The 10 Japanese martial arts + List

Do you know the martial arts of Japan? In this article, we will look at the most popular Japanese martial arts that have a long history and extend over hundreds of years throughout Japan.

Historically, Japanese martial arts were used as a means of defense and attack in war. However, in modern times, they are practiced for their educational, cultural, physical, moral, aesthetic, and spiritual value.

Most Japanese martial arts are seen as a sport, with an emphasis on disciplining the mind. Since this article is a bit long, we will leave an index to facilitate your navigation below:

BUDO AND BUJUTSU – THE MARTIAL ARTS OF JAPAN

Most Japanese martial arts are named according to the weapon or skill applied in the fight. They are often named ending with do [道] which means path or jutsu [術] which means art, technique, tricks, and method.

The arts that end in do [道] are categorized and called budo [武道] which literally means martial path and also has its origins in war just like the term “martial art.” Although we mention do, the correct romanization is dou [どう].

On the other hand, martial arts that end in jutsu [術] are categorized and called bujutsu [武術] which literally means science of war, craft, or martial art. Both words budo and bujutsu are used to refer to martial arts.

The difference is that bujutsu focuses on the physical part of the fight, on how to defeat the enemy, while budo focuses on the mind and how to develop it. Sometimes a simple technique to defeat an enemy may bear the name jutsu, but it does not literally mean a martial art full of its own techniques and rules.

Some Japanese martial arts also end with ryuu [流] which means path, style, way, fashion, and class.

Judo [柔道] – The way of gentleness

Its main objectives are to strengthen the body, mind, and spirit in an integrated way, as well as to develop self-defense techniques. Its technique basically uses the opponent’s strength and balance against them.

This body fighting system constitutes a modality of the ancient jiu-jitsu, its meaning is the way of gentleness, because its goal is to use the opponent’s strength and balance against themselves.

Kendo or KENJUTSU [剣道] – The way of the sword

Kendo is based on techniques of Japanese fencing and uses a bamboo sword with protective armor. Kendo uniforms are almost always black and its techniques involve shouting to show your martial spirit.

It is among the most common martial arts offered in public schools in Japan. It is estimated that 1.66 million people in Japan have some level in Kendo. It is considered very culturally valuable and is strongly based on Samurai traditions. Kenjutsu can be considered another name that means the art of the sword.

Iaido [居合道] – Martial art of the sword

It is the Japanese martial art of drawing the sword. It consists of sets of katas, techniques, or movements that allow the practitioner to react appropriately to certain situations. It can also be known as iaijutsu (居合術) and battōjutsu (抜刀術).

Kyudo [弓道] – The way of the bow

Kyudo is the Japanese art of archery that uses extremely long bows with an asymmetrical shape. This is one of the oldest Japanese martial arts and is over 2000 years old.

Its bow is extremely powerful and a bit difficult to handle. As a result, it is considered a sport that requires strength and maturity and is not taught to those under 15 years old in Japan.

Yabusame [流鏑馬] – Target shooting on horseback

Yabusame is also the art of target shooting, but mounted on a horse. It is similar to kyudo, but much harder to learn. There are only a few academies that teach this.

Acceptance of a student is considered an honor. If you want to learn Yabusame, the best is to learn Kyudo first. Yabusame involves riding a galloping horse without hands.

Aikido [合気道] – The way of harmony

Aikido is an art aimed at defending oneself from an adversary’s attack. Aikido is practiced through the combination of attacking movements, redirecting the adversary’s force, instead of combating it directly.

Karate(do) [空手道] – The art of empty hands

Karate is a martial art from the islands of Okinawa that focuses on attacks with hands and feet. It became a pop culture phenomenon in the early 1950s with Japanese karate films, not to mention the great demand for American films.

This led to a global demand for classes. Current estimates of the number of karate practitioners exceed 50 million people worldwide.

Sumo [相撲] – The art of pushing

Sumo is a full-contact wrestling sport that is also considered a modern martial art. It originated with rituals and dances in Shinto shrines and many of its traditions still show these origins.

Wrestlers perform a variety of ceremonies when entering the ring, such as purifying the ring with salt, which are directly related to Shintoism.

Professional sumo wrestlers are required to live a traditional lifestyle and train together in facilities known as sumo stables.

Ninjutsu [忍術] – Ninja martial art

It is a Japanese martial art that arose from the need for the employment of spies (Ninja) during the Japanese medieval period (6th century). It consisted of a set of techniques that enabled agents to act in all situations on a battlefield.

Koryu [古流] – Japanese martial arts from the Edo period

Koryu is a broad category of Japanese martial arts from the Edo period. Martial arts entered a serious decline in Japan after the Samurai were dismantled.

At that time, martial arts were seen as relics of the past that were useless against Western military techniques. In fact, many of the ancient martial arts of Japan were focused on feudal warfare and are very different from the martial arts found today.

Other martial arts of Japan

There are thousands of other Japanese martial arts, let’s mention a bit about these unknown martial arts and then finish the article by sharing a list of Japanese martial arts. If you liked it, share!

Bujutsu is a martial art made by farmers and used by samurai that involves using agricultural materials to defend oneself. Sojutsu focuses on the Japanese spear yari. Kobudo are Japanese arts of samurai origin.

Bajutsu is an equestrian martial art involving skills and techniques of fighting on horseback. Bojutsu, Jodo, and Jojutsu are techniques focused on battling using a pole called jo.

There is also a Japanese art called hakkoryu that focuses on immobilizing people using a rope or cable. The famous Jiu-jitsu is known in Japanese as Jujutsu. Kenpo is the Japanese name used to refer to Kung Fu.

List of JAPANESE martial arts

Below is a video showing the main Japanese martial arts:

• Aikido [合気道];
• Aikido [合気道/合氣道];
• Araki-ryū [荒木流];
• Bajutsu [馬術];
• Battōjutsu [抜刀術];
• Bujinkan [武神館];
• Bōjutsu [棒術];
• Chitō-ryū [千唐流];
• Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu [大東流];
• Genbukan
• Genseiryū [玄制流];
• Goshin Jujitsu [護身柔術];
• Gōjū-ryū [剛柔流];
• Hakkō-ryū [八光流];
• Hojōjutsu [捕縄術];
• Hōjutsu [砲術];
• Iaido[居合道] or Iaijutsu [居合術];
• Isshin-ryu
• Jinenkan
• Jodo or Jojutsu [杖道/杖術];
• Judo [柔道];
• Jujutsu [柔術];
• Juttejutsu [十手術];
• Jōdō [杖道];
• Jūkendō [銃剣道];
• Karate [空手]; – The art of empty hands
• Kempo [拳法];
• Kempo or Kenpo [拳法];
• Kendo [剣道];
• Kenjutsu [剣術];
• Kenpo [拳法];
• Kenpo kai [拳法會];
• Kobudo[古武道];
• Kosho Shorei Ryū Kempo
• Kusarigamajutsu [鎖鎌術];
• Kyokushin
• Kyudo [弓道] or Kyūjutsu [弓術];
• Kūdō [空道];
• Maniwa Nen-ryū [馬庭念流];
• Naginata-do [薙刀道] or Naginatajutsu [薙刀術];
• Nakamura Ryu
• Nanbudo
• Ninjutsu [忍術];
• Ninpo [忍法];
• Okinawan kobudō [沖縄古武道];
• Seishinkai
• Shidokan
• Shindo Yoshin Ryu
• Shindō jinen-ryū [神道自然流];
• Shinkendo
• Shintaido [新体道];
• Shitō-ryū [糸東流];
• Shooto [修斗];
• Shorinji kempo [少林寺拳法];
• Shorinji-Ryu
• Shotokan
• Shukokai
• Shurikenjutsu
• Shōrin-ryū [少林流];
• Shōrinji Kempō [少林寺拳法];
• Shōtōkan-ryū [松濤館流];
• Shūdōkan
• Shūkōkai
• Sojutsu
• Suijutsu [水術];
• Sumo [相撲];
• Sōjutsu [槍術];
• Sōsuishi-ryū [双水執流];
• Taido [躰道];
• Taiho-Jitsu
• Taijutsu [体術];
• Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha
• Takenouchi-ryū [竹内流];
• Tantojutsu [短刀術];
• Tegumi [手組];
• Tessenjutsu [鉄扇術];
• Togakure-ryu
• Toyama-ryū
• Uechi-ryū [上地流];
• Wado-ryū [和道流];
• Yabusame [流鏑馬];
• Yagyu Shingan-ryu
• Yagyū Shingan-ryū [柳生心眼流];
• Yoseikan-ryū [養正館流];

Let’s finish by leaving a video showing some Japanese martial arts: