Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Tachi versus katana in horseback fighting

Philip · 23rd October 2006, 06:22 AM

Hi, Carlo
Interesting comment you made,

"cavalry charges in Japanese history were always quiet [sic] slow..."

That helps explain something that has puzzled me for a long time. Years ago, a Japanese archery club came to Los Angeles and gave a demo of mounted archery with their traditional bows (nice Edo-period costumes, too!) but using local breeds of horses. I was struck at how slow the horses moved (and wasn't too impressed with the lack of accuracy, even at the very short distances to the targets, and the rather unsteady "seat" the riders had in their saddles and stirrups). The Japanese organization which sponsored the program said that the half-dozen shooters were masters who had trained at this for years.

I compare that with the mounted archery I saw in the Inner Mongolian capital of Hohhot (now part of the PRC) in 1981. Both men and women spurred their horses into a full gallop, rode far more aggressively, used stronger bows, and had a higher rate of fire. As a display of martial technique and bravado, this was far more convincing. I'm glad that I wasn't around in the Middle Ages to face Genghis Khan's boys on a battlefield...

You also mentioned the footsoldiers going in along with Japanese cavalrymen during a "charge". This reminds me of the tactics of the elephant troops of SE Asia -- infantrymen with spears or long handled sabers stationed around the elephants' feet to keep the enemy from darting in and doing nasty things to the lumbering beasts. If the Japanese had gallopped into the charge with the speed of the Mongols (or the Chinese, Manchus, and Tibetans, for that matter), it's hard to imagine that infantrymen could keep up with them.

23rd October 2006, 06:22 AM	#8
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	cavalry tactics, personal observations Hi, Carlo Interesting comment you made, "cavalry charges in Japanese history were always quiet [sic] slow..." That helps explain something that has puzzled me for a long time. Years ago, a Japanese archery club came to Los Angeles and gave a demo of mounted archery with their traditional bows (nice Edo-period costumes, too!) but using local breeds of horses. I was struck at how slow the horses moved (and wasn't too impressed with the lack of accuracy, even at the very short distances to the targets, and the rather unsteady "seat" the riders had in their saddles and stirrups). The Japanese organization which sponsored the program said that the half-dozen shooters were masters who had trained at this for years. I compare that with the mounted archery I saw in the Inner Mongolian capital of Hohhot (now part of the PRC) in 1981. Both men and women spurred their horses into a full gallop, rode far more aggressively, used stronger bows, and had a higher rate of fire. As a display of martial technique and bravado, this was far more convincing. I'm glad that I wasn't around in the Middle Ages to face Genghis Khan's boys on a battlefield... You also mentioned the footsoldiers going in along with Japanese cavalrymen during a "charge". This reminds me of the tactics of the elephant troops of SE Asia -- infantrymen with spears or long handled sabers stationed around the elephants' feet to keep the enemy from darting in and doing nasty things to the lumbering beasts. If the Japanese had gallopped into the charge with the speed of the Mongols (or the Chinese, Manchus, and Tibetans, for that matter), it's hard to imagine that infantrymen could keep up with them.