Hobbies

One of my favorite pastimes is takagari, or as foreigners call it, falconry. I spend much of my spare time practicing this skill, because it provides great training for those who want to be warriors.

"When you go into the country hawking, you learn to understand the military spirit and also the hard life of the lower classes. You exercise your muscles and train your limbs. You have any amount of walking and running and become quite indifferent to heat and cold, and so you are little likely to suffer from any illness." (Sadler, p.344)

You can clearly see how falconry would help on the path to becoming a fit warrior, don't you?

I have even set aside areas of land as takaba, or falconry fields, where the sport will be restricted to. Different ranks of samurai and daimyo will be allowed to hunt certain fowl and prohibited from hunting others. This is a great way of displaying one's authority and position in society.

Here is a great introduction to falconry that might interest you:

_{credits: sedafire}



I also enjoy swimming. It serves as a great way for increasing stamina. I even swim in the moat of Edo Castle.



Lastly is my interest in kenjutsu. When translated from Japanese, this means "the art of the sword," which is what the Japanese call our traditional sword fighting arts. Obviously, for a warrior, proper knowledge of kenjutsu is both helpful and prestigious as it goes to one's status as one who wields a sword. My interest in kenjutsu skills has served me in ninety battles!

In return for how this has aided me, I am a patron for the Yagyuu Shinkage-ryu school of swordsmanship. Several teachers there are my personal instructors, for which I am very grateful.

An example of Shinkage-ryu's teaching:

_{credits: mekugi}