ReishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More (礼式) and reihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More (礼法) are two Japanese terms commonly encountered in martial arts that refer to etiquette, formal conduct, and the proper expression of respect. Although they are sometimes given different definitions, their meanings overlap considerably, and both are used in traditional and modern Japanese martial arts.
In general, reishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More emphasizes formal ceremonial procedures, while reihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More emphasizes the methods and rules of proper etiquette. However, this distinction is not absolute, and the terms are frequently used interchangeably.
Reishiki 礼式 | Formal Etiquette; Ceremonial Protocol
Kanji breakdown:
- ReiRei 礼 | Bow; respect — An expression of courtesy or respect, including the formal bow performed in Japanese martial arts. More 礼 — Respect, courtesy, bow.
- Shiki 式 — Form, ceremony, prescribed procedure.
ReishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More refers to established forms of etiquette, particularly the ceremonial actions performed according to a prescribed sequence.
In Japanese swordsmanship, reishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More may include the formal procedures for entering and leaving the training area, bowing to the dojo or instructor, placing and handling the sword, and beginning or concluding practice.
The term is well established in traditional Japanese sword arts. Minoru Kōno Hyakuren, twentieth-generation head of a Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū lineage, included a section titled ReishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More in his 1962 publication Iaidō Shintai (居合道真諦).
ReishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More is therefore not exclusively a modern kendō term, nor is it limited to a particular school of swordsmanship.
Reihō 礼法 | Etiquette; Methods of Showing Respect
Kanji breakdown:
- ReiRei 礼 | Bow; respect — An expression of courtesy or respect, including the formal bow performed in Japanese martial arts. More 礼 — Respect, courtesy, bow.
- Hō 法 — Method, rule, principle.
ReihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More refers to the proper methods of demonstrating courtesy and respect. In Japanese martial arts, it encompasses formal bowing procedures, appropriate behavior, and the correct handling of weapons and training equipment.
In iaidō, reihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More may govern how a practitioner carries the sword, performs standing or seated bows, places the sword before practice, and returns it to its proper position afterward.
The term is widely used in contemporary Japanese martial arts instruction, including the All Japan Kendo Federation’s standardized iaidō curriculum. It also appears in the teachings and publications of classical Japanese martial traditions.
ReihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More is not restricted to martial arts. In everyday Japanese, it can refer more generally to manners, etiquette, and proper ceremonial conduct.
The Difference Between Reishiki and Reihō
The distinction is primarily one of emphasis rather than a strict separation of meaning.
ReishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More tends to emphasize the formal structure or prescribed sequence of ceremonial actions.
ReihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More tends to emphasize the correct methods and principles of etiquette.
For example, the entire ceremonial sequence performed before beginning sword practice might be described as reishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More, while the prescribed manner of performing an individual bow might be described as reihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More.
However, either term may be used for the broader procedure. Japanese dictionaries recognize the words as near synonyms, and Japanese martial arts organizations do not apply a universal distinction between them.
Both terms appear in published instruction on classical swordsmanship, including material on Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū and Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū.
Related Etiquette Terms
ReiRei 礼 | Bow; respect — An expression of courtesy or respect, including the formal bow performed in Japanese martial arts. More 礼 | Bow; respect — An expression of courtesy or respect, including the formal bow performed in Japanese martial arts.
RitsureiRitsurei 立礼 | Standing bow — A bow performed from a standing position. More 立礼 | Standing bow — A bow performed from a standing position.
ZareiZarei 座礼 | Seated bow — A formal bow performed from a seated or kneeling position. More 座礼 | Seated bow — A formal bow performed from a seated or kneeling position.
Tōrei 刀礼 | Bow to the sword — A ceremonial bow performed toward the sword in iaidō practice.
Shōmen ni ReiShōmen ni Rei 正面に礼 | Bow to the front — A command to bow toward the front of the dojo or designated place of respect. More 正面に礼 | Bow to the front — A command to bow toward the front of the dojo or designated place of respect.
Summary
ReishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More and reihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More are both legitimate Japanese martial arts terms, with documented usage in traditional swordsmanship as well as modern budō. While reishikiReishiki 礼式 means formal etiquette; ceremonial protocol. It's the prescribed ceremonial procedures observed in Japanese martial arts, particularly formal bows and actions performed before and after training. More often emphasizes ceremonial procedures and reihōReihō 礼法 means etiquette; methods of showing respect. The proper methods of demonstrating respect and courtesy in Japanese martial arts, including bowing, sword handling, and dojo conduct. More the methods of proper etiquette, their meanings overlap, and neither term belongs exclusively to kendō, iaidō, or kenjutsu.
The particular ceremonies, bows, and rules of conduct vary among martial arts schools and lineages.
