Riai (理合) is an important classical budō concept meaning the underlying principles that make a technique work — the logic, reason, or principled harmony behind movement. This is a term used in koryū bujutsu, kenjutsu, iaido, aikidō, and jūdō theory….
Buki is a broad umbrella term in the martial arts that means “weapons.” It includes mêlée weapons such as the 剣 (ken) – sword; 刀 (katana) – single-edged sword; 槍 (yari) – spear; 薙刀 (naginata) – glaive; 棍 / 棒…
Empi-uchi (肘打ち) is a standard Japanese martial-arts term meaning elbow strike. You may find it in karate, jujutsu, judo (kata only), and kobudo. Empi strikes include: horizontal elbow; vertical elbow; upward elbow; backward elbow; spinning elbow; dropping elbow. You can…
In classical Japanese martial arts, Koryū Bujutsu (古流武術) is best described as pre-modern samurai combat systems preserved through direct lineage, emphasizing weapons, battlefield tactics, and kata-based transmission, preserved through lineages that existed before the Meiji Restoration (1868). Koryū Bujutsu systems…
In classical Japanese martial arts (古流武術 – koryū bujutsu), kirigami (切紙) refers not to decorative paper art, but to a specific type of certificate or license, traditionally handwritten on folded or cut paper that is awarded to a student who…
Ashisabaki (足捌き) is a standard Japanese budō term meaning “footwork.” It refers to the coordinated, efficient movement of the feet used to: maintain balance, control maai (間合い, distance), generate power, evade attacks, enter or turn smoothly (irimi/tenkan). It is one…
Anza (安座) is an old Japanese word meaning “peaceful sitting” or “sitting calmly.” 安 (an) means peace, calm, ease. It also appears in words like anzen (safety) or an-shin (peace of mind). 座 (za) means seat, sitting posture, place. It…
Sensei (先生) is one of the most central and culturally rich words in Japanese, especially within the dōjō (道場) and traditional arts. In Japan, sensei is used as a respectful title for: Teachers (school, university, or private instructors) Masters of…
Iaido (居合道) is the art of drawing the Japanese sword (katana), cutting, and resheathing it — performed with control, awareness, and grace. It’s both a martial discipline and a meditative practice centered on drawing and cutting with the sword in…
Koshi mawashi (腰回し) is a widely used Japanese term, both in martial arts and general body movement training. In budō and traditional martial arts, koshi mawashi refers to the rotational movement of the hips — generating power, balance, and connection…
Komekami (こめかみ) is the common everyday term specifically referring to the temple area on the side of the head. It is the most commonly used term in martial arts terminology — particularly in karate, aikido, judo, and various koryū —…
The spirit of Bushido, or the way of the warrior, encompasses a set of ethical and moral principles that guided the samurai class in feudal Japan. These principles are often cited in modern Budo, Japanese ethics discourse, and various interpretations…
In a Japanese training hall, the shōmen (正面) is the front, most honored wall of the dōjō, where the shinzen (神前) or kamidana (神棚) is located. It represents the spiritual and directional center of the dojo. It is often decorated…
Shinzen (神前) means Place of God. The first kanji 神 “shin” means ‘God’ and the second 前 “zen” means ‘in front of’. “Shinzen” is the place where there is a spirit of god. In martial arts, Shinzen refers to the…
A breakfall, known in Japanese martial arts as ukemi (受け身), is a technique for safely absorbing the impact of a fall or being thrown. The goal is to protect the head and vital areas, disperse force across broader surface areas…
Originally, dōjō (道場) was a Buddhist term, referring to: “The place where enlightenment is sought.” In ancient temples, monks called their meditation hall a dōjō — the space where they cultivated understanding through practice. When martial arts were influenced by Zen and other…
Japanese numbering systems can seem somewhat opaque and irregular to westerners. There are basically two types of number systems used in martial arts. The first is Native Japanese (Kun’yomi) which uses the basic numbers like ichi, ni, san, shi, go,…
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