'Bushido Blade'
[PS1] [AUSTRALIA] [MAGAZINE] [1998]
"Gradually, legislation was enacted in an effort to curb the shedding of blood in contests of fencing skill. Training with live blades in the dojo of pre-Tokugawa Japan had already been restricted in most cases to inanimate targets such as human-shaped makiwara made of rice straw or, when against a live opponent, to that ritualistically controlled style known as kata, which is employed today in those schools where Japanese fencing with a live blade is still practiced. The use of an exercise sword made of wood (bokuto), which became widely known as the bokken, greatly increased the range of kenjutsu practice. But in time, the bokken itself grew to be a weapon with lethal possibilites in the hands of an expert who knew how to concentrate the full force of his blows upon vital parts of his opponent's anatomy. Contests of skill with wooden swords, which often resembled bloody duels with live blades, became increasingly frequent. And, since a student's natural tendency was to exercise less restraint and caution when using the bokken to deliver his blows, certain sensei adopted protective equipment in the post-Tokugawa schools of swordsmanship. Drawn from the basic elements of the warrior's suit of armor, the following were often used: a padded headgear (men) with an iron grid to protect the face; a chest protector (do) made from bamboo stalks; a thick apron with flaps; and, finally, wrist shields (kote). During the early part of the nineteenth cen-tury, these elements were adapted and combined to form the sturdy, highly polished uniform used in the practice of modern kendo." ~Oscar Ratti & Adele Westbrook, Secrets of the Samurai: a Survey of the Martial Arts of Feudal Japan
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Source: Official Australian PlayStation Magazine, April 1998 (#09) || OldGameMags; Kiwi