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The
martial arts in Japan originated with medieval warriors, the samurai,
who mastered at least one or two of them for use in battle. Today
they are more important as competitive sports and as aids to physical
and mental fitness. The martial arts were traditionally acquired
through the family, but schools to teach them now thrive in Japan.
Sumo is one of the country's most popular sports.
Professional sumo matches between two huge wrestlers dressed only
in mawashi,
or loincloths, are held in rings of sand. The actual bout is preceded
by a ritual during which the wrestlers face each other, squatting
and touching the ground with their fists. The match does not begin
until both wrestlers come up at the same time. It ends only when
a wrestler has been pushed out of the ring or when any part of a
wrestler's body except his feet touches the ground. Several
professional sumo tournaments are held each year in Japan. A grand
champion wrestler is called Yokozuna.
Judo developed from jujitsu, an art of self-defense
that was popular during the Tokugawa period. Judo has three basic
strategies--attacking the opponent's vital points, throwing
the opponent, and grappling. One referee and two assistants preside
at a judo match. The winner is the first man to throw his opponent
to the floor, to lift his opponent over his shoulders, to pin him
down until he gives up, or to pin him for at least 30 seconds. If
neither contestant accomplishes any of these goals, the match is
awarded to the more aggressive of the two. Colored belts are worn
to indicate degrees of mastery in judo.
Aikido also developed from jujitsu. In aikido, the
purpose is to throw the opponent to the floor or to attack him at
his weakest point by applying a painful hold. The opponent is then
easier to overcome. Opponents in aikido try to stay apart from each
other as much as possible. Aikido does not require great muscular
strength. It is practiced to enhance body flexibility and to foster
graceful movement.
Karate evolved in ancient China and was introduced
into Japan in the 17th century. Only in the 20th century, however,
did it gain wide popularity. Karate involves jabbing, hitting, and
kicking at the most vulnerable parts of the opponent's body.
One of the most destructive of the martial arts, karate is usually
practiced on tiles, boards, and other hard objects rather than on
human opponents.
Kendo developed in ancient Japan. In kendo, two opponents
hit or jab at each other with bamboo swords. Both wear protective
masks, bamboo armor, leg padding, and thick gloves. In a match,
a point is given to the fencer who makes a clean hit on the throat,
head, body, or hand of his opponent. The first to make two points
is declared the winner.
Kyudo,
or archery, was used in early Japan for fishing and hunting. Later
it became a military art. In medieval times, samurai displayed their
skill as bowmen in exhibitions. After the introduction of firearms
in the 16th century, however, kyudo
declined as an effective technique of combat and became a sport.
Kyudo
archers use a 7-foot (2-meter) bow made of wood glued to bamboo.
Arrows consist of a bamboo shaft, three feathers, and an arrowhead.
Each archer in a match usually shoots 10 to 20 arrows
The short but brilliant movie career of Bruce Lee (who lived
from 1940 to 1973) introduced karate and other martial arts to many
North Americans and Europeans. The term martial arts popularly refers
to a large variety of fighting sports, most of which originated
in the Far East. The term can be slightly deceptive. The word martial
is derived from Mars, the Roman god of war. Most of the so-called
martial arts, however, are not combative in their purest form. Some
are meditative forms of self-discipline with strong religious overtones.
They emphasize a mental and physical state of total awareness that
dissolves the consciousness of difference between the self and the
world.
It is probable that martial arts originated in India
among Buddhist monks about the 5th century BC. From there they were
taken to China then to Japan. As practiced today the better known
of the arts emerged from Zen Buddhism in Japan. One goal of Zen
is a state of individual enlightenment and detachment from the world.
Japanese samurai, or warriors, found in Zen a means of improving
their combat readiness and ability to fight (called bujutsu).
Samurai who steeped themselves in Zen became indiffer
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