Japanese Martial Arts: Complete Guide to Karate, Judo, Aikido, Kendo & More

Japan’s complex history of feudal conflict and the underlying ethos of ‘Bushido’, or the ‘Way of the Warrior’, has led to the development of more specialized martial arts than most other countries. From the graceful movements of Aikido to the powerful strikes of Karate and the strategic grappling of Judo, each art tells its own story.

More than mere fighting techniques, these disciplines, collectively known as ‘Budo’, embody philosophies of self-discipline, respect, and the pursuit of mastery.

In this guide to Japanese martial arts, we explore the roots of these practices, modern developments, and what sets them apart. Learn about grading and ranking systems and how to choose an appropriate martial art for your practice. If you are in Japan or traveling to Japan, why not try a few out for yourself with authentic and fun experiences at Dojos all around the country?

Origins of Japanese Martial Arts

Most Japanese martial arts can trace their origins back to feudal times and historic periods of war, especially when the Samurai were a ruling class. The Samurai developed many fighting techniques or ‘jutsu’ (also ‘jitsu’), such as ‘ken-jutsu’ meaning swordsmanship or ‘kyu-jutsu’ as in archery.

The Meiji Restoration, which ended the Tokugawa Shogunate, brought with it radical changes. One of these was the general suppression of martial arts in favor of modern military armaments. Some martial arts, such as ‘jujutsu’, or close-up hand-to-hand combat, simply no longer had any bearing in the new era.

How ‘Jutsu’ Became ‘Do’

Due largely to the Western influences of competitive or recreational sports, and the need to preserve its own culture, most Japanese martial arts were reformulated. Martial arts existing prior to the Meiji Restoration were known as ‘koryu’ or traditional arts, while those that appeared after the restoration were termed ‘gendai budo’ or modern martial arts.

The word ‘jutsu’, meaning ‘skill, technique, or science’, was replaced with ‘do’, meaning ‘way’. Thus, ‘ken-jutsu’ or sword-fighting became ‘kendo’ or the ‘Way of the Sword’. However, it wasn’t simply an act of word jugglery since each fighting skill was reformulated into a holistic approach (‘do’) that focused on self-development and self-discipline, underpinned by the still prevailing ethos of Bushido. ‘Jutsu’ are still practiced today, but they are more competitive and emphasize fighting skills.

Poplar Japanese Martial Art Styles

Japan has gifted the world more specialized martial fighting arts than most other countries. Arts that have had the greatest global impact are those that simply rely on bodily prowess, such as Karate, Judo, Aikido, and Sumo. Karate, together with Korean Taekwondo, is the most popular martial art in the world, followed by MMA or mixed martial arts.

Unarmed Japanese martial arts:

• Karate

• Judo

• Aikido

• Sumo

‘Weapon-based’ based Japanese martial arts:

• Kendo (sword)

• Kyudo (bow)

• Iado (sword)

• Ninjitsu (various)

Karate

Karate, the most popular martial art in Japan, originated from Okinawa and early Kung Fu practices introduced by Chinese traders. There are four major recognized Karate styles, the most popular being Shotokan.

Karate makes use of punches, kicks, strikes, and blocks in both offensive and defensive techniques, while movements tend to be fast and direct.

The World Karate Federation acts as a governing body, and there are an estimated 60 to 100 million practitioners worldwide. Karate, however, only became an Olympic sport during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Judo

Judo is based on Jujutsu (or Jujitsu) which was a technique used by the Samurai for close up combat. After the end of the Samurai era, Jujutsu quickly fell into decline. However, in 1882, Jigoro Kano, revived the martial art and popularized it as a sport. Judo was welcomed into the Olympic fold as early as 1964, at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Judo actually means ‘the gentle way’ because it focuses on exploiting the strengths as well as weaknesses of opponents, with the goal of taking them to the ground and immobilizing them.

Judo incorporates various techniques such as grappling, holding, submission, choking and joint locking. There are various styles of Judo, but, under the Kodokan Foundation, it is more unified than Karate. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or BJJ is a derivative of Judo and Russian Sambo also incorporates Jujutsu techniques.

Kendo

Kendo, being the ‘Way of the Sword’ draws resonance across many cultures where swordsmanship was historically and culturally entrenched. Kenjutsu, or swordsmanship, was the most essential skill to a Sumarai, and it evolved in different ways during periods of war and peace.

European fencing, by comparison, is a more competitive sport using different types of metal swords. Kendo uses a representative sword made of 4 pieces of joined bamboo slats, and recognized contact points are fewer. Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are the top Kendo nations, followed by the United States and Canada.

Aikido

If Judo is the ‘gentle way’, then Aikido is the martial art of the Peace Corps. Aikido is a purely self-defensive art. A key principle is to avoid putting even an attacker in harm's way. For these reasons, it deploys alternative techniques such as wrist and arm-joint grabs.

In Aikido, there is an additional emphasis on syncing with the rhythm and intent of the opponent and acting at the right time and in position to neutralize the opponent without force. Like other Japanese martial arts, Aikido has developed various styles, some harder, some softer, and some also incorporating weapon disarmament.

Kyudo

Kyudo is essentially a form of Japanese archery. However, like other former Japanese military skills, there is an equal emphasis on physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. Kyudo has a long history rooted in Zen Buddhism and Japanese Shintoism, where the shooting of the arrow is still used in many rituals.

A key aspect of Kyudo is to achieve ‘shin-zen-bi’ (Truth-Goodness-Beauty) in every shot. Hitting the target is not seen in separation from inner harmony and emotional congruency, and Kyudo can therefore be seen as a form of ‘moving meditation’. The ‘sumi’, or bamboo bow, is asymmetrical, and the grip is a third of the way up. Kyudo is a popular sport in Japanese high schools, and outside of Japan, Kyudo is particularly popular in Europe.

Iado

Iado is a lesser-known yet significant Japanese martial art. It is a part of traditional swordsmanship and is essentially the art of skillfully drawing a sword (kata) from its shealth (saya) - ‘to’, ‘do’ or ‘kata’ in Japanese is used as a reference for ‘sword’. It is primarily a solo practice of drawing a sword to strike an imaginary opponent or attacker and bringing them down with one strike. The emphasis is on controlled, precise, and fluid motions initiated from various positions, including sitting.

Ninjutsu

Ninjutsu is the art of being a Ninja. In days gone by, ninjas involved themselves in espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and even assassination. Their unconventional methods using stealth, disguise, as well as unconventional tools and weapons, were viewed as being outside the Samurai code of honorable conduct. Traditional weaponry used by Ninja includes the ‘shuriken’ (throwing star), ‘fukiya’ (blow gun), ‘shuko’ (metal claws), and numerous others.

You can still find Ninja dojos practicing different skills, including the (peaceful) use of weaponry. The traditional Ninja heartlands are Iga in Mie Prefecture and Koka in Shiga Prefecture. These two places in particular maintain and promote Ninja culture for tourism. They have Ninja museums, Ninja houses, and they offer Ninja training experiences for visitors.

Sumo

Sumo, or Japanese wrestling, is deeply entwined with Shinto rites and ancient combat rituals. In the Japanese histories of the Kojiki and Shoki, two Shinto kami engage in a wrestling match for ownership of the Japanese islands. Ancient wall paintings show wrestling as a part of agricultural rituals, but Sumo became firmly entrenched in the imperial court during the Nara Period.

Apart from the advantages of size and weight, Sumo leans on skills such as balance, leverage, agility, and strategic maneuvers to take down opponents. Its rigorous training, emphasis on technique and mental discipline, as well as philosophical principles, are very similar to other Japanese martial arts.

How Ranking and Belt Systems Work

Most Japanese martial arts use a similar ‘kyu’ (novice) and ‘dan’ (expert) ranking system. This system was first deployed in Judo and later adopted by other martial arts. In Judo, compared to karate, there are slight differences in the number of ‘kyu’ levels, and Judo uses additional colors beyond black for ‘dan’ levels.

Aikido schools tend to use only white belts for all ‘Kyu’ levels and a black belt for ‘dan’ levels. The difference in Kendo rankings is that Kendo does not use belt colors, but rather titles to distinguish seniority.

Kyu rankings:

In Karate, there are generally ten ‘kyu’ levels starting with white, or ‘mukyu’, as the lowest or 10th grade. The colors of the belts rank in the following order:

(10) White - (9) Yellow - (8) Orange - (7) Green - (6) Blue - (5) Purple - (4) Brown

Brown is typically divided into 3 additional rankings or shades. Some schools may use a two-color belt system. In other systems, and also in Judo and Aikido, the ranking starts from six, indicating ‘white’, and ends with one brown ranking.

Dan rankings:

The first black belt level is ‘Shodan’ in Japanese. The highest attainable ‘dan’ is usually 10 (‘Judan’), which is reserved for founders of schools and exceptionally influential practitioners.

To advance from one level to the next typically requires a minimum time period, together with the attainment of certain set criteria.

Additionally, each ‘Dan’ or grade comes with increased responsibility. For example, for ‘sandan’ or 3rd black belt, the holder can function as a supervisor or junior instructor. After this level, titles come into play, such as Renshi - polished instructor for levels 5 and 6 - Kyoshi or teacher for levels 7 and 8 - and Hanshi for master instructors and highly respected persons.

How to Experience Martial Arts in Japan

Whether you are a temporary resident of Japan, an aspiring international student, or a tourist, there are some great experiences to be had in Japanese martial arts.

1. In Tokyo, there are various kyudo experiences to enjoy in a fully equipped dojo, but Hankyu Dojo Yumiyasan has a limited range of fields, great for children.

2. In Nara City, the official Nara Visitors Center and Inn has a unique kyudo experience within a traditional wooden dojo and a full range shooting field.

3. To up your Ninja skills, the Ninja Museum in Iga has a tourist ninja experience, as well as lessons for longer-term residents. For even more fun outdoors, try the Ninja Training Village near Akame Waterfalls.

4. There are various hands-on sumo experiences in Tokyo that you can book via agents like Viator or Activity Japan. In Taima, Ikaruga City, the official Sumo Museum hosts experience events and Sumo demonstrations.

5. For other martial arts, there are numerous budo experiences that you can sign up for, regardless of which part of Japan you are traveling through.

Tips on Choosing a Suitable Martial Art

If you are thinking of taking up a martial art, there are a number of things worth considering. The first is to understand your goals. Do you want to focus on self-defense, fitness, mental development, or cultural immersion?

Some martial arts, such as Karate, can include all of these. However, some people may find karate too aggressive or physically demanding. In that case, Judo may be a better option. Aikido is a great choice for people who are perhaps older, not so physically capable, or as an option that involves less physical contact.

While Kendo can be physically demanding, there is less contact than either Judo or Karate. Kyudo is a good option for mental development and is less focused on physical demands.

Sumo tends to be more specialized, and Ninjutsu is more locally based in Japan. However, if you are traveling to Japan, these two arts offer some of the most fun and unique experiences, especially for children and people who love outdoor activities.

Japanese Wellness for Body and Mind

The Journey to Mastery Begins

A true martial artist will say that a journey of ‘a thousand miles begins with a single step’. What’s more, you may surprise yourself with where you eventually end up. For all practitioners, an important Japanese saying is ‘rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru’, meaning that respect is the beginning and end of all things.

If you have enjoyed a martial arts experience while traveling in Japan, or if you are a practitioner, let us know about it in the comments below.