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82-641: The Budokwai (The Way of Knighthood Society) ( 武道会 , Budōkai , Society of the Martial Way ) in London is the oldest Japanese martial arts club in Europe. It was founded in 1918 by Gunji Koizumi and initially offered tuition in jujutsu , kendo , and other Japanese martial arts . It was the first judo club in Europe. The full name of the society is the Budokwai (The Way of Knighthood Society) but it

164-496: A 60-room hotel/condo building. Jacks has held the official judo rank of 8th Dan from the British Judo Association (BJA) since November 1994. Although considered retired from judo since the 1990s, and until recently rarely seen on the judo scene for more than 20 years, Jacks is now listed by a British multi-martial arts organization called World Martial Arts Council, as a 10th Dan. This article about

246-405: A Kendō club to offer Iaidō practice as well. Aikido ( 合氣道:あいきどう , aikidō ) means "the way to harmony with ki ". It is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba (植芝 盛平 Ueshiba Morihei , 1883 – 1969). The art consists of "striking", "throwing" and "joint locking" techniques and is known for its fluidity and blending with an attacker, rather than meeting "force with force". Emphasis

328-457: A battlefield. They would, however, be quite valuable to anyone confronting an enemy or opponent during peacetime dressed in normal street attire. Occasionally, inconspicuous weapons such as knives or tessen (鉄扇; iron fans) were included in the curriculum. Today, jujutsu is practiced in many forms, both ancient and modern. Various methods of jujutsu have been incorporated or synthesized into judo and aikido , as well as being exported throughout

410-415: A blue cherry blossom , Koizumi said he chose the design as the character bu is made from the components 止 , meaning stop, and 戈 , meaning spear or fighting because "the aim of martial training is to stop fighting." Gunji Koizumi created the Budokwai as a society to teach judo, kendo and other Japanese arts to members of the public. He founded a dojo at 15 Lower Grosvenor Place, Victoria, London SW1 and

492-517: A bronze in Salt Lake City 1967 , and gained a second bronze at the 1972 Munich Olympics . Brian Jacks later achieved national fame, due to his enormous upper body strength, for his performances on the BBC programme Superstars , all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon. He was one of

574-541: A heavily armed and armored enemy on the battlefield. Ideally, the samurai would be armed and would not need to rely on such techniques. In later times, other koryū developed into systems more familiar to the practitioners of the jujutsu commonly seen today. These systems are generally designed to deal with opponents neither wearing armor nor in a battlefield environment. For this reason, they include extensive use of atemi waza (当て身技; vital-striking technique). These tactics would be of little use against an armored opponent on

656-440: A mutual kill. This is not aiki . Aiki is epitomized by the notion of joining physically and mentally with the opponent for the express purpose of avoiding a direct clash of force. In practice, aiki is achieved by first joining with the motion of the opponent (the physical aspect) as well as the intent (the mental portion), then overcoming the will of the opponent, redirecting their motion and intent. Historically, this principle

738-417: A number of notable instructors including a number of famous Japanese judoka and guest instructors. Kisaburo Watanabe Asian Games Champion 1964 and in 2010 Kosei Inoue spent 10 months instructing at the Budokwai, other Japanese instructors have included Kisaburo Watanabe Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki and Yasuhiro Yamashita . Olympic medalist Raymond Stevens has been a regular instructor for many years. George Kerr

820-456: A physical education exhibition sponsored by the ministry of education in 1917, and again in 1922. As a result, karate training was subsequently incorporated into Japan's public school system. It was also at this time that the white uniforms and the kyū / dan ranking system (both originally implemented by judo's founder, Kano Jigoro) were adopted. Karate practice is primarily characterized by linear punching and kicking techniques executed from

902-529: A powerful system of new techniques and training methods, which famously culminated on June 11, 1886, in a tournament that would later be dramatized by celebrated Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (黒沢 明 Kurosawa Akira , 1910–1998), in the film " Sanshiro Sugata " (1943). Judo became an Olympic sport in 1964, and has spread throughout the world. Kano Jigoro's original school, the " Kodokan ", has students worldwide, and many other schools have been founded by Kano's students. Kendo ( 剣道:けんどう , kendō ) , meaning

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984-588: A short film for The British Open. The film was commissioned by the British Judo Association, and starred Peter Blewett and Kyle Perry. The film, Hard Lesson The Gentle Way was produced and directed by Lucy Charles, The Sports Presentation Company and Six More Than Forty. The Pyjama Game a book by Mark Law was described by the Observer as "A fascinating journey in which he unravels this most opaque of sports with humour, verve and style. Part travelogue, part history, part chronicle of midlife discovery, The Pyjama Game

1066-487: A stable, fixed stance. Many styles of karate practiced today incorporate the forms ( kata ) originally developed by Funakoshi and his teachers and many different weapons traditionally concealed as farm implements by the peasants of Okinawa. Many karate practitioners also participate in light- and no-contact competitions while some (ex. kyokushin karate ) still compete in full-contact competitions with little or no protective gear. Shorinji Kempo ( 少林寺拳法 , shōrinji-kenpō )

1148-490: Is Yoshinobu Ohta who holds a karate 7th Dan. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is run by Ray Stevens. Hontai Yōshin-ryū ju-jutsu takes place once a week with instructor Dr. Mike McClure 6th Dan. The Budokwai had a showreel filmed in 2014, directed by actor/director Lucy Charles and shot by WhitePartridge Media. In recent years, The Budokwai has also featured on BT Sport's Beyond the Octagon , BBC One 's The One Show and most recently in

1230-496: Is a much stronger focus upon perfecting form. The primary technical aspects are smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard. Naginatajutsu ( 長刀術:なぎなたじゅつ ) is the Japanese art of wielding the naginata , a weapon resembling the medieval European glaive or guisarme . Most naginata practice today

1312-629: Is a post-World War II system of self-defense and self-improvement training (行: gyo or discipline) known as the modified version of Shaolin Kung Fu . There are two primary technique categories such as gōhō (剛法; strikes, kicks and blocks) and jūhō (柔法; pins, joint locks and dodges). It was established in 1947 by Doshin So ( 宗 道臣 , Sō Dōshin ) who had been in Manchuria during World War II and who on returning to his native Japan after World War II saw

1394-518: Is also sometimes called "the way of the empty hand" ( 空手道 , karatedō ) . It was originally called 唐手 ("Chinese hand"), also pronounced 'karate'. Karate originated in and, is technically, Okinawan , except for Kyokushin (an amalgamation of parts of Shotokan and Gojoryu), formerly known as the Ryūkyū Kingdom , but now a part of present-day Japan. Karate is a fusion of pre-existing Okinawan martial arts , called " te ", and Chinese martial arts . It

1476-588: Is an art that has been adopted and developed by practitioners on the Japanese main island of Honshu . Karate's route to Honshu began with Gichin Funakoshi (船越 義珍 Funakoshi Gichin , 1868–1957), who is called the father of karate, and is the founder of Shotokan karate. Although some Okinawan karate practitioners were already living and teaching in Honshū , Funakoshi gave public demonstrations of karate in Tokyo at

1558-477: Is an illuminating exposition of an enigmatic and marginal sport." Independent on Sunday "A fantastic voyage, beautifully written, through this most challenging of sports." Matthew d'Ancona in The Spectator called it "a brilliant exploration of judo". The Pyjama Game, which tells the story of judo from its Samurai origins through its development by Jigoro Kano and adoption across the world, includes accounts of

1640-517: Is for self-improvement, with self-defense as a secondary purpose. Additionally, many of the gendai budō have included a sporting element to them. Judo and kendo are both examples of this. Judo ( 柔道:じゅうどう , jūdō ) , literally meaning "gentle way" or "way of softness", is a grappling -based martial art, practiced primarily as a sport. It contains substantially the same emphasis on the personal, spiritual, and physical self-improvement of its practitioners as can be found throughout gendai budō . Judo

1722-502: Is in a modernized form ( gendai budō ) called the "way of naginata" ( naginata-dō ) or "new naginata" ( atarashii naginata ), in which competitions are also held. However, many koryu maintain naginatajutsu in their curriculum. Also of note, during the late Edo period , naginata were used to train women and ladies in waiting. Thus, most naginatajutsu styles are headed by women and most naginata practitioners in Japan are women. This has led to

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1804-401: Is normally called The Budokwai. The name Budokwai was chosen by the society's founder Gunji Koizumi as a combination of the Japanese words bu (武) meaning military or martial, do (道) meaning the way or code, kwai (会) meaning public building or a society/club. This translates into English as Society of the Martial Way. The symbol of the Budokwai is a stylised version of the kanji 武 in white on

1886-498: Is part of the 20th century emphasis upon personal and spiritual development; an evolution that took place in many martial arts. In the case of iaidō , some schools merely changed in name without altering the curriculum, and others embraced the wholesale change from a combat-orientation to spiritual growth. Similar to Kendō, Iaidō is largely practiced under the All Japan Kendo Federation and it's not unusual for

1968-435: Is particularly difficult to describe or explain. The most simple translation of aiki , as "joining energy", belies its philosophical depth. Generally, it is the principle of matching your opponent in order to defeat him. It is this concept of "matching", or "joining", or even "harmonizing" (all valid interpretations of ai ) that contains the complexity. One may "match" the opponent in a clash of force, possibly even resulting in

2050-426: Is somewhat unusual in its relative isolation. Compared with the rest of the world, the Japanese tools of war evolved slowly. Many people believe that this afforded the warrior class the opportunity to study their weapons in greater depth than other cultures. Nevertheless, the teaching and training of these martial arts did evolve. For example, in the early medieval period, the bow and the spear were emphasized, but during

2132-435: Is subject to some debate. As a rule of thumb, the primary purpose of a koryū martial art was for use in war. The most extreme example of a koryū school is one that preserves its traditional, and often ancient, martial practices even in the absence of continuing wars in which to test them. Other koryū schools may have made modifications to their practices that reflect the passage of time (which may or may not have resulted in

2214-446: Is taught every day with separate classes held for children of different ages, adult beginners and experienced judoka. Separate grading events take place once a month on Sundays. As of 2013, the chief instructor is Peter Blewett who has held the post since 1986 and the head junior instructor is Larry Stevenson. Shotokan Karate is practiced five days a week at the Budokwai with both children's and adult classes. The chief karate instructor

2296-406: Is upon joining with the rhythm and intent of the opponent in order to find the optimal position and timing, when the opponent can be led without force. Aikidō is also known for emphasizing the personal development of its students, reflecting the spiritual background of its founder. Morihei Ueshiba developed aikido mainly from Daitō-ryū aiki-jūjutsu incorporating training movements such as those for

2378-623: The tantō (短刀; dagger), ryufundo kusari (weighted chain), jutte (十手; helmet-smasher), and kakushi buki (隠武器; secret or disguised weapons) were almost always included in koryū jujutsu. Most of these were battlefield-based systems to be practiced as companion arts to the more common and vital weapon systems. At the time, these fighting arts went by many different names, including kogusoku , yawara , kumiuchi , and hakuda . In reality, these grappling systems were not really unarmed systems of combat, but are more accurately described as means whereby an unarmed or lightly armed warrior could defeat

2460-585: The BBC Television programme The Repair Shop . The Budokwai is a democratic non-profit making organisation with full, associated and honorary members. Only full members have financial responsibility and voting rights in the club and there can only be 45 full members. Peter Blewett is the current Chairman of the Executive Committee. The budokwai's membership has included a number of notable individuals. In March 1936 Sarah Mayer became

2542-469: The Meiji Restoration (1868), respectively. Since gendai budō and koryū often share the same historical origin, one will find various types of martial arts (such as jujutsu , kenjutsu , or naginatajutsu ) on both sides of the divide. Koryū ( 古流:こりゅう ) , meaning "traditional school", or "old school", refers specifically to schools of martial arts, originating in Japan, either prior to

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2624-646: The Mongolian invasions during the 13th century (which in particular saw the transition from mostly horseback archery to hand-to-hand ground fighting). This development of the sword is paralleled by the development of the methods used to wield it. During times of peace, the warriors trained with the sword, and invented new ways to implement it. During war, these theories were tested. After the war ended, those who survived examined what worked and what didn't, and passed their knowledge on. In 1600 AD, Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川 家康, 1543–1616) gained total control of all of Japan, and

2706-656: The Tokugawa period (1603–1867 CE), fewer large-scale battles took place, and the sword became the most prestigious weapon. Another trend that developed throughout Japanese history was that of increasing martial specialization as society became more stratified over time. The martial arts developed or originating in Japan are extraordinarily diverse, with vast differences in training tools, methods, and philosophy across innumerable schools and styles. That said, Japanese martial arts may generally be divided into koryū and gendai budō based on whether they existed prior to or after

2788-495: The Warring States Period (15th–17th centuries). Closely related to, but predating iaijutsu , battōjutsu training emphasizes defensive counter-attacking. Battōjutsu training technically incorporates kata , but generally consist of only a few moves, focusing on stepping up to an enemy, drawing, performing one or more cuts, and sheathing the weapon. Battōjutsu exercises tend to lack the elaborateness, as well as

2870-406: The yari (槍; spear), jō (杖; a short quarterstaff ), and perhaps also jūken (銃剣; bayonet ). Arguably the strongest influence is that of kenjutsu and in many ways, an aikidō practitioner moves as an empty handed swordsman. Kyūdō ( 弓道:きゅうどう ) , which means "way of the bow ", is the modern name for Japanese archery . Originally in Japan, kyujutsu, the "art of the bow", was a discipline of

2952-416: The "way of the sword", is based on Japanese sword-fighting. It is an evolution of the art of kenjutsu , and its exercises and practice are descended from several particular schools of swordsmanship. The primary technical influence in its development was the kenjutsu school of Ittō-ryū (founded c. 16th century), whose core philosophy revolved around the concept that all strikes in swordsmanship revolve around

3034-447: The 15th century. The samurai developed Suijutsu ( 水術 , (combat) water skills) , which was useful in case they were thrown overboard during naval conflicts. The samurai practiced Katchu gozen oyogi ( 甲冑御前游 , full armor swimming) , Tachi-oyogi ( 立ち泳ぎ , standing swimming) and Ina-tobi ( 鯔飛 , flying mullet) to board enemy vessels. Activities included strokes with swords, bows and firearms. Hands were kept dry above

3116-556: The Budokwai include Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion Roger Gracie and Olympic runner Sebastian Coe . William Hague British politician and Foreign Secretary who regularly partnered Sebastian Coe for judo training at the Budokwai. Journalist Mark Law began judo at the club in his fifties and wrote a book about his experiences in 2007 called The Pyjama Game, A Journey Into Judo. Other notable members have included Valerie Singleton , Yasmin Le Bon and Guy Ritchie The Budokwai have had

3198-583: The Japanese Ambassador H.E. Matsumoto throwing Kawamura. In 1955 Charles Palmer and Geof Gleeson became chief instructors at the Budokwai. In the 1960s the club began teaching karate with links to the Japan Karate Association with a number of Japanese instructors teaching at the Budokwai, including Keinosuke Enoeda 1963 All-Japan champion, who became the chief instructor. In the same decade aikido began to be practiced at

3280-431: The aesthetic considerations of iaijutsu or iaidō kata . Finally, note that use of the name alone is not dispositive; what is battōjutsu to one school may be iaijutsu to another. Iaijutsu ( 居合術:いあいじゅつ ) , approximately "the art/science of mental presence and immediate reaction", is also the Japanese art of drawing the sword. However, unlike battōjutsu , iaijutsu tends to be technically more complex, and there

3362-675: The art of using indirect force, such as joint locks or throwing techniques, to defeat an opponent, as opposed to direct force such as a punch or a kick. This is not to imply that jujutsu does not teach or employ strikes, but rather that the art's aim is the ability to use an attacker's force against him or her, and counter-attack where they are weakest or least defended. Methods of combat included striking (kicking, punching), throwing (body throws, joint-lock throws, unbalance throws), restraining (pinning, strangulating, grappling, wrestling) and weaponry. Defensive tactics included blocking, evading, off balancing, blending and escaping. Minor weapons such as

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3444-635: The art or to encompass the art as a whole. Kenjutsu ( 剣術:けんじゅつ ) literally means "the art/science of the sword". Although the term has been used as a general term for swordsmanship as a whole, in modern times, kenjutsu refers more to the specific aspect of swordsmanship dealing with partnered sword training. It is the oldest form of training and, at its simplest level, consists of two partners with swords drawn, practicing combat drills. Historically practiced with wooden katana ( bokken ; 木剣), this most often consists of pre-determined forms, called kata (型), or sometimes called kumitachi (組太刀), and similar to

3526-420: The basis of their training methodology and equipment, though wide variation still exists within each. Sumo ( 相撲:すもう , sumō ) , considered by many to be Japan's national sport, has its origins in the distant past. The earliest written records of Japan, which are dated from the 8th century AD, record the first sumo match in 23 BC, occurring specifically at the request of the emperor and continuing until one man

3608-508: The beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, or the Haitōrei (Sword Abolishment Edict) in 1876. In modern usage, bujutsu ( 武術 ) , meaning military art/science , is typified by its practical application of technique to real-world or battlefield situations. The term also is used generally to indicate that a particular style or art is "traditional", rather than "modern". However, what it means for an art to be either "traditional" or "modern"

3690-493: The beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Aikido and judo are examples of gendai budō that were founded in the modern era, while iaidō represents the modernization of a practice that has existed for centuries. The core difference is, as was explained under " koryū ", above, that koryū arts are practiced as they were when their primary utility was for use in warfare, while the primary purpose of gendai budō

3772-473: The body, or forearms. Practitioners also compete in forms ( kata ) competitions, using either wooden or blunted metal swords, according to a set of forms promulgated by the AJKF. Iaidō ( 居合道:いあいどう ) , which would be "the way of mental presence and immediate reaction", is nominally the modernization of iaijutsu , but in practice is frequently identical to iaijutsu . The replacement of jutsu (術) with dō (道)

3854-427: The bow as the dominant battlefield weapon. As the bow lost its significance as a weapon of war, and under the influence of Buddhism , Shinto , Daoism and Confucianism , Japanese archery evolved into kyudō, the "way of the bow". In some schools kyudō is practiced as a highly refined contemplative practice, while in other schools it is practiced as a sport. Karate ( 空手 , karate ) literally means "empty hand". It

3936-514: The careers of some of the greatest champions including Yasuhiro Yamashita, Neil Adams, Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki and Tamura Ryoko Tani. Mark Law has trained at the Budokwai in Chelsea, London since 1994 where he has studied under Tony Sweeney, Ray Stevens, Peter Blewett, Winston Gordon and Roger Gracie . A portrait painting of Yukio Tani by George Lambourn , in the ownership of The Budokai, was restored by Lucia Scalisi during an August 2018 episode of

4018-401: The club official opened on Saturday 26 January 1918 with 12 members, making it the oldest judo club in Europe. It is also the oldest Japanese martial arts club in Europe. The first 36 members were Japanese, the first English man didn't join until March and the first English woman, Katherine Cooper-White, becoming the 60th member. Koizumi became the first president of the Budokwai and Yukio Tani

4100-536: The club. With the growth of international Judo competition and especially when judo became an Olympic sport in 1964 the emphasis of judo at the Budokwai moved towards sport and competition judo. Three Budokwai members made were part of the first British Olympic team, Brian Jacks , Syd Hoare and Tony Sweeney. In 2017 The Budokwai ran classes in Judo, Karate , Aikido , Brazilian Jiu Jitsu , Pilates , Hontai Yōshin-Ryū Ju-Jutsu and activities for babies and toddlers. Judo

4182-419: The country entered a period of prolonged peace that would last until the Meiji Restoration . During this period, the techniques to use the sword underwent a transition from a primarily utilitarian art for killing, to one encompassing a philosophy of personal development and spiritual perfection. The terminology used in Japanese swordsmanship is somewhat ambiguous. Many names have been used for various aspects of

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4264-453: The creation of the branded computer games: Brian Jacks Superstar Challenge and Brian Jacks Uchi Mata . After retiring from judo he opened a fitness and martial arts club, and in 1990 he started a company hiring bouncy castles . In 1984 he briefly appeared on the BBC show Micro Live , where he set up his new Atari 800XL with his family. Jacks lives in Pattaya , Thailand and runs

4346-480: The entire practice of kendo is governed by the All Japan Kendo Federation , founded in 1951. Competitions are judged by points, with the first competitor to score two points on their opponent declared the winner. One point may be scored with a successful and properly executed strike to any of several targets: a thrust to the throat, or a strike to the top of the head, sides of the head, sides of

4428-414: The famous folding process were first forged by the smith Amakuni Yasutsuna (天國 安綱, c. 700 AD). The primary development of the sword occurred between 987 AD and 1597 AD. This development is characterized by profound artistry during peaceful eras, and renewed focus on durability, utility, and mass production during the intermittent periods of warfare, most notably civil warfare during the 12th century and

4510-576: The first chief judo instructor. In July 1920, Dr. Jigoro Kano (the founder of judo) visited Britain and the Budokwai for the first time, he was accompanied by Hikoichi Aida who stayed in Britain and instructed at the Budokwai for two years. A member named Tanabe received his first Dan , becoming the Budokwai's first home-grown black belt . Tani and Koizumi were promoted to nidan . The club held annual shows between 11 May 1918 and 1968 after which shows were only held on special occasions. The Budokwai

4592-567: The first non-Japanese woman to gain a Dan grade (black belt) in Judo. She had started practicing judo at the Budokwai in the 1920s before traveling independently to Japan in 1934 with a letter of introduction from the Budokwai to train in judo. As of 2013 Olympian judoka Raymond Stevens and Winston Gordon are active members, other Olympian members have included Neil Adams , Brian Jacks and Angelo Parisi . Celebrity members have included musicians Kylie Minogue , Simon Le Bon and Mick Jagger . Sportsmen from other areas who have trained in judo at

4674-485: 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. Six grand tournaments are held annually in Japan, and each professional fighter's name and relative ranking is published after each tournament in an official list, called the banzuke , which is followed religiously by sumo fans. Jujutsu ( 柔術:じゅうじゅつ , jūjutsu ) , literally translates to "soft skills". However, more accurately, it means

4756-399: The impression overseas that naginatajutsu is a martial art that was not used by male warriors. In fact, naginatajutsu was developed in early medieval Japan and for a time was widely used by samurai . Sōjutsu ( 槍術:そうじゅつ ) is the Japanese art of fighting with the spear ( yari ). For most of Japan's history, sōjutsu was practiced extensively by traditional schools. In times of war, it

4838-410: The long peace of the Tokugawa shogunate there was an increase in specialization with many schools identifying themselves with particular major battlefield weapons. However, there were many additional weapons employed by the warriors of feudal Japan, and an art to wielding each. Usually they were studied as secondary or tertiary weapons within a school but there are exceptions, such as the art of wielding

4920-510: The loss of " koryū " status in the eyes of its peers). This is as opposed to "modern" martial arts, whose primary focus is generally upon the self-improvement (mental, physical, or spiritual) of the individual practitioner, with varying degrees of emphasis on the practical application of the martial art for either sport or self-defence purposes. The following subsections represent not individual schools of martial arts, but rather generic "types" of martial arts. These are generally distinguishable on

5002-518: The most successful competitors and dominated the British and European version of the contest from 1979 to 1980, winning four titles. Jacks was most famous for his efforts in the gymnasium, where he repeatedly set records in the "gym tests", including 100 parallel bar dips in 60 seconds in the 1981 Challenge of the Champions, and 118 squat thrusts in the 1980 World Final. He was also very dominant in

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5084-456: The name that each one has is indicative of the mode or weapon with which they are executed. The combat methods that were developed and perfected are very diverse, among which are: Ordinarily, the development of combative techniques is intertwined with the tools used to execute those techniques. In a rapidly changing world, those tools are constantly changing, requiring that the techniques to use them be continuously reinvented. The history of Japan

5166-609: The need to overcome the devastation and re-build self-confidence of the Japanese people on a massive scale. Although Shorinji Kempo was originally introduced in Japan in the late 1940s and 1950s through large scale programmes involving employees of major national organizations (e.g. Japan Railways) it subsequently became popular in many other countries. Today, according to the World Shorinji Kempo Organization (WSKO), there are almost 1.5 million practitioners in 33 countries. The principle of aiki ( 合気 )

5248-474: The partner drills practiced in kendo. Among advanced students, kenjutsu training may also include increasing degrees of freestyle practice. Battōjutsu ( 抜刀術:ばっとうじゅつ ) , literally meaning "the art/science of drawing a sword", and developed in the mid-15th century, is the aspect of swordsmanship focused upon the efficient draw of the sword, cutting down one's enemy, and returning the sword to its scabbard ( saya ; 鞘). The term came into use specifically during

5330-463: The practical application of martial tactics and techniques in actual combat. Bugei refers to the adaptation or refinement of those tactics and techniques to facilitate systematic instruction and dissemination within a formal learning environment. Each child who grew up in a samurai family was expected to be a warrior when he grew up, so much of his childhood was spent practicing different martial arts . A complete samurai should be skilled at least in

5412-406: The public, enjoyed by both the upper class and commoners. Today, sumo retains much of its traditional trappings, including a referee dressed as a Shintō priest, and a ritual where the competitors clap hands, stomp their feet, and throw salt in the ring prior to each match. To win a match, competitors employ throwing and grappling techniques to force the other man to the ground; the first man to touch

5494-401: The samurai, the Japanese warrior class . The bow is a long range weapon that allowed a military unit to engage an opposing force while it was still far away. If the archers were mounted on horseback , they could be used to even more devastating effect as a mobile weapons platform. Archers were also used in sieges and sea battles. However, from the 16th century onward, firearms slowly displaced

5576-513: The short staff, ( jōdō ; 杖道) which was the primary art taught by the Shintō Musō-ryū . Other arts existed to teach military skills other than the use of weaponry. Examples of these include marine skills such as swimming and river-fording ( suijutsu ; 水術), equestrianism ( bajutsu ; 馬術), arson and demolition ( kajutsu ). Gendai budō ( 現代武道:げんだいぶどう ) , literally meaning "modern martial way", usually applies to arts founded after

5658-563: The subject of stories and legends through virtually all cultures in which it has been employed as a tool for violence. In Japan, the use of the katana is no different. Although originally the most important skills of the warrior class were proficiency at horse-riding and shooting the bow, this eventually gave way to swordsmanship. The earliest swords, which can be dated as far back as the Kofun era (3rd and 4th centuries) were primarily straight bladed. According to legend, curved swords made strong by

5740-401: The technique kiri-oroshi (vertical downward cut). Kendo really began to take shape with the introduction of bamboo swords, called shinai (竹刀), and the set of lightweight wooden armour, called bōgu (防具), by Naganuma Sirōzaemon Kunisato (長沼 四郎左衛門 国郷, 1688–1767), which allowed for the practice of strikes at full speed and power without risk of injury to the competitors. Today, virtually

5822-468: The use of the sword ( kenjutsu ), the bow and arrow ( kyujutsu ), the spear ( sojutsu , yarijutsu ), the halberd ( naginatajutsu ) and subsequently the use of firearms ( houjutsu ). Similarly, they were instructed in the use of these weapons while riding a horse. They were also expected to know how to swim and dive. Nihon Eiho ( 日本泳法 , Japanese swimming style) originates from the Sengoku period in

5904-513: The water to write messages with an ink brush on a paper scroll. This skill was useful for muskets which require dry gunpowder . Nihon Eiho is practiced by 28 schools and recognized by the Japan Swimming Federation . During the feudal era of Japan, various types of martial arts flourished, known in Japanese under the name of bujutsu ( 武術 ) . The term jutsu can be translated as "method", "art" or "technique" and

5986-527: The weightlifting, canoeing and cycling events, rarely placing lower than second. Jacks was never able to win the World Superstars title, being forced to miss the 1979 event due to illness and finishing third in 1980. In 1981 he was beaten for the first time in Europe (by Keith Fielding ) and would never again compete in Superstars. His victories in the British and European Superstars led to

6068-420: The world and transformed into sport wrestling systems, adopted in whole or part by schools of karate or other unrelated martial arts, still practiced as they were centuries ago, or all of the above. Swordsmanship, the art of the sword , has an almost mythological ethos, and is believed by some to be the paramount martial art, surpassing all others. Regardless of the truth of that belief, the sword itself has been

6150-665: Was a primary skill of many soldiers. Today it is a minor art taught in very few schools. Shinobi no jutsu (aka Ninjutsu ) was developed by groups of people mainly from Iga, Mie and Kōka , Shiga of Japan who became noted for their skills as infiltrators , scouts, secret agents, and spies. The training of these shinobi (忍; ninja ) involves espionage , sabotage , disguise , escape , concealment , assassination , archery , medicine , explosives , poisons , and more. The early martial art schools of Japan were almost entirely " Sōgō bujutsu ", composite martial systems made up of an eclectic collection of skills and tools. With

6232-569: Was also served as an instructor. 51°29′12″N 0°10′50″W  /  51.48667°N 0.18056°W  / 51.48667; -0.18056 Japanese martial arts The usage of the term budō (武道) to mean martial arts is a modern one: historically the term meant a way of life encompassing physical, spiritual and moral dimensions with a focus on self-improvement , fulfillment or personal growth . The terms bujutsu (武術) and bugei (武芸) have different meanings from budō , at least historically speaking. Bujutsu refers specifically to

6314-460: Was created by Kano Jigoro (嘉納 治五郎 Kanō Jigorō , 1860–1938) at the end of the 19th century. Kano took the koryū martial arts he learned (specifically Kitō-ryū and Tenjin Shin'yo-ryū jujutsu), and systematically reinvented them into a martial art with an emphasis on freestyle practice ( randori ) and competition, while removing harmful jujutsu techniques or limiting them to the kata . Kano devised

6396-696: Was elected the conference's chairman and a constitution drafted by the Budikwai was tabled. After alterations and discussion of the constitution a unanimous vote formed the European Judo Union . In 1953 Teizo Kawamura, then a 6th Dan, came from the Kodokan in Japan to become chief instructor. After thirty-five years, the Budokwai moved to 4 Gilston Road, South Kensington, London, SW10 9SL. The new premises were officially opened in September 1954 by

6478-626: Was held on 24 July 1948 at the Imperial College Union , London and during that three-hour meeting the British Judo Association was founded. This was the first ever amateur national judo association. The international conference took place on 26 and 28 July 1948 with four voting countries, Austria, Britain, the Netherlands and Italy, and one non-voting country, France, attending. The Budokwai's Trevor Leggett

6560-424: Was instrumental in the formation of the first British national and European wide judo organisations. Koizumi discussed his idea of forming a British nation Judo organisation and a European organisation with the Budokwai committee and in 1948 the chairman of the Budokwai, John Barnes, invited all British Judo clubs and all the Judo and Jujitsu clubs in Europe to a conference hosted by the Budokwai. The British Conference

6642-492: Was too wounded to continue . Beginning in 728 AD, the Emperor Shōmu (聖武天皇, 701–756) began holding official sumo matches at the annual harvest festivals. This tradition of having matches in the presence of the emperor continued, but gradually spread, with matches also held at Shintō festivals, and sumo training was eventually incorporated into military training. By the 17th century, sumo was an organized professional sport, open to

6724-426: Was used for destructive purposes; to seize an advantage and kill one's opponent. The modern art of aikido is founded upon the principle that the control of the opponent achieved by the successful application of aiki may be used to defeat one's opponent without harming them. Brian Jacks Brian Jacks (born 5 October 1946) is a British judoka who won Britain's first medal at a World Championships taking

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