Japanese Martial Arts
The history of the island nation of Japan paints a clear
picture of a proud and powerful people forging a national identity, robust
culture, and unique way of life from the crucible of war and uncertain peace.
Central to this culture was the concept of martial valor, of being able to
fight aggressively as well as defensively, both for the very practical purposes
of waging war along with strong notions of duty, honor, and personal
development. It was from this militaristic and spiritual foundation that the
Japanese martial arts styles, of which there are legion and which will be
discussed throughout this article, developed.
History
Broadly speaking, the history of Japanese martial arts can
be broken down into two categories: Koryu Bujutsu (bujutsu meaning the
practical application of martial tactics and techniques in actual combat) and
Gendai Budo (budo meaning a way of life encompassing physical, spiritual, and
moral dimensions with a focus of self-improvement, fulfillment, or personal
growth).
Koryu Bujutsu encompasses the more ancient, traditional
Japanese fighting styles, while Gendai Budo is more modern. The division
between them occurred after the Meiji Restoration (1868), when the Emperor was
restored to practical political power and Japan began the process of
modernization in haste. Prior to the Restoration, the Koryu styles focused
extensively, if not exclusively, on practical warfare. The Samurai, or warrior
caste were expected to be masters of all forms of combat, armed and otherwise.
Their martial arts evolved as weapons and technology did, but the focus always
remained the same: victory in actual combat, for their own honor and for the
cause of their ruler.
However, with the Meiji Restoration and the modernization of
Japan, including the large-scale introduction of firearms, the traditional
Japanese fighting styles of the samurai became outdated and no longer useful
for their practical purpose of military combat. In their wake, the Japanese
martial arts styles evolved into what came to be known as Gendai Budo, which
focused far less on broad-scale military application and far more on
self-improvement and personal growth. They became not just a tool for military
victory, but a vital component of a fulfilling, meaningful, and spiritually
connected way of life.
Interestingly, this distinction can be noted in the
differing terminology: the traditional techniques were referred to as bujutsu,
which specifically relates to waging war, while the modern styles are
collectively known as budo, which are far more involved with personal
betterment.
Styles
Traditional Japanese Martial Arts (Koryu Bujutsu)
Sumo: The oldest of Japanese martial arts styles is sumo,
named after the emperor who popularized it (Shumo Tenno) in 728 AD. However,
the origins of the fighting style go back long before him, to 23 AD, when the
first sumo battle was fought, watched over by the emperor and continuing until
one of the fighters was too wounded to continue. After Emperor Shumo
reintroduced the sport, it became a staple of the annual harvest festival,
spreading throughout Japan and even incorporated into military training. From
the 17th century onward, it became a professional sport in every regard, open
to all classes, samurai and peasants alike. The rules of the sport are simple:
The first man to touch the ground with a part of the body other than the bottom
of the feet, or touch the ground outside the ring with any part of the body,
loses. It is still an incredibly popular sport in Japan to this day, followed
religiously be legions of fervent fans.
Jujutsu: This Japanese martial arts style literally
translates into "soft skills", and uses indirect force such as joint
locks and throws to defeat an opponent, rather than direct force like punches
and kicks, to use the attackers force against them and counterattack where they
are weakest. It was initially developed to fight against the samurai, who often
terrorized townspeople, as more direct forms of combat proved ineffective
against well-armored foes. Small weapons such as daggers, weighed chains, and
helmet smashers (tanto, ryufundo kusari, and jutte, respectively) were used as
well in jujutsu. Many elements of jujutsu have been incorporated into a wide
variety of more modern Japanese martial arts, including judo, aikido, and
non-Japanese martial arts styles like karate.
Ninjutsu: Ninjutsu, or the art of the Ninja, has in the
modern period grown to become one of the best known styles of Japanese martial
arts. However, when it was developed, Ninjas were used as assassins during the
turbulent Warring States Period. Although many a martial arts movie has
portrayed ninjas as expert combatants, their true purpose was to avoid combat,
or even detection altogether. A skilled ninja would kill his mark and be gone
before anyone even suspected he was there. Ninjas were trained in the arts of
disguise, escape, concealment, archery, medicine, explosives, and poisons, a skillset
uniquely suited to their particular task.
Although there are a number of other Koryu Bujutsu Japanese
martial arts styles, they mostly involve weapons, and will be discussed in the
Japanese Martial Arts Weapons section.
Modern Japanese Martial Arts (Gendai Budo)
Judo: Literally translated into "the gentle way"
or "the way of softness", Judo is an extremely popular Japanese
martial art style developed in the late 19th century based on grappling, and
used for sport as well as personal and spiritual development. While
incorporating many jujutsu elements, it mainly involves freestyle practice and
is used for competition, while removing many of the more harmful jujutsu
aspects. In 1964, Judo became an Olympic sport and is currently practiced the
world over.
Aikido: Aikido is one of the most complex and nuanced of the
Japanese martial arts styles, and that is reflected in its name, which
translates into "the way to harmony with ki", "ki" meaning
life force. Aikido was developed by Morihei Ueshiba in the early-mid 20th
century, and focuses primarily on striking, throwing, and joint-locking
techniques. Aikido is well known for its fluidity of motion as a signature
element of its style. Its principle involves the use of the attacker's own
force against him, with minimal exertion on the part of the wielder. Aikido was
influenced significantly by Kenjutsu, the traditional Japanese martial art of
sword combat, and in many respects practitioner is acts and moves as an
empty-handed swordsman. Aikido also places a strong emphasis on spiritual
development, reflecting the importance of spirituality to its founder, and the
resultant influence on the martial arts style.
Japanese Karate: Karate, the "way of the empty
hand", was actually not originally a Japanese martial art, having been
developed in Okinawa and later influenced by the Chinese. However, early in the
20th century Karate found acceptance in Japan, going so far as to be
incorporated into the Japanese public school system. Japanese Karate involves
linear punching and kicking, executed from a fixed stance. In this sense, it is
very different from the other Japanese martial arts such as Aikido and Judo,
which are more fluid in their motions.
Kempo: Kempo is a system of self-defense and
self-improvement developed after WWII, based on a modified version of Shaolin
Kung-Fu. It involves a combination of strikes, kicks and blocks, as well as
pins, joint locks and dodges, making it a middle way between the
"hard" styles like Japanese Karate and the more "soft"
styles like Judo and Aikido. It was originally introduced into Japan after the
war in order to rebuild Japanese morale and spirits, first adopted by large
scale corporations for their employees before spreading into the culture of
Japan and the larger martial arts world. Now, Kempo is practiced by over 1.5
million people in over 33 countries.
Japanese Martial Arts Weapons
Weapons played a key role in the Japanese Martial Arts,
especially during the Koryu Bujutsu phase when they were practically used in
combat. Here we will go through a number of Japanese martial arts weapons, as
well as the martial arts styles associated with each.
Sword (Katana): Undisputed amongst the hierarchy of Japanese
martial arts weapons is the Katana, or the traditional curved sword. The first
Katana, with its famous strengthening folding process was forged by legendary
swordsmith Amakuni Yasutsuna in 700 AD, with subsequent developments occurring
between 987 and 1597 AD. During times of peace, artistry was emphasized, and
during times of war, like the 12th century civil war and the 13th century
Mongolian invasion, durability, effectiveness, and mass production were more
important. The evolution of Swordsmanship was cyclical, with peaceful times
being used to invent new techniques, and war times being used to test them.
What worked survived, what didn't, didn't. During the more than 200 year
peaceful period of the Tokugawa Dynasty, the art of swordsmanship changed from
one focused on combat and killing to one of personal development and spiritual
perfection.
Japanese Martial Arts Weapons Techniques (Katana):
Kenjutsu: the "art of the sword", this technique
is the oldest and used to refer to partnered, one-on-one sword training.
Battojutsu: This is the Art of Drawing a Sword, and involves
quickly stepping up to your opponent, drawing your blade, cutting them down in
one or two strokes, and re-sheathing the blade. The fact that it has a category
onto itself speaks volumes for the philosophy behind Japanese martial arts
weapons styles. Battojutso is connected with Iaijutso, or the art of mental
presence and immediate reaction, which needs to be perfected if battojutu is to
be effective.
Kendo: Kendo, which translates into the "way of the
sword", is a modern, gendai budo Japanese martial arts style. As the sword
is no longer a combat weapon, Kendo has reinvented Japanese swordsmanship into
a competitive sport. Kendo really took off once the bamboo sword and lightweight
wooden armor were introduced, as they allowed for full-speed strikes without
the risk of injury. Now, almost all of competitive Kendo is governed by the All
Japan Kendo Federation, established in 1951.
Other Japanese Martial Arts Weapons and Martial Arts Styles
Naginata & Naginatajutsu: The naginata was a wooden pole
with a curved, single-edged blade at the end. It was used by the samurai, as
well as by regular footsoldiers. Naginatajutsua was the art of the naginata,
used extensively in traditional Japanese combat. Interestingly, during the Edo
period, the Naginata was traditionally a weapon of high-born women, and many
practitioners and teachers to this day are women. In the modern world,
naginata-do is the ritualistic and competitive form of naginatajutso, practiced
by many in Japan and beyond.
Spear & Sojutso: this is the art of fighting with a
spear. Although it used to be practiced extensively, and was a primary skill of
average soldiers during times of war, it has since declined significantly in
popularity, for obvious reasons.
Bow & Kyudo: Kyudo is the "way of the bow",
with the Koryu name being Kyujutsu, or the art of the bow. In traditional
Japanese martial arts, the bow and its art was a staple of Samurai discipline,
as it was a potent military weapon. When used on horseback, it was even more
devastating. However, as Japan adopted firearms, the bow was displaced as a
practical instrument of war. Thus, in modern times, Kyudo is practiced for
sport and contemplation rather than for warfare.
Other Japanese martial arts weapons exist, such as the tanto
(dagger), ryufundo kusari (weighed chain), and jutte (helmet smasher), but the
Katana, naginata, spearm and bow were the mainstays of the warrior class.
Japanese Martial Arts List
If the above was a bit too long to read, here is a concise
list of the major differing Japanese martial arts styles:
Traditional Japanese Martial Arts Styles
Sumo: earliest style, involves pushing a single opponent
over or knocking them from the ring.
Jujutsu: An early style used against samurai and armored
opponents, it involves using throws and joint locks to use the enemies own
force against them.
Kenjutsu: The art of the sword, involves fighting a single
opponent one-on-one with a Katana.
Ninjutsu: The art of the ninja, involves using stealth and
indirect or long-range methods of assassination.
Modern Japanese Martial Arts Styles
Judo: "The Gentle Way", based on grappling, used
for sport as well as spiritual and personal development. Judo was accepted as
an Olympic sport in 1964.
Aikido: "The Way of Harmony with Ki", Aikido
involves fluid motion and turning the attacker's own force against him. It is
also used for spiritual and personal development.
Japanese Karate: An "imported" martial art to Japan,
Japanese Karate is more linear than the other arts, involving direct punches
and kicks from a fixed position.
Kempo: Based on Shaolin Kung-Fu, Kempo incorporates direct
strikes, kicks, and blocks, as well as indirect pins, joint locks, and dodges. Having
been introduced after WWII, is incredibly popular in Japan and throughout the
world.
Kendo: The "way of the sword", Kendo uses bamboo
swords and lightweight wooden armor to allow full-speed strikes and has
reinvented Japanese sword fighting into a competitive sport rather than an art
of war.