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This research challenges the commonly accepted narrative that Japanese martial arts, or budō , were completely banned by the Allied forces during the post-war occupation of Japan. Through an analysis of primary sources, historical documents and direct testimonies, the study reveals a more nuanced reality. Although there were temporary restrictions on some martial organisations-such as the dissolution of the Dai Nippon Butokukai , an institution that became militarised during the war-there was no absolute ban on martial practices. New disciplines such as Taihōjutsu and Shōrinji Kenpō even emerged during the occupation, demonstrating that martial practices continued to evolve. Misinterpretations and distorted representations by prominent figures, such as Moshe Feldenkrais, contributed to the myth of total prohibition, an idea that was propagated through repetitions of unverified claims in martial arts literature. By addressing these ‘falsehoods’ and placing the issue in the cultural an...

Questa ricerca sfida la narrativa comunemente accettata secondo cui le arti marziali giapponesi, o budō , sarebbero state completamente proibite dalle forze alleate durante l'occupazione del Giappone nel dopoguerra. Attraverso un'analisi di fonti primarie, documenti storici e testimonianze dirette, lo studio rivela una realtà più sfumata. Sebbene vi siano state restrizioni temporanee su alcune organizzazioni marziali—come la dissoluzione del Dai Nippon Butokukai , un’istituzione che durante la guerra divenne militarizzata—non vi fu un divieto assoluto sulle pratiche marziali. Nuove discipline come il Taihōjutsu e lo Shōrinji Kenpō nacquero persino durante l'occupazione, a dimostrazione del fatto che le pratiche marziali continuarono ad evolversi. Interpretazioni errate e rappresentazioni distorte da parte di figure di spicco, come Moshe Feldenkrais, contribuirono al mito di una proibizione totale, un'idea che si è propagata tramite ripetizioni di affermazioni non veri...

      These notes collect a part of the speech given during the course on the Koshiki no kata held in Sarnico on 30 June 2024. On that occasion I proposed some reflections on the philosophical aspects contained in the Kitō ryū no kata, and in the Koshiki no kata which is its heir, with particular attention to the concept of hontai 本体. These are complex and profound themes, but not 'esoteric'. To us, who approach them from completely different cultural assumptions and centuries later, they may appear so, but to the Japanese of the 17th century, the era in which the Kitō ryū tradition was established and developed, they were the norm. Its philosophical content is a considerable challenge, but one that can be overcome through the study of the original texts and sources. I want to thank masters Paolo Malaguti and Andrea Sozzi for the trust they have placed in me, and for giving me the opportunity to bring some of the results of my studies to the attention of a wider audience....

 The first issue of our new initiative, ‘Foundations’, is available! ‘Foundations’ has one objective: providing carefully edited and beautifully layed out monographs, including full translations from the Japanese originals,  many of the pieces appear for the first time in a Western language, completely free of charge. Why? Because this knowledge is too importat to keep collecting dust. Download Foundations 1 - Notes on the Itsutsu no kata To access the material, simply click on the link and wait for the file to be shared. No registration is required. Feel free to share it, the more the merrier! Emanuele Bertolani    

 Il primo numero della nostra nuova iniziativa, "Foundations", è disponibile "Foundations" nasce con l'intento di mettere a disposizione gratuitamente delle monografie curate nella veste tipografica e nel contenuto, che comprende traduzioni integrali dagli originali giapponesi. Molti dei brani compaiono per la prima volta in una lingua occidentale.  Scarica Foundations 1 - Note sull'Itsutsu no kata Per accedere al materiale, è sufficiente cliccare sul link e attendere di ricevere la condivisione del file. Non è richiesta alcuna registrazione.   Emanuele Bertolani