Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Japan nationalism in the 21st century
Nationalism in the meiji restoration
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
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...
... middle of paper ...
...sian Martial Arts 3, no. 4 (1994): 63-75.
Official Website of the Olympic Movement. Athletes. http://www.olympic.org/athletes, (assessed April 3, 2012).
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.
World Karate Federation. 20th World Karate Federation Championship Results. http://www.wkf.
net/index.php? option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=58, (assessed April 3, 2012).
Next Conlan addresses the question of battle tactics and unit organization. Plodding through what had to be no doubt a great many gunchujo to see with what regularity and what ways warriors endured injury. He demonstrates that the fighting around the fall of Kamakura shogunate was far and away the most extreme of the fourteenth century and that the prepo...
"(Doc. A) The beliefs Japanese grew up with were that the Emperor was sublime and his empire should be followed everywhere nerveless by everyone. They were trained to be dedicated; willing to do anything to please their superior. “An old order... (European and American)... is now crumbling.
Lee, Robert G. 1999. Orientals: Asian American in Popular Culture. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
Few countries have a warrior tradition as long and exciting as Japan. It is a tradition found in the Samurai, the loyal and self-sacrificing knight of ancient Japan. The Samurai is a valiant warrior who can both appreciate the beauty of nature in that of a rose blossom but will also kill or die for his master in an instant. This well-rounded warrior was the ruling class of Japan for almost seven hundred years. He fought for control of his country and to keep Japan free from outside influences. (Turnbull 1)
Stories about war and implements of such can be observed throughout the course of Japanese history. This shows the prevalence of martial training and the profession of arms as a tradition that has not faded since ancient times (Friday and Humitake 13).
Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today deriving directly and indirectly from the beliefs of the Samurai.
Originally from Japan, Soyen Shaku was the first Zen master to arrive in America. His followers urged him not to come to a nation that was so ill-mannered and uncultivated and that the Japanese were facing extreme discrimination. Shaku’s countrymen Hirai Ryuge Kinzo “offered pointed examples: the barring of a Japanese student from a university on the basis of his race; the exclusion of Japanese children from the San Francisco public schools; the processions of American citizens bearing placards saying ‘Japs Must Go!’” (Eck 185). After several decades, there was a Zen boom of the 1950s and that was how Buddhism affected western culture, especially in regards to entertainment. “‘Zen’ is “the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese character "chan," which is in turn the Chinese translation from the Indian Sanskrit term "dhyana," which means meditation’” (Lin).
Gaskin, Carol. and Hawkins, Vince. The Ways of the Samurai. New York: Byron Preiss Visual
To a person not conversant with this art, Jujitsu may be considered as a foul or derogatory term in Japanese. However, Jujitsu us one of the most effective and deadly forms of martial arts taught today. Unique among other forms of combat, Jujitsu holds the position of a “parent art”, of from which other forms of martial arts such as Aikido, Judo and several Karate styles were extracted. Jujitsu is a combination of all levels of combat. It incorporates chokes, striking, grappling, nerve and pressure point attacks, joint locks, redirection of momentum and throws.
The warrior ethic only changed, though and still underlies many aspects of modern Japanese thought and policy. The feudal caste system still gives a fair description of different l...
...t Samurai. With further investigation, one can come to a realization that Bushido has a greater influence than the act of fighting as seen with the character development of Algren illustrated above. Under Bushido, Algren was able to learn the principles of righteousness, politeness, loyalty and honor, and then he applies those principles to his own life and achieves inner peace with himself in which had lost a very long time ago. In a larger context, society as a whole can gain much knowledge from the Samurai and their way of life and apply it to their daily lives because the set of moral principles that are advocated can be applied our social interactions with parents, friends, family or strangers. Hence, Asian religious thoughts in popular culture have the ability to change our perspectives on the outlook of life without necessarily converting us to the religion.
One of the most fundamental philosophies of the samurai is that of detachment from the self. This detachment allows for a freedom from fear, which is essential to the samurai warriors. In the opening of Hagakure, Tsunetomo states that “the Way of the Samurai is found in death”. These rank among the greatest and most well known phrases in Japanese history, and in fact in the history of the world. Death is not to be feared by the samurai, it is to be embraced. The relationship between the samurai and his master is of the utmost importance, and only through detachment can the samurai fully and properly serve his master. These are two core, fundamental philosophies of bushido, and both can are reminiscent of similar ideologies in Buddhism, and Confucianism.
Sometimes, whenever I come back from a class at the dojo, one thought keeps nagging me at the back of my mind. What is Tae-Kwon-Do? Is it to be fit? Is it to protect yourself from fights? What I never realized was..that I was too close minded. Not only my efforts at Power Kick U.S.A. changed who I am physically….but who am I mentally too. As my training at the dojo came closer and closer to an end, I realized something that changed my perspective forever, I was blessed into becoming into a 5% group of people who never quit on my dreams. Becoming a Black Belt.
1500 years ago, an Indian monk named Bodhidharma traveled to China to preach Buddhism. During his travels, he was confronted with the problem of physically weak monks. In order to meditate for longer periods of time, the monks needed to be more physically capable (History of the Shaolin Temple). According to legend, Bodhidharma meditated for nine years on this problem, cutting off his own eyelids to prevent himself from sleeping. His solution arrived in the form of two books: each contained a list of exercises that were designed to clean the blood marrow and develop the muscles and tendons (History of the Shaolin Temple). The monks quickly realized that these exercises could also be used as a form of self-defense. One hundred years later, kung fu appeared for the first time in recorded history when Shaolin monks used Bodhidharma's exercises as deadly techniques to defend their temple against bandits in 610 A.C.E. (Chi...
There are many historical aspects of the Japanese, but the most interesting is the history of the Samurai. In Japans history war played a large role in the country. Controlling clans fought for parts of the land and overall control of the country. These clans were powerful families that resided in the country and who all wanted power and control of Japan for themselves. The families that would be in control were known as Shoguns. These shoguns would have warriors that fought for them if any of the other clan families would try to attack him in order to overthrow him and take his power from him. The Samurai followed a code that developed from Chinese beliefs when in battle. The Samurais code was known as the Bushido. This code was also known as “The Way of The Warrior” which was the main belief s...