Common Japanese Terms Used in Okinawa Kobujutsu
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More complete glossaries of terms used in a variety of martial arts are available in our members' area.
This Nippon Budō Seishin-Kan website makes extensive use of Japanese terminology since we are, after all, presenting Japanese and Okinawan budō and martial arts, as well as extensive information on Japanese history, culture, and institutions. While we endeavor to explain terms that may be unfamiliar as we present them, it is not always possible to do so—especially with so many Japanese words in widespread use within the martial arts community. Recognizing that not every visitor to our site is familiar with common martial arts terminology we have developed this glossary of Japanese terms that are used frequently throughout it.
We hope you will find this information useful, and we welcome your suggestions (to our Webmaster) for additions or changes to this glossary.
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More complete glossaries of terms used in a variety of martial arts are available in our members' area.
Shibui: the artful elegance of simplicity.
Shibui, also known as shimbumi, is a highly nuanced Japanese word that means many things simultaneously that can readily be applied to martial arts. For instance, in traditional Japanese martial arts, the best technique is usually the one ... (more)