Reihō (礼法)

Below is an expaination of the concept of reihō.  While there are some differences from what we practice at our dojo, hopefully this will give some insight into the core principles of all martial arts.  Courtesy and respect must be integrated into your study of karate-do.  O Sensei Dr. Tsuyoshi Chitose, founder of Chito Ryu, tells us that "Without courtesy, the soul is lost."

 

Note: My apology to the original author for not giving proper attribution.  The source information could not be located.

 

The meaning of reihō can be sometimes translated as "etiquette," "respect" or "courtesy." It is a very important concept in Japanese culture, including traditional Japanese martial arts. It is not a "ceremony" or a "ritual" per se; as this may construe that it is performing an exotic spiritual or religious act without meaning, which is not the case. In Japan this act is considered ancestral reverence. While reihō may have the meaning of "etiquette," this does not adequately describe its many connotations.

Reihō is in many ways a code of conduct, which in Japan is applied to one's everyday life. For example; at school, at work, at home, when they visit their doctor, ect. In Japan "rei" is not taught to the Japanese – usually only to foreigners – because it is generally known due to its culture. In our western culture (specifically American) we tend not to "show respect." And when we do give respect we often express it by saying it. And when we do say that we respect someone as in "I respect you" it is seldom given out. So, reihō is a foreign concept to westerners.

Since we are dealing with a Japanese martial art, reihō is included in the Genbukan. It is the basis of all traditional Japanese martial arts, no matter what their roots are. Without reihō in martial arts it would be nothing more, nor better, than hoodlums fighting in the streets. In the Genbukan the purpose of reihō has two purposes. First, it is a way of paying respect to the tradition, the teacher, and the students. Secondly, it provides a degree of safety, especially during the use of weapons. In the Genbukan, as well as most Japanese martial arts, everything begins and ends with reihō.

 

Entering the Dōjō

When entering the dōjō, stand in a natural posture and perform shizen rei (standing bow) to anyone present, and say one of the following: ohayō gozaimasu (good morning), konnichiwa (good afternoon), or konbanwa (good evening). If you are already at the dōjō it is customary to stand up and greet the teacher when he arrives.

 

Entering and Exiting the Training Floor

Before entering on the training floor, face towards the kamidana (dōjō shrine) and perform shizen rei. If you are training outside you will face to the north and perform shizen rei.

Note: If you are late to class, quickly prepare yourself for training. Upon entering the dōjō, immediately step off to the side and perform the shinzen rei.

 

Beginning and Ending of Class

The beginning and ending of class is signified by a formal bowing consisting of two parts: shinzen rei (bow in acknowledgment of the tradition) and shi rei (bow to the teacher).

 

1. Beginning: Seiretsu – Form a line

At the beginning of class the instructor will say, "Dewa keiko wo hajimeru" (begin training). Thesenpei (the senior) will command everyone to line up in a row by saying, "Seiretsu!" All the students will line up by rank and kneel into seiza (a seated posture) with the senpei at the lead, facing the kamidana (dōjō shrine). The instructor will move to the front of the class and kneel into seiza facing the class.

 

2. Mokusō – Meditation

The senpei will then instruct everyone to perform mokusō (Japanese term for meditation to "clear one's mind"). Everyone will then place their hands in their laps, right hand over left, thumbs touching, and then lightly closing eyes to clear their minds. After a few minutes, the instructor will then recite the "Ninniku Seishin" poem with everyone following his lead. The instructor will then stop the meditation by saying "Mokusō yame." Everyone will then open their eyes and places their hands on the thighs.

 

3. Shinzen Rei – Bow before the shrine

The instructor turns around and faces the kamidana (dōjō shrine). He then places his hands ingasshō (hands together in front of his chest). The students with then follow his lead by doing the same gasshō. The instructor then recites the following phrase, "Chihayafuru kami no oseiwa tokoshieni tadashiki kokoro mi wo mamoruran." (The teachings of God never changes throughout eternity and will protect you if you have a correct mind/heart/spirit). And then he says, "Shikin haramitsu daikōmyō!" (The sounds of words in our reach for perfection will lead us to the powerful light). The students then repeats, "Shikin haramitsu daikōmyō!" Everyone then claps twice, performs a bow, and claps one more time followed by one more bow.

Note: If the Teacher is not in class then the senpei does NOT go to the front of class where the teacher sits. He stays in the usual place at the far right.

 

4. Shi Rei – Bow to the teacher

The instructor then turns around and faces the class. The senpei will command everyone to correct their posture and bow to the teacher by saying "Shisei wo tadashite, Sensei ni rei!" The students then bows to the instructor, while the instructor does the same to the students, with everyone saying, "Onegai shimasu." (Please assist me).

Note: if the teacher is not in class, the the senpei says “Shisei wo tadashite, shinzen ni rei!”

 

5. Ending: Seiretsu – Form a line

At the end of class the instructor will say, "Keiko owari" (Training has ended). The senpei (the senior) will command everyone to line up in a row by saying, "Seiretsu!" All the students will line up by rank and kneel into seiza (a seated posture) with the senpei at the lead, facing the kamidana (dōjō shrine). The instructor will move to the front of the class and kneel into seiza facing the class.

 

6. Mokusō – Meditation

The senpei will then instruct everyone to perform mokusō (Japanese term for meditation to "clear one's mind"). Everyone will then place their hands in their laps, right hand over left, thumbs touching, and then lightly closing eyes to clear their minds. After a few minutes, the instructor will then stop the meditation by saying "Mokusō yame." Everyone will then open their eyes and places their hands on the thighs.

 

7. Shinzen Rei – Bow before the shrine

The instructor turns around and faces the kamidana (dōjō shrine). He then places his hands ingasshō (hands together in front of his chest). The students with then follow his lead by doing the same gasshō. The instructor then recites the following phrase, "Chihayafuru kami no oseiwa tokoshieni tadashiki kokoro mi wo mamoruran." (The teachings of God never changes throughout eternity and will protect you if you have a correct mind/heart/spirit). And then he says, "Shikin haramitsu daikōmyō!" (The sounds of words in our reach for perfection will lead us to the powerful light). The students then repeats, "Shikin haramitsu daikōmyō!" Everyone then claps twice, performs a bow, and claps one more time followed by one more bow.

Note: If the Teacher is not in class then the senpei does NOT go to the front of class where the teacher sits. He stays in the usual place at the far right.

 

8. Shi Rei – Bow to the teacher

The instructor then turns around and faces the class. The senpei will command everyone to correct their posture and bow to the teacher by saying "Shisei wo tadashite, Sensei ni rei!" The students then bows to the instructor saying, "Arigatō gozaimashita." (Thank you). The instructor bows to the class while saying, "Gokurō samadeshita" (thank you very much for your efforts). The senpai will then give a command to the students to bow to each other by saying, "Sōgo ni rei." Everyone will then bow to each other and says "Arigatō gozaimashita."

Note: if the teacher is not in class, the senpei says "Shisei wo tadashite, shinzen ni rei!"

 

Exiting the Dōjō

Upon leaving the dōjō, stand in a natural posture and perform shizen rei (standing bow) and say one of the following: oyasumi nasai (good night), or shitsurei shimasu (pardon me leaving).

Enzan no Metsuke, continued

Some insight on the concept, from  "Kendo Guide:"

Do you drive?

If you do, do you just see the car in front of you? Do you ignore traffic light, pedestrian, bicycles and stuff like that?

You try to see the whole view as much as you can, so you are SAFE!

Of course, it is important to see things in details as well, but it is easy to do. Seeing the whole picture is a hard job.

Read original post at Kendo Guide here.

Oneigaishimasu, etc.

This is copied from an email sent to Crozet Yoseikan students regarding the words we say in Japanese at the beginning of class:


Onegaishimasu (おねがいします) is a formal Japanese greeting used in the game of Go before a game starts.
"Onegaishimasu" is the correct polite Japanese phrase to say to one's opponent before starting to play: o negai shimasu
"Please do your best", "Please have a good game", "if you please", or "I pray you..." Literally: "do me this favor"
https://senseis.xmp.net/?Onegaishimasu

How to Use Onegaishimasu in a Sentence

While kudasai is a more familiar term, onegaishimasu is more polite or honorific. Thus, this Japanese word is used when you are requesting a favor. You would also use it if you are directing the request to a superior or to someone you do not know well.

Like kudasai, onegaishimasu follows the object of the sentence. The sentences below echo the examples in the previous section, except that you would replace kudasai with onegaishimasudue according to the context and social circumstances, where you need to make a request in a more formal manner. When using onegaishimasu, you can omit the particle o.

Kitte (o) onegaishimasu. 切手 (を) お願いします。	Please give me stamps.
Mizu (o) onegaishimasu. 水 (を) お願いします。	Water, please.

 

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-the-difference-between-kudasai-and-onegaishimasu-3572604

 

 

Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu Meaning and Definition

The definition of “yoroshiku onegaishimasu” is really hard. It’s one of those words that isn’t really translatable. It’s a concept that’s hard to grasp and hard to define in the English language (not to mention plenty of other languages as well). I’m sure that many of you will have “correct” definitions of yoroshiku onegaishimasu as well (put them in the comments / read the comments, they’re useful!). There are different ways that yoroshiku onegaishimasu is used, as well, depending on the situation. We’ll also take a look at the shorter, more casual yoroshiku, just in case you weren’t sure of the difference.
Let’s take a look at some attempts at “definitions.” Keep in mind, these definitions are clunky at best. We’ll take these and put them into “example situations” as well, so you can get a better understanding of these definitions a little later.

"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu"

In general, you’ll want to use this one in more formal situations, with people that have a higher status than you, and basically anytime you’re not sure which one to use. It’s more formal that yoroshiku on its own, but it’s also safer, too.

• “Be Kind to me”
  
• “I am in your debt”
  
• “I’m counting on you”
  
• “Please help me”
  
• “Please take care of me”
  
• “Nice to meet you”
  

https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/yoroshiku-onegaishimasu-meaning/

 

 

 

"Onegai shimasu" is a hard phrase to directly translate to English. The second part "shimasu" is basically the verb "suru" which means "to do" conjugated into the present tense. "Onegai" comes from the verb "negau" which literally means "to pray to (something)" or "to wish for (something)." The "O" at the beginning is the "honorific O" that makes the phrase more "honoring." Of course, we would never say that particular phrase without it, but that's what it is. (Don't confuse this "O" with the "O" in O-sensei. The one in O-sensei is actually "Oo" meaning "big" or "great.") In Japanese culture, we use "onegai shimasu" in many different situations. The basic connotation is the feeling of exchanging "good will" towards the "future" of the two meeting parties. Hence, it's sometimes kind of like saying "I'm hoping that our relationship holds good things in the future." We use this during New Year's celebration by saying "kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu" which transliterated (to the best of my abilities) means "this year also good tidings I pray I do." You get the gist.
Another connotation is "please" as in, "please let me train with you." It's an entreaty often used in asking the other person to teach you, and that you are ready to accept the other person's teaching.
If you're feeling really, really humble, you can say "onegai itashimasu" which uses "kenjyougo" or the "humble" form of the verb. This places you lower on the hierarchy than the person to whom you're speaking (unless they too use the same humbling form -- in which case, I think it all comes down to stuff like who can put their nose closer to the ground when bowing or something).
To pronounce this, I'd transcribe it as:

o ne gai shi ma su.

(If you want to get technical about it, the last "su" is a stop-fricative rather than a fricative-vowel combination, so it _is_ pronounced like the ending "s" in "gas" moreso than the long "su" sound in the name "Sue.")

 

http://www.aikiweb.com/language/onegai.html

 

 

12 Japanese Words You Need To Know For Karate

My good friend and full-contact karate fighter Norihiro Yoshida was visiting recently from Japan. It had been a year since he visited before and trained at Contact Kicks Dojo for a few months and competed. This visit however was very brief.
While he was here he only had the opportunity to train one day. Afterwards we spent a lot of time catching and chatting. As part of that he was commenting on the way people pronounce Osu outside of Japan. He was saying that many people don’t pronounce it correctly, not enough emphasis on the “O”, and was impressed with how Fogarasi Sensei pronounced it. This then led into a discussion about other words used in the dojo. I touched on some of this in a previous blog post on Reishiki – Japanese Etiquette in Kyokushin Karate.
So, based on that discussion and some research, here are 12 Japanese Words You Need To Know For Karate!
1. Osu! (pronounced Oh’ss with the stress on the O), Osu is a word that you will hear in all Kyokushin dojos, and has been adopted by some other martial arts, such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other full-contact styles. When you enter or leave the dojo, you bow and say “Osu”. When you greet a fellow student, you use “Osu” instead of “hello”. When you respond to your teacher for anything, you say Osu! It is used as a sign of respect towards fighters at tournaments. It’s generally a word that can be used in many situations.
Osu is a contraction of two words:
押し Oshi meaning “Push”
忍ぶ Shinobu meaning “to Endure”
Thus, Osu can mean patience, determination and perseverance. When you are pushing yourself beyond your limits, you use Osu!
To learn about the history of Osu, click here =>>>
2. Sensei – [sen say] In spite of many North American martial arts schools using it as “master”, it does not mean this. Sensei (先生) is literally translated as “person born before another” or “one who comes before”.
In general usage within Japan, it is used after a person’s name, and means “teacher”. It is used in all schools to address teachers and professors, as well as professionals such as lawyers, doctors, politicians, and other figures of authority. The word is also used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill: accomplished novelists, musicians, artists and martial artists.
3. Seiza (正座 or 正坐) – [say za]  literally means “proper sitting” and is the Japanese term for one of the traditional formal ways of kneeling in Japan. To sit seiza-style in Kyokushin, one must first be kneeling on the floor, folding one’s legs underneath one’s thighs, while resting the buttocks on the heels. The ankles are turned outward as the tops of the feet are lowered so that, in a slight “V” shape, the tops of the feet are flat on the floor and big toes sometimes are overlapped, and the buttocks are finally lowered all the way down. Within Kyokushin the fists are placed on the upper thigh. The back is kept straight, though not unnaturally stiff. Traditionally, women sit with the knees together while men separate them slightly, roughly two fist widths of distance between the knees.
4. Shomen ni rei – [show men nee ray] literally means “bow to the front”, and denotes respect to all the practitioners that came before us (our instructor’s instructor and so forth)  which is usually followed by, “Sensei ni rei” (bow to the teacher), this is followed by “Otagai ni rei” (bow to others), to show respect to all of your training partners. If there is a Shihan present, you will say Shihan ni rei (bow to the master instructor).
From seiza (kneeling), facing the front of the dojo, bow (rei) at the waist placing first your left fist and then your right fist on the floor in front of you. Keep your back straight and avoid raising your hips. Do not duck your head; keep your neck in alignment with your back. After a short pause, and Sensei has completed his/her bow, you raise yourself back to the seiza position, retracting first your right hand and then your left. Place your fists comfortably on your thighs.
At the end of class, the procedure is repeats, however, this time “thank you” is added, to thank for the training. Eg. Sensei ni, arigatou gozaimasu, rei (thank you and bow to the teacher).
5. Mokusō (黙想 pronounced “moh-kso”) is a Japanese term for meditation, especially when practiced in the traditional Japanese martial arts. Mokuso is performed before beginning a training session in order to “clear one’s mind”, very similar to the zen concept of mushin, or “no mind”. The term Mokusō is more formally known to mean, “Warming up the mind for training hard.”
6. Arigatou gozaimasu – [ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee-mas] means ‘thank you’, and is used for either something that will be done or something that has been done. In Japan, one can never say, “Thank you” or be thanked enough when expressing appreciation and gratitude in any number of situations, especially within the dojo to someone of higher rank.
7. Dōitashimashite – [doe-ee-tah-she-mahssh-tay] means you’re welcome in Japanese. However, it is not recommend to use this phrase in Japanese or martial arts dojos. This is because it doesn’t sound humble, but instead it could sound like you think you deserve some appreciation. It isn’t used the same way as it is in English. In Japanese it can be taken as arrogant. If you actually do think you deserve some appreciation, you’re suppose to hide it in Japanese!
8. Onegaishimasu – [oh-nay-guy-she-mus] translates roughly as “please take care of me” or “I am in your care” or “please have patience with me”. It is a word that isn’t used too much within North American dojos, and when it is it is sometimes misused, but should be used more often to show respect. It is very important within dojos of Japan, when asking of instruction or help from a senior student or teacher. It is essentially a polite way of saying ‘please.’ It isn’t a word used exclusively for martial arts.
Onegaishimasu is a sign of “humbleness”. In north American dojos you might hear it screamed out, like you would Osu!, but this isn’t correct and can be considered rude. Onegaishimasu should always be said with gratitude in a humble way.
9. Sempai (先輩) – [sem pie] is someone who is of a higher social standard, such as an upperclassman or upperclasswoman, someone of a higher age, or senior in rank. Sen or先means early, in advance, first or prior. Hai, 輩 means fellow, person, colleague, or people.
The mentor system is found at all levels of education, and in sports clubs, businesses, and informal or social organizations within Japan. The relationship is an essential element of Japanese seniority-based status relationships, similar to the way that family and other relationships are decided based on age, in which even twins may be divided into elder and younger siblings. And the dojo is a family after all.
There is debate on the spelling of Senpai. I cover this in another article. However, it is spelled seNpai, but pronounced seMpai.
10. kōhai (後輩)- [koe hi] is a protégé, one’s junior or underclassman. Ko, 後means later, afterwards, rear or aback. So Kohai is someone that started later than another person.
11. Kata (型 or 形) literally means “form”, the detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. Kata are used in many traditional Japanese arts such as theater forms like kabuki and schools of tea ceremony (chado), but are most commonly known for the presence in the martial arts. Kata are used by most Japanese and Okinawan martial arts, such as aikido, judo, kendo and karate.
For a full breakdown and history of Kata, I have covered it in another article.
12. Kihon (基本, きほん ) – [key hone] is a Japanese term meaning “basics” or “fundamentals.” The term is used to refer to the basic techniques that are taught and practiced as the foundation of most Japanese martial arts.

OSU!

http://the-martial-way.com/12-japanese-words-you-need-to-know-for-karate/

 

 

 

 

 

List of online karate links, books, and videos from Jesse Enkamp, the "Karate Nerd"

On-line resources:

• KARATEbyJesse.com - "Obviously."
• The IRKRS - McCarthy sensei is a demi-god in Karate research. Read. Learn. Think.
• Hawaii Karate Museum - The most extensive archive of historical Karate material.
• The Traditional Japanese Karate Network - A dynamic mix of articles and videos.
• Okinawa BB TV - An Okinawan hub for local info and original video material.
• Fighting Arts - A great collection of martial arts articles, including Karate.
• Iain Abernethy - My friend Iain has many useful articles/videos on his site.
• Mario McKenna - Mario sensei has translated many rare historical Karate books.
• Denshi Jisho - My go-to Japanese dictionary for, like, everything.
• Okinawan Karate Liaison Bureau - Visiting Okinawa? Tell Miguel-san I sent you.
• Charles C. Goodin - Goodin sensei shares his thoughts on Karate (and life).
• The Way of Least Resistance - My friend Dan has many well-researched blog posts.
• Traditional Fighting Arts Forum - A small but dedicated forum for martial talk.
• No Nonsense Self-Defense - Marc MacYoung spent many years researching violence.
• Ikigai Way - My friend Matt has a cool blog with some nice interviews too.
• Enter the Dojo - The #1 McDojoâ„¢ parody show - simply brilliant.
• One Minute Bunkai - My friend Angel-san loves bunkai. You'll love it too.
• The Karate World (in Japanese) - The official Japanese website for Karate news.
• The Official KARATEbyJesse YouTube Channel - Of course!

I guess you can add my popular Facebook page too.
 

That's it for awesome online resources.

Believe me, these few Karate links above will easily keep you occupied for a lifetime or more. But, as you can imagine, there are tons of other great websites, online archives, virtual directories and personal Karate blogs out there too - I encourage you to explore them on your own.

Just make sure to keep your BS detector on.

Next up, books and DVDs.

This time, without my comments though - just click the linked titles for more accurate info and sometimes even user/reader reviews.

Off-line resources:

• The Karate Code: Did You Ever Ask Yourself What Karate Really Means?
• Bubishi: The Bible of Karate
• The Anatomy of Martial Arts: An Illustrated Guide to the Muscles Used for Each Strike, Kick, and Throw
• History and Traditions of Okinawan Karate
• The 20 Guiding Principles of Karate
• The Karate Way: Discovering the Spirit of Practice
• Karate-Do: My Way of Life
• Shotokan Myths: The Forbidden Answers to the Mysteries of Shotokan Karate
• The Essence of Karate
• Okinawan Karate: Teachers, Styles and Secret Techniques
• Machida-do: Karate for Mixed Martial Arts (DVD)
• The Little Black Book of Violence: What Every Young Man Needs to Know About Fighting
• Kata: The Key to Understanding and Dealing with the Japanese
• The 3 'Best of' KARATEbyJesse.com books/e-books
• Zen Flesh Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings
• One Karate to Rule 'Em All
• The Kids' Karate Workbook: A Take-Home Training Guide for Young Martial Artists
• Shin Gi Tai: Karate Training for Body, Mind, and Spirit
• The Great Lie of Karate
• The Art of Hojo Undo: Power Training for Traditional Karate
• In the Dojo: A Guide to the Rituals and Etiquette of the Japanese Martial Arts
• Break the Box of Karate
• Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts: Koryu Uchinadi (Vol. 1)
• Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts: Koryu Uchinadi (Vol. 2)
• When Buddhists Attack: The Curious Relationship Between Zen and the Martial Arts
• Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters
• 3 Major Schools of Okinawa Karate: Uechi-ryu, Goju-ryu, Shorin-ryu (DVD)
• Comprehensive Applications of Shaolin Chin Na: The Practical Defense of Chinese Seizing Arts for All Styles
• Okinawan Karate: A History of Styles and Masters: Volume 1: Shuri-te and Shorin-ryu
• Okinawan Karate: A History of Styles and Masters: Volume 2: Fujian Antecedents, Naha-te, Goju-ryu, and Other Styles

Enzan no Metsuke

The Japanese phrase, "Enzan no Metsuke" approximately translates into English as "View the Distant Mountain."  The Japanese language uses colorful and poetic words to describe abstract ideas, and this phrase has a subtle connotation that means observing something in its totality and its setting, not just what is immediately apparent.  It is a phrase frequently found in the martial ways.


My intent with this blog is to create a resource of materials and ideas related to the study of Karate-Do, specifically Chito Ryu, intended mainly for the students of Crozet Yoseikan in Greenwood, Virginia.  This is in no way to be construed as an endorsement or authorization by the U.S. Chito Kai, or any of its affiliates.  I will make reference to other styles, teachers, etc., and any ideas that are not attributed to someone else can be considered as my own faulty opinions.  Comments are welcomed and encouraged.