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Bojutsu

Dating back thousands of years, bojutsu was probably a battlefield martial art, used for training troops.

It was adopted by the police in the Edo period (1603-1868) and it is likely that this influenced many of the techniques in existence today, most notably those aimed not at killing, but rather at harming or restraining unruly prisoners. Interestingly, the development of stick techniques on the battlefield probably came about as a result of warriors having to improvise if the bladed part of a weapon such as the halberd was lost in battle.

Improvised weaponry

Fighting with just the bladeless staff became popular in Okinawa as a stand-alone art form in its own right during the period when the carrying of metal-edged weapons was outlawed.

Many of the grips, thrusts, block parries, sweeps, and deflecting movements were developed among the peasants of Okinawa. It is most likely that the original weapon was the “tenbin,” a long wooden pole that was balanced on the shoulders and used to carry buckets containing either grain or water.

Naginatajutsu

The naginata, a long pole with a blade at one end, is primarily associated with female samurai. It is often used in combination with the “tanto,” a traditional Japanese dagger.

Naginatajutsu competitions take place in Japan regularly. Most are held at high school and college level with students who often have little or no previous martial-arts training, but are interested in the female combat arts.

Weapon development

Although the origins of the weapon are unclear, some experts believe that it may have come about as a result of Japanese warriors altering the design of the Chinese halberd, an infantry weapon that is similar in nature but with a slightly wider blade. Others believe that it developed independently as a modified farming implement. The theory is that samurais returning home from battle found that a longer weapon, fitted with a blade similar to that of a samurai sword, was useful for fighting against cavalrymen, since the length kept t fighter at a reasonable distance from the horse.

Shintaido

Unlike competitive fighting arts, shintaido is a system of movement based on the principles of martial arts and contemporary performing arts. Its underlying philosophy is peace, harmony, cooperation, and the understanding of the individual and his or her place in nature.

During the 1960s, its founder, Hiroyuki Aoki, formed a group of around 30 people, including some of Japan’s top martial-arts instructors, as well as musicians, actors, and artists of all ages, and set about creating his new art.

Pushing the boundaries

Without knowing exactly what they were looking for, the group, known as “ratutenkai” or “meeting of optimists,” practiced together, testing the limits of physical and psychological strength. Out of that movement, shintaido was born, incorporating elements of sword work, and martial and performance arts, alongside a number of esoteric practices. The system is famed for its freezing waterfall training. During the winter participants endure this regime for up to 15 minutes, often experiencing the early stages of hypothermia, which is said to lead to an awakening of spirituality and the development of a sixth sense.

Hiroyuki Aoki was born in Yokahama, Japan, in 1936. He was an actor, painte and 5th-degree black-belt master (the highest level) of shotokai karate. A devout Christian, in 1965 he set out to create a new martial art designed to encourage peace and communication, and provide a new way to experience nature and the spiritual world.

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Source by Tony Hackerott