Brief Martial Arts History

Two well known principles of his system are: Ji-Ta-Kyo-Ei or when roughly translated means Mutual Welfare and Benefit or as our Society Motto is concerned "By helping each other all benefit" The second principle is Seiryoko-Zenyo or in English "Maximum efficiency with the minimum effort."

With the inclusion of these and other such maxims, Judo unlike the old fighting systems from which it was derived was made safe for people of all ages to practice and enjoy.

Jigaro Kano visited Europe and America in the year of 1889 and eventually no less than eight visits abroad in order to teach the principles of his system as practiced at the Kodokan.

It was however 1912 before it was taught in GT Britain where it was eventually established, when Gunji Koizumi founded the Budokwai in 1918. The Budokwai, situated in London was the first amatuer Judo Club in Europe. Gunji Koizumi was later in life to become known affectionately as G.K. the father of British Judo.

Some 37 years after the Budokwai was founded, a different theory and philosophy of Judo was introduced into Europe when in 1955 Sensei Abbe Kenshiro 8th Dan of the Sekei Butoka Kwai Martial Arts Association of Japan, arrived in GT Britain and presented his theory and philosophy of Judo which he called Kyu Shin Do, which when loosely translated means "the way one searches for the truth and essence of all things." Once again we find an old name (Kyu Shin) being adopted for a new theory and a new approach.

The three fundamental precepts of Kyu Shin Do, which Abbe Sensei felt that all Judoka should reflect, not only in their practice of Judo, but in everyday life were:

1. Banbutsu-Ruten--The universe and all things in it, are in a constant state of flux, therefore all things in the universe undergo a succesion of changes, consequently Kyu Shin Do must be progressive and receptive in its technical implementation.

2. Ritsu Do--This refers to the motion of all things and describes all the movements as being naturally rhythmical and flowing.

3. Chowa--This indicates that all things should flow together in perfect peace and harmony.

If we delve deeply into these precepts, we will come to understand that they incorporate the principles of the originator of Kodokan Judo, Jigaro Kano.

Abbe Sensei, had two great beliefs, the first being, that through the study of Kyu Shin Do, mankind would eventually achieve universal peace.
His other was that all aspects of Judo held equal importance. However, there were some Judoka who openly stated that he gave no importance to contest Judo. This, of course, was quite untrue as anyone who has known him and studied his successes in competition will tell you. His belief was that contest was introduced into both Kodokan and Kyu Shin Do for the sole purpose of showing and experiencing superior skill.
The fact that medals could be won in Judo competitions was, to put it bluntly a by product.

N.B. Judo as practiced within The Bushido Zazen is based upon the principles of both systems and such it is advocated to all its members.

Aikido History

The name aikido is formed of three Japanese characters, usually romanised as ai, ki and do. These are often translated as meaning harmony, energy and way, so aikido can be translated as "the way of harmony through energy". Another common interpretation of the characters is harmony, spirit and way, so aikido can also mean "the way of spiritual harmony". Both interpretations draw attention to the fact that aikido's techniques are designed to control an attacker by controlling and redirecting their energy instead of blocking it. An analogy is often made of the way a flexible willow bends with the storm whereas the stout oak will break if the wind blows too hard. (The Korean martial art commonly known as hapkido uses the same three characters: some suggest a historical link through Daito Ryu, the main origin of aikido).

Morihei Ueshiba developed aikido mainly from Daito Ryu aikijutsu, incorporating training movements such as those for the yari (spear), jo (a short quarterstaff), and perhaps also juken (bayonet). But arguably the strongest influence is that of the katana (sword). In many ways, an aikido practitioner moves as an empty handed swordsman. The aikido strikes shomenuchi and yokomenuchi originate from weapon attacks, and resultant techniques likewise from weapon take-aways. Some schools of aikido do no weapons training at all; others, such as Iwama Ryu usually spend substantial time with bokken (wooden sword), jo, and tanto (knife). In some lines of aikido, all techniques can be performed with a sword as well as unarmed.

Aikido was brought to the West in 1951 to France by Minoru Mochizuki. It was introduced to the United Kingdom in 1955, the United States in the 1960s, to Australia in 1965 and to many other countries. Today there are many aikido dojos vailable to train at throughout the world.

Karate History

Originally, karate was written as ("Tang hand" from the Chinese Tang dynasty or by extension, "Chinese hand") reflecting the Chinese influence on the style. The current way of writing means "empty hand" and karate-do thus means "the way of the empty hand", or more specifically, "the way of the unarmed hand (without a weapon)". Karate is most likely a mix of a Chinese fighting art brought to Okinawa by merchants and sailors from Fujian Province, with Okinawan martial art. The Okinawans called the style "te", hand. Early Okinawan styles of karate were Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te, named after the three cities in which they were formed.

In 1820, Sokon Matsumura blended the three styles of te into "Shaolin" (Chinese ) or "Shorin-Ryu" (in Japanese) or "Forest Style" (English). However Matsumura's own students broke the style back down again into more branches and their students continued this break down adding or subtracting whatever suited them. Gichin Funakoshi, a student of one of Matsumura's students Anko Itosu, is said by some to have introduced and popularized karate on the main islands. However, there were many others.

Funakoshi's karate came from Itosu's version of Matsumura Shorin-ryu, which is commonly called Shorei-ryu. Funakoshi's style of karate was later named Shotokan by others. He was responsible for changing the way of writing the name of the art; he did this to get karate accepted by the budo organisation Dai Nippon Butokukai. In a time of rising Japanese nationalism, it was important not to make karate look foreign as the old way of writing it implied.

Funakoshi's main adversary was Choki Motobu.

Karate was popularized in Japan and introduced into high schools before World War II.

Like most martial arts active in Japan, karate made its transition to karate-do at the beginning of the 20th century. The "do" in "karate-do" means "way," which is analogous to the familiar Chinese concept of tao. As it was adopted into modern Japanese culture, karate was imbued with some elements of zen buddhism, and the practice of karate is sometimes called a form of "moving zen." Classes often begin and end with brief periods of meditation. Also, the repetition of movements, as in kata, is consistent with zen meditation in that it is intended to maximize a student's composure, awareness, and physical presence (speed and power), even while under stress. Karate teachers differ greatly in the way they acknowledge - if at all - the zen influence in karate-do.

The modernization (and systemization) of karate in Japan also included the adoption of the ubiquitous white uniform (dogi or keikogi) mostly called just gi. Pronounced 'ghee. And colored belt ranks, both of which were originated and popularized by Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo. Photos of early Okinawan practitioners show the masters in the street clothes of the day, or sometimes in briefs.

Martial Arts History

The history of martial arts is both long and universal. Martial arts likely existed in every culture, and at all classes and levels of society, from the family unit up to small communities, for instance, villages and even ethnic groups. One example is tantui, a northern Chinese kicking art, often said to be practiced among Chinese Muslims. Systems of fighting have likely been in development since learning became transferable among humans, along with the strategies of conflict and war. In some places, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, one can still see this plethora of village fighting systems.

Every martial arts system and every martial arts school has its own history. This generally falls into two categories: recent history and ancient history.

Recent history, in this context, is relatively verifiable: who did the teacher learn from? Where did the teacher study? What other arts has the teacher studied, and how has the teacher incorporated them into their teaching? Was the teacher given permission to teach by their teacher? What are the teacher's goals in teaching the class?

This last question deserves some explanation. Some classes are taught primarily to teach students to become effective competitors in tournaments. Some classes are taught to attempt to teach the students to defend themselves effectively against some class of imagined situations. Some classes are taught to preserve an ancient tradition. The practical details of these distinct kinds of classes will be very different.

Ancient history, at least in the sense used here, is much more difficult. In fact, for most systems it is essentially a myth --- in the sense that it is propagated by word-of-mouth among students in the absence of verifiable evidence. This is not to say that it is not also true! But the importance of such a history does not depend on its truth: the effect of such a myth on shaping the development of a martial art is probably much greater than the effect of events two hundred years ago (at least five generations of passing the art on from teacher to student). So an art that is believed to be an art of warriors will focus on battlefield effectiveness and weapon use against highly skilled opponents, while an art that is believed to be for self-defense will focus on reactions to surprise attack and multiple opponents.

The history of martial arts around the world is therefore quite complex; on the one hand, most groups of people have had to defend themselves and have developed effective fighting techniques, but on the other hand, most of those techniques have been rendered militarily obsolete over the centuries. Even at an individual, rural level, the threat to the safety of a village is now more likely to come from warriors armed with automatic rifles than from men with swords. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to preserve a martial art; doing so requires many years of teaching at the hands of a good teacher to pass on the art for a single generation. So it is relatively rare that a martial art would survive and become popular in today's culture, and each art that has done so has a unique history. Some generalities can be said, though, and the next few sections will attempt to discuss the overall rise to popularity of some martial arts.

KENDO HISTORY

Kendo is composed of two kanji: "Ken", meaning sword, and "Do", meaning 'the way/path of'. Together the term is literally the "way of the sword". It is a martial arts tradition spawned by the traditional schools of swordsmanship (ryu) of ancient Japan, and was practiced by and large by the bushi, or Samurai class of the era. As practice with real blades is inherently dangerous, the schools developed a dummy sword called a shinai, and a set of protective equipment called bogu which protects the head (men), wrists (kote), chest (do), and groin (tare). Before the Showa period (1926-1989) it was customarily referred to as kenjutsu or gekken . Fencing with the single edged, straight bladed sword was probably introduced from the Sui (589-618) or early Tang (618-907) dynasties of China. The cultivation of sword skills flourished during the Kamakura shogunate (1192-1333). With the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate and relative peace until the 17th century, kenjutsu went into decline. The moral and spiritual element became prominent, drawing on Confucianism, Shinto, and Buddhism, especially Zen. Following the Meiji Restoration (1868), kenjutsu went into temporary decline, but in 1879 the Tokyo Police Force initiated kenjutsu practices as a means to nurture discipline and stamina. In 1895 the Dai Nihon Butokukai (All-Japan Martial Virtue Society) was established to encourage kenjutsu and other budo arts. At the end of WWII, occupational authorities banned kenjutsu on the basis of its militaresque origins. Yet despite this, following the end of the Occupation period in 1952, the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei (All-Japan Kendo Federation) was established. By 1957 Kendo was returned to all Japanese middle schools.

Kendo training is based on a variety of movements of attack and defense known as waza . Most fundamental are stance, footwork, cuts, thrusts, feints, and parries. Today kendo has ten ranks and 3 teaching degrees, with the higher ranks regulated by the All-Japan Kendo Federation. The International Kendo Federation oversees all international kendo tournaments, acts as the umbrella organization of all international kendo organizations, and orchestrates the World Kendo Championships which occurs once every 3 years.

Though it is a highly strenuous activity, kendo is also a means to strengthen the mind and the will to improve oneself. It is this aspect of kendo that attracts many of its most devoted practicioners. A Kendo bout with skilled opponent is an intense experience. For a moment in time concentration is absolute, concious thought is suppressed, and action is instinctive. Such training develops in the serious student powers of resolution and endurance under pressure which frequently affects his or her life beyond the confines of the training hall.

The mission of the All Japan Kendo Federation states that, "The concept of Kendo is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the KATANA." From the beginning one must practice hard physically and develop mental control to master simple techniques. Kendo practice may be started at any age, young and old, and even with severe physical handicaps. The will to continue regular training is the essential element in learning Kendo. Kendo is practiced for character building through the manipulation of the sword calmly under great pressure. Physical prowess is less important than doing everything with full spirit even when there is no hope of winning. The essence of Kendo is attaining mental, spiritual, and physical calm with balance, thus the popular Kendo phrase, "ki-ken-tai no icchi". In effect, the spirit (ki), the sword (ken), and the body (tai) must move and act as one.

To execute a successful strike:

Ki You must see the target, feel the chance available to you, and work the resolve to make the cut. Often there's the "go for broke" spirit in a strike which manifests itself in the kiai or scream that arises from the gut of the kendoka.

Ken The motion of the sword in it's rise and it's descent on the target must be precisely coordinated with the will and the body's movement forward upon the target.

Tai The body must follow the will of the kendoka and the movement of the shinai as it lands on the target. The legs must lunge forward to get within striking distance, and the back must be straight. All of this is accompanied by a confident resolve to achieve the objective.

Kendo as practiced today is the result of refinements in the use of the Japanese sword spanning more than 1000 years. On the surface kendo appear to be only a physical activity: but beneath the surface are many benefits that may be acquired over a period of time through honest, sincere effort and self-examination. Kendo did not start as a clearly defined art --it evolved over centuries of trial and error through combat known as "Kenjutsu" to the present form which on the surface may be called a sport. Kenjutsu is the use of the katana in combat. Kendo is the use of a bamboo sword called the shinai to make strikes to a limited number of targets. The cultivation of the human spirit through Kendo also enhances our daily lives in work, relationships, knowledge and relaxation.

To learn Kendo, as with anything, repetitive practice in the basics is the foundation for expanding knowledge, growth, ability and true success. Training in Kendo is immediate and continuous with success as the companion of honest effort. Progress is derived from one's effort immediately, though it will seem small in comparison to the total spectrum of Kendo. Kendo success is achieved through aerobic and anaerobic physical effort, mental discipline and honest self-examination. We teach ourselves patience, discipline, cultivation of the human spirit, respect for ourselves, opponents, fellow human beings and nature as well as how to learn and and how to teach. Kendo is one of the things that can be started at any age level, childhood or old age,and with a pure spirit of learning always improve ones-self. We learn to relax under situations of high stress and perform beyond what we consider as the limits of our ability. No human being is unique, we differ only our willingness to do that which is needed.

In Kendo the practice halls are known as dojo. Although this word is in common use throughout the martial arts, it was first used in Kenjutsu many centuries ago, originating from the Buddhist term for "a place of enlightenment" probably in the 11th or 12th century. Within the dojo, training is hard and sustained, and must be so. The accent is on discipline since it is only through the sometimes harsh feudal methods that one can reach the ultimate goal of the master --mastery of oneself.

They use the word reigi to describe the discipline or etiquette of kendo. It is this reigi or good manners and respect between kendoka at all levels, that is the most unique and valuable thing that kendo can offer the modern world. It is as old as kendo itself. In a Western environment it would be impossible to impose totally Japanese culture on our students and we do not attempt this. But in any dojo the students, Japanese or not, can observe the traditional kendo reigi and this encourages the growth of a fundamental understanding of that which is naturally colored by the individual's own cultural background. One of the values of kendo training, according to many masters is that it produces a calm mind and allows its followers to face everyday problems squarely.

An aspiring kendo student must never forget that he is joining a society whose training program dates back to very ancient military practice and whose members are conditioned to accept rigors in this training not for their own sake but for the moral values behind them. For the greatest part of history, kendo or kenjutsu was practiced almost exclusively by the bushi. For the warrior: perserverance, skill-at-arms, breadth of character, steadiness, and self-control in all situations were the goals that lay at the end of a lifetime's study of swordmanship. These are still the kendoka's aims. The swordsman found that great ryus often exert a significant influence on political thought and action. They were men who commanded enormous esteem amongst their contemporaries and posterity; even today kendoka are highly regarded in Japan. It is for these reasons that kendo reigi is considered so important and is so closely observed within the dojo.

Kendo therefore, as opposed to kenjutsu, is not practiced in order to destroy opponents but rather to train oneself in character building. It is in this aim of spritual awakening that kendo has much in common with Zen Buddhism. However, kendo is deeply influenced not only by Zen but by orthodox Buddhist, Confucian, and Shinto philosophy.
The expert manipulation of the sword is only the means to the end. In a kendo match only one person may win but many people may take part. Physical prowess and technical skill are counted less important than doing everything with full spirit and participation even if there's no hope of winning. What is important is attaining mental and spiritual calm and balance.

 Iaido History

Iai-jutsu, the combined technique of drawing the sword, and in the draw attacking the opponent, has historically been considered a special case of Japanese sword-handling (Kenjutsu). Several traditions that date from the 15th and 16th centuries include Iai-techniques. However, it is unsure whether such techniques were taught in an organized fashion until the Edo-period (1603-1868). Iai-techniques probably had low priority (and maybe even low status) mainly because there was little reason to use them on the battlefield, given that there was plenty of time for drawing the sword before the battle commenced
It is widely perceived that a man called Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu is the originator of Iaido. The reason for this is that a large number of Iai-traditions count him as their founder. Not much is known about Hayashizaki, but some sources state that he was born in Sagami between 1549 and 1621. According to the Honcho bugei shoden (written ca. 1716), Hayashizaki came from Michinoku, and prayed to a divinity called Myojin in Hayashizaki. This document also states that Hayashizaki reestablished the popularity of Iai, meaning that he didn't actually create it. The Bujutsu taihaku seiden (an Edo-period document) states that Hayshizaki practised swordsmanship intensively between 1595 and 1601.
A story has it that Hayashizaki was born to a samurai family, and that his father was killed in a duel. The young Hayashizaki vowed to avenge the fathers death, but knew he would need a significant advantage in order to defeat the killer. So he entered a local Shinto shrine, the Hayashizaki Jinja, and spent the next 100 days in prayer and practice to develop the techniques of drawing the sword and cutting the opponent in a single motion. As the story goes, Hayashizaki prevailed in avenging his father's death, and his style of swordsmanship lived on.
Hayashizaki's tradition, often called the Shinmei Muso-ryu Batto-jutsu, is the root of many other Iaido traditions. For example, the Tamiya-ryu, Hoki-ryu, Shin Muso Hayashizaki-ryu and Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu among others, are all descended from Hayashizaki's Iai. For this reason Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu is considered the founding father of modern Iaido, even though the concept of Iai predates him.
The most famous of Hayashizaki's students were probably Tamiya Heibei Narimasa and Katayama Hoki no Kami Fujiwara Hisayasu. They both made a name for themselves and founded Iaido ryuha of their own.
Tamiya Heibei Narimasa founded the Tamiya-ryu Iai-jutsu some time between 1570 and 1600. During the 17th century the ryuha was an official tradition within the Kishu Tokugawa, a branch of the ruling family of Japan during this time.
Katayama Hisayasu demonstrated Iai-jutsu in front of the Emperor in the year of 1610 and received the court-title Jugoinoshita Hoki no Kami. This man founded the Hoki-ryu Iai-jutsu and served the Toyotomi-family until it was destroyed in 1615.
Both the Tamiya-ryu and the Hoki-ryu are Iaido Koryu which still exists today.
Nakayama Hakudo is probably the 20th century's most famous Iaido practitioner. Having founded his own ryuha, which went become one of the worlds most extant Iaido ryu today, he has had a profound impact on the popularity of Iaido.

Thanks go to Martial Arts online UK and the Aikido Journal