Is it true that the stick was just a simple peasants/farmers weapon?
No. It is a myth that the stick is a poor peasants weapon. @ Rather the stick is an elegant weapon – more powerful than most people realize. It is a difficult skill to learn and the nature of the Jo requires a long period of training, but it is a master weapon: economical to produce and deadly because of it is so versatile. It can overcome most other weapons. The knowledge of the Jo was guarded for a long time by the Kuroda Clan, a warrior family – not by peasants. @ In contrast, the sword is easy to learn and does not require much training. There are many who would argue and say, “It takes many many years to be skilled with a sword.” This is not true. Four hundred years ago, 13 year old children were sent to the battlefield. Learning to fight with a sword was so easy it was taught to kids. Anything the sword blade touches it is going to cut and do damage and injury. Remember to distinguish between form and function. A swordsman will spend many years mastering form, but function only t
