Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of Baritsu
Emelyne Godfrey explains the origins and current appeal of a hybrid martial art that flourished in fin de siècle London and was famously used by Conan Doyle’s fictional detective.
This month marks the 150th anniversary of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s birth. One of the many events to celebrate the author and his creations is Guy Ritchie’s martial arts-based film, Sherlock Holmes, due for release this autumn. Conan Doyle’s sleuth was an excellent amateur singlestick player, swordsman and boxer. However, his special skill was in the Japanese system of wrestling called ‘baritsu’, which he used to hurl his arch-enemy, Professor Moriarty, down into the swirling waters of the Reichenbach Falls. But what is this baritsu to which Conan Doyle refers?
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