BUDO FOR BUDOKA

  The Banning of Weapons by Morio Higaonna "In order to understand why bare handed combat developed into such a highly sophisticated art in Okinawa, we must look back at the history of that island kingdom. Around 1470, the collapse of the Sho dynasty gave rise to a period off political turmoil. Subsequently, a new Sho dynasty was established in 1477. The very first pronouncement of the new king Sho Shin, was to ban the carrying of swords by everyone, noble or peasant. He then ordered the confiscation of all weapons which were to be locked up at his castle in Shuri. King Sho Shin most significant act was to require all members of the nobility, who were then disarmed, and their families, come and live in the royal capital. This enabled him to keep an eye on potentially rebellious warlords.  After King Sho Shin disarmed his people, two schools of combat were born as a consequence. One, known as art of ‘te’ was developed and practiced by members of the nobility. The other was know...

I believe in the importance of knowing the psychological influences and mental strengths or weaknesses of a warrior's outlook.  Having the ability to overcome mental obstacles makes a very formidable opponent. When one looks at the Japanese 'approach to life', we cannot ignore the significance of the spiritual being. Kojiki and Nihon shoki (Nihongi ) Kiki is an abbreviation referring to Kojiki (often abbreviated as ki 記) and Nihon shoki (often abbreviated as 紀, and referred to as Nihongi), the two oldest extant historical records of Japan. During the reign of Emperor Kinmei in the middle of the sixth century, a period before the Kiki, it appears that compilations of the history of Japan based on oral traditions known as Teiki (Teiō no hitsugi) and Kuji (Honji and Sendai kuji) and others were created, but these have not survived down to the present. Teiki appears to have had as its main theme the genealogy of the imperial family, while Kuji seems to have contained legends,...

  Journal of Chinese, Japanese and Korean Military History. I intend starting a journal alongside the World Budo Development Society Newsletter with effect from February 2021. In order that it can be successful, I will need reliable and highly respected individuals that can assist in the venture. I must point out all contributors will be voluntary and will be able to submit articles on a regular basis.  I will be gathering a 'knowledge base' comprised of martial arts exponents and other noted academics from educational institutions around the world.  The journal shall be produced on a monthly basis.  More information from: Neil Horton World Budo Development Society and Sekai Goshin Jutsu Renmei. neil.horton64@hotmail.com 

 Sumo wrestling as viewed by Julian Street in 1921. The average Japanese knows, I believe, about as much and about as little of domestic politics as the average American. He has a loose idea of the structure of the government and of political machinery; he follows political leaders rather than causes, and like us he is prone to read rich meanings into the glib banalities of politicians. Wrestling he understands much better. He knows all its fine points. His enthusiasms on this subject are informed enthusiasms, and unlike the baseball fan, he inherits them from a long line of ancestors—for compared with wrestling, baseball is a brand-new sport. When the Greeks and Romans wrestled, the Japanese were wrestling, too. In the ninth century the Japanese throne was wrestled for. A Mikado died and left two sons, and these, instead of going to war against each other, left their claims to be settled by a wrestling match. The sport is, furthermore, associated, in a manner more or less diaphano...

The Japanese have placed a heavy significance to both the manufacture of swords and armour. Quality and effectiveness is paramount as commented on as follows.    THE  EMPIRE OF THE EAST  BY  H. B. MONTGOMERY 1908 Armour is now nearly as effete in Japan as in this country, and yet in the decoration of armour the Japanese artist in metal was in the past not only skilful but beautiful. Fine specimens of armour are now extremely rare. That particular kind of work has, of course, gone never to return. Next in importance to armour came the sword. Some of us can remember when the two-sworded men of Japan were still actualities, not, as they have now become, historical entities, the terror of the foreign community there. The sword was an important and, indeed, an essential weapon in the conditions of society that obtained in old Japan, not only for self-defence but for offensive purposes, either in respect of family feuds or individual quarrels, which were almost invari...

(Prince Shōtoku (聖徳太子 c.574-622) was a regent and a politician of the Imperial Court in Japan.) In 604, Shotoku distributed to his officials the famous  Seventeen-Article Constitution , a collection of written maxims known as the first written law of Japan.  (Some modern scholars question whether Shotoku was the real author of the  Seventeen-Article Constitution , because of differences in style.) Many of the moral commandments were derived from the  Analects  of Confucius  and other teachings of the said Chinese philosopher. Laws Of Shōtoku I.—Harmony shall be esteemed and obedience shall be held in regard. Because dissensions prevail, therefore men are often unfaithful to their prince and disobedient to their fathers. Let adjoining districts be left in peace, thus harmony between superior and inferior shall be cultivated and co-operation in matters of state shall be promoted, and thus the right reason of all things may be reached and the right t...

 Photo of Jigoro Kano the founder of Judo HISTORY AND RATIONALE OF JUDO Turning from hybrid and imported forms of exercise I shall now try to describe those which have a truer national flavour and which are therefore of superior interest. Many earlier fallacies concerning the Japanese are being gradually dispelled by the limelight of publicity, but even today there are some who doubtless associate the idea of Japanese wrestling almost exclusively with those mountains of fat and muscle who, under the style of sumotori, form a class apart and hold periodical contests in various parts of the Empire. But this brand of wrestling would not in itself entitle Japan to peculiar distinction. It possesses forty-eight different throws, many of which are the common property of wrestlers throughout the world but whose repertoire includes a proportion of methods designed not only to throw the opponent but also to push him outside the ring in which event the successful pusher is adjudged the victo...

Graves of the 47 rōnin who avenged the death of their lord, at Sengaku-ji temple, Tokyo. Samurai neglected their martial skills and a rebellion lead to mass suicide. Interesting read..... Japan: From the Japanese Government History by Kan'ichi Asakawa   Another feature of the feudal society of the time which Yoshimune deeply regretted was the general neglect by the   samurai   of their military practices under a long reign of peace. For this grave fault the shōgun strongly rebuked his vassals, encouraging them to practice equestrian archery, fencing, spear-exercise, swimming, gymnastics ( jiūjitsu ), and other martial arts, and reviving the long-discarded pastime of pursuing game with hawks on the [147]   Kogane plain. Originally fond of such pursuits, he applied himself to them with added ardor in order to popularize them among the   samurai . Fencing with the sword was the most practiced and most esteemed of all military exercises. Every member of the feudal c...

Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi  is a legendary Japanese   sword   and one of three   Imperial Regalia of Japan  . It was originally called   Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi  , ("Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds") , but its name was later changed to the more popular   Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi   ("Grass-Cleaving  Sword"). In folklore, the sword represents the   virtue   of  bravery MYTHS & LEGENDS OF JAPAN BY F. HADLAND DAVIS (1912) The "Grass-Cleaving-Sword" Prince Yamato did not long remain idle in the palace, for his father commanded him to go forth and quell an Ainu rising in the eastern provinces. When the Prince was ready to depart the King gave him a spear made from a holly-tree called the "Eight-Arms-Length-Spear." With this precious gift Prince Yamato visited the temples of Ise. His aunt, the high-priestess, again greeted him. She listened with interest to all her nephew told her, and was especially delighted to know how well the ...