Japan is a country in which traditions are closely intertwined with the latest technological innovations. Among the skyscrapers, robots and computers, there was a place for the numerous martial arts that were formed over the long years of the existence of this country. Meanwhile, while most other martial arts developed the technique of striking with their hands and legs, the Japanese paid the greatest attention to wrestling techniques, since to hit with armor with their fists is not the most useful activity on the battlefield. Fortunately, many traditional Japanese martial arts have survived to this day. Some in processed form, while others came to us almost the same as they were hundreds of years ago. Of course, it is problematic to apply traditional techniques in the framework of a sports match, which made the development of such arts a minority inheritance. It is thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts that we can study and develop techniques developed by experienced warriors of ancient Japan.
Japanese sumo wrestling
What do most people associate with the Land of the Rising Sun? Sakura, geisha, samurai and, of course, sumo. This amazing type of struggle takes its source from ancient times. Although many Japanese researchers find peculiar evidence that wrestling tournaments were held on the territory of present-day Japan more than a thousand years ago, it is impossible to determine the exact date of the birth of sumo wrestling. Wrestling tournaments have been held since time immemorial and were accompanied by all kinds of rituals and ceremonies. That is, they were more religious in nature than competitive. Initially, the rules almost did not limit the capabilities of the fighters. It was allowed to strike with legs and arms on any parts of the body, which led to significant injuries.
Only in the Heian era were the rules for the fight drafted, an intelligible judging system appeared. Since then, sumo has steadily lost its religious significance and has become more and more likened to modern sport, which made it only more popular among the masses. However, during the terrible internecine wars that swept the Japanese lands, this type of struggle was increasingly used by soldiers in battles. So there was a division between the military look of sumo and its sporty variety. Numerous martial arts schools, known to this day, later began to branch out from the combat direction.
Sumo these days
Ancient competitions of giants are popular in Japan today. Today, sumo is the Japanese national struggle, which has become one of the invariable symbols of this country. Professional sumo wrestlers, or rikishi, as they are called in the homeland of this art, are very popular, along with show business stars and outstanding athletes. Although in general being a sumo wrestler today is far from being as prestigious as in the old days, the most eminent wrestlers are very rich and have many fans. Often, eminent rikishi are popular among women, despite the specificity of their appearance. Wrestlers are easier to get average, by the standards of Japan, a salary and are at about the same level as ordinary civil servants.
Why are sumoists so huge? The thing is that in today's sumo, like a thousand years ago, the weight categories are completely absent, which makes the participation of lightweight athletes inappropriate. Modern fights are held on a special round arena, 4.55 m in diameter, which is built from clay and covered with a layer of sand. In addition, during the construction of this traditional building, special rituals are held - special offerings are buried in the center of the arena, and immediately before the tournament the place is flooded with blessed sake in order to earn the favor of the gods. It is interesting that even today, women are not allowed to enter this platform. Tournaments are held every 2 months in Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and in the capital - Tokyo, which hosts as many as 3 out of 6 such tournaments. As before, the rikishi are divided into two camps - East and West. During the exit to the platform, a special ritual is observed, designed to drive away evil spirits and other evil spirits. The dressing wrestlers wear is called kesho-mawashi and is an expensive and complex construction that can weigh up to 10 kg. This bandage is embroidered with gold and silver and is made only by hand, so it is very expensive. It only shows how important the Japanese sumo wrestling is in modern culture.
Sumoist Life
Young men aged 10 to 15 years are taken to sumo wrestling clubs, preferring well-built recruits. A beginner, getting into the club of this unusual struggle, does not have any rights, but acquires a lot of responsibilities. He must cook for older students, clean and wash after them. The beginner must follow all instructions instantly and without unnecessary questions. Such an army discipline can scare away an unsure adherent, but those who stay and go through such a school will become excellent fighters, or maybe one of them will even receive the coveted title of absolute champion or yokozun. Oddly enough, future rikishi come to this sport as ordinary young men, and they acquire an incredible size thanks to the special regime of the day and constant training.
Sumoists get up at dawn. After all the necessary procedures, they immediately go to many hours of grueling training. This Japanese struggle requires complete dedication. This is the only way to withstand 4-5 hours of training. After that, the wrestlers take a bath and go for breakfast. The main food at this time is a special stew of meat and vegetables - chanko. It is cooked in a cauldron over low heat and the recipe for this dish is familiar to every rikishi, as it is they who cook food in turn. After eating, sumo wrestlers go to sleep for 2-3 hours in order to convert food into fat as efficiently as possible. After that, evening training and dinner takes place. Sumo wrestlers eat only twice a day, but a lot. Also, they are not limited in the use of alcoholic beverages, that is, drinking sake or beer at dinner is not considered to be something bad among sumo wrestlers.
Jujutsu
The complete opposite of sumo is the Japanese jujitsu fight, or jujutsu. In it, in contrast to the power methods of warfare characteristic of sumoists, emphasis is placed on skills that provide a fighter with a victory over a stronger opponent. The jujutsu technique was formed under the influence of numerous internecine wars, which Japanese history is so rich in. Therefore, this Japanese struggle is awash with completely inhuman methods of warfare. In jiu-jitsu, there are many creases and grabs designed to break a limb or strangle an opponent. Also in this martial art, vital points on the enemy’s body are actively affected, which makes it impossible to conduct full-fledged competitions in this type of struggle.
This unique Japanese art is more traditional than other types of Japanese wrestling. Many jujutsu techniques seem too complicated and impractical for modern man. However, one must understand that this art was created for warfare, where various types of knives were widely used. Most Jiu-Jitsu techniques are aimed at disarming the enemy or for taking up a position from which it is more convenient to use your own weapons. The principles on which this struggle is built are interesting. Jiu-Jitsu masters use the strength of the enemy against him, preferring not to get involved in a straightforward confrontation. This art makes full use of knowledge about biomechanics and leverage, which makes the jujutsu master a dangerous opponent for any fighter.
Judo
The creator of this interesting kind of wrestling is Jigaro Kano - a person who has decided to choose the best techniques and principles from jiu-jitsu in order to synthesize more applied, contemporary art. If jujutsu is translated as the art of gentleness, then translating judo means "soft way." This martial art, like many other types of Japanese wrestling, the names of which you will still find in this article, professes to overcome strength with gentleness. Techniques selected from the ancient military system have been adapted to meet this principle. In this martial art there are no punches and kicks, and the most dangerous methods for health were excluded. Therefore, in this type of Japanese wrestling there is competition, which positively affects the preparedness of athletes.
Judo fights are held on tatami - elastic mats made of modern materials or, as it was before, made of pressed straw. The wrestlers are dressed in durable jackets that seriously increase the importance of a good grip, and also participate in some choking techniques. This Japanese wrestling is characterized by beautiful amplitude throws and limited actions on the ground. Judo master can easily feel the opponent’s center of gravity and feel the vector along which his effort is directed, which allows you to throw using the opponent’s strength. This fight has gained worldwide fame. Judo is practiced all over the globe and its popularity is only growing. It is not surprising that this fight is included in the program of the Olympic Games.
Brazilian jiu jitsu
One judo and jujitsu master moved to live in Brazil, which gave rise to an interesting style of wrestling, which has become incredibly popular in recent years. His name was Mitsuyo Maeda, and it was he who taught his art to Carlson Gracie, the first member of the legendary family who laid the foundations of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Despite the fact that initially the Brazilians studied the techniques of judo and jujutsu, what they did was no longer a Japanese struggle. The Gracie family martial arts were distinguished by a wealth of techniques aimed at conducting a duel from a supine position. This unique manner of fighting was developed because some members of this wrestling family were of rather fragile physique. Thanks to the competent use of levers and structural features of the human body, they could defeat fighters much harder and more than themselves.
The most popular art of the Gracie family gained thanks to their battles with representatives of other martial arts, of which the masters of Brazilian jiu-jitsu most often emerged victorious. They proved that mysterious masters capable of killing a person with one blow are simply fiction. One after another surrendered masters of martial arts, considered the most powerful in those days. These fights between representatives of various martial arts laid the foundation for the now popular MMA, where adherents of Brazilian jiu-jitsu feel like a fish in water.
Aikido
This Japanese struggle was created by an extraordinary person - Morihei Ueshiba, who was nicknamed O-Sensei, which means “great master”. He strove to create an art that gives students not only combat skills, but also teaches them how to manage their life energy. One can safely say that aikido trains not only the body, but also the human mind.
The master of this martial art is able to neutralize the enemy, without causing him serious damage, which can not boast of craftsmen from other martial arts. In this struggle, as in judo, the emphasis is on redirecting someone else's strength, instead of using one's own. Aikido philosophy prohibits the use of this art for the sake of attack, and indeed does not encourage violence in any form. Therefore, in this type of struggle there are no attacking techniques, all techniques are exclusively defensive in nature.
Kendo
Of course, speaking of Japan, one should not forget about such an important attribute of a samurai as a samurai sword. Japanese sword fighting is called kendo and has its roots in ancient times, when the life of a person and his family could depend on the ability to wield a sword . The fencing technique has been honed for thousands of years, during which the sword masters constantly fought in bloody wars. The warrior’s technique depended on whether he could survive the battle. Therefore, useless or complex movements can hardly be found in kendo. Simplicity and efficiency are what have allowed this martial art to survive.
Previously, in fencing training, students practiced their skills mainly on shells and trees, since real sparring was very dangerous. Even training matches were then held with real weapons, which led to extremely high injuries. Nowadays, special bamboo swords and durable protection are used. This allows you to conduct training fights without worrying about the health of athletes. However, this is not just a Japanese stick fight; all kendo techniques can be applied with a samurai sword. Without a doubt, this spectacular art will develop and spread throughout the world.
Modern Japanese wrestlers
Today, martial arts in the Land of the Rising Sun are still popular. Japanese wrestlers are considered one of the best in the world. They participate in competitions according to the rules of MMA, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Japanese freestyle wrestling is also well developed. This country was one of the first to see the incredible potential of mixed martial arts. And given the huge number of fighters living in Japan, there are always those who want to get into the cage. It is also worth noting the skill of Japanese judokas, which often show incredible results in international competitions. I would like to believe that the MMA fights held in this country will make martial arts even more popular among the Japanese, and we will be able to see more skilled fighters from Japan.
Japanese martial arts
The amazing world of Japanese martial arts has techniques for every taste. For example, the Japanese hand-to-hand fighting of jujutsu with a huge number of ancient techniques, which is not only a system of self-defense, but also a unique cultural heritage. For those who prefer wrestling techniques, there is karate. A peaceful and kind person will find everything that is needed in aikido. This system not only teaches self-defense, but also helps to achieve harmony and spiritual perfection. If you like competition, then you will like another Japanese fight, the name of which is judo. The skills acquired in it will help fend for itself, and a sporty lifestyle will bring health and joy to your life. Japanese wrestling is popular around the world. Dozens of countries have thousands of halls promoting the art of the Land of the Rising Sun. There is reason to believe that the martial arts of Japan over the years will only become more popular. This gives us hope for a brighter future.