History: page 2

Korea
The people of Korea have lived for the last 1,000 years in close contact with the Chinese mainland and with Japan and have struggled to maintain some independence from their powerful neighbor, and this is reflected in their martial arts. The main styles of Korea are the hard styles of the Tae Kwon Do (to kick, punching, way), Tang Soo Do, Hwarang Do and Hapkido; their specialty lies in their high kicks and aerial kicks.

Okinawa
Karate (empty hand), the native Okinawan art, reflects the force and determination of the Japanese arts, but also takes great advantage of the subtlety and grace of the Chinese arts. A weapons system in Okinawa is called Kubo-Jitsu (weapons art) and it specializes in the use of agricultural tools and hidden weapons within such. A few major Okinawan martial arts styles are Okinawa-Te (hand of Okinawa), Shorin-Ryu, Goju-Ryu, Isshinryu Karate, and Uechiryu Karate.

Japan
Chinese boxing also found its way into early Japan, and it was instrumental in the formation of the Japanese martial arts. The martial arts of Japan can be broken down into Bugei (martial arts) which was developed strictly for the necessary training for the development of the right framed mind and technical skills by which to defeat an opponent. The Budo (martial ways), conversely, are concerned with spiritual discipline through which the individual elevates himself mentally and physically in search of self-perfection. In other words, the Bugei are combatively practical and vigorous, and the Budo are less combatively oriented and lack the practical element inherent in the Bugei. They have lost much of he utility in practical combat.

Today in Japan the Bugei and Budo exist side by side. An example of Bugei systems are Karate-Jitsu (empty hand art), Ninjitsu (art of invisibility), Taiho-Jitsu (police restraining techniques), Jujitsu (gentle art).

Examples of Budo systems in Japan today are Judo (gentle way), Kendo, Aikido, and Karate-Do (major styles of Japan being Shotokan, Wado-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Kyokushinkai).

In our Jujitsu class, we strive for the common goal of a command of Jujitsu techniques, mental discipline, physical fitness, and development of character and fellowship, maintaining at all time the philosophy of "non-violence". We will use the Jujitsu techniques only as a last resort to protect our lives. The Jujitsu system taught in class is a combination of fifteen martial arts styles and systems from China, Korea, Okinawa, and Japan utilizing the most scientific and modern methods for use in today's society.

History Page 1