Three Levels of Martial Arts Secrets

All students want to know the secrets of the martial arts. There's got to be martial arts secrets behind all those blocks and strikes, right? Well, it may be tough for some people to handle, but this article is going to point you in the direction of those hidden gems that only the mightiest of the martial arts masters know.

One out of a thousand people who begin a study of the martial arts get a black belt. This is a sad commentary, and does not speak highly of the various styles, and especially of their teachers. So only one in a thousand people have gone to the top of their art and found the truth of the various taekwondo secrets and karate secrets.

Out of the thousand people who reach black belt, only one can be considered a real black belt. A real black belt (one in a million) is one who has 'matured,' which is the actual meaning of the word 'Dan,' which word signifies the levels of black belt. To mature means to give up the desire to fight, to stop being foolish, to take responsibility for what one does, and this is the indication that somebody actually understands the first level of mystery in the various types of martial arts.

Now, the story goes strange, for out of the people who learn the external arts to this high level, only one out of a thousand will study another art to the point of understanding that arts mysteries! This is the next stage of the martial arts mysteries: wudan kung fu secrets and aikido secrets. That's one in a billion who will actually pursue their dream to the point of understanding both the hard and the soft sides of the martial arts!

Now, of those billion people, only one in a thousand--that's right, one in a trillion--will finally understand the truth of the fighting disciplines. This means overcoming the slant and taint of school and system and such and actually perceiving the true physics inherent in the martial arts. The actual physics are described by such laws as 'For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, but they develop into 'For every action there is a source point.'

Interestingly, one would assume that Wudan based arts, or Aikido, or that ilk, would teach second level physics. Unfortunately, though one does see isolated incidents of individual achievement, the arts themselves are biased and slanted. Just as a person who thinks he is the only one... isn't, so do arts which hold themselves up as the only one... are not.

Interestingly, and here is the crux of the problem, of the few people who do become capable, and who do manifest the second level of physics, none understand it. They teach through mysticism, you see, and do not offer concrete science for explaining what they are doing and why. For there to be a true art there must be a science, a system backed up by a method which works every time, and which leads one through and to solid manifestation of the second level of physics.

So one in a thousand actual learns an art, and one in a million actually becomes an artist, and one in a billion actually can do something which is mystical, which means they can do something which follows certain rules, but they have no idea what the rules are. And only one in a trillion has penetrated through to the third level of martial arts secrets. And if you want the secrets, study one art until you understand it, complement it with a second art until you understand it, then find the person who understands the science behind what you are doing, that is the only and true way to find out those fabulous martial arts secrets.

The Importance of Humanity in Karate

Karate was fashioned on the model provided by Kendo and Judo. It was intended to be a 'style' of Martial Arts in itself but this never came about, perhaps because of WW2, or there may be other reasons. In any case, the original school system spawned Shotokan-Ryu, Wado-Ryu and Shito-Ryu. Goju-Ryu was developed much later and was accepted in to the Okinawa school system many years after the original karate program of Itosu.

If there had not have been a revision of Jujutsu into Judo, and Kenjutsu into Kendo, it is possible that those arts would not have survived. They were frowned upon by the new society. Similarly, Okinawa 'Te' was not popular and considered a violent activity by the general community, the more refined art of karate succeeded and was responsible for the continuation of this Okinawan Martial Art, albeit in another form.

Itosu realized that education was the key and that with education came humanity and understanding, and less need for civil self-defense. Okinawa had no organized sport like we know it today so an exercise regime, such as karate, was a brilliant stroke of genius on his part. Karate was to be a community exercise program, an educational undertaking to promote humanity and a pathway back to brutal self-defense should it be necessary.

Unfortunately karate has become a sport and recreational activity taught by those of both a high and a low rank. Very few know what it is they are teaching and mainly focus on all the wrong aspects. The physical techniques are not well understood so the basics of kata are taught as the foundation of karate. The humane aspects are rarely discussed or, are taught via the dojo kun and paid lip service only.

Karate was developed in Okinawa, a small backward country at that time, with very few people involved, yet we somehow consider that they have developed a complete system that will allow one to beat of 4, 8 or more attackers. The secret of karate is common sense and a combination of physical practice and intellectual study (bunburyodo).

One of the mistakes made today is to sell Karate as a product, it is not something that can be bought and sold like a hamburger. You are paying for someone's knowledge, skill and ability to pass on important information about how to gain health, fitness, compete in sport and defend yourself. You are paying a fee for an educational service. Apparently it's no longer important whom you learn from but at the end of the day, the only rank you hold is that of personal knowledge and ability.

How can one teach humanity? By setting standards. I don't think it can actually be taught but perhaps it can be nourished and nurtured. It's a bit like thinking that karate builds character. If someone is of poor character then that may be impossible to change.

It is important to ensure that a sense of fairness and consideration of others is the benchmark of any karate class. If we are to allow training partners to punch, strike and kick just mm's from our body then we must have trust in their character and faith in their humanity.

Nobody likes to be taken advantage of and we are brought up to have faith and trust in those in authority such as teachers. Hypocrisy by karate teachers destroys that trust, especially in the area of morals and ethics. Poor instruction can lead to karate damaging a person's character. Poor role models can influence a student of any age in the wrong direction.

It is a great responsibility in teaching anything, but especially karate. If it is misused the consequences can be very serious. Certainly karate training does not make anyone invincible but it can make one dangerous to those that have no self-defense skills.

Students need to be taught with great caution about the effects of striking another human being. Many people suffer serious injury from being knocked to the ground, not from the punch but from hitting their head on the hard floor. How can you give someone a loaded gun with no instructions in the why and when, and not be responsible if another human being is maimed?

Luckily most human beings are reasonably sensible and humane. I remember a case where a karate student was convicted of killing his own unborn child by kicking it's mother in the stomach when she was pregnant! We all know of karate instructors that have been charged with crimes against children.

If karate is to be taught like an aerobics class at the gym then there is a problem. Aerobics is about health and fitness, karate may be utilized in that fashion but there is still a need for explanation and standards of behavior to be set.

Are you a karate teacher, a sports coach or a gym instructor? Is your place of instruction a dojo, a clubhouse or a gym? All are worthwhile but you should not fool yourself or others. If your level of expertise is of a low level then admit to it and don't leave others thinking you are an expert. Otherwise, unintentionally, you are giving the experts a bad name.

Karate should be enjoyable, i.e. serious fun. One cannot pretend to be a Doctor, a Dentist, a Solicitor or a karate teacher, these are all known as Sensei, someone that has reached a certain stage of understanding, not someone who has yet to pass beyond the novice stage.

A Black Belt or Black and White Belt doesn't entitle the wearer to teach. They need to have a thorough knowledge of the content and training in the principles of teaching. If they are to teach a watered down sport version, as some suggest, then they still need to know enough so as not to cause injury to those within their duty of care.

Cheyne McMahon

Are Aikido Throws Efficient, Effective and Safe

You can learn how to perform amazing Aikido throws in an efficient and effective way by joining your local Aikido club.  Practise on a regular basis, and you will soon be able to successfully throw your training partner.

Of course, you will have to work on many other skills, before you can attempt to throw in an effective way. For example, you'll have to learn the Aikido club rules/etiquette, how to fall safely, the movements of a variety of techniques, how to effectively work together with a partner in order to develop your techniques further.

After a while you will be able to perform some amazing Aikido throws, that your training partner would not be able to resist... even if they were foolish enough to try!

What are these Aikido Throws?

Well, there are many basic techniques in the art of Aikido, and hundreds of advanced variations as well. Many are simple takedowns that lead to a controlling pin, or they can be adapted into an Aikido throw.

Aikido teaches you how to be spontaneous during your training and find the best possible way to control an attacker... using the minimum amount force.

So, lets take a look at some of the most effective throws. Now, by effective, I mean those that will work under difficult street conditions. This will limit some of the more complex moves that appear to be more flashy, and unlikely to work in a violent street attack situation.

One of the more basic Aikido throws is tenchi-nage, which is based on the principles of heaven and earth, where you reduce your opponents strength by distracting the mind. This is done by sending their energy up and down at the same time, giving you the ability to unbalance them to the rear.

This can easily be adapted into irimi-tsuki, where you control your attacker by lifting their chin up with the palm of your hand, to off-balance them to the rear... effective for all types of attack, dojo or street.

Of course to make a throw work, there are a series of conditions you will need to observe. You must make sure you get the timing right, or you will be too early or too late. If early you can be accused of attacking them, and if too late, you may be hurt.

You will also need to take control of the opponents mind by distracting them. This can be done with a sudden unexpected move, a ki-ai shout, or even an atemi strike to a pressure point.

Another important aspect of making a simple throw work on the street, is learning how to deal with fear and a surge of adrenaline, that will either...

1 - Make you freeze on the spot, and maybe get hurt.
2 - Walk or run away from the situation... good idea!
3 - Apply a successful defence, using minimum force.

But, you have to ask yourself - Is it safe to throw someone down?

In the training hall your partner has learned how to fall safely, and they have nice mats to cushion the effects. In the street your attacker could bang their head on concrete, or another hard surface. This is highly dangerous for them, so it is much better to control them by breaking their balance and take them down in a controlled manner, if possible.

Another very effective throw is called Koshi-nage, where you duck under your attackers hips. This has the effect of taking their legs away and forcing them into a break-fall or pile driver. This will only work if they are coming at you with plenty of momentum, if not you will be vulnerable!

Once again good in the dojo with experienced training partners and mats, but in the street your attacker could be badly hurt. If it is an all out war that you need to survive, by all means go for it. But in my opinion, there are much safer and effective controlling techniques available.

In time, and with dedication to your training, your Aikido Instructor will pass on to you his experience and knowledge in this area... happy training!

Tony Wilden

Aikido Health Centre

Tony Wilden has been studying health and spirituality for over 30 years and Aikido since 1985. He founded the Arun Aikido Club in West Sussex UK in 1992, and has given dozens of demo's and 1000's of health treatments.

Will My Martial Art Get Me To The UFC?

Will My Martial Art Get Me To The UFC? 

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity and ratings over the past couple of years. Love it or hate it, it looks like the UFC is here to stay. Consequently many men in the 18 – 34 demographic are becoming more interested in the martial arts.

 After watching great strikers such as Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva and Houston Alexander and watching the incredible grappling and wrestling skills of Randy Couture, Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, many martial artists are asking themselves the question “Will my martial art get me to the UFC?” 

The answer to this question is very simple. 

No, your martial art will not get you to the UFC! Make that a maybe, instead of a definite no. 

OK, I can already tell that some of you may be shocked at that one line put down of you, your chosen martial art and your UFC aspirations. After all I don’t know anything about you but let me expand on my answer so you know where I’m coming from. 

First of all, it is important to understand that no one style has all of the elements of a complete fighting system for success in the Octagon, but many styles have a lot of them. The UFC, Pride, WEC and Elite XC are all labeled under the category "Mixed Martial Arts." This should tell you a lot in relation to the question of whether your martial art will get you to the UFC. Mixed martial arts is exactly what it says it is – a mix of several different martial arts pulled together to create the full skill set of techniques needed for survival in the ring, cage or octagon (or the street for that matter!) 

To be a successful UFC fighter you need to have a great stand-up game and a great ground game. In addition to this you need to learn take-downs and take-down defenses. This doesn’t even include the physical conditioning or the mental aspect of preparing for a fight. So here are some suggestions as to which styles you should study to give yourself the best chance of becoming a good fighter.

· Striking Skills: Boxing, Muay Thai, Shotokan, Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Savate 

· Take-Downs: Judo, Hapkido, Sanda (San Shou), Sambo 

· Grappling and Submissions: Wrestling, Brazilian Ju-jitsu, Japanese Ju-jitsu, Aikido 

There are many other martial arts not on this list that are also worthy of in-depth study; and some of them on the list include all of the above skills to a greater or lesser degree. 

So will your martial art get you to the UFC? Not by itself, but if you combine the strength of your chosen art with the missing elements that you need from some of the other styles above, then you will be well on your way. 

An Introduction To Aikido

There’s no mistaken the fact that Aikido is one of the best and most popular martial art in the United States today.  The art of Aikido is best associated with actor Steven Seagal, who made it even more popular with his movies.  Aikido is rich and history in tradition, an art that originally started in Japan back in the 1940s.

Aikido’s founder, Morihei Ueshiba, was born on December 14, 1883.  As he was growing up in modern Japan, Ueshiba witnessed the local thugs vandalize his father.  The young boy decided that he would make himself strong in order to seek revenge against the thugs.  Ueshiba was strong willed, and devoted every waking moment to physical training and martial arts.

He received a lot of certificates in jujitsu, spear fighting, and fencing.  Even though he was very impressive with his abilities, he found himself not happy with his skills.  He knew that there was more to it, and began to look into religion, hoping that he would find a greater significance with life - pursuing martial arts all the while.

Ueshiba founded the martial art of Aikido by combining both his religious beliefs and his training in martial arts.  At that time, the style was known as aikibudo, it wasn’t until 1942 that he decided to go with the name Aikido.  The style was quite different indeed, incorporating several different styles of jujitsu, aiki-jujitsu, and spear and sword fighting techniques as well.

Even though a lot of us think of Aikido as the ultimate martial art, it is an art that is based on religion and harmony.  Aikido uses joint locks, weight manipulation, and throws to achieve it’s purpose.  The martial art is very effective, which were the intentions of Ueshiba from the start.  Aikido consists of many techniques, and it is the result of Ueshiba’s creative innovation.

Aside from what many think, there really is no unified belief or philosophy in the martial art of Aikido.  While Aikido is indeed rich in heritage and religion, it believes in harmony and peace of the spirit.  By achieving a higher spiritual power, Ueshiba has always believed that the human body is capable of anything.  Even though he wanted revenge, he still stated that Aikido wasn’t about fighting, but rather a way to reconcile with the world and make every human being on giant family.

Over the years, Aikido was introduced in America with amazing results.  Steven Seagal is by far the most popular, showing the world the power and harmony of Aikido through his many movies.  There are a lot of martial arts dojo’s around North America that offer Aikido to study, possibly even some in your area.  Not only will Aikido teach you self defense, but it will also teach you harmony of the spirit and how to find inner peace as well.

Japanese Martial Arts: History, Styles, and Weapons

The history of the island nation of Japan paints a clear picture of a proud and powerful people forging a national identity, robust culture, and unique way of life from the crucible of war and uncertain peace. Central to this culture was the concept of martial valor, of being able to fight aggressively as well as defensively, both for the very practical purposes of waging war along with strong notions of duty, honor, and personal development. It was from this militaristic and spiritual foundation that the Japanese martial arts styles, of which there are legion and which will be discussed throughout this article, developed.

History

Broadly speaking, the history of Japanese martial arts can be broken down into two categories: Koryu Bujutsu (bujutsu meaning the practical application of martial tactics and techniques in actual combat) and Gendai Budo (budo meaning a way of life encompassing physical, spiritual, and moral dimensions with a focus of self-improvement, fulfillment, or personal growth).

Koryu Bujutsu encompasses the more ancient, traditional Japanese fighting styles, while Gendai Budo is more modern. The division between them occurred after the Meiji Restoration (1868), when the Emperor was restored to practical political power and Japan began the process of modernization in haste. Prior to the Restoration, the Koryu styles focused extensively, if not exclusively, on practical warfare. The Samurai, or warrior caste were expected to be masters of all forms of combat, armed and otherwise. Their martial arts evolved as weapons and technology did, but the focus always remained the same: victory in actual combat, for their own honor and for the cause of their ruler.

However, with the Meiji Restoration and the modernization of Japan, including the large-scale introduction of firearms, the traditional Japanese fighting styles of the samurai became outdated and no longer useful for their practical purpose of military combat. In their wake, the Japanese martial arts styles evolved into what came to be known as Gendai Budo, which focused far less on broad-scale military application and far more on self-improvement and personal growth. They became not just a tool for military victory, but a vital component of a fulfilling, meaningful, and spiritually connected way of life.

Interestingly, this distinction can be noted in the differing terminology: the traditional techniques were referred to as bujutsu, which specifically relates to waging war, while the modern styles are collectively known as budo, which are far more involved with personal betterment.

Styles

Traditional Japanese Martial Arts (Koryu Bujutsu)

Sumo: The oldest of Japanese martial arts styles is sumo, named after the emperor who popularized it (Shumo Tenno) in 728 AD. However, the origins of the fighting style go back long before him, to 23 AD, when the first sumo battle was fought, watched over by the emperor and continuing until one of the fighters was too wounded to continue. After Emperor Shumo reintroduced the sport, it became a staple of the annual harvest festival, spreading throughout Japan and even incorporated into military training. From the 17th century onward, it became a professional sport in every regard, open to all classes, samurai and peasants alike. The rules of the sport are simple: The first man to touch the ground with a part of the body other than the bottom of the feet, or touch the ground outside the ring with any part of the body, loses. It is still an incredibly popular sport in Japan to this day, followed religiously be legions of fervent fans.

Jujutsu: This Japanese martial arts style literally translates into "soft skills", and uses indirect force such as joint locks and throws to defeat an opponent, rather than direct force like punches and kicks, to use the attackers force against them and counterattack where they are weakest. It was initially developed to fight against the samurai, who often terrorized townspeople, as more direct forms of combat proved ineffective against well-armored foes. Small weapons such as daggers, weighed chains, and helmet smashers (tanto, ryufundo kusari, and jutte, respectively) were used as well in jujutsu. Many elements of jujutsu have been incorporated into a wide variety of more modern Japanese martial arts, including judo, aikido, and non-Japanese martial arts styles like karate.

Ninjutsu: Ninjutsu, or the art of the Ninja, has in the modern period grown to become one of the best known styles of Japanese martial arts. However, when it was developed, Ninjas were used as assassins during the turbulent Warring States Period. Although many a martial arts movie has portrayed ninjas as expert combatants, their true purpose was to avoid combat, or even detection altogether. A skilled ninja would kill his mark and be gone before anyone even suspected he was there. Ninjas were trained in the arts of disguise, escape, concealment, archery, medicine, explosives, and poisons, a skillset uniquely suited to their particular task.

Although there are a number of other Koryu Bujutsu Japanese martial arts styles, they mostly involve weapons, and will be discussed in the Japanese Martial Arts Weapons section.

Modern Japanese Martial Arts (Gendai Budo)

Judo: Literally translated into "the gentle way" or "the way of softness", Judo is an extremely popular Japanese martial art style developed in the late 19th century based on grappling, and used for sport as well as personal and spiritual development. While incorporating many jujutsu elements, it mainly involves freestyle practice and is used for competition, while removing many of the more harmful jujutsu aspects. In 1964, Judo became an Olympic sport and is currently practiced the world over.

Aikido: Aikido is one of the most complex and nuanced of the Japanese martial arts styles, and that is reflected in its name, which translates into "the way to harmony with ki", "ki" meaning life force. Aikido was developed by Morihei Ueshiba in the early-mid 20th century, and focuses primarily on striking, throwing, and joint-locking techniques. Aikido is well known for its fluidity of motion as a signature element of its style. Its principle involves the use of the attacker's own force against him, with minimal exertion on the part of the wielder. Aikido was influenced significantly by Kenjutsu, the traditional Japanese martial art of sword combat, and in many respects practitioner is acts and moves as an empty-handed swordsman. Aikido also places a strong emphasis on spiritual development, reflecting the importance of spirituality to its founder, and the resultant influence on the martial arts style.

Japanese Karate: Karate, the "way of the empty hand", was actually not originally a Japanese martial art, having been developed in Okinawa and later influenced by the Chinese. However, early in the 20th century Karate found acceptance in Japan, going so far as to be incorporated into the Japanese public school system. Japanese Karate involves linear punching and kicking, executed from a fixed stance. In this sense, it is very different from the other Japanese martial arts such as Aikido and Judo, which are more fluid in their motions.

Kempo: Kempo is a system of self-defense and self-improvement developed after WWII, based on a modified version of Shaolin Kung-Fu. It involves a combination of strikes, kicks and blocks, as well as pins, joint locks and dodges, making it a middle way between the "hard" styles like Japanese Karate and the more "soft" styles like Judo and Aikido. It was originally introduced into Japan after the war in order to rebuild Japanese morale and spirits, first adopted by large scale corporations for their employees before spreading into the culture of Japan and the larger martial arts world. Now, Kempo is practiced by over 1.5 million people in over 33 countries.

Japanese Martial Arts Weapons

Weapons played a key role in the Japanese Martial Arts, especially during the Koryu Bujutsu phase when they were practically used in combat. Here we will go through a number of Japanese martial arts weapons, as well as the martial arts styles associated with each.

Sword (Katana): Undisputed amongst the hierarchy of Japanese martial arts weapons is the Katana, or the traditional curved sword. The first Katana, with its famous strengthening folding process was forged by legendary swordsmith Amakuni Yasutsuna in 700 AD, with subsequent developments occurring between 987 and 1597 AD. During times of peace, artistry was emphasized, and during times of war, like the 12th century civil war and the 13th century Mongolian invasion, durability, effectiveness, and mass production were more important. The evolution of Swordsmanship was cyclical, with peaceful times being used to invent new techniques, and war times being used to test them. What worked survived, what didn't, didn't. During the more than 200 year peaceful period of the Tokugawa Dynasty, the art of swordsmanship changed from one focused on combat and killing to one of personal development and spiritual perfection.

Japanese Martial Arts Weapons Techniques (Katana):

Kenjutsu: the "art of the sword", this technique is the oldest and used to refer to partnered, one-on-one sword training.

Battojutsu: This is the Art of Drawing a Sword, and involves quickly stepping up to your opponent, drawing your blade, cutting them down in one or two strokes, and re-sheathing the blade. The fact that it has a category onto itself speaks volumes for the philosophy behind Japanese martial arts weapons styles. Battojutso is connected with Iaijutso, or the art of mental presence and immediate reaction, which needs to be perfected if battojutu is to be effective.

Kendo: Kendo, which translates into the "way of the sword", is a modern, gendai budo Japanese martial arts style. As the sword is no longer a combat weapon, Kendo has reinvented Japanese swordsmanship into a competitive sport. Kendo really took off once the bamboo sword and lightweight wooden armor were introduced, as they allowed for full-speed strikes without the risk of injury. Now, almost all of competitive Kendo is governed by the All Japan Kendo Federation, established in 1951.

Other Japanese Martial Arts Weapons and Martial Arts Styles

Naginata & Naginatajutsu: The naginata was a wooden pole with a curved, single-edged blade at the end. It was used by the samurai, as well as by regular footsoldiers. Naginatajutsua was the art of the naginata, used extensively in traditional Japanese combat. Interestingly, during the Edo period, the Naginata was traditionally a weapon of high-born women, and many practitioners and teachers to this day are women. In the modern world, naginata-do is the ritualistic and competitive form of naginatajutso, practiced by many in Japan and beyond.

Spear & Sojutso: this is the art of fighting with a spear. Although it used to be practiced extensively, and was a primary skill of average soldiers during times of war, it has since declined significantly in popularity, for obvious reasons.

Bow & Kyudo: Kyudo is the "way of the bow", with the Koryu name being Kyujutsu, or the art of the bow. In traditional Japanese martial arts, the bow and its art was a staple of Samurai discipline, as it was a potent military weapon. When used on horseback, it was even more devastating. However, as Japan adopted firearms, the bow was displaced as a practical instrument of war. Thus, in modern times, Kyudo is practiced for sport and contemplation rather than for warfare.

Other Japanese martial arts weapons exist, such as the tanto (dagger), ryufundo kusari (weighed chain), and jutte (helmet smasher), but the Katana, naginata, spearm and bow were the mainstays of the warrior class.

Japanese Martial Arts List

If the above was a bit too long to read, here is a concise list of the major differing Japanese martial arts styles:

Traditional Japanese Martial Arts Styles

Sumo: earliest style, involves pushing a single opponent over or knocking them from the ring.

Jujutsu: An early style used against samurai and armored opponents, it involves using throws and joint locks to use the enemies own force against them.

Kenjutsu: The art of the sword, involves fighting a single opponent one-on-one with a Katana.

Ninjutsu: The art of the ninja, involves using stealth and indirect or long-range methods of assassination.

Modern Japanese Martial Arts Styles

Judo: "The Gentle Way", based on grappling, used for sport as well as spiritual and personal development. Judo was accepted as an Olympic sport in 1964.

Aikido: "The Way of Harmony with Ki", Aikido involves fluid motion and turning the attacker's own force against him. It is also used for spiritual and personal development.

Japanese Karate: An "imported" martial art to Japan, Japanese Karate is more linear than the other arts, involving direct punches and kicks from a fixed position.

Kempo: Based on Shaolin Kung-Fu, Kempo incorporates direct strikes, kicks, and blocks, as well as indirect pins, joint locks, and dodges. Having been introduced after WWII, is incredibly popular in Japan and throughout the world.

Kendo: The "way of the sword", Kendo uses bamboo swords and lightweight wooden armor to allow full-speed strikes and has reinvented Japanese sword fighting into a competitive sport rather than an art of war.