All About Japan

Jujutsu ( 柔術 , jūjutsu ? ) , literally meaning the " art of softness ", or "way of yielding" is a collective name for Japanese martial art styles consisting of grappling and striking techniques. Jujutsu evolved among the samurai of feudal Japan as a method for dispatching an armed and armored opponent in situations where the use of weapons was impractical or forbidden. Due to the difficulty of dispatching an armored opponent with striking techniques, the most efficient methods for neutralizing an enemy took the form of pins, joint locks, and throws. These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it, and came to be known as jujutsu. There are many variations of the art, which leads to a diversity of approaches. Jujutsu schools ( ryū ) may utilize all forms of grappling techniques to some degree (i.e. throwing , trapping, joint locking , holds , gouging, biting, disengagements, st...

Kyudo, which literally means The Way of the Bow, is considered by many to be the purest of all the martial ways. In the past, the Japanese bow was used for hunting, war, court ceremonies, games, and contests of skill. The original word for Japanese archery was kyujutsu (bow technique) which encompassed the skills and techniques of the warrior archer. Some of the ancient schools, known as ryu , survive today, along with the ancient ceremonies and games, but the days where the Japanese bow was used as a weapon are long past. Modern kyudo is practiced primarily as a method of physical, moral, and spiritual development. No one knows exactly when the term kyudo came into being but it was not until the late nineteenth century when practice centered almost exclusively around individual practice that the term gained general acceptance. The essence of modern kyudo is said to be synonymous with the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. Truth in kyudo is manifested in shooting that is pur...

Kendo ( 剣道 , kendō ) , or " way of the sword ", is the Japanese martial art of fencing . Kendo developed from traditional techniques of Japanese swordsmanship known as kenjutsu . Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sporting-like physical elements. Practitioners of kendo are called kendōka ( 剣道家 , kendōka ) , meaning "one who practices kendo", or kenshi ( 剣士 , kenshi ) , meaning "swordsman". Kendo is practiced wearing traditionally styled clothing and protective armour ( bōgu ), using one or two bamboo swords ( shinai ) as weapons. Kendo may be seen as a Japanese style of fencing. The movements in kendo are different from European fencing because the design of the sword is different, as is the way it is used. Unlike western style fencing, Kendo employs strikes with a defined 'edge' and tip of the shinai . Kendo training is quite noisy in comparison to o...

Judo ( 柔道 , jūdō ? ) , meaning "gentle way", is a modern Japanese martial art ( gendai budō ) and combat sport , that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or by applying a choke. Strikes and thrusts (by hands and feet) - as well as weapons defenses - are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms ( kata ) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice ( randori ). Ultimately, the philosophy and subsequent pedagogy developed for judo became the model for almost all modern Japanese martial arts that developed from "traditional" schools ( koryū ). Practitioners of judo are called jūdōka . History and philosophy Early life of the founder The early history of...

Aikido ( 合気道 , aikidō ) is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy " or as "the Way of harmonious spirit."Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury. Aikido techniques are normally performed by "blending" with the motion of the attacker, rather than directly opposing the attack. The aikidoka (aikido practitioner) redirects the attacker's momentum , using minimum effort, with various types of throws or joint locks . Aikido can be categorized under the general umbrella of grappling arts. Aikido derives mainly from the martial art of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu , but began to diverge from it in the late 1920s, partly due to Ueshiba's involvement with the Ōmoto-kyō religion. Ueshiba's early stude...