Swordsmanship In The Heian Period

Before the Heian period, the army in Japan was modeled after the Chinese army and under the direct command of the emperor, Except for slaves, able-bodied men had the duty of enlisting for the army. In the early Heian, the late 8th and early 9th centuries, Emperor Kammu sought to consolidate and expand his rule in northern Honshū, The armies he sent to conquer the rebellious Emishi lacked motivation and discipline and were unable to prevail.During the era of the rule of the samurai, the earlier term yumitori (bowman) was also used as an honorary title of an accomplished warrior even when swordsmanship had become more important.