Nationalism of the Roundhouse Kick: Traditional Japanese Martial Arts and Society

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Recommended: Japan nationalism in the 21st century

There are many aspects of Japanese culture and society that make it one of the most well-liked countries in the world today, at least according to the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index. The technological innovations stemming from the country and the reputation of companies such as Honda, Toyota, Nintendo, and Sony make for an international focus on Japan’s industrial prowess. Added to that is the ever-rising popularity of manga and anime, and altogether, they form a strong nationalist feeling in Japan, yet entirely different from the nationalism of the wartime period. However, there is another facet of Japanese culture rooted in historical significance that evokes an alternate sense of pride within the population: martial arts. It is important not only to look at the physical aspects of these martial arts tradition, but the mental ones as well. Through the historical background of types of Japanese martial arts such as karate-do, jujutsu, aikido, and kenjutsu, the progression of the arts and a break from their origins, and eventually their place in Japanese sports and society today (karate, judo, kendo, and sumo), we will see how Japanese martial arts shifted back and forth between military and physical philosophy, and pacifist and Zen-like philosophy.

To begin, it is generally difficult to pinpoint a consensus date for the commencement of a martial arts tradition in Japan because the learning of these arts was mostly done orally and through practice. It is by and large agreed upon that all of the Oriental martial arts have their roots in China, from the founder of Zen Buddhism, the Indian monk Bodhidarma (Daruma for the Japanese), in the 6th century. The principles of Zen Buddhism would later be reflected in most of the ph...

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Saotome Mitsugi. The Princples of Aikido. Boston: Shambhala, 1989.

Skidmore, Max J. “Oriental Contributions to Western Popular Culture: The Martial Arts,” Journal of Popular Culture 25, no. 1 (1991): 129-148.

Sumo. Japan Guide. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2080.html, (assessed April 3, 2012).

Suzuki Tatsuo, Karate-Do. New York: Perigee Books, 1984.

Tan, Kevin S. Y. “Constructing a Martial Tradition: Rethinking a Popular History of Karaet-dou.” Journal of Sport and Social Issues 26, no. 2 (2004): 169-192, doi: 10.1177/0193723504264772.

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