2. The Difference between Budo and Bujutsu and Kobudo(Kobujutsu)

In Japan, the word: Martial arts have various meanings. At times, even though we are Japanese, we cannot distinguishable from the word.  

This time we will focus on the point: the difference between Budo and Bujutsu and Kobudo (Kobujutsu).

As having explained last time, Budo and Bjutsu differ from historical background. When we give a detailed definition of martial arts, we need the word: Kobudo (Kobujutsu). In English, “Ko” means old and “bodo (bujutsu)” means martial arts. Literally, it means “Japanese Old Martial Arts”: the main theme of this blog. Two word (Kobudo and Kobujutsu) used in the same meaning. Some people called just discriminate the nuance between “dou” and “jutsu”. 道(dou) means way and 術(jutsu) means skill. For the sake of convenience, Kobudo only use for the purpose of discriminate between old martial arts and present (after the Meiji Restoration) age martial arts.

So, we will take up the difference between Budo and Bujutsu as a central point. In the Warring States period, martial arts (Bujutsu) developed as a skill to kill enemies. When the period has come to an end and it became a peaceful world, martial arts were changed. A skill to kill enemies transformed into a means to train mind and body. In short, martial arts (Budo) understood connected with Bushido (the code of the samurai) in Edo period. This point is very important. The ideas about martial arts inherited until today, and the ideas made martial arts more attractive. When we get right to the point about the difference, Budo define on the premise that it is not kill enemies. That’s why many Japanese people love martial arts and Japanese martial arts are popular among foreigner.

In our times, sometimes martial arts are recognized as a sport. And it has two-facedness: cultural side and game side. Where is it going? Asking for the answer is a future subject.

This time, we took up little about Japanese old martial arts. Next, we will take up peculiar element in Japanese old martial arts.

A list of references: 武道　過去・現代・未来(Martial Arts  The Past, Today and The Future)   田中 守(written by Mamoru Tanaka)

                                古武術・剣術がわかる事典(The Encyclopedia which can understand about Old Martial Arts and Japanese swordsmanship)　牧　秀彦(written by Hidehiko Masa)

                                日本古武道総覧(A Compendium of Japanese Old Martial Arts)　　日本古武道協会編集(Japanese Old Martial Art Association edit)