Small Adventure 54

There's an armored car (really, an armored van) company that operates in Kagoshima, I see them quite frequently in Tenmonkan, picking up the day's sales money from various shops. What's interesting is in the different postures the escort guards take depending on the "importance" of the delivery. Normally, you'll have the van park near the entrance of a shop, two guards in full uniform go inside, and come back out a few minutes later with one of them carrying a satchel. Occasionally, one guard will stand next to the door while the other goes into the shop and then comes back out. A few times, though, there have been three guards. Two go inside the shop to get the satchel, while the third stands next to the van, holding a long wooden staff (a bo). Generally, it's the smallest, oldest of the three that gets bo duty.

It makes sense, that in a crowded area with lots of pedestrians that you wouldn't want guards with firearms taking aim at a would-be thief. Just hit him with a stick.