November 16, 2010 in All about Japan, Sekaione Press by adminsekaione

All about Japan: Karate

Karatedo, which means “the way of the empty hand,” developed over 1,000 years ago in China. It was introduced to the island of Okinawa (formerly an independent kingdom) many centuries ago as a form of weaponless self defense. The art was a late-comer into Japan proper, having been introduced by Funakoshi Gichin in the 1920s. In karate, every part of the body can be turned into a fighting weapon. But equally important are defensive techniques used to sidestep or block an opponent’s thrusts and kicks. One aspect of training includes repeatedly striking a makiwara, a post covered with straw, to toughen the skin covering the knuckles, wrists, balls of the feet, and other areas. More advanced practitioners often demonstrate their power by smashing boards or breaking roof tiles, but this is not recommended for beginners. Read more »

November 16, 2010 in All about Japan, Sekaione Press by adminsekaione

All about Japan: Kyuudou

Kyuudou (Japanese archery) developed during Japan’s feudal period as a fighting art. With the founding of the Japan Kyudo Federation, in 1949, the discipline made a new start as a sport. In a contest, each competitor usually shoots arrows at a target 28 or 60 meters away. The bow, which is about 2.21 meters long, is made of wood and bamboo glued together. As in other forms of archery, the competitor who hits the target with the greatest number of arrows wins the match. Read more »

November 16, 2010 in All about Japan, Sekaione Press by adminsekaione

All about Japan: Regions of Japan

The Japanese archipelago consists of mostly mountainous islands that stretch from northeast to southwest about 2,800 km long. In total land area (377,915 sq km, 2006), it is a bit larger than Finland or Italy and roughly the same size as the American state of Montana. The four major islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Japan’s total population in 2008 was 127,000,000. Read more »