ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the transformations that warriors’ martial culture underwent under the new ‘peaceful’ conditions of the Tokugawa shōgunate. The greater control over the population exerted by the baku-han figuration at a sociogenetic level was paralleled by a greater self-control of the samurai at a psychogenetic level – understanding martial arts as ways for self-perfection. Martial arts of the era featured a progressive predominance of sword-centred ryū, even though they maintained its composite character. Some composite ryū placing special importance in grappling emerged also at this time and would have a tremendous impact on the development of jūjutsu ryū of later phases.
