A jitte (十手, "ten hands") is a specialized weapon used by police in Edo-period Japan (1603–1868), often serving as a symbol of authority and a substitute for a badge. Due to a law prohibiting swords in the shōgun's palace, palace guards carried non-bladed weapons like the jitte. This weapon, central to the martial art of jittejutsu, features a handle (tsuka), a shaft (boshin), and a one-pronged tine (kagi). The kagi, about 5 cm long, could be used to catch clothing or body parts, manipulate joints, or block and arrest a sword blade. The jitte varied in length and decoration, depending on the owner's status and purpose.
This is a book about Jitte that you can enjoy in color, revealing 200 treasured Jitte, each with its own unique flavor. It also includes a discussion between Nakamura Kichiemon, Sugiura Hinako, and Ide Masanobu. A revised version of the 1995 edition.
Length: 100 pages
Language: Japanese
Printed in 1998