What is importance of martial arts in the community?

Answer 1

Following the millenia long golden age of peace, which lasted from about 5 B.C.E, to 1,100 A.D., Japan experienced the Sengoku ("Warring States") Period, which in turn was followed by the Toyotomi, which, in turn, was followed by the Tokugawa, which in turn was followed by the Edo period, a period in which Japan was struggling to modernized, and the last major historically changing period of Japanese history, was the Meiji. From the Sengoku through the Tokugawa eras, it was the age of the Samurai, a period lasting roughly 500 years, which was at its peak (more or less), during Musashi's lifetime. The Samurai of Musashi's lifetime, are considered the most skilled martial artists in Japanese history, reason being, they engaged in much harsh training, often lasting 6 hours or more, and much Zen meditation training, averaging roughly 2 hours. The rest of the time was spent studying.

Because Japan was ruled by the Samurai for so long, and because they were the highest class second only to the Emperor himself and the royal family, the idea of practicing Martial Arts in Japan, in the Japanese subconscious, is equivalent, to being on the same level as a Samurai. See because for so many centuries practicing ANY martial art was seen as a privelege for the highest social class, to have that privelege was considered more or less an honor. All that changed however, during the Meiji era; the Meiji government basically outlawed all Feudal era stuff, and often times only criminals would practice martial arts. The reason for this, is that gradually, each successive government from the Toyotomi to the Meiji, was removing the priveleges that came with being a Samurai. What precisely were those priveleges?

1) You could walk into any restaurant or person's house, and ask for food. In other words you did not have to have a real job, you could get 3 meals from whatever peasant or merchant you wanted, who was obligated by law to have you as a guest, and, then spend the rest of the time training in martial arts, or engaging in duels to the death.

2) Samurai did not have to pay for hookers; they got them free, and madams or pimps (old Japanese equivalent) often gave them the best ones of the house.

3) Additionally, if ANY peasant insulted you, you could lop off their head right there and then without being punished. Personally I don't think Ashkenazi Jews would have lasted very long in feudal era Japan but, moving on.

The Meiji emphasized the part of Samurai history, that had to do the socially parasitic nature of the station. During the warring states era, the above mentioned three priveleges, among others, were well-deserved because, come on now, they had a very difficult job. Because rice was used as money more than gold, and sometimes crop yields were low, many Samurai, in spite or years of loyal service became too poverty stricken to pay for anything, so laws were written basically giving them a lot of free stuff because "their job is hard." And it was; it was expected that in exchange for those priveleges, you would risk your life for your lord, peasants, and against Samurai or regular soldiers from rival clans and of course bandits.

When Toyotomi brought peace to Japan though, their job was no longer necessary, and despite the peace, they still kept the "free stuff" priveleges so for roughly 200 of their 500 years of existence, the Samurai were social parasites, and an economic drain worse yet, the law forbade Samurai from holding ANY other kind of profession EXCEPT martial arts. Because to support themselves many had to turn to crime, this led to the origins of many Yakuza gangs indeed having familial ties to Samurai clans. The fate of a given Samurai during the Meiji era, could be any of these three things, from most to least likely;

1) End up a dirty stinking drunk in a gutter somewhere, who reeks of sake among other Japanese liquors we don't know about, or hear about too often, as well as having the smell of hooker all over him. Well, hooker and dog urine. Pretty anti-climactic and humiliating for a "glorious Samurai" don't you think?

2) Ever the pragmatists, because all soldiers in the end have to be pragmatic about everything, many Samurai decided that the simplest solution, was to abandon their station, learn a trade and get a real job. Now, this is the second most common, less common than the first because most Samurai were STUBBORN as hell, so stubbornly proud, they refused adamantly to change with the times. Some were stubborn to the point where they starved to death and dogs urinated on their cadavers. Again, considering Bushido...... not a good way to go.

3) Knowing only "killing skills," in a new world of law and order, the only place where such skills had use, was in the world of crime. Now, the majority of Yakuza gangsters, come from street punk stock, and most Japanese consider them to be "total losers" who need to compensate for what big losers they are by acting like a "tough Yakuza man." Also the majority of gangs are just small time, little more than rashes for Japanese police minor anoyances. However, the most powerful gangs in Japan, all of them descend from old Samurai clans, absolutely all of them. If you run into a physically attractive Japanese young woman, or teenage girl, she starts flirting with you, you get her to your apartment, she takes off her clothes and you spot a very well done tattoo....RUN. Get the hell outta there. I'm serious; RUN. Chances are she is the daughter of a powerful Yakuza boss, very adept at the use of a Katana, who will LITERALLY have your head for screwing his daughter. Ever hear of the stereotype of the lonely New York Mafia princess? Yeah well Japan has them too; the lonely Yakuza princess.

Because in the Meiji era, you saw the birth of the Yakuza, the particularly dangerous families, the Japanese public wanted NOTHING to do with martial arts. In fact, Dr. Jigoro Kano, when he was a young man he knew a lot of people who were tied to the early days of organized crime in Japan. What is amazing about Dr. Kano, is that through sheer poise, class, martial arts skill, and distinguishing himself as a scholar, he earned the respect of the Japanese public, and changed the perception in people's minds about martial arts. Kano demonstrated that a man did not have to be a bloodthirsty animal to practice martial arts is what I'm saying, that was the service he did to the world of martial arts in Japan.

Suddenly there was a revival of the "prestige" mentality, harkening back to the age of the Samurai but this time, ANYONE with the work ethic could train now, not just members of the Samurai class which, became drowned out into Japanese society. The major influences have to do with the instillment of mental toughness, remaining calm in a stressful situation, a strong work ethic, not to mention the fact that because so many east Asian styles rely on leverage, the complexity of the moves helps with brain development. That is, if you've trained in martial arts your whole life it can make you smarter, which helps many kids with their school work. Also, the martial arts ethic teaches restraint, and as a result of that teaching of restraint, largely because of the widespread nature of Judo and Karate, crime in Japan was virtually non-existent for years. Its gotten "pretty bad" now, compared to what it was just a few years ago, but Japanese streets are generally much safer after dark than the majority of U.S. cities, and pretty much all cities in Latin America where crime is so bad, the crooks will strip you naked, they will take, literally, EVERYTHING. Even your underwear.

In short, the influence has to do with the general benefits, as well as two of the most popular ones practiced to day (Judo and Sumo) being tied to the Samurai. Sumo is popular in Japan, because it is a form of Wrestling used by the Samurai; the reason it has its rules, is because to be thrown out of a Sumo ring, would result in death on a battlefield. A Sumo wrestler thrown out of the ring is vulnerable either to a spear thrust to his back, or, if a given Samurai had the skill for it, decapitation. Observe the movements carefully, and imagine that the victorious Sumo wrestler is holding a sword; the loser, would get run through, or lose his head, if that was an actual life or death fight with swords involved.