Budo Taijutsu
(武道体術)
Glossary Entry
A modern Japanese martial arts term meaning “martial way body techniques.” The term is particularly associated with Hatsumi Masaaki and the Bujinkan, where Budo Taijutsu came into use as a collective designation for the organization’s martial arts around the mid-1990s.
MEANING & ETYMOLOGY
武
(bu)
Martial, military, or relating to warfare.
道
(dō)
Way, path, or method; often used in Japanese martial terminology to express a path or discipline of practice.
体
(tai)
Body, physical form, or physique.
術
(術)
Technique, art, method, or skill.
Term Type
Modern Japanese martial arts term
lITERAL SENSE
Budō Taijutsu combines budō (武道), “martial way,” with taijutsu (体術), “body techniques” or “body art.” Taken together, the expression can be understood as “martial-way body techniques” or, more naturally, “body techniques of the martial way.”
In modern martial arts usage, Budo Taijutsu is particularly associated with Hatsumi Masaaki and the Bujinkan. Earlier terminology associated with the organization included Ninjutsu and Ninpo Taijutsu, while Budo Taijutsu appears to have become the organization’s broader designation around 1995.
This terminology should not be confused with taijutsu itself, which is an older and broader Japanese term for methods of body movement and unarmed technique and is not exclusive to the Bujinkan.
See Also
References
Hatsumi, Masaaki (1986). Ninjutsu: History and Tradition. Unique Publications.
Hatsumi, Masaaki (1988). The Grandmaster's Book of Ninja Training. McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books.
Hatsumi, Masaaki (2005). The Way of the Ninja: Secret Techniques. Kodansha International.
Hall, David A. (2012). The Encyclopedia of Japanese Martial Arts. Kodansha USA.
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