What is the characteristics of Japanese sports culture

1
What is the characteristics of Japanese sports
culture?

• ???shugyo,??keiko ,?michi,
• ?kata?
• 
  2009.2.29
• Ryuichi Takeda (Yamagata Univ.)

2

• 1. Shugyo Training
• (1) Winter Practice, Summer Practice
• In budo, practice is called keiko . Keiko will
  be explained later on, but they are special keiko
  such as winter keiko and summer keiko.These are
  practices that take place when the weather is
  most unfavourable
• Winter keiko is modeled on the Buddhist winter
  ascetic practices and take place during the
  coldest period of 30 days between the beginning
  of winter and the day before spring. Summer keiko
  take place from shosho (the day on the lunar
  calendar that marks the beginning of the hot
  season, around July 8 until the first day of
  autumn (lunar calendar).

• From the mid-Tokugawa era, it started to be
  called winter keiko and was practiced widely but
  went into a decline until its revival by the
  founder of Kodokan judo school, Kano Jigoro.

• ??(shugyo)
• ??(keiko)
• ??(shosho)
• ?????(Kano jigoro)

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• One of the explanations for the practices during
  such hard times is that when in battle the
  enemies do not attack when you are fully prepared
  but wait till the bad times. For examples, when
  it is cold, hot, dark or when you are in the
  bathtub etc. Therefore, it is crucial to train
  oneself in similar situations to be prepared. It
  is a very logical way of thinking.
• The practice of putting oneself through physical
  hardship in order to improve ones mental
  capacity has its roots in Buddhism ascetic
  trainings.

• ?? (bukkyo)Budhism
• ??(kugyo)ascetism

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• (2) About Syugyo(Training)
• The origin of training within Buddhism is from
  the Sanskrit word tapas, which is kugyo
  (asceticism) or shugyo (training) in modern
  Japanese. The root of tapas refers to the
  internal heat or fire the sort of heat that
  gives birth to new life, such as power, the heat
  used to change the eggs into chicks.

• ?? (shugyo)
• ??(kugyo)ascetism
• ?? (bykkyo)Budhism

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• In other words, it is the heat that represents
  the energy of life absorbed inside to create a
  new life. In the West, such formative heat and
  power is called creative energy. Through these
  meanings, shugyo is about the physical trainings
  through which a new self and new power are born.
• In brief, it is not just about simply change, but
  creating something through the change. Shugyo is
  not about simply suffer of change, but in fact it
  requires the creation of new entities (physical
  and mental).
• Shugyo could be misunderstood and be taken as
  useless efforts. Also, the teachers could be
  mistaken that shugyo is all about suffering only.

• The process that takes place after the change is
  important. How does person overcome forming a new
  self?

• ?? shugyo

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• In the words of Yuasa Yasuo Shugyo is the
  imposing of more severe restrictions than found
  in normal everyday life of person entire body and
  mind.
• Through Shugyo person can reach the life that is
  more than the average person can experience. When
  they talk about self improvement or character
  formation, it is this practical process that
  they refer to. This view of the connection
  between body and mind and the only truth of the
  unification of body and mind, is unique.
  Specially when its taken as foundation of budo
  and Japanese culture. In brief, it is a profound
  way of thinking about relationships between body
  and mind (japanese Shinshin ichinyo,) and
  influences greatly on technical learning and
  technical aspects of budo.
• ????(Yuasa Yasuo)
• ????(Shinshin Ichinyo)

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• 2. Keiko - Practice
• In budo, practice is called keiko. Keiko is a
  special word used in budo, and here we will look
  at Nakabayashi Shinjis discussion on keiko.
• (1) About keiko
• Keiko is a word that appears in ancient Chinese
  texts. In Japan, it also appears in the preface
  of Kojiki, in the phrase keiko shokon in the
  beginning section. There is it written that the
  highs and lows of life are different culturally
  and politically through the eras, the ancient
  things shine through to this present time as the
  morals decline In short, it can be thought of
  as the thinking of the ancient.

• Keiko is written to be ?? in Japanese. ?(kei)
  comes from think , measure , meet ,
• judge/compare , etc., thus, keiko is the
  thinking of the ancient way.

• ??(keiko)
• ????
• (Nakabayashi Shinji)
• ???(kojiki)
• ????(keiko shokon)

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• over and over to achieve that goal. It indicates
  a quantitative improvement.
• Keiko, on the other hand, has deeper meaning and
  includes nuances about the strengthen of ones
  mental capacity and self improvement internally.
  Keiko puts a lot of emphasis on the state of
  mind and the way of living in the arts and
  budo.

In short, it refers to the studying and
practicing in different arts. That meaning was
carried into the early modern times when it began
to focus on the trainings of those arts. We can
see that especially since then it was used
heavily in the arts world. Today, keiko has a
more positive meaning of training and practicing
(japanese renma rensei). It refers to the
attitude of looking forward to improvements, to
bringing person ability one level higher.
Furthermore, it stresses on the concept of
mental attitude or state of mind which refers
to the process before it (japanese kokoro-gamae)
and after of practice and learning that embodies
the way of living. In comparison, practice or
training simply refers to focusing on a goal and
repeating things

• ??(renma)
• ??(rensei)
• ???(kokoro-gamae)

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• One of the counter measures to that is to try and
  make sure that the traditions are carried
  through. The use of keiko exists in many of
  Japanese traditional arts and budo, here, we will
  look at a magnificent discussion of keiko by a
  well known Noh drama master, Zeami.

• Budo and sports are things done among humans.
  These are the things that we should be able to
  find ourselves through the process of practicing
  and implementation. But these days, budo and
  sports are alienating humans. For example, there
  are people who practice budo with the sole
  purpose of winning, and there are teachers who
  only teach the disciples how to win. Such
  attitude destroys the meaning of the human aspect
  in budo and drowns the practitioners in the
  desire to win. Person is no longer able to set
  sight on his/her way of living and real purpose
  of budo as a humanitarian educational tool. Thus,
  it can be said that Budo stands in crisis now.

• ??(keiko)
• ??(Budo)
• ?(noh)
• ???(zeami)

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• (2) The Characteristics of Keiko
• ? Individual and Subject
• It is needless to say that in order to improve
  the techniques, it is imperative to posses the
  nature adapted/associated with that art. We can
  call that the inborn groundwork/foundation. (in
  japanese seitoku-no-shitaji). According to Zeami,
  the three indispensable factors for the reaching
  of the highest level are natural talent (in
  japanese sosishu), ability and passion. However,
  natural talent is not something that can be shown
  from the beginning, it is something to be
  discovered through shugyo. Natural talent is the
  ability person has inside himself that can be
  used as a tool the best of the natural talent
  will only manifest itself through an accumulation
  of keiko.

• When the inborn talent will become one with the
  power achieved through keiko, person will begin
  to feel as part of the art that he is dedicating
  himself to.

• ?????(seitoku-no-shitaji)
• ??(soshistu)

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• Since natural talent existence or non-existence
  can only be discovered through keiko, it is often
  that those who believe themselves not talented
  improve through multiple learning of one
  technique.
• Person has to think about the respect for
  individuality when it comes to the natural talent
  problem. The teacher has to monitor the students
  talent and improvements and has to pay attention
  to the exploring and exploiting of that

• individuality, then teach suitable techniques
  and apply appropriate teachings. That is concept
  of keiko the focus on the natural talent and the
  individuality or subject. The establishment of
  the arts is based on the subjects and
  individuality.

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• ? Devotion, Concentration
• It is often said that person has to like
  something to be good at it and that is very true
  with budo skills and the arts where the love for
  that art is needed in reaching a higher level.
  The like used here is not the same as the
  general sense of like and hate, but deeper
  meaning of stronger interest in the arts - we
  could name it the aspiration for the art (way)
  .
• In order to devote himself to the art, person
  has to turn himself into a peaceful state with no
  daily affairs nor earthly desires.

• When a person loves the art that deeply, that art
  becomes his life and one is fully devoted to it
  and never loses sight, nor in sleep nor when
  awake. That spirit or mental state is called
  shushin (devoted mind) or doshin (mind that
  believes in Buddhism).

• ??(shushin)
• ??(doshin)

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• In the preface of his famous arts discussion
  work, Fushikaden, Zeami mentions michi and not
  just the art of Noh in Those who want to follow
  the michi , one cannot conduct in behavior that
  contradicts the michi or hido . Hido probably
  refers to other fields of the arts outside of
  Noh. Basically, it demands a complete devotion to
  that particular michi that one follows.
• There are three behaviors that person shall not
  conduct being lustful, gambling and drinking.
  These are the laws of the people of ancient
  times.
• It demands the concentration on practices until
  becoming skillful and the suppress his pride.

• In brief, person cannot engage in activities that
  do not benefit the of the michi, must strongly
  devote to keiko and empty ones mind from pride.
  It demands the complete concentration and
  devotion in an unhindered manner toward the
  michi.

• ????(Fushikaden)
• ??(hido)
• ?(noh)

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• However, the complete concentration and
  devotion to the michi is not just about learning
  techniques, but about the unifying and
  concentration that extends into all aspects of
  everyday life. Everything in life has to be one
  with the michi. Person life has to be about the
  pursuing of the michi.
• This stress on the uniting life and michi into
  one appears in numerous places in budo texts.
  This is the issue of the state of mind that
  covers how person conducts in everyday life and
  how he lives his life.

• It is said that if person can concentrate on one
  particular michi and masters it, then
  paradoxically, person will master all the others.
  
• Person can see such argument in Miyamoto
  Musashis Book of Gorinsho (Five Rings) if
  through the rules of military strategy, I learn
  the way of all the arts, then I shall be no
  master at any.

• ?(Michi)
• ????
• (Miyamoto Musashi)
• ???
• (Gorinsho)

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• The Michi of Budo
• So, how should we approach to michi of budo?
• Terada discusses that in Thoughts on Michi. Do
  indicates a field and the rules/laws to establish
  that field. Michi are things such as budo, tea
  ceremony, flower arrangement, etc. The meaning of
  michi differs slightly from its roots. It is used
  as a modifier and indicates the ideal condition
  of a particular field. It represents the process
  of executing and respecting the laws and rules
  that lead to that ideal condition. In short, in
  budo, there are established budo rules.

• ?(mu)
• ??(Terada)

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???(Dokkodo)

• Musashis Dokkodo (The Independent Way)
• - Do not disobey a Michi.
• - Do not have enjoyment.
• - Do not favor certainty over others people and
  things.
• - Think of the world wider than ones self.
• - Do not harbor ambitions.
• - Do not regret on personal matters.
• -Do not be jealous about other peoples good nor
  bad things.
• Do not be distressed or saddened by
• the path of life.
• - Do not be dissatisfied by ones own
  surrounding environment.
• - Do not engage in love.

• - Do not have likes and dislikes.
• - Do not desire to own a house.
• - Do not develop a fondness for
• good food
• -Do not be holder of valuable antiques.
• - Do not purify oneself through
• ritual abstention.
• - Do not carry marvelous weapons.
• -Do not fear to die.
• - Do not be a holder of treasure when you became
  old.
• - Respect the Gods but do not rely
• on them.
• - Ignore your ego, but do not ignore the
  reputation and pride.
• - Do not stray from the military path.

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• ? Practice of the Kata (form)
• The contents of keiko in both budo and geido
  (the arts) is narai which means both to study and
  to learn. Narai is the learning of the traditions
  established by the predecessors. Those
  traditions are organized into various collections
  of different kata (form). They from the basics to
  the applications. Beginners start with the
  correct mimicry of this kata and are required to
  respect and strictly submit to the kata. The
  repeated learning correctly of the kata that was
  designed with great efforts by the predecessors
  is included in the meaning of keiko.
• The purpose of keiko is to learn the kata
  originally its spirit, its style and the
  distinctive character are the ones automatically

• understood and acquired from experience by
  oneself after the repeated learning of the kata
  truly.
• One has to mimic and learn accurately what the
  master teaches, and the full devotion to the
  state of mind is of utmost importance. The word
  learn manabu(learn)
• came from the word mimic maneru(imtate).
• In this type of keiko, it is necessary to
  faithfully repeat the kata and immerse oneself
  into the kata, and through that rigorous kata
  person has to create a greater self.

• ??(Budo) ?(kurai)
• ??(Geido) ??(fukaku)
• ?(Kata) ??(Manabu)
• ???(Maneru)

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• The characteristics of kata
• Kata that is written ? in Japanese is so
  deeply bond into Japanese culture that one can
  almost say the kata-culture is Japanese
  traditional culture. And the representatives are
  the art of poetry, tea ceremony, flower
  arrangement, Noh, budo, etc. The beginning of
  kata in budo probably started with kyudo
  (archery) in the late Heian era, but it is
  accepted to say that it began in the Middle Ages.
  When they began to learn the art of wars
  techniques in battles - budo, devoted men and
  masters invented the standardized shugyo
  (training) forms through great efforts and their
  experience and hardships over a long period of
  time. They taught them to the disciples and began
  to form

• schools with distinctive styles and rules which
  were respected,
• learned and put into practice with speed in order
  to pass on the essence of the school. They threw
  away all side details when training for budo,
  they focus on being efficient and put the styles
  into contract, concise forms. That was the
  conviction and motto of the ancient predecessors
  toward the shugyo of budo. The disciples learn
  those kata and keep on repeating and imitate them
  to be more correct, until the point where he can
  learn the techniques of the masters arts and
  draws up a belief and spirit.
• ????(Heian jidai)
• ?(kata) model, form
• ?(kata, katachi) shape

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• ? Reflection, Effort
• In the keiko where person repeats faithfully
  the established kata taught by the master, there
  is an important meaning of effort and reflection.
  In Japanese traditional arts, there is the Zen
  mentality of ishindenshin (the expression of
  things that cannot be expressed by words), thus
  it is considered no need to teach every detail.
  Person has to constantly reflect internally of
  the things that one repeats the efforts made is
  called jishojitoku (be enlightened by oneself and
  reach understanding by oneself) Zeami repeatedly
  stressed that If person truly knows ones
  ability, then he will never lose the techniques
  and skills throughout life. If person is
  overconfident

• in his ability, then he will lose all that he has
  achieved. Keep that in mind as you go through
  keiko.

• ????(Ishindenshin)
• ????(jishojitoku)

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• He also wrote about the necessity for
  modesty and desire to learn of the practitioner
  during keiko Beginners have many weak spots and
  should make efforts to learn the techniques from
  many people in order to be able to have good
  keiko and improve the skills.
• The important thing in executing the michi is
  the ability to reflect frankly. This is the thing
  that is emphasized strongly in each particular
  michi.
• Person has to determinedly make efforts to learn
  the techniques and improve himself modestly.
• Person has to have the modest attitude to get rid
  of self pride/egoism and ask questions when there
  are unclear things.

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• The structure of keiko is to allow the
  practitioner to make the leap from the repetition
  of restricted, passive and de-personalized kata
  to the free, active and individualized kata. This
  seemingly contradicted aspect is made possible as
  a result of the reflection, and effort .
• From our experience, keiko is not simply just
  the quantitative amount of practices, but it is
  the importance that we feel acutely about posture
  and stance to the

• minute things like hand and finger positions
  that we acknowledge day by day and repeat in
  keiko while reflect upon them. Through selfless
  and continuous reflections, the true self and
  individuality is born.

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• ? Selfless
• The origin of michi, in the tradition of
  Buddhist ascetic trainings, emphasizes parting
  from fame and fortune as one condition, and in
  the keiko of do, it is important to throw away
  selfishness. In texts of budo and the arts, it
  also emphasizes the pursuit of selflessness
  through the controlling of stubbornness,
  selfishness, self-centeredness and the self.
  Person has to strongly control the self and
  immerse himself into the teachings of the master
  and the kata of the predecessors so that the
  teachings and the kata become a reflection of
  himself. In fact, it is often the case that those
  who do not make efforts to correct themselves and
  do not pay attention to their own vices and
  weaknesses, do not improve.

• Therefore, it is a compulsory state of mind for
  the practitioner of do michi to become selfless.
  In keiko, it is not about carrying out the michi
  for ones purpose or for some particular
  purposes, rather it has to be carrying out the
  michi for the michis sake.

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• 3.Current Sports and Budo Thoughts German
  text War Strategy of the Far East
• In this age of doping problems in modern sports,
  here is an essay made by Angelica Felster, a
  German karate trainer. In Essay she proposes that
  directions for all sports can be found in the
  War Strategy of the Far East.
• Person should make it more human according to
  the sport slogan of higher, faster, stronger.
  In all sport activities, accomplishment makes up
  an extremely small part of the sport experience.
  Sports give more possibilities than any other
  field in life. However, in the West these
  possibilities are not fully realized. It stresses
  too much on the self realization and
  individualistic self

• acknowledgement in competitions and trains
  accordingly. In this way, it emphasizes too much
  on tournaments and competitions, and gives birth
  to the strong inclination toward external aspects
  such as result, winning and achievement.

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• On the other hand, the practice of sports, in the
  tradition of michi, is to carry it on over
  persons entire life. Person follows his way . He
  looks toward the goal set in that michi and make
  efforts to move forward. The important thing is
  to place value on the entire process. Person
  learns and develops through maturing process and
  achievement of self-awareness. The results will
  not appear externally, but since the stress is on
  the formation process, person continues firmly on
  the michi the same as before, whether after
  victory or defeat.
• That is the main idea of her essay. Her point is
  that the practicing of sport in the michi
  mentality is not about winning or losing, rather
  it places importance on the process

• that pays respect to self-experience. However,
  practicing sport in the michi mentality does not
  mean ignoring the results, but rather the result
  is secondary to the execution of the michi.