ARTICLES

Budo Vs. Bujutsu..........

                            The Soke Menkyo Kai has several issues that are enforced so as to remain within true traditional guidelines of the martial arts & ways.

First off, the Budo arts in general, they are identified as " Martial Way " Not martial art. The Budo way's came into being several hundred years ago in Japan.

The goal of one studying the Budo way's was and is for one to reach spiritual enlightenment through the study of a Budo way. These " Way's " were founded during peace time in Japan. After 800 years of warring states, peace was brought via a unified government that wanted to ensure it remained thus they encouraged the study of Budo way's over the older combative Bujutsu  (Jutsu) arts that the Bushi ( Samurai ) had studied his entire life and made use of on the field of battle.

It is because one studies a Budo way in hopes of achieving spiritual enlightenment and self improvement in their overall lives that grades were issued not only on skill and time in the previous grade, but one's age also plays a major role in one advancing in the systems grade structure as well.

In the Budo systems, it is also what you have learned outside of the Dojo through life experience as well as meeting the systems requirements for grade advancement.

It is believed that since one is seeking overall self improvement and spiritual enlightenment through the study of a Budo system ( The Way ) age must play a great deal in regards to lessons learned through life experience.

This is why there are strict age restrictions on grades one earns in the Budo systems.

In the Bujutsu or combat systems that have been around since before recorded history. One only has to be proficient in his / her techniques and meet all requirements put before them for that particular rank advancement.

Herein lies the one problem that many martial artists that are uneducated to the difference between Budo and Bujutsu have.

In one association it is required that one be at least 40 years of age with an additional time in grade in order to reach fifth dan ( 5th degree black belt ).

While in another association there is 22 year olds who began training at age 8 and are now Godans (5 th degree black belt).

There is no controversy, it is simply that one association teaches a budo way and the other teaches a jutsu or bujutsu art. ie: the art's and way's. The association that requires one to be in their forties in order to receive a fifth degree black belt teaches a budo system / way. The other with no age to rank requirements teaches a bujutsu art.

The S.M.K./ requires that any and all applicants applying for accreditation as a Soke Shodai     (founder) must have a combat  system of martial (military) fighting arts. Not budo.

It should however be noted that the S.M.K. does allow a system to be a mixture of both budo and bujutsu as long as it is clearly understood what part of the system represents what. That includes the age to grade requirements are not required because of it's " Bujutsu " influence.