T the promotion of martial arts in Akita Clan. The Akita Clan had no definite Laws concerning martial arts training of their samurai retainers. The promotion of martial arts was not prescribed by Law, and, in practice, it was carried out with the following policies. The Laws played an important part in administrative aspect so that their policies for the martial arts promotion were realized effectively.
1. The Clan Lord officially inspected his samurai retainers in their martial arts practice and gave occasionally prizes and awards to the outstanding samurai retainers for their excellent performances and he also encouraged those who needed more practice. Since the troop of guards armed with shooting guns were directly supervised by the Clan, they were regularly inspected by their Lord.
2. According to the officially announced training schedule by the Clan, the samurai retainers periodically practiced gunmanship. At the end of the Tokugawa Period, the troop of guards were armed with cannons instead of guns.
3. The Clan-School was established for literary and martial development among the retainers. However, there was no martial-arts-training class in their curriculum. The only samurai retainers that held certificates of Confucianism and martial arts were able to apply for the position of martial arts officers. Therefore, the applicants had to practice martial arts besides the literary classes to be qualified. An order was issued by the Clan so that masters of martial arts should use the practice sites which were established in the school.
4. The martial arts masters were financially supported by their Clan so that the level of martial arts in the Clan would be increased.
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