The Initiation Ceremony: The Path to Traditional Japanese Martial Arts

The approach to beginning serious study in traditional Japanese martial arts (Kobudo) is quite distinct from other kinds of learning.

Let me share a bit about the initiation ceremony of the Kobudo school I belong to. Firstly, it takes at least three months before one is permitted to join.

It's not as simple as paying a membership fee and providing your contact information. The master selects their disciples.

The master evaluates whether a person is trustworthy, serious, and capable of committing to continuous learning. Since Kobudo was developed during wartime, it includes techniques that can easily harm or kill. Thus, learning these skills frivolously is not advisable.

After passing the master's scrutiny, you are allowed to initiate. You read an oath and write your name and address in an old notebook. The oath contains fundamental rules:

• Do not harm others.

• Do not speak ill of others.

• Do not recklessly try the techniques you are taught.

Finally, you cut your finger with a knife and press a blood seal on the oath. It's challenging to intentionally harm oneself.

There are more detailed rules, but they are kept secret, so I will not write about them here. After this lengthy process, you finally begin training. However, for the first three years, you are taught basic postures, breathing techniques, and eye movements.

This initiation process might seem outdated in modern times, but it is precisely why these ancient traditions have continued to this day.

For those living outside Japan and interested in starting Kobudo, do not worry. The process described above is specific to my school, and most modern dojos do not use such methods.

Nowadays, you can start online or join a local dojo. However, discerning a good dojo requires caution, which I will write about another time.