Japanese Budo & Bushido, what is it and why should you practice it?

Japanese Budo & Bushido, what is it and why should you practice it?

The pursuit of Japanese Budo is an educational process. Those who developed modern Budo believed it was the way to save the world and eradicate social injustice. Centuries-old wisdom taught them that it is impossible to eliminate any type of injustice from society merely through regulation. That would be like attempting to rid society of ignorance by passing a law that stupidity is illegal. If you did that, who then would be left to run the country?

In the early 1900s, the Japanese Ministry of Education began teaching Budo (Way of War) and Bushido (Way of the Warrior) practices and philosophies as part of their educational curriculum with the purpose to instill a sense of personal honor and social responsibility.

Those who visit Japan even today will likely attest to the success of how this educational process has created a society that functions well. Most visitors will find the Japanese people to be very polite and extremely honorable people. Forget your very expensive watch at the hotel? You will likely find that it has been delivered to your home by the time you return.

Compare this behavior to that of our own society. Our educational system has failed society to such a high degree that even our great US Constitution may be unable to save and restore us. Our system of government, or should I say, the US Constitution, is perhaps superior to any form of written documentation governing any society, yet any system of government is only as good as the individual character of those who run the government.

The only remnants of the great Japanese social educational system to be found in America are often taught at Traditional Karate and other Martial Arts schools around America. Even many of these schools have lost their way as the most important values of the practice become lost in translation as they get passed along to new generations.

If we could only balance the American system of government with the Japanese Budo social education system, I feel that humanity could rise to greatness never seen before on planet earth. This wisdom is also shared by many families and parents across the country who instinctively know the value of enrolling their children in Traditional Karate and Martial Arts classes.

Many Karate and Martial Arts Teachers around the world pass on their knowledge and wisdom in the hope that one day, their students may restore the soul of their Nation and positively change the world, and that is the pursuit of Budo and Bushido.

I'm Sensei McCune, thank you for your time.