Kendo Definition and brief history Kendo is a combination of two Japanese words - ken meaning sword and do meaning road or "way". The result is "the way of the sword".
The earliest written reference to Japanese swordsmanship dates from the 7th century. Fencing techniques developed dramatically as the art of sword making developed and the shape of swords changed. Development of the techniques of swordsmanship was driven by the demands of civil war in a turbulent age. Even non-members of the samurai class were forced to improve their fencing skills as a means of protection. By the end of the Age of War in 1573 many different schools of swordsmanship had formed based on tried and tested techniques developed over the centuries.
In the more settled Edo period (1603 - 1867) the Tokugawa Shoguns, or military rulers encouraged the samurai to study martial arts to maintain peace. During this period the aims of martial arts at this time changed under the influence of Buddhism and Confucianism coming to emphasis the development of good character. The goal of study shifted from preparing the body for the battlefield to cultivating mental discipline. Practice methods also changed the basis of modern kendo, along with the shinai, or bamboo sword, and dogu or armor, were all developed during the mid - Edo period.
The kendo that has gained social and international recognition is not the martial art of feudal Japan, but a new sport-like physical training system, which encompasses aspects of the national Japanese spiritual tradition. Although kendo is regarded today as a physical sport, the side that emphasizes mental development must still be considered an important aspect.
Kyokushin is a Karate style that is famous for its knock-down system of fighting. The style is characterized by its tenous training, conditioning and full contact sparring. Kyokushin Karate was developed by Sosei Masutatsu Oyama who in 1964 gave the style the name “Kyojushin”, which translates to “The Ultimate Truth”. Oyama held a 4th Dan in Judo, and also studied Goju Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate (reaching 4th Dan at the age of 20) and some Korean martial arts which he developed into his own style called Kyokushin-kai (Kyokushin Karate).
Oyama was an extremely strong man who popularised his art by inviting challengers to fight him and through stunts, such as killing bulls with his bare hands. Black belt gradings in Kyokushinkai are well known for their large number of kumite (sparring fights), sometimes as many as a 100.
Steve Arneil trained with Mas Oyama in Japan for five years and was the first non-Japanese person to complete the 100-man kumite. This feat was later also acheived by John Jarvis, at the time the head of Kyokushinkai for the Asia Pacific. Jarvis later changed to practising Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate under Morio Higaonna.
Origin of Kyokushin Karate: Japan
Founder of Kyokushin Karate: “Mas” Masutatsu Oyama (1923-1994)
Popularised by Steve Arneil, who in 1991 founded the International Federation of Karate (IFK) and currently holds a 9th Dan.
In the early part of this century, a style of karate was developed on Okinawa that made it possible for many people to learn the benefits of a traditional self defense system. Eventually becoming known as Goju-Ryu (the hard/soft style), the art combined traditional Okinawan techniques with both internal and external Chinese principles. The soft, internal Chinese styles concentrate on circular movements and the development of qi (vital energy), while external, hard principles rely upon physical strength. The combination of these principles makes Goju-Ryu a close range, infighting system that concentrates on efficiency of movement as well as personal development.
Master Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Okinawan Goju-Ryu karate do, saw the martial arts as being more than just effective methods of self defense, and the system that he developed reflected this belief. Through the influence of Master Miyagi, Goju-Ryu karate became an educational subject that could be taught in schools, and the creation of new katas (forms) made the art more understandable to the public. Miyagi thus became one of the pioneers that brought karate out of its exclusively Okinawan enclave of relatively few practitioners to worldwide acceptance.
Devoting his life to the promotion of the martial arts, Miyagi reportedly made more than ten trips to China, made more than seven to the Japanese mainland, and also visited Hawaii and Korea. It has been said that he spent millions of dollars traveling to promote karate and helping friends with their debts. Since Miyagi was prone to seasickness, he seldom traveled alone and often was not fully recovered from his ailment when giving a demonstration or lecture.
Very pleasant in nature, Miyagi was called "Bushi Miyagusuku" ("Gentleman Warrior Miyagi") on Okinawa. Possessed of tremendous physical strength, he was known far and wide for his extraordinary gripping power and performance of kata that displayed his great devotion to martial arts training. However, Miyagi's gentle manner was his strongest asset. Despite stories that may contain more fable than fact, Miyagi never fought, keeping a promise to his teacher that he would not use the martial arts to hurt another human being.
Karate history can be traced back some 1400 years, to Daruma, founder of Zen Buddhism in Western India. Daruma is said to have introduced Buddhism into China, incorporating spiritual and physical teaching methods that were so demanding that many of his disciples would drop in exhaustion. In order to give them greater strength and endurance, he developed a more progressive training system, which he recorded in a book, Ekkin-Kyo, which can be considered the first book on karate of all time.
The physical training, heavily imbued with Daruma's philosophical principles, was taught in the Shaolin Temple in the year 500 A.D. Shaolin (Shorin) kung-fu, from northern China, was characterized by very colorful, rapid, and dynamic movements; the Shokei school of southern China was known for more powerful and sober techniques. These two kinds of styles found their way to Okinawa, and had their influence on Okinawa's own original fighting method, called Okinawa-te (Okinawan hand) or simply te. A ban on weapons in Okinawa for two long periods in its history is also partly responsible for the high degree of development of unarmed fighting techniques on the island.
In summary, karate in Okinawa developed from the synthesis of two fighting techniques. The first one, used by the inhabitants of Okinawa, was very simple but terribly effective and, above all, very close to reality since it was used throughout many centuries in real combat. The second one, much more elaborate and impregnated with philosophical teachings, was a product of the ancient culture of China. These two origins explain the double character of Karate--extremely violent and efficient but at the same time a strict and austere discipline and philosophy with a nonviolent emphasis.
The Influence of Master Funakoshi
Master Gichin Funakoshi was the first expert to introduce karate-do to mainland Japan, in 1916. One of the few people to have been initiated into all the major Okinawan karate methods, Master Funakoshi taught a synthesis of the Okinawan styles, as a total discipline. This method became known as Shotokan (literally "House of Shoto," Funakoshi's pen name). Because of the great popularity of the style in Japan and, later, around the world, Funakoshi is widely considered to be the "father of modern karate-do."
Two relatively different styles - in spirit as well as in mechanics - used to exist in Okinawa in late 19th Century: Shorei-ryu and Shorin-ryu The former was designed for well built people, placed emphasis on developing physical strength and was impressive in its shear power. The latter was light and quick, with fast strikes and counterattacks, designed for people who were small in size and very agile.
After years of intense study of both styles, Master Funakoshi arrived at a new understanding of martial arts, and a novel style was created, that combined the ideals of Shorei and Shorin.
As in all Karate styles it is Katas, formal sequences of basic techniques, that form the backbone of the tradition. The traditional Japanese martial arts, Judo and Kendo, two of the seven traditional paths to enlightenment in Japanese classical culture, were heavily centered around combat (Kumite). Master Funakoshi instead, in the centuries old Okinawa tradition, sought a path to spiritual depth through individual technique. Thus, Shotokan initially developed as a formal style with little Kumite application, instead focusing on breathing, releasing energy and outstanding mind and body control.
Chinese martial arts were first mentioned in literature dating back to the Chou Dynasty from 1122-255BC and but the Shaolin Kung Fu history begins with the building of the Shaoling Monastery in 495AD. This monastery which was built on the Sung Mountain in the Honen Province housed up to 2000 monks at one time and is noted as China's most famous monastery. Due to the fact that Shaolin Kung Fu was taught and passed down orally much of the story of its beginnings are a mixture of historical fact intermingled with legend.
Considered to be the Father of Shaolin Kung Fu and to Buddhists the founder of Zen, a lively monk named Tamo left his home in India in the 6th century AD and trekked eastward then north until he reached the Shaolin Monastery where he stopped and taught Zen meditation. Tamo realized that most of the monks were unable to handle the rigorous regime of the Zen mediation discipline so he created a series of exercises to build up their health and increase their stamina. Being very much like yoga in that these exercises were both psychological and physical, they are believed to have formed the beginnings of Shaolin Kung Fu. It was during holy pilgrimages that martial arts really developed basically out of necessity as the monks were often robbed of their religious treasures by the many "pirates" or "bandits" of the time. Using the exercises and postures taught to them by Tamo and refining them into fighting movements, combined with the influence of Zen, a deadly form of martial art was born and they were well equipped to protect themselves and their treasures. Over the centuries this form of self-defense and spiritual lifestyle became legendary.
In 1736, the monastery was attacked by Manchu's battled troops and the monks were all but annihilated by the huge number of troops and the monastery was burnt to the ground. Thankfully, there were survivors who fled and this ensured that Shaolin Kung Fu history would be taught and indeed flourish. The monastery has been rebuilt several times and is always remembered as the birth place of Shaolin Kung Fu.
Although remnant writings have been found, one of the earliest extant references to Shaolin Fung Fu History was published in 1784 in the Boxing Classic: Essential Boxing Methods. The reference gives the first written documentation of the Monastery of Shaolin and the monks being the originators of Shaolin Kung Fu. Today, Kung Fu has a worldwide appeal and there are many forms practiced, one such style being Hung, which is named after Hung Hei Guen who was one of the Ten Tigers of Shaolin. He was taught by Gee Sin who was the abbot of Shaolin who escaped the fire and went on to teach and pass on the Shaolin Kung Fu History and methods throughout China, as it has been passed down to the famous art we still use today all around the world.
