The Japanese martial arts enjoy immense popularity throughout the world, especially among children. However, not every parent knows much about these arts or how to select the best school for their child.The original Japanese martial arts are commonly known in Japan as koryu bujutsu, the “ancient systems of martial arts.” These are the martial disciplines developed by the samurai, or warriors, of old Japan. Included among the koryu bujutsu are arts like jujutsu, which emphasizes predominantly unarmed grappling, kenjutsu (“the art of the sword”), sojutsu (“the art of the spear”), and others.
In time, these arts evolved into gendai budo, “modern martial ways,” which placed a greater emphasis on personal growth as opposed to focusing solely on combat. The movement from bujutsu to budo accelerated after the abolition of the samurai class and the Japanese feudal system in the late 1800s. Examples of modern budo are judo, aikido, and karate-do.
After World War II, many of the budo placed a greater emphasis on sport-like competition in their dojo, or training halls. Influenced by Western culture, some converted into pure sports as opposed to martial arts or ways.
Japanese martial arts schools in the West range from dojo that are focused solely on sport and competition, to studios emphasizing street fighting, to training halls concentrating on martial arts as moving meditation. Both parents and children need to consider what they are looking for . . . not just in a Japanese martial art, but also in a martial arts school.
The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts offers a well-established program for children, which includes instruction in Japanese yoga and jujutsu, a traditional Japanese martial art. To find out more, go here: http://senninfoundation.com/classes4kids.html
