E. Balz's Understanding of Kenjutsu and Jujutsu
- Focusing on his meeting with Kenkichi SAKAKIBARA and Kinnosuke MIURA-

　　　　　　　　　　　　Kazuaki YORIZUMI (Doho University)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Abstract

　　Erwin Balz (b.l849-d,1913) came to Japan in 1876 as a foreign employee for the medical depart-
ment of the University of Tokyo, and spent 29 long years building the foundation of modern
medicine in Japan.
　　As such, he paid great attention to the physical strength of young people at that time. In order
to improve their strength, he emphasized the importance of kenjutsu and jujutsu training, and
highly recommended them.
　　There has been other research on Balz and his interest in kenjutsu and jujutsu. But those
are on the fact that he was a member of the committee that conducted the "Kenjutsu ―
Jujutsu ―Chosa" (Survey of Kenjutsu and Jujutsu) in 1883 and what he had to do with kenjutsu,
jujutsu, and physical education theory after the survey. Because of this, the details of his involve-
ment with kenjutsu and jujutsu before the "Kenjutsu―Jujutsu ―Chosa" have not been made
clear.
　　This paper makes an examination into Balz, who had a hand in the "Kenjutsu―Jujutsu ―
Chosa" and was also a foreigner, interacted with in deepening his understanding of kenjutsu and
jujutsu.
　　What I have found is that while it has been argued that the first people to have had a signifi-
cant influence on Balz, with regard to his thoughts on kenjutsu and jujutsu and his promotion
of them, are kenkichi SAKAKIBARA and Jigoro KANO (famous masters of bujutsu [budo~＼ at
that time), it can be assumed that their influence became pertinent with regard to kenjutsu after
he entered the Sakakibara school for kenjutsu training in April 1883. On the other hand, for
jujutsu, we can also consider the years 1878 to 1883, when Balz's companion, Kinnosuke MIURA,
who was currently studying Tenjinshinyoryu and was a student of the preparatory department
acted as Balz's interpreter. Miura would have been the first person to offer Balz an understand-
ing of jujutsu, as well as an important person in his life. I think that the role he played as one
of the people to have influenced Balz's thinking should be re-evaluated.