'-DO' ....MY WAY OF LIFE

Have you ever wondered why names of Japanese martial arts end with the suffix -do? Aikido, Judo, Karatedo, Kendo etc

Well...let's revisit our history books. During the pre-Meiji period (1868-1912) almost all the martial arts had the suffix 'Jutsu'. Example Kendo was Kenjutsu, Judo was known as Jujutsu, Kyudo (archery) was Kyujutsu, Jukendo (swordsmanship) was Sojutsu....You get the drift?

After the 2nd world war the allied forces banned the practise of martial arts in Japan for obvious reasons...The arts were deemed to be 'militant' in nature. Afterwards they were slowly incorporated into the education system right from elementary to university with associations to back them up. They were therefore made safer and friendlier to the learners.

Jutsu by definition is technique. A technique that was used in in the battlefield either to kill, maim, or immobilize an enemy.It was used by the warriors as a last resort when they ran out of ammunition, broken their arrows or swords.

The suffix -'do' means way. It is attributed to the founder of Judo (Way of gentleness), Kano Jigoro, who after studying Jujutsu realized that some of the techniques were overly dangerous to be practised and taught in a safe manner. He instead incorporated these dangerous techniques in katas. So Judo was founded on the emphasis of the art being educative on moral, physical and intellectual to the practitioner.

Gichin Funakoshi of Karatedo (Way of empty hand) first practised Ryuku Karate-jutsu and actually gave a demo in 1916 in mainland Japan. Later on in 1922 he changed the art's name to Karatedo to underscore its role as a way of self perfection.

Aikido's (Way of harmonious spirit) founder Ueshiba Morihei O'sensei studied many arts including Daito-ryu. More emphasis was put on winning at all costs, of course he had misgivings on this theory. In 1920 he founded a dojo and started the Aiki-bujutsu and later on in 1942 changed it to Aikido.

Sojutsu used a bayonet kind of weapon in battles but later on renamed Jukendo which used more friendly weapons made from bamboo.

Since then -'DO' has become a way of life to hundreds of millions of practitioners around the globe and many more are taking up the arts and the flames can only burn brighter.

-'DO' is my way of life, Make it yours.