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Judo
History of Judo
Jujitsu is the source of modern Judo. Medieval Japanese Warriors practiced many forms of unarmed combat, which were grouped
under the general name "Jujitsu" for "the gentle pratice." The object of all these martial arts forms
was to avoid an enemy's superior strength and to use that strength to his disadvantage. Since Jujitsu was strictly a combat
technique, contests were rare and were decided only by the death or crippling of one of the contestants.
When Japanese society began to change structurally in the 1860's, feudal lords no longer had their private armies; the
martial arts, including Jujitsu, began to die out. In the early 1880's, Professor Jigoro Kano, a teacher from Tokyo and an
expert in many types of Jujitsu, decided to save some of these ancient knowledges. He modified or eliminated the most dangerous
of the Jujitsu techniques and created a new discipline, which he called "Judo" or "the gentle way."
Judo is "the gentle way" because the end result is the accomplishment of a goal with maximum effieciency and
minimum effort. As a sport, rather than simply a combat form, Judo includes a code of sportsmanship, a sense of mutual respect,
and a system of ethical and moral development. Judo is both an art and a science. As an art, Judo enables its practitioners
to gain self-respect, self-confidence, and self-expression; as a science, it involves a mastery of such basic natural laws
as gravity, friction, momentum, weight transmission, and unity of forces. From its simple beginnings in nineteenth-century
Japan, Judo has spread in popularity throughout the world. Its rich, medieval heritage combined with Professor Kano's modern,
scientific approach has made Judo into the exciting sport it is today.
Judo Philosophy
Mottos of Kodokan Judo:
Maximum efficiency
Mutual Prosperity
"The aim of Judo is to utilize physical and mental strength most effectively. Its training is to understand the true
meaning of life through the mental and physical training of attack and defense. You must develop citizen to society."
Professor Jigoro Kano
Founder of Kodokan Judo
Kendo: History, Philosophy and Culture
Early records
The sword has been a part of Japanese culture since the earliest surviving records of that country. References to swordsmanship
can be found in the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), and the Nihon Shoki (History of Japan), two of the oldest chronicles
of Japanese history.
During feudal times in Japan, the sword was an important instrument in the establishment of social and political rule.
The early part of Japanese history is largely dominated by wars between various provinces. The feudal lords employed armies
of Samurai warriors to defend their land, conquer enemies, and maintain order. Swordsmanship was a basic discipline of military
training, and a strict training regimen was developed to ensure that the proper lessons were taught in a systematic manner.
Strong sword teachers were highly prized by the feudal lords, and powerful warlords made substantial efforts to identify and
hire the best swordsmen in the land. A teacher of swordsmanship was frequently relied upon to provide both military and moral
leadership for the men under his tutelage.
Evolution of the warrior
With the advent of firearms, and the establishment of a stable military rule, the sword lost much of its value as a battlefield
weapon. Nevertheless, swordsmanship flourished during the Tokugawa shogunate (around the year 1600). The warrior (Bu) training
of the Samurai was considered to be the perfect complement to academic and social (Bun) learning, and both were considered
necessary in the development of well-rounded individuals. Sword training thus became seen as a means of instilling the discipline
and ethics required for leadership.
The art of swordsmanship directly coevolved with technological, cultural, and philosophical developments in Japanese society.
For example metallurgical discoveries made by swordsmiths were applied to other areas. One of the most intriguing aspects
of Japanese swordsmanship is the way in which the ideals of the warrior were joined to the study of Zen Buddhism, which made
it's way to Japan from India, via China. Because so many aspects of Zen training and philosophy were in harmony with the ideals
and training of the Samurai, Japanese warriors embraced Zen, and found that it lent moral and ethical depth to their experience
as humans.
Zen and the Samurai
To a great extent the development of the modern ideal of the Samurai was shaped by the influence of Zen Buddhism. Though
the religion and its leaders did not necessarily align themselves with the endeavors of the Samurai, Zen did seem to offer
the Samurai a belief system that fit well with the kind of life they lived.
One of the hallmarks of Zen is the rejection of any intellectual device that could provide a barrier to one's perception
of reality. Even the most mundane experience is elevated to the sublime if it is conveyed directly to one's senses without
prejudgement, or analysis. For the Samurai warrior, whose life could depend on a split second judgement, the simple clarity
of Zen seemed a perfect fit. A moment's thought could mean death, so there could be no delay between knowing, and acting.
The ultimate goal of both the Samurai and the Zen monk was to become in harmony with the universe, so that one's actions would
naturally be in accordance with the divine powers.
The life of a Zen monk was in many ways similar to that of a Samurai, and both believed that perfection was only attainable
through hard practice. There were many cases of Samurai warriors augmenting their training at a Zen temple. There are also
cases of Zen temples that became known for the combat valor of their monks, who trained in martial arts to perfect their practice
of Zen.
Modern Kendo
Today, Kendo is practiced by millions of men, women, and children. Not only is it still popular in Japan, but enthusiasm
for Japanese fencing has spread to Korea, the United States, Canada, South America, and Europe.
In the United States, strong clubs have existed for some time in the major cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles,
and Seattle. for decades. A number of smaller cities like Portland, Austin, and Denver, have well-established Kendo programs.
Through the dedication of many individuals, Kendo clubs are even becoming established in smaller communities like Boise, Cheyenne,
Lincoln, and even Pocatello (my home). A number of U.S. colleges and universities have Kendo programs as well.
Modern Kendo has developed a strong sporting aspect. The All-Japan Kendo Championships are a major sporting event in Japan,
and are widely televised each November. Many Kendoists have an ambivalence toward tournament match play in Kendo. Most experts
seem to agree that the tournament aspect can often dilute Kendo's martial art roots. Nevertheless, if approached with the
proper attitude, Kendo tournaments can be a fun, invigorating, activity that provides many opportunities to improve one's
skills, and to meet other enthusiasts.
Though originally limited to the privileged warrior classes, Kendo now enjoys wide participation by people in a broad
range of social and economic classes. Nonetheless, Kendo is still considered a "gentleman's sport," and has a kind
of classy distinction similar to the sport of polo in Europe.
KYUDO - The Way Of The Bow
KYUDO is japanese bowmanship. It is one of the traditional BUDO ( martial ) arts developed from the military skills of
the old times japanese warrior, SAMURAI. Kyudo has the same speciality that lies in all the true martial arts. The developement
of the "self". By training seriously, according to the standards set by the old masters, shooting a large number
of arrows per day for some decades one will reach understanding of his true self.
HISTORY
It is with the history of kyudo as it is with the bowmanship in general. The origin is so old that there is no record
of when and how the bow was invented. Many old japanese bows are found, the oldest dating back to about 6000 BC. The form
of the composite bow that is preserved until our days was depeloped during the Heian Period around the eleventh century.
The bow was at that time used for hunting and as a main weapon of the japanese warrior. The bow was mainly used on horseback
so even the code for the warrior was called KYUBA NO MICHI, the Way of the Bow and Horse. Practice at that time was of course
targeted mainly on the technical part of the shooting, KYUJUTSU. The Zen Budhism, witch was adopted by the military class,
BUSHI, influenced on later decades to all martial arts and brougth in them the spiritual consept of DO, the Way. Consept of
KYUDO was first introduced by a master of archery, Morikawa Kosan in 1660.
DOJO
Since very few have the possibility to build a traditional DOJO, the practice hall, is it usual that kyudo is practised
in normal sport halls. The minimun requirements for such a hall is size of 35 x 10 x 3,5 m. In such halls the kyudokas usually
put their targets on hay balls. Behind the hayballs is a protective net. The target, MATO is located 28m (CHIKAMATO) from
the shooter. The diameter of the target is 36 cm. In Kyudo we also shoot at a target of 100 cm diameter at distance of 60
m (ENTEKI) .
EQUIPMENT
A kyudoka uses a bow, YUMI that is over 200 cm long and has the grip point 1/3 from the lower end. The bow is always held
in the left hand when shooting. On the right hand a kyudoka has a glove, YUGAKE. Arrows, YA are equipped with real feathers.
Kyudoka is dressed in HAKAMA, trousers and GI, shirt.
PRACTICE
The kyudoka starts with a GOMUYUMI, which is a kind of a rubber bow . This phase takes about 3-4 months. During this time
the new kyudoka tries to get used with the movements, HASSETSU. After that the bowman will do the same things with the bow.
This is in the beginning done without glove and arrow and later on with these. This phase takes max. 1 month. After that the
archer is ready to release. This happens in front of the MAKIWARA, a straw bundle, located 2 m away from the archer. This
phase takes about 1-1,5 years. When the kyudoka is advanced enough it is time to start shooting at the MATO.
TECHNIQUE
Shooting has to be done exactly in accordance with the rules set for that particular Ryu-ha (school, style). These may
be a little different in different schools. The form, however, is called HASSETSU. Depending on who describes the Hassetsu,
it consists of 8-11 movements. Until the KYUDOKA reaches the shooting line the procedure is called TAIHAI.
Karate History
Most Western students of Asian martial arts, if they have done any research on the subject at all, will surely have come
across references to Bodhidharma. He is known as "Daruma" in Japan and as often as not, this Indian Buddhist monk
is cited as the prime source for all martial arts styles or at the very least, for any style which traces its roots back to
the fabled Shaolin Temple. However, the question of his contributions to the martial arts and to Zen Buddhism and even of
his very existence has been a matter of controversy among historians and martial arts scholars for many years (Spiessbach,1992).
As legend has it, the evolution of karate began over a thousand years ago, possibly as early as the fifth century BC when
Bodhidharma arrived in Shaolin-si (small forest temple), China from India and taught Zen Buddhism. He also introduced a systematized
set of exercises designed to strengthen the mind and body, exercises which allegedly marked the beginning of the Shaolin style
of temple boxing. Bodhidharma's teachings later became the basis for the majority of Chinese martial arts. In truth, the origins
of karate appear to be somewhat obscure and little is known about the early development of karate until it appeared in Okinawa.
Okinawa is a small island of the group that comprises modern day Japan. It is the main island in the chain of Ryuku Islands
which spans from Japan to Taiwan. Surrounded by coral, Okinawa is approximately 10 km (6 mi) wide and only about 110 km (less
than 70 mi) long. It is situated 740 km (400 nautical mi) east of mainland China, 550 km (300 nautical miles) south of mainland
Japan and an equal distance north of Taiwan. Being at the crossroads of major trading routes, its significance as a "resting
spot" was first discovered by the Japanese. It later developed as a trade center for southeastern Asia, trading with
Japan, China, Indo China, Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and the Philippines.
In its earliest stages, the martial art known as "karate" was an indigenous form of closed fist fighting which
was developed in Okinawa and called Te, or 'hand'. Weapons bans, imposed on the Okinawans at various points in their history,
encouraged the refinement of empty-hand techniques and, for this reason, was trained in secret until modern times. Further
refinement came with the influence of other martial arts brought by nobles and trade merchants to the island.
Te continued to develop over the years, primarily in three Okinawan cities: Shuri, Naha and Tomari. Each of these towns
was a center to a different sect of society: kings and nobles, merchants and business people, and farmers and fishermen, respectively.
For this reason, different forms of self-defense developed within each city and subsequently became known as Shuri-te, Naha-te
and Tomari-te. Collectively they were called Okinawa-Te or Tode, 'Chinese hand'. Gradually, karate was divided into two main
groups: Shorin-ryu which developed around Shuri and Tomari and Shorei-ryu which came from the Naha area. "It is important
to note, however, that the towns of Shuri, Tomari, Naha are only a few miles apart, and that the differences between their
arts were essentially ones of emphasis, not of kind. Beneath these surface differences, both the methods and aims of all Okinawan
karate are one in the same" (Howard, 1991). Gichin Funakoshi goes further to suggest that these two styles were developed
based on different physical requirements Funakoshi, 1935). Shorin-ryu was quick and linear with natural breathing while Shorei-ryu
emphasized steady, rooted movements with breathing in synchrony with each movement. Interestingly, this concept of two basic
styles also exist in kung-fu with a similar division of characteristics (Wong, 1978).
The Chinese character used to write Tode could also be pronounced 'kara' thus the name Te was replaced with kara te -
jutsu or 'Chinese hand art' by the Okinawan Masters. This was later changed to karate-do by Gichin Funakoshi who adopted an
alternate meaning for the Chinese character for kara, 'empty'. From this point on the term karate came to mean 'empty hand'.
The Do in karate-do means 'way' or 'path', and is indicative of the discipline and philosophy of karate with moral and spiritual
connotations.
The concept of Do has been prevalent since at least the days of the Okinawan Scholar Teijunsoku born in 1663, as this
passage from a poem he wrote suggests:
No matter how you may excel in the art of te,
And in your scholastic endevours,
Nothing is more important than your behavior
And your humanity as observed in daily life.
(Nagamine,1976)
The first public demonstration of karate in Japan was in 1917 by Gichin Funakoshi, at the Butoku-den in Kyoto (Hassell
1984). This, and subsequent demonstrations, greatly impressed many Japanese, including the Crown-Prince Hirohito, who was
very enthusiastic about the Okinawan art. In 1922, Dr. Jano Kano, founder of the Japanese art of Judo, invited Funakoshi to
demonstrate at the famous Kodokan Dojo and to remain in Japan to teach karate. This sponsorship was instrumental in establishing
a base for karate in Japan. As an Okinawan "peasant art," karate would have been scorned by the Japanese without
the backing of so formidable a martial arts master (Maliszewski, 1992).
Today there are four main styles of karate-do in Japan: Goju-ryu, Shito-ryu, Shotokan, and Wado-ryu:
Goju-ryu developed out of Naha-te, its popularity primarily due to the success of Kanryo Higaonna (1853-1915). Higaonna
opened a dojo in Naha using eight forms brought from China. His best student, Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953) later founded Goju-ryu,
'hard soft way' in 1930. In Goju-ryu much emphasis is placed on combining soft circular blocking techniques with quick strong
counter attacks delivered in rapid succession.
Shito-ryu was founded by Kenwa Mabuni (1889-1952) in 1928 and was influenced directly by both Naha-te and Shuri-te. The
name Shito is constructively derived from the combination of the Japanese characters of Mabuni's teachers' names - Ankoh Itosu
and Kanryo Higaonna. Shito-ryu schools use a large number of kata, about fifty, and is characterized by an emphasis on power
in the execution of techniques.
Shotokan was founded by Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957) in Tokyo in 1938. Funakoshi is considered to be the founder of modern
karate. Born in Okinawa, he began to study karate with Yasutsune Azato, one of Okinawa's greatest experts in the art. In 1921
Funakoshi first introduced Karate to Tokyo. In 1936, at nearly 70 years of age, he opened his own training hall. The dojo
was called Shotokan after the pen name used by Funakoshi to sign poems written in his youth. Shotokan Karate is characterized
by powerful linear techniques and deep strong stances.
Wado-ryu, 'way of harmony', founded in 1939 is a system of karate developed from jujitsu and karate by Hienori Otsuka
as taught by one of his instructors, Gichin Funakoshi. This style of karate combines basic movements of jujitsu with techniques
of evasion, putting a strong emphasis on softness and the way of harmony or spiritual discipline.
Bushido, Way of the Warrior
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