1. The 1876 Haito-rei Rule That Banned Wearing Swords
On March 28, 1876, the Meiji government issued a rule called the Haito-rei, or Sword Abolishment Edict. The rule stated that wearing a sword at the waist was forbidden, except when wearing special formal clothes, or when military officers and police officers were in uniform [1]. Before this, the sword was something that shizoku (former samurai) always carried with them. Suddenly, they were not allowed to do so.
2. Why the Meiji Government Banned Wearing Swords
The Meiji government had recently created a new "police" force. They also started a system called the Conscription Ordinance, which turned ordinary young people into soldiers. This meant that protecting towns and fighting wars were no longer jobs only for the shizoku [2]. Furthermore, in August of the same year, the payments shizoku had been receiving were to be stopped. Many shizoku lost both their swords and their income at the same time.
3. The Shinpuren Rebellion: 170 Shizoku in Kumamoto Fight the Ban
About six months after the ban, in October 1876, about 170 shizoku in Kumamoto stood up against this rule. This group was called the Shinpuren. They charged into the Meiji government’s army, which had guns and cannons, using only swords and spears [3]. However, during the night, the government army cornered them. By the next day, most of the rebels had died.
4. The 1877 Satsuma Rebellion Led by Saigo Takamori
The following year, in 1877, shizoku from Kagoshima raised Saigo Takamori, a man who had done great work in the early Meiji period, as their leader. They fought against the Meiji government. This conflict is called the Satsuma Rebellion [4]. This battle lasted for more than six months. It was the largest and last revolt by shizoku in Japan. In the end, Saigo and his followers were defeated.
5. What Happened to Swords and Sword-Making After the Ban
When people stopped wearing swords at their waists, the work of making new swords decreased rapidly. Fewer people kept the skills to make swords [5]. However, the swords themselves, which had been made for a long time, remain today as many works of art.
6. Swordsmiths Who Still Make Swords as Art Today
In today’s Japan, you cannot make swords to use as weapons. However, "tosho" (swordsmiths) who make swords as works of art still exist. Only people who have received special permission can make them by hand, one by one, using traditional methods [5]. Note: In modern Japan, only approved swordsmiths are allowed to make swords that have artistic value.
7. How to Explore Samurai and Their Swords Yourself
If you want to learn more, look at old photos or pictures of samurai. Try to find images of them standing with swords at their waists. Does their posture look different from how people stand today?