Policies for the Physical Education of the People from now on - 1914

 

 

Policies for the Physical Education of the People from now on - 1914

多くの人は体育といえば、何か詰らぬことのように思われるが、これはよほど大切なことである。

一体人間が世に生きていて、楽しむということは何の賜であるかといえば、健康を保っているためである 。事業をなすにも、健康ではたき得る体質がなければならない。国に尽くすにも、社会に尽くすにも、その他すべての人のなすことすること皆しかりである。

Many people think of physical education as something quite boring, but it is very important.

What is man's gift of living in the world and having fun, if not to keep himself healthy?

To do business, one must have the constitution to be able to work. The same goes for serving the country, for serving society, for everything you do.

また国の側から、今度の戦争についていえば、もし国民が弱かったらば、多数の兵を戦場にだすことができない。仏国がしばしば敗けるのは、いろいろ原因もあろうが、一はその兵の少ないためである。近来日本は、徴兵検査の成績に依ると、団々国民の体格が悪くなる。かくてはたとい人口が増えても国の実力を増す上に心もとない。

From the nation's point of view, as far as the current war is concerned[1], if the people are weak, they are unable to send a large number of soldiers to the battlefield. There are various reasons why France is often defeated, but the first is the small number of soldiers it has. According to the results of conscription tests, recently the physical condition of the people in Japan is deteriorating. Therefore, even if the population increased, it would not be enough to increase the Nation's strength.

また国というものは、決して一時的のものにあらずして、千万年も続くものである。 ゆえに今日の人が、強き子孫を作るということはきわめて必要である。もし弱き人間を作らば、その弱き人の時代に日本が弱くなる。これに因ってこれを観れば、個人の上よりは国家の上り考えても、国民個々の身体が健康になることは、何よりも大切なことである。

A nation is not a temporary thing, but something that lasts for thousands of years. Therefore, it is extremely necessary for people today to generate strong descendants. If they generate weak people, when the time comes for those weak people, Japan will become weak. If we look at this aspect, even if we think about the rise of the state rather than the rise of the individual, that the body of the individual citizen is healthy is more important than anything else.

しかるに学校における体操の時間は、他の学科に比して少ない。家庭においてはほとんど体操をやらない。かくては国民の体カを増進することは不可能である。これが国民の体格の劣りつつあるゆえんであるまいか。日本の大抵の事は皆進歩している。独り国民の体カにおいて進歩を見ず、否むしろ劣りつつあるのは、大いに注意すべき一大要事である。

However, little time is devoted to gymnastics in school compared to other subjects. Gymnastics is rarely practiced at home. Thus, it is not possible to improve the physical condition of the people. This is probably the reason why the physical condition of the people is deteriorating. Most things in Japan have improved. The fact that there has been no progress in the physical condition of the people, and is in fact deteriorating, is a matter of great concern.

今日世界の大勢を見ると、戦後日本の世界における関係はいかになるか、日本は元来侵略的の考えはない、なるべく友情をもって交り、こちらから喧嘩を仕掛けるようなことはしない。 しかし今日の実況を見ると、こちらからやらなければ向うもやらないかといえば、決してそうでない。すでにベルギーは何もしないのにやられたではないか。

Looking at the world situation today, how are Japan's postwar relations[2] Japan does not have inherently aggressive ideas, tries as much as possible to relate in friendship, does not act in such a way as to be the first to provoke a quarrel. However, looking at the situation today, it cannot be said at all that if we do not attack[3], The other side will not attack. Hasn’t Belgium already been defeated[4], despite having done nothing?

ゆえにこちらがしないからといって安心することは出来ない。いつどこと戦をやらねばならないか分らない。ここにおいてか実力を養っておく必要がある。日本は世界の列強と人種を異にし、宗教を異にし、また歴史を異にしてい る。ゆえに我が国はどうしても孤立するような立場になりやすい。その時に至って、日本は小国であるからといって閉ロするわけにゆかぬ。また閉ロする必要もない。

Therefore, we cannot feel safe just because we are doing nothing (aggressive, ed.). We do not know when and where we will have to fight. Therefore, it is necessary to cultivate our strength. Japan is different from the world powers in race[5], religion and history. Therefore, it is easy for Japan to find itself in a position of isolation. At that time, Japan should not close in on itself just because it is a small country, nor is it necessary to do so.

ドイツの人口は約六千万である。しかして日本の人口もほぼこれと同様で、人口の点からいえば決してドイツに劣っておらぬ。特にドイツは聯邦である。それに対して日本は皇統連綿たる皇室を戴ける強固な国である。またドイツは四囲外国と接しているけれども、日本はほとんど島国である。

Germany has a population of about 60 million. Japan has a similar population, so it is by no means inferior to Germany in terms of population. Notably, Germany is a federation, while Japan is a strong country with the gift[6] di una famiglia imperiale continua[7]. Inoltre, la Germania confina su tutti i lati con Paesi stranieri, mentre il Giappone è quasi interamente[8] una nazione insulare.

しかしてドイツでさえあれだけのことをしているのであるから、日本が仮に四囲に敵を受けたとしても、決して屈服することはない。何も好んで戦をする必要はないが、万一の場合における覚悟だけは必要である。そこで自分は教育者であるから、知育・徳育・体育のすべてについて述べたいが、今は体育だけに止めておく。

Since Germany has also done so much [9], even if Japan were besieged by enemies on all sides, she would never surrender. There is no need to rejoice in fighting battles, but it is necessary to be prepared in case a battle should occur. Since I am an educator, I would like to discuss all aspects of intellectual, moral, and physical education, but for now I will limit myself to physical education.

一体今日までの日本の体育は何をしているか、小学校においては体操・遊戯をするけれども、小学校を卒業すればこれを止めてしまう。日本の国民の大多数は、小学校を卒業すれば、それで何かの業に就くのである。小学校で弱い子供に少しばかり体操・遊戯をやらせて、体育の完全を望むは不可能である。それ人間の発育時期は、小学校卒業後である。

What has physical education done in Japan to date? Gymnastics and games are practiced in elementary schools, but this ends once you graduate from elementary school[10]. Most Japanese citizens graduate from elementary school and then go to work in some kind of employment. It is not possible to hope for the completion of physical education just by having weak children do some gymnastics and play in elementary school. It is after elementary school that the period of human development begins.

しかしてこの発育時代に、家業に働く者は例外として、多くの者はノラクラしている。ことに都会においては、小僧まで電車に乗る。電車に乗れば足が弱くなる。田舎の子供も身体を働かせるのを卑しみ、勤労を風厭うという弊がある。これは国家のためはなはだ心配である。ゆえに田舎は田舎、都会は都会で、何でもよいから大いに働く、好んで勤労するというようにしたい。

However, in this period of development, except for those who work in the family business, most people are in a state of idleness. Especially in cities, even the youngest children take the train. Riding the train weakens the legs. Even country children do not like physical exertion, and they have a bad reputation of being unwilling to work. This is very worrying for the state. This is a serious concern for the countryside. So I would like to make sure that in the countryside as such, and in the cities as such, people work hard and love to work, no matter what they do.

たとい多くの小僧や女中を使っている家でも、その娘には、自分の床の仕末や靴の掃除などは自分にやらせるがよい。彼らは自らこれをしないために、身体を弱らせ、精神を腐敗させる。いわんや人を使っていない家の娘たちが、これを厭うのはもってのほかである。もとより孱弱き子供に過度の仕事をさせるのは考物である。

Even in families where there are many boys and servants, it is good to let the daughters of those families take care of things like cleaning their own floors and shoes. They do not do it alone, which weakens their bodies and corrupts their spirit[11]. Needless to say, the daughters of families that do not employ other people are loath (to do these things, ed.). It is not advisable to overload weak children with work.

しかし働き過ぎて身体を弱くすることは稀で、怠け過ぎて弱くするほうが多い。我々は 働かすべき手足を有って生れてきているではないか、ゆえに少しでもこれを多く働かせるようにせねばならない。師団の増設も軍艦の製造も、国民が働いた結果出来るのである。

But it is rare that too much work weakens the body; more often it is too much idleness that weakens it. We are born with limbs that we must make work, so we must make them work as hard as possible, even if only a little. The building of more divisions and warships is the result of the People's work.

陸海軍が強大ならば、決して他国に敗けるようなことはない。この点から考えても、我々は大いに働かねばならない。遊んでいる者はゴクツブシである、バチルスである。国民を挙げて勤労神聖の精神なくば、国の前途は楽観することが出来ない。

If our land and naval forces are strong, we will never be defeated by another country. We also have to work hard in view of this. Those who are idle are parasites, they are bacilli. Without the spirit of the sacredness of work in all the people, one cannot be optimistic about the future of our Nation.

今一つは身体の健康を誇りにするようにせねばならない。ある時代には才子多病などといって、ゾベゾべした着物を着たり、襟巻をしたりすることが称賛された。これはますます身体を弱らせ、精神を腐敗させるのである。 とかく人は身体が丈夫でなければ何にもならない。ゆえに天性丈夫なものはこれを誇りとし、自分の注意に依りてますます丈夫にすれば一層誇りとし、身体の弱いのは肩身が狭いという考えを持つようにしたい。

One must also take pride in one's physical health. It was once said, "Genius often falls ill[12]”, wearing a long kimono, and being clumsy in  movements[13], or wearing an erimaki, was praised,[14]. This weakens the body and corrupts the spirit. In general, a person cannot accomplish anything without a strong body. Therefore, I would like us to come to think that those who are strong by nature should be proud of it, and if they become so through their own care, they should be even more so, while those who have a weak body should be ashamed of it.

身体を丈夫にするには運動をせねばならない。今日の体操遊戯も大体においてはよろしい。しかしこれだけでは不完全である。どうしても学校を出てからも絶えず身体を練るという機会を作らねばならない。それには村ならば村、都市ならば町々の子供が団体を結ぶ。これは欧州にもある。ことにボヘミアは最も盛んで、学校以外に体育場があって、市民は毎日そこに集って身体を鍛錬する。

To keep your body strong, you need to exercise. Today's gymnastics games are generally good. However, they alone are not enough. We must at all costs create opportunities for constant physical training even after leaving school. To this end, children in villages and towns should be gathered in groups. This is also the case in Europe. Bohemia, in particular, is the most active, where in addition to schools there are gyms where citizens gather every day to temper their bodies.

我が国においてもこういう傾向が生じて、汚い空気のところで物を食って遊ぶというようなことがなくなるようにしたい。平素繁忙な人でも1週間に1度なり1月に1度なり、郊外を歩いて名勝古跡を探るとか、あるいは神社仏閣に参詣するとか、とにかくよい空気を吸い、運動して楽しむという風を一般に養わねばならない。それから歩むことのほかに、走ること、跳ぶこと、泳ぐことを厲行するがよい。

I would like to make this kind of trend arise in Japan as well, so that it will disappear (the habit, ed.) of eating and having fun in unhealthy-looking places [15]. Even busy people should cultivate the habit of taking a walk in the suburbs once a week or once a month to explore famous scenic spots and historical sites, or make pilgrimages to shrines and temples[16], generally breathe good air, exercise and enjoy themselves. Then, in addition to walking, it is also good to run, jump and swim.

また団体と団体とがこれを競争して、互いに励 むということも必要である。かくすればついには国民全体にこの風が広まり、身体の弱いことが恥であり、強き者の居る町村は誇りであるというようになる。自分はなにゆえにかかる平凡なことを称道するかといえば、これは国民的運動として最も適しているからである。ベースや テニスもよい運動であるが、しかしこれは少数のものに限る。

It is also necessary for groups to compete with each other and encourage each other. Eventually, this trend will spread throughout the nation, so that it will be a disgrace to be weak and a source of pride for towns and villages to have strong people. The reason I am praising such an ordinary thing is that this is the most suitable physical activity for the people. Baseball and tennis are also good physical activities, but they are limited to a few people.

国民全体の運動としては、一部分の人にしか出来ないものは不適当である。ゆえに国民全体の運動としては、歩く、跳ぶ、駈ける、この三つが最も適切である。国民全体がこれを属行するようになれば、ただに身体を健全ならしむるのみならず、また怠惰遊佚の風をなくすることにもなる。 歩くことについていえば、午前に講話をされた田尻博士は、常に質素な風をして歩いておられる。

What can be done by only part of the population is not suitable as physical activity for all the people. Therefore, the three most appropriate forms of exercise for all the people are walking, jumping and running. If all the people come to do this, they will not only make their bodies healthy, but also eliminate the habits of idleness and laziness. Speaking of walking, Dr. Tajiri[17], who gave a lecture in the morning, always walks with a frugal attire.

すなわちまことに良い風を青年に示しておられる。歩くことは、人をしてマメに働かせる基である。おのれの職分を尽し、人に親切を尽す基である。また歩くことは意志を堅固にする。

In other words, it shows young people an excellent habit. Walking is the basis for working hard. It is the basis for performing one's duty and showing kindness to others. In addition, walking strengthens the will.

これは成功の基である。なお歩くことは質素の風を養う。ハイカラで体裁のよい風をしている人は、挨の立つ道を歩くことは出来ない。歩く人はどうしてもハイカラ風を止めざるを得ない、しかのみならず歩く人は食物の贅沢がなくなる。歩かざる人は腹が減らないから、甘いものを他から取って食う。

This is the basis of success. Walking also cultivates the habit of frugality. A person who embraced Western customs [18] and has a good outward appearance cannot walk on a dusty road. People who walk not only cannot but abandon the habits of those who have embraced Western customs, but also stop consuming excessive food. People who do not walk do not get hungry, so they eat sweets for other reasons.

ところが歩く人はよく腹が減るから、甘くないものでもよく食べる。 したがって身体がよくなり、よく働くことになる。かくのごとく歩くことの効用はきわめて多大である。次に駈けることと跳ぶことは、歩くことを煎じ詰めたようなものである。ゆえに元気なものは、歩くほかに駈ける跳ぶ、この二つをやるがよい。

People who walk, on the other hand, are often hungry and eat a lot of food, even if it is not sweets. Therefore, their bodies improve, and they become able to work intensively. Thus, the benefits of walking are extremely great. Then, running and jumping are like a distillation of walking. Therefore, it is good for those who are healthy not only to walk, but also to run and jump.

以上三種の運動は、別に贅沢な施設も要らず、金も要らず、運動場も器械も要らない。しかも歩くことは、老若男女だれでも来る。これ自分が、歩く駈ける跳ぶ、この三つを国民的運動として諸君にお奨めするゆえんである。また日本は四周水であるから、水産・海軍・運輸等の上において、水と親しむことが必 要である。この点よりして自分は大いに水泳を奨励したい。

These three types of physical activity, do not require expensive facilities, money, sports fields or equipment. Moreover, walking can be practiced by anyone, young or old, man or woman. That is why I recommend that you all walk, run and jump as the physical activity of the people. In addition, Japan is surrounded by water on all sides, so it is necessary to become familiar with water in fishing, in the Navy and seaborne transport. On this basis, I would like to strongly encourage swimming.

水泳に次いでは柔道および剣道を盛んにしたい。これらはなぜ必要であるかといえば、敢為な気象を養う、負けん気を養う。日本の将来は、だれにも負けないという負けん気が必要である。それには相手と闘って鍛えなければならない。しかして柔道や剣道は短時間に鍛錬することが出来、身体もよくなり、忍耐もよくなる。ゆえにこの二者は、精神修養の上からいっても、攻撃防禦の上からいっても、日本人に取ってはきわめて必要なことである。

After swimming, I would like to popularize jūdō and kendō. They are necessary because they cultivate a bold character and a spirit of not being defeated. The future of Japan requires a spirit that cannot be defeated by anyone. To do so, it is necessary to temper oneself for combat with the opponent. Training in jūdō and kendō can be done in a short time (at a time, ed.), improves the body and stamina. Therefore, jūdō and kendō are extremely necessary for the Japanese, both from the point of view of training one's spirit and from the point of view of attack and defense.

ことに日本人は見たところ小さい。この小さい日本人が、アメリカあたりに居て、彼らに侮られざるは、喧嘩でもすれば日本人に取って投げられるからである。それからまたこれは日本固有の武技である。何を苦しんで西洋の贅沢な運動をやる必要があるか。自分は絶対に外国輸入の運動を悪いとはいわない。が、それらは少数の人にやらせておくがよい。

In particular, the Japanese are small to look at. The reason these small Japanese are not underestimated when they are in the United States is that, in the event of a fight, one can be caught and projected by these Japanese. This is a uniquely Japanese martial art. Why should we struggle to practice the extravagant Western physical activities? I am not saying at all that physical activities imported from abroad are bad. But it is better to let a few people do them.

要するに日本人は、大いに国民的運動を属行して心身を鍛錬し、労働神聖の風を養わなければならなに。かくすれば、殖産も盛んになり、兵となっても欧米のそれに優ることが出来る。教師父兄は、この心をもって子弟を訓え、子弟は自らこれを厲行して、有為の国民となるように心がけてほしい。

In short, the Japanese must train their hearts and bodies through a physical activity of the people, and cultivate the spirit of the sacredness of labor. In this way they will be able to increase production, and even once they become soldiers they will be superior to their Western counterparts. I would like teachers, parents and older siblings to[19] teach their children and younger siblings this concept, and that the children and younger siblings practiced it themselves with the intention of becoming useful citizens.

〈「教育之実際」第九巻第二号教育実際社発行大正三年十二月〉 ほんぺん ＊原注本篇は十月十八日、東京市本所区江東小学校増築改名記念講演会において、嘉納校長の講演せられたる要領なり。文責記者に在り（記者）。

This is a summary of the lecture given by Dean Kanō [20] at a conference commemorating the expansion and renaming of Koto Elementary School, held Oct. 18 in Honjo, Tokyo. Responsibility for the writing of this article lies with the press.

 

Kanō Jigorō taikei

Vol.VIII, pp.16-22

 

Translation and notes by Emanuele Bertolani

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[1] The Master refers to World War I, already in progress at the time of the writing of this article.

[2] The Master refers to the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Shortly thereafter Japan, bound by a Treaty of Alliance with Britain since 1912, would go to war against Germany over its colonies in China. The refusal of the other Western powers to recognize Japan's dominion over the conquered colonies is one of the reasons for the rise of militarism and the choice to ally with Germany and Italy.

[3] やる yaru literally "do," and by extension "attack," "kill."

[4] The Master refers to the invasion of Belgium by German troops on August 4, 1914 as part of the Schlieffen Plan, despite its position of neutrality.

[5] 人類 jinrui Victory in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 had made Japan the only Asian nation to have ever defeated a Western power.

[6] 戴ける itadakeru from the verb itadaku 戴く, used to refer to the act of receiving a favor or grace from someone who is in a position of superiority.

[7] 皇統連綿 kōtō rensen the word kōtō refers to both the continuity of the imperial family bloodline and the unbroken position of the imperial family at the top of the Japanese nation.

[8] ほとんど The Treaty of Portsmouth of September 5, 1905 had given Japan control over Korea, later annexed in 1910.

[9] The Master seems to express a positive assessment of Germany's actions in defense of its interests, despite being surrounded by hostile nations. It should be borne in mind that relations between Germany and Japan, after the latter's victory in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, had deteriorated drastically: Germany had initiated a policy of proximity with China to protect its colonies from Russian and Japanese interests, while in 1912 Japan had allied with Britain in an anti-Russian capacity. Within a few months of the publication of this article, Japan would go to war against Germany in the Asian theater of World War I.

[10] In the pre-war Shōwa-era system, the school system included 6 years of elementary and several possibilities of middle school, usually lasting 5 years, for a total of 11 years of education. Master refers to the fact that at that time most people stopped at this stage and did not continue on to higher education.

[11] 精神 seishin inteso come il “proprio” spirito, alla maniera in cui si dice di una persona che uno spirito forte. Si tratta cioè della condizione mentale e psicologica dell’individuo, senza riferimenti di tipo religioso o metafisico.

[12] 天才多病 tensai tabyō, The idea that a brilliant mind is often accompanied by a weak body. It is a common topos in first Chinese, and later Japanese, literature. See, for example, the character of Lin Daiyu in the Chinese classic The Dream of the Red Chamber.

[13] ゾべゾべした着物 The expression indicates wearing a long kimono and moving awkwardly because of it

[14] 襟巻 erimaki roughly the equivalent of a scarf

[15] The Master refers to clubs where people consume food while drinking alcohol and smoking, a familiar sight in prewar Japan.

[16] 神社仏閣 jinja bukkaku. The former are dedicated to shintō worship, the latter to Buddhist worship.

[17] 田尻稲次郎Tajiri Inajirō (1850 – 1923) Japanese economist, politician and bureaucrat. Former mayor of Tōkyō. He was one of the founders of the Senshū Gakkō, which later became Senshū University.

[18] ハイカラ a term used during the Meiji era (1868 - 1912) to refer to people who adapted a Western lifestyle and clothing

[19] 教師父兄 kyōshi fukei In Confucian thought, the figures to whom the deepest respect is due, and with whom rests the greatest educational responsibility.

[20] At the time of writing, the master was 54 years old. After teaching at the Peer School, or Gakushūin, until 1884, he had served as principal for the Fifth High School in Kumamoto, the First Girls' High School in Tōkyō, and then the Tōkyō Normal High School, now Tsukuba University.