Kobudō

{{Short description|Collective term for traditional Japanese martial arts}} {{Italic title|reason=:Category:Japanese words and phrases}} [[Image:Yabusame 01.jpg|thumb|''Yabusame'' archer on horseback, an ancient combat form]] [[Image:Kenjutsu 001.jpg|thumb|''Yagyū Shinkage-ryū'', one of the oldest schools of swordsmanship (''kenjutsu'')]] {{Nihongo|'''''Kobudō'''''|古武道||'old martial arts'}} is a collective term for Japanese traditional techniques for the use of armour, blades, firearms, and techniques related to combat and horse riding. The ''kanji'' {{Nihongo|'''''Ko-ryū Bujutsu'''''|古流武術||'old-school martial arts'}} and {{Nihongo|'''''Kobujutsu'''''|古武術||'old martial arts'}} are other ways of writing it. The general umbrella term {{Nihongo|''ko-ryū''|古流|4='old school'}} is also used to describe these ancient arts.

==Definition and features== {{Original research|section|date=April 2026}} ''Kobudō'' (古武道) can be translated as 古 (old) 武 (martial) 道 (way) "old martial art"; the term appeared in the first half of the seventeenth century.<ref>Draeger, Donn F. (1973) Classical Budo. Boston: Weatherhill. Page 68. {{ISBN|978-0-8348-0234-6}}</ref> ''Kobudō'' marks the beginning of the Tokugawa period (1603–1868) also called the Edo period, when total power was consolidated by the ruling Tokugawa clan.<ref>Knutsen, Roald (2004) ''Rediscovering Budo''. Kent: Global Oriental. Page 22-23. {{ISBN|1-901903-61-3}}</ref> The term often refers to martial arts established before the Meiji Restoration of the 19th century. Since the Muromachi period, swordsmanship, ''jūjutsu'', martial arts, archery, artillery, etc. have been technicalized and systematized as various schools. The term ''Kobudō'' (古武道, ancient martial arts) contrasts with ''Gendai budō'' ("modern martial arts") or ''shinbudō'' ("new martial arts") which refer to schools developed since the Meiji era.<ref name=Draeger1974Page57>Draeger, Donn F. (1974) ''Modern Bujutsu and Budo''. New York: Weatherhill. Page 57. {{ISBN|0-8348-0351-8}}</ref><ref name=FumonTanakaPage22>[https://books.google.com/books?id=sBWasQSsb-UC&dq=gendai+budo&pg=PA22 Fumon Tanaka (2003) ''Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice''.] Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd. Page 22. {{ISBN|4-7700-2898-9}}</ref>

Whereas modern martial arts are designed to develop humanistic ideals through physical and mental training, focusing on sports-related competitions and constructing technical systems (e.g., ''jūdō'' and ''kendō'') that encourage team work, socially healthy values, and prosperity, the old historical martial arts intention was not fundamentally concerned with an outcome of winning a match as a sports match. Training was for the sake of it and was often about life or death. Dangerous techniques that are excluded from modern martial arts include various hidden weapons, medicinal and poisoning methods, and magic. Old martial arts are linked to Zen and Buddhism. They may also include irrational movements whose original meaning have been lost even to those who are masters of the school, or movements added for aesthetic reasons during the peaceful Edo period.

The system of ''kobudō'' is considered in the following priorities order: 1) morals, 2) discipline 3) aesthetic form.<ref name="Donn F. Draeger 1973. Page 36">Donn F. Draeger, 1973. ''Classical Budo''. {{ISBN|978-0-8348-0234-6}}. Page 36</ref><ref name="Armstrong, Hunter B. 1995 Page 20">Armstrong, Hunter B. (1995) ''The Koryu Bujutsu Experience'' in Koryu Bujutsu - Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. New Jersey: Koryu Books. Page 20. {{ISBN|1-890536-04-0}}</ref>

==Okinawan ''kobudō''== ''Kobudō'' can also be used to refer to Okinawan kobudō where it describes collectively all Okinawan combative systems. These are entirely different and basically unrelated systems. The use of the term ''kobudō'' should not be limited, as it popularly is, to the describing of the ancient weapons systems of Okinawa.<ref>Donn F. Draeger, 1974. ''Modern Bujutsu & Budo''. {{ISBN|0-8348-0351-8}}. Page 135.</ref><ref>Armstrong, Hunter B. (1995) ''The Koryu Bujutsu Experience'' in Koryu Bujutsu - Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. New Jersey: Koryu Books. Pages 19-20. {{ISBN|1-890536-04-0}}</ref>

==Examples of taught skills== {{Unreferenced section|date=April 2026}} {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''Bōjutsu'' * ''Jujutsu'' * ''Jittejutsu'' * ''Kenjutsu'' * ''Kyūjutsu'' * ''Naginatajutsu'' * ''Ōzutsu'' (大筒) hand cannon * ''Sōjutsu'' * ''Tantojutsu'' * ''Yabusame'' {{div col end}}

==Sources== * Draeger, Donn F. ''Classical Bujitsu'' (Martial Arts and Ways of Japan). Weatherhill, 1973, 2007. {{ISBN|978-0834802339}} * Hall, David A. ''Encyclopedia of Japanese Martial Arts''. Kodansha USA, 2012. {{ISBN|978-1568364100}} * Skoss, Diane, Editor. ''Koryu Bujutsu: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan''. Koryubooks, 1997. {{ISBN|978-1890536046}} * Skoss, Diane, Editor. ''Sword and Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan'', Volume 2. Koryubooks, 1999. {{ISBN|978-1890536053}} * Skoss, Diane, Editor. ''Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan'', Volume 3. Koryubooks, 2002. {{ISBN|978-1890536060}}

==References== <references/>

==External links== * [http://www.nihonkobudokyoukai.org/ Nihon Kobudō Kyokai] Official Kobudō website (in Japanese) * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110708103926/http://www.bugei-usa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17:what-is-koryu&catid=9:essay&Itemid=15 What is Koryu?] * [http://www.koryu.com/ Koryu.com] in English. Provides articles and links to books. * [http://koryuweb.wordpress.com/ KoryuWeb] in French and English.

Category:Japanese martial arts Category:Japanese martial arts terminology Category:Kobudo