It's hard to argue that traditional seiza position isn't uncomfortable, and something that takes some time to get used to. Are there any benefits to Sitting Seiza? discusses potential benefits of sitting in traditional seiza position for martial arts, ranging from discipline (sitting still in such an uncomfortable position teaches you to endure) to arguments that it helps posture/breathing/chi alignment to that it really is a practical position from which to rise to defend yourself. A few months ago, I ran into an article (unfortunately, one I cannot find now) claiming that the position actually originated in the Japanese courts specifically because it was an awkward position from which to attack, a wait to protect rulers from samurai in much the same way as a peace tie would slow their draw. This article notes that it seems to have been uncommon until the Edo period, and didn't become widespread until the late 19th century.
According to a specialist in mind-body interventions of ancient Japanese, Hidemasa Yatabe, the concept of seiza and even the name was created by the government structured in the Meiji period. In other word, seiza was formed in the late 19th century by learning at schools and became the formal way of sitting for Japanese people. Surprisingly, seiza is a quite new custom for Japanese people.
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So when people sit in seiza?
Samurai were obliged to sit seiza to see the shogun in Edo period. It was the way to sit to show the obedience and loyalty.
In the middle of Edo period, seiza was becoming more common. The book “正座と日本人 (Seiza to Nihonjin / Seiza and Japanese)” explains that seiza was a symbol of the control of Shogunate. Shogun and Daimyo (feudal lord) forced the lower class samurai to show the obedience. Or perhaps it was introduced as a courtesy in the hierarchy society.
Given the conflicting accounts, is there strong evidence that seiza became associated with Japanese martial arts as a method to hobble attacks?
