Читать книгу Traditions. Essays on the Japanese Martial Arts and Ways онлайн

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None of the Japanese budo developed in a vacuum. Judo’s founder, Jigoro Kano, sent some of his best students to the dojo of karate master Gichin Funakoshi so they could learn his newly imported karate. Kano later introduced some of karate’s striking techniques into the kata of judo. The legendary Okinawan karate expert Yabu Kentsu studied judo continuously during his years of service in the Japanese army, and when he returned to Okinawa he often amazed his students with his ability to incorporate throws during training in the karate dojo.

Today this kind of interchange is sadly lacking. When I visit a typical budo dojo, I am often reminded of the spirit of provincialism that now seems to dominate the thinking in these Ways. Now, no one expects an aikidoka to be able to punch like a skilled karate exponent. Even so, I have seen aikido students who couldn’t even make a proper fist. Likewise, it’s common to see karateka go down against a footsweep, yet how often can they control and protect themselves with proper ukemi (falling methods)? If the karateka can show an aikidoka the correct way to make a fist, if the judoka is willing to teach the karateman to fall without injury, everyone benefits. In the course of such exchanges, a great deal of understanding about one’s own Way can be gained.