It could be said that a key feature of Japanese culture – this includes traditional entertainment and sports – is that each field is underpinned by a strong spiritual element.
For instance, sumo is said to be Japan’s national sport, and to be accepted as a yokozuna– the highest rank possible – a wrestler not only has to be strong, but also dignified.
The suffix “do” (the road) is attached to the names of many traditional Japanese disciplines, including, judo, kendo, aikido, sado, and kado.
“Do” is the search for the ideal form in each discipline. Bushido, which is also famous among non-Japanese people, prescribes how a samurai should live.
“Do” incorporates manners, etiquette, and personality, as well as skills. In short, it is what gives a human being charm.
Those who possess excellent skills while also being dignified are called masters, and as a result, attract many disciples through whom they disseminate their teachings.
On the other hand, in disciplines such as kabuki, rakugo, and sumo, there is a tradition in which the names of great masters are handed down through the generations.
For example, in the kabuki world, the same great stage name is passed down through many generations, as with the actor “ICHIKAWA Danjuro the tenth.”
Another feature of Japanese culture, expressed in the saying “starting with gratitude and ending with gratitude,” is the tradition of placing importance on showing appreciation towards the people involved in your craft and towards the tools of the trade itself.
In addition, consideration for the defeated is also essential.
In Japanese martial arts, it is regarded as rather uncouth for the victor to raise his fist to express his joy on winning.
In the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Dutch wrestler Anton GEESINK was the judo champion in the open weight division.
Overjoyed, the Dutch fans rushed to the ring, but Geesink stopped them, then he bowed quietly and left. On witnessing this scene, the Japanese audience were moved by his behavior.
Furthermore, in judo Japanese people applaud winners who fight for a clear victory, rather than winning by gaining small points.
In the sumo world, there is an expression that goes “yokozuna-zumo,” meaning that the yokozuna is expected to win by meeting his opponent’s attack, an attitude that is considered respectable.
Japanese notions of spirituality have widened to include sports adopted from the West, for instance, in baseball there is now a “yakyuudo” (baseball road).
伝統芸能
denntou geinou
traditional entertainment
スポーツを
supo-tu wo
sports
含めた
fukumeta
(this) includes
日本文化
nihonn bunnka
Japanese culture
大きな特徴は、
ookina tokuchou ha,
(a) key feature
各分野の
kakubunnya no
each field
バックボーン
bakkubo-nn
is underpinned
高い精神性
takai seishinnsei
(a) strong spiritual element
いえます。
iemasu.
(it) could be said
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for instance
国技
kokugi
national sport (and)
といわれる
to iwareru
is said to be
最高ランクである
saikou rannku dearu
the highest rank possible
横綱
yokozuna
(a) yokozuna
強いだけでなく
tsuyoi dakedenaku
(a wrestler) not only strong but
品格も
hinnkaku mo
also dignified
必要です。
hituyou desu.
has to be
日本の伝統文化名の
nihonn no denntou'bunnka'mei no
(the) names of traditional Japanese disciplines
最後には
saigo niha
(the) suffix <end>
「道」が
dou ga
do (the road)
つけられています。
tsukerarete imasu.
is attached to
それぞれの分野
sorezoreno bunnya
each discipline
あるべき姿を
arubeki sugata wo
(the) ideal form
求める
motomeru
(the) search for
外国人
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese people
知られている
shirareteiru
(which) is famous
武士道は、
bushidou ha,
bushido
武士とは
busi toha
(a) samurai
あるべきかを
arubekika wo
should live
求めるものです。
motomeru monodesu.
prescribes
人格も
jinnkaku mo
personality
含まれます。
fukumare masu.
incorporates
一言でいえば、
hitokoto de ieba,
in short
人間としての魅力
ninngenn toshiteno miryoku
what gives a human being charm
品格に
hinnkaku ni
(while also) being dignified
優れた人は
sugureta hito ha
those (who possess) excellent
呼ばれ、
yobare,
are called and (as a result)
たくさんの弟子が
takussann no deshi ga
many disciples
集まり、
atsumari,
attract (through whom)
その教えが
sono oshie ga
(their) teachings
広まっていきます。
hiromatteikimasu.
(they) disseminate
一方で、
ippou de,
on the other hand
などのように、
nadono youni,
(in disciplines) such as
偉大な先代
idaina senndai
great masters
名前を
namae wo
(the) names
代々
daidai
(the) generations
受け継いで
uketsuide
are handed down
文化も
bunnka mo
(a) tradition (in which)
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for example
歌舞伎界
kabukikai
(the) kabuki world
「十代目
jyuudaime
(the actor) the tenth
市川団十郎」
ichikawa dannjyuurou
Ichikawa Danjuro
偉大な芸名は
idaina geimei ha
(the same) great stage name
何世代にも
nannsedai nimo
many generations
受け継がれていきます。
uketsugarete ikimasu.
is passed down
日本文化
nihonn bunnka
Japanese culture
もう一つの特徴は、
mou hitotsu no tokuchou ha,
another feature
「礼に始まり
rei ni hajimari
starting with gratitude and
礼に終わる」
rei ni owaru
ending with gratitude
が表すように、
ga arawasu youni,
expressed in the saying
その文化に
sono bunnka ni
(the) trade itself
人
hito
(the) people (involved in your craft)
感謝の気持ちを
kannsha no kimochi wo
appreciation
大事にすること
daiji ni surukoto
on showing (the tradition of) placing importance
それに加えて、
soreni kuwaete,
in addition
いたわりの心
itawarino kokoro
consideration
大切です。
taisetsu desu.
is essentia
日本の武道
nihonnno budou
Japanese martial arts
勝者が
shousha ga
(the) victor
ガッツポーズをして
gattsu po-zu wo shite
to raise his fist
喜びを
yorokobi wo
(his) joy
表現することは
hyougenn surukoto ha
to express (on winning)
品位がない
hinni ga nai
(rather) uncouth (for)
されます。
saremasu.
it is regarded
1964年の
sennkyuhyaku'rokujyuuyo'nenn
(the) nineteen sixty four [year]
東京オリンピック
toukyou orinnpikku
Tokyo Olympics
アントン・ヘーシンク選手が
anntonn he-sinngu sennshu ga
Anton Geesink wrestler
柔道無差別級
jyuudou musabetsu'kyuu
judo (the) open weight division
金メダリスト
kinnmedarisuto
(the) champion <gold medalist>
になりました。
ninarimashita.
was
大喜びした
ooyorokobi shia
overjoyed
オランダのファンが
orannda no fann ga
(the) Dutch fans
試合場
shiaijyou
(the) ring
かけ寄りました
kakeyori mashita
rushed
ヘーシンクは
he-shinnku ha
Geesink
静止し、
seishi shi,
stopped then
一礼して
ichirei shite
(he) bowed and
立ち去りました。
tachi sari mashita.
left
その光景を
sono koukei wo
(this) scene
日本人の
nihonnjinn no
(the) Japanese
観衆は
kannshuu ha
audience
その振る舞い
sono furumai
(his) behavior
感動しました。
kanndou shimashita.
were moved
小さなポイントを
chiisana poinnto wo
small points
のではなく、
nodeha naku,
rather than
堂々と「一本」で
doudouto ipponn de
for a clear victory
勝負する
shoubu suru
(who) fight
勝者に
shousha ni
winners
喝采します。
kassai shimasu.
(Japanese people) applaud
相撲の世界
sumou no sekai
the sumo world
「横綱相撲」
yokozuna'zumou
yokozuna-zumo
言葉が
kotoba ga
(an) expression
横綱は
yokozuna ha
(the) yokozuna
相手の攻撃を
aite no kougeki wo
(his) opponent’s attack
受け止めて
uketomete
by meeting
勝つことが
katsu koto ga
is expected to win
美学と
bigaku to
respectable
されています。
sarete imasu.
(an attitude that) is considered
伝統文化の精神は、
denntou bunnka no seishinn ha
Japanese notions <traditional culture> of spirituality
「野球道」
yakyuu dou
in baseball road (there is now)
のように
no youni
for instance
広がっています。
hirogatte imasu.
have widened