tokyo, but this is a missed opportunity. Chiba is one of Japan’s most important birthplaces of swordsmanship and is ranked among the top five prefectures for marshall traditions. For martial arts practitioners or enthusiasts, Chiba offers an essential stop. Traveling toward Tokyo from Narita Airport, visitors using the Ques line or Sobu Rapid Line will pass through Sakura Station in about 30 minutes. In Sakura, you can still find samurai residences and bamboo groves that retain the authentic atmosphere of Ido, Japan. Sakura was the castle town of the Sakura Domain, ruled by the Hada family, hereditary lords. Samurai residences were built around Sakura Castle for their retainers. The hot domain samurai studied tatsumiu, a comprehensive marshall system founded in the early 1500s which included ei jutsu, kenjutsu and jiujutsu. During the Ido period, it became the exclusive martial art of the hot clan forming the core of domainal education. The term hoai genre, three great original schools of martial strategy, refers to the three kenjutsu traditions of Inryu, Shintoyu, and Nenriu. According to one view, if one traces back the lineages of Japanese swordsmanship, they will generally lead to one of these three schools. From the Hoho Sandriu, various styles emerged in Chiba Prefecture, such as Couttori Shinto Ryu and Tatsumi Ryu, where practitioners trained in Badjutsu, the predecessor of modern Yajiutsu. Among these, Tatsumi Ryu is regarded as one of the important schools in the history of Yaijutsu. Today, the preserved samurai houses of the Kawahara, Tajjima, and Taki families are open to the public as the Sakura samurai residences. Sakura Bukayashiki. These are not reconstructions, but genuine residences once lived in by Sakura domain samurai families. Such authentic samurai houses cannot be found in Tokyo. If time permits, staying near Narita for one night before heading into Tokyo allows you to visit Sakura conveniently. The preserved residences Kawahara, Tajima, and Teonged to mid-ranking samurai. Though smaller than high ranking estates, they include dirt floor kitchens, tatami rooms, and gardens showcasing the lifestyle of ordinary samurai families. Could this wooden floored room be the wife’s room? It has a dresser and a wardrobe. This is the kitchen. This is an old style rice cooker. The armors. The bedroom. The bathroom. an old style raincoat. This is the ceiling. The armor and katana. This is the wall. Beside the samurai settlement, there is a small path that runs through a bamboo grove. I’ve heard that this path has remained almost unchanged since the Edo period. So, it is likely that they also used to walk along it. Built in 1890 by Countamastomo of the periage, he was a late Edeto period daimo and a maji period nobleman, the sixth lord of the Sakura domain in Shimosa province and the 10th head of the Hata family, Masatoshi line. Masatmo served as the last lord of the Sakura domain until the abolition of feudal domains and return of lands and people to the emperor in 1869 and then as the governor of Sakura until the abolition of domains and establishment of prefectures in 1873. The residence is a rare surviving example of a Maji era mansion belonging to a former Daimon noble family. The garden was designed by the renowned landscape gardener Itto Hikoon of Chinuan. Today, it is owned by the city of Sakura as a donated property and is designated a national important cultural property. At the end of this video, we have some exciting news for those planning a trip to Tokyo. So, please be sure to watch until the end. The residence is highly regarded by architects as sophisticated techniques of traditional Japanese architecture can be seen in its fine details. filmed inside the premises. To the left of the gate is the guard’s quarters, effectively a retainer samurai’s residence. On the opposite side stands a large storehouse. This type of storehouse can still sometimes be found in private residences outside Tokyo, passed down from ancestors. The guard’s quarters The toilet is extremely small. the second floor of the hotter residence. Let’s take a look around. This is the changing room. And here is what we would call today a bathroom. Surprisingly, both the former hotter residence and the Sakura Samurai houses can also be rented for filming movies, dramas, commercials, TV programs, magazines, or even personal cosplay shoots. As of 2025, the city of Sakura operates the Sakura Film Commission project, inviting film productions and providing support for location shoots. Since the residence is a national important cultural property, there are some restrictions, but both commercial and personal filming is possible. Conveniently located just a short distance from Narita, it makes for an excellent filming location during a trip to Tokyo. Japan B is a channel that randomly shares information about lesserknown aspects of Japanese culture spanning across various genres.
✨ If you’re a martial artist, history lover, or simply curious about the real life of the samurai, this is an essential glimpse into Japan’s warrior heritage.
Step back into the world of the samurai—just a short trip from Narita Airport. This video takes you inside real Edo period samurai residences in Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, where warriors once lived, trained, and governed. Unlike theme parks built for tourists, these are authentic samurai homes preserved from the 1600s–1800s.
🏯 What You’ll See
Bamboo groves and traditional Japanese houses
Samurai kitchens, baths, living rooms, and gardens
Swords, armor, and authentic tatami interiors
Samurai daily life after the Warring States period
⚔️ Martial Arts Traditions of the Edo Period When peace replaced war, samurai evolved from battlefield warriors into administrators—but they never stopped training. Learn about:
Iaido – the art of drawing the sword from a seated position indoors
Kenjutsu – classical swordsmanship practiced in the Sakura domain
Battodo – cutting techniques with drawn swords
Jujutsu – grappling and arrest techniques adapted for policing roles
Hojojutsu (rope-tying) & Jutte-jutsu (metal truncheon arts)
Tatsumi-ryu – the Hotta clan’s martial art system combining iaijutsu, kenjutsu, and jujutsu
📜 Samurai Life in Edo Japan
High vs. low-ranking samurai housing
Samurai stipends paid in rice (koku)
Daily duties at the castle: record keeping, policing, administration
Confucian education, calligraphy, poetry, and tea ceremony
The role of samurai women in managing households
The gap between ideals of loyalty and honor vs. everyday bureaucratic reality
🌿 Visit Sakura Samurai Residences Explore the preserved homes of the Kawahara, Tajima, and Takei families—authentic samurai houses you won’t find in Tokyo. Staying near Narita for just one night gives you the chance to walk in the footsteps of real Edo period warriors.
Visit our blog for more about Japanese history, culture and traditions, martial arts, and daily living in Japan: https://japanbwoe.wordpress.com/
Join us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/japan.b.2023
AloJapan.com