Clothing in Japanese Martial Arts
There are numerous martial art forms present in Japan, including Aikido and Karate. But there are numerous derivations of these primary martial arts. All of these martial art forms have one primary thing in common, however--the use of loose fitting, durable clothing. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Martial arts have been around for hunderds of years. Martial arts have been an important part of Japanese culture for hundreds of years. More then a simple means of self defense, martial arts are a way of life and a backbone of Japanese culture.
The true origins of modern martial arts can be found in the warrior culture and caste system of feudal Japan, in which the use of weapons by non-caste warriors was restricted. That sparked the creation of fighting forms that could be effective without any significant weapons, while fighting heavily armed and armored opponents.
Different Forms
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Belt colors range from white to black. Some of the martial arts forms that are best known are Karate, Judo, Aikido and sumo. There are many other martial arts styles that have evolved over the years however, and some of the forms mentioned above are actually derivations of other, earlier forms. Aikido, for instance, is based on a number of other forms.
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Significance of Clothing
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A black belt in Karate. Clothing is an important aspect of Japanese martial arts. Students generally wear a plain white uniform known as a "Gi," in addition to a variety of colored belts which denote the student's level of progression. Generally these belts range from white to black, or from the lowest student to a master.
Differences
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Sumo wrestlers wear little clothing. There are a variety of differences in the standard Gi uniform style, usually depending on which style of martial art a student is learning. Aikido and Karate share a very similar style of Gi, with the left flap of the Gi overlapping the right flap (if the left flap overlapped the right it would denote that the Gi was tied for a burial ritual).
Other martial art forms such as sumo have their own dress code which differentiates entirely from the standard Gi uniform style. The sumo style uses only a groin covering, allowing the sumo wrestler to have nearly complete freedom of movement.
Importance
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Martial arts can be rigorous. The importance of wearing proper clothing while practicing martial arts goes beyond custom and courtesy. The uniforms must allow freedom of movement yet be sturdy enough to withstand the wear and tear of constant training. Martial arts uniforms are usually made from sturdy, thick fabric that can handle the stress of training while keeping the wearer from being bogged down with unnecessary cloth.
Beyond these physical considerations, however, is the the importance of wearing proper clothing as a sign of respect to the martial art, the Sensei (or teacher), and the student. It shows a certain level of dedication to the art, and is a sign of a student's commitment.
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References
- Photo Credit japan monks image by Pavel Bernshtam from Fotolia.com Silhouette of martial arts kick punch. image by Joyce Wilkes from Fotolia.com arts martiaux 48 image by Nathalie P from Fotolia.com martial arts image by Lisa Turay from Fotolia.com toy sumo wrestlers image by Inhumane Productions from Fotolia.com arts martiaux 56 image by Nathalie P from Fotolia.com
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