Читать книгу Complete Kendo онлайн

32 страница из 41

The close involvement of the government with the martial arts caused the Allied Powers to temporarily ban their practice after Japan's defeat in World War II. The aggressive militarism of Imperial Japan during the 1930s and 40s made it seem as if the martial arts had little positive to offer the world, and the attitude of the Allied Powers is understandable. The arts most closely associated with the samurai, particularly those associated with swordsmanship, were proscribed. This ban lasted until 1948.

The fundamentally positive aspect of Japanese budo soon impressed itself upon officials, however, and they came to understand that the excesses of Japanese expansionism could in no way be attributed to budo itself. This process of rehabilitation was aided by the fact that many Allied servicemen stationed in Japan soon became fascinated by the martial arts.

In 1950, the Butokukai was reopened, and judo and Kendo were selected as the primary arts for the training of the newly organized Japanese police force. The rehabilitated image of budo gave rise to increased public participation in these arts. The early 50s saw the first extensive export of budo to the United States. In Japan, the increasing popularity of Kendo and judo was encouraged by a heightened emphasis on sport competitions during the 1960s. The Nippon Budokan, a massive sports arena, was built in 1964 in Tokyo, and is used to host major tournaments in Kendo and judo. As individuals in other countries became familiar with the heritage of the Japanese martial arts, interest in Kendo grew. As a result, the International Kendo Federation was established in 1971. Each nation typically has a ruling body devoted to maintaining the high standards of Kendo and preserving links with the IKF in Japan. Today, Kendo has millions of adherents throughout the world.