Respectful Spirituality is  Necessary in Japanese  Cultural Pursuits

Insight into the Subject | 品格が求められる日本文化

Respectful Spirituality is Necessary in Japanese Cultural Pursuits

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).

伝統でんとう芸能げいのう
denntou geinou
traditional entertainment
ya
and
スポーツすぽーつ
supo-tu wo
sports
ふくめた
fukumeta
(this) includes
日本文化にほんぶんか
nihonn bunnka
Japanese culture
no
of
おおきな特徴とくちょうは、
ookina tokuchou ha,
(a) key feature
各分野かくぶんや
kakubunnya no
each field
バックボーンばっくぼーん
bakkubo-nn
is underpinned
となる
tonaru
by
たか精神性せいしんせい
takai seishinnsei
(a) strong spiritual element
にある
niaru
is that
to
that
いえます。
iemasu.
(it) could be said
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for instance
日本にほん
nihonn no
Japan’s
国技こくぎ
kokugi
national sport (and)
といわれる
to iwareru
is said to be
相撲すもう
sumou no
sumo
最高さいこうランクらんくである
saikou rannku dearu
the highest rank possible
横綱よこづな
yokozuna
(a) yokozuna
ni
as
つよいだけでなく
tsuyoi dakedenaku
(a wrestler) not only strong but
品格ひんかく
hinnkaku mo
also dignified
必要ひつようです。
hituyou desu.
has to be
柔道じゅうどう
jyuudou,
judo
剣道けんどう
kenndou,
kendo
合気道あいきどう
aikidou,
aikido
茶道さどう
sadou,
sado
華道かどう
kadou
and kado
など、
nado,
including
おおくの
ookuno
many
日本にほん伝統でんとう文化ぶんかめい
nihonn no denntou'bunnka'mei no
(the) names of traditional Japanese disciplines
最後さいごには
saigo niha
(the) suffix <end>
どう」が
dou ga
do (the road)
つけられています。
tsukerarete imasu.
is attached to
どう」とは、
dou toha,
do
それぞれの分野ぶんや
sorezoreno bunnya
each discipline
での
deno
in
あるべき姿すがた
arubeki sugata wo
(the) ideal form
もとめる
motomeru
(the) search for
ことです。
kotodesu.
is
外国人がいこくじん
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese people
にも
nimo
among also
られている
shirareteiru
(which) is famous
武士道ぶしどうは、
bushidou ha,
bushido
武士ぶしとは
busi toha
(a) samurai
どう
dou
how
あるべきかを
arubekika wo
should live
もとめるものです。
motomeru monodesu.
prescribes
どう」には、
dou niha,
do
技能ぎのう
ginou ha
skills
もとより
motoyori
as well as
作法さほう
sahou
manners
ya
and
い、
furumai,
etiquette
人格じんかく
jinnkaku mo
personality
ふくまれます。
fukumare masu.
incorporates
一言ひとことでいえば、
hitokoto de ieba,
in short
人間にんげんとしての魅力みりょく
ninngenn toshiteno miryoku
what gives a human being charm
です。
desu.
(it) is
そのような
sonoyouna
[such]
技能ぎのう
ginou,
skills
品格ひんかく
hinnkaku ni
(while also) being dignified
すぐれたひと
sugureta hito ha
those (who possess) excellent
師範しはん
shinann to
masters
ばれ、
yobare,
are called and (as a result)
たくさんの弟子でし
takussann no deshi ga
many disciples
あつまり、
atsumari,
attract (through whom)
そのおしえが
sono oshie ga
(their) teachings
ひろまっていきます。
hiromatteikimasu.
(they) disseminate
一方いっぽうで、
ippou de,
on the other hand
歌舞伎かぶき
kabuki
kabuki
ya
and
落語らくご
rakugo,
rakugo
相撲すもう
sumou
sumo
などのように、
nadono youni,
(in disciplines) such as
偉大いだい先代せんだい
idaina senndai
great masters
no
of
名前なまえ
namae wo
(the) names
代々だいだい
daidai
(the) generations
いで
uketsuide
are handed down
いく
iku
through
文化ぶんか
bunnka mo
(a) tradition (in which)
あります。
arimasu.
there is
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for example
歌舞伎界かぶきかい
kabukikai
(the) kabuki world
では
deha
in
じゅうだい
jyuudaime
(the actor) the tenth
市川いちかわ団十郎だんじゅうろう
ichikawa dannjyuurou
Ichikawa Danjuro
のように、
noyouni,
as with
偉大いだい芸名げいめい
idaina geimei ha
(the same) great stage name
何世代なんせだいにも
nannsedai nimo
many generations
わたり
watari
through
がれていきます。
uketsugarete ikimasu.
is passed down
日本文化にほんぶんか
nihonn bunnka
Japanese culture
no
of
もうひとつの特徴とくちょうは、
mou hitotsu no tokuchou ha,
another feature
れいはじまり
rei ni hajimari
starting with gratitude and
れいわる」
rei ni owaru
ending with gratitude
あらわすように、
ga arawasu youni,
expressed in the saying
その文化ぶんか
sono bunnka ni
(the) trade itself
かかわる
kakawaru
towards
ひと
hito
(the) people (involved in your craft)
ya
and
道具どうぐ
dougu
(the) tools
ni
of
たいする
taisuru
towards
感謝かんしゃ気持きもちを
kannsha no kimochi wo
appreciation
大事だいじにすること
daiji ni surukoto
on showing (the tradition of) placing importance
です。
desu
is
それにくわえて、
soreni kuwaete,
in addition
敗者はいしゃ
haisha
the defeated
たいする
ni taisuru
for
いたわりのこころ
itawarino kokoro
consideration
mo
also
大切たいせつです。
taisetsu desu.
is essentia
日本にほん武道ぶどう
nihonnno budou
Japanese martial arts
では、
deha,
in
勝者しょうしゃ
shousha ga
(the) victor
ガッツポーズがっつぽーずをして
gattsu po-zu wo shite
to raise his fist
よろこびを
yorokobi wo
(his) joy
表現ひょうげんすることは
hyougenn surukoto ha
to express (on winning)
品位ひんいがない
hinni ga nai
(rather) uncouth (for)
to
as
されます。
saremasu.
it is regarded
1964年せんきゅうひゃくろくじゅうよねんの 
sennkyuhyaku'rokujyuuyo'nenn
(the) nineteen sixty four [year]
東京とうきょうオリンピックおりんぴっく
toukyou orinnpikku
Tokyo Olympics
で、
de,
in
オランダおらんだ
orannda no
Dutch
アントン・ヘーシンクあんとん・へーしんく選手せんしゅ
anntonn he-sinngu sennshu ga
Anton Geesink wrestler
柔道じゅうどう無差別級むさべつきゅう
jyuudou musabetsu'kyuu
judo (the) open weight division
de
in
金メダリストきんめだりすと
kinnmedarisuto
(the) champion <gold medalist>
になりました。
ninarimashita.
was
大喜おおよろこびした
ooyorokobi shia
overjoyed
オランダおらんだファンふぁん
orannda no fann ga
(the) Dutch fans
試合場しあいじょう
shiaijyou
(the) ring
ni
to
かけりました
kakeyori mashita
rushed
が、
ga,
but
ヘーシンクへーしんく
he-shinnku ha
Geesink
かれらを
karera wo
them
静止せいしし、
seishi shi,
stopped then
しずかに
shizuka ni
quietly
一礼いちれいして
ichirei shite
(he) bowed and
りました。
tachi sari mashita.
left
その光景こうけい
sono koukei wo
(this) scene
mita
on witnessing
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn no
(the) Japanese
観衆かんしゅう
kannshuu ha
audience
その
sono furumai
(his) behavior
ni
by
感動かんどうしました。
kanndou shimashita.
were moved
さらに
sarani
furthermore
柔道じゅうどう
jyuudou
judo
では、
deha,
in
ちいさなポイントぽいんと
chiisana poinnto wo
small points
かせいで
kaseide
by gaining
katsu
winning
のではなく、
nodeha naku,
rather than
堂々どうどうと「一本いっぽん」で
doudouto ipponn de
for a clear victory
勝負しょうぶする
shoubu suru
(who) fight
勝者しょうしゃ
shousha ni
winners
喝采かっさいします。
kassai shimasu.
(Japanese people) applaud
相撲すもう世界せかい
sumou no sekai
the sumo world
では
deha
in
横綱よこづな相撲ずもう
yokozuna'zumou
yokozuna-zumo
という
toiu
(that) goes
言葉ことば
kotoba ga
(an) expression
ある
aru
there is
ほど、
hodo,
meaning that
横綱よこづな
yokozuna ha
(the) yokozuna
相手あいて攻撃こうげき
aite no kougeki wo
(his) opponent’s attack
めて
uketomete
by meeting
つことが
katsu koto ga
is expected to win
美学びがく
bigaku to
respectable
されています。
sarete imasu.
(an attitude that) is considered
伝統でんとう文化ぶんか精神せいしんは、
denntou bunnka no seishinn ha
Japanese notions <traditional culture> of spirituality
野球道やきゅうどう
yakyuu dou
in baseball road (there is now)
のように
no youni
for instance
西洋せいよう
seiyou
the West
から
kara
from
はいった
haitta
adopted
スポーツすぽーつ
supo-tsu
sports
へも
hemo
to include
ひろがっています。
hirogatte imasu.
have widened

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