Martial Arts
Sumo, judo, kendo, karate and the etiquette that frames them.
77 entriesTap a title to open the full entry: three lengths of English explanation, the questions people actually ask, ready-made phrases and audio.
Essential（12）
- Martial ArtsEssential puro yakyuプロ野球Japanese professional baseball
- Martial ArtsEssential mawashiまわしthe thick belt a sumo wrestler wraps around the body and grips during a bout
- Martial ArtsEssential rajio taisoラジオ体操the national radio exercise routine
- Martial ArtsEssential kiai気合the shout that focuses breath and energy into a technique
- Martial ArtsEssential kata型a prearranged sequence of moves practiced alone or against an imagined opponent
- Martial ArtsEssential gyoji行司the referee who judges a sumo bout
- Martial ArtsEssential judo柔道the martial art that became an Olympic sport
- Martial ArtsEssential sumo相撲Japanese wrestling with Shinto roots, often called the national sport
- Martial ArtsEssential sumo no shiomaki相撲の塩まきthe handful of salt a sumo wrestler throws onto the ring before a bout
- Martial ArtsEssential dojo道場a training hall
- Martial ArtsEssential dogi道着the uniform worn for judo, karate, kendo, and other martial arts
- Food & DrinkEssential chanko nabeちゃんこ鍋the hearty hot-pot meal associated with sumo stables
Standard（46）
- Martial ArtsStandard hajime to mate「始め」と「待て」the Japanese commands judo referees use around the world
- Martial ArtsStandard suriashiすり足sliding your feet along the floor instead of lifting them
- Martial ArtsStandard ekiden駅伝long-distance relay running
- Martial ArtsStandard enbu演武a martial arts demonstration performed instead of a match
- Martial ArtsStandard yokozuna横綱the highest rank in sumo
- Martial ArtsStandard kangeiko寒稽古special training in the coldest weeks of winter
- Martial ArtsStandard maai間合いthe right distance from your opponent, and by extension, good timing
- Martial ArtsStandard yumitori shiki弓取り式the bow-twirling ceremony in sumo
- Martial ArtsStandard karate空手the striking martial art from Okinawa
- Martial ArtsStandard keiko稽古training in a traditional art or martial art
- Martial ArtsStandard kendo剣道Japanese fencing with bamboo swords
- Martial ArtsStandard kentaikai to zenkoku taikai県大会と全国大会the ladder of local, prefectural, and national school tournaments
- Martial ArtsStandard koko yakyu to Koshien高校野球と甲子園the national high school baseball tournament
- Martial ArtsStandard aikido合気道a martial art without contests
- Martial ArtsStandard kuroobi to dan'i黒帯と段位the ranking system in Japanese arts
- Martial ArtsStandard zanshin残心staying alert and ready in the instant after a technique lands
- Martial ArtsStandard shiko四股the sumo leg-raising movement, done as training and as a rite
- Martial ArtsStandard shihan師範a title for a senior instructor in a martial art or traditional art
- Martial ArtsStandard tameshiwari試し割りbreaking boards or tiles with your bare hands or feet in martial arts
- Martial ArtsStandard ukemi受け身the breakfall technique that lets you get thrown without getting hurt
- Martial ArtsStandard jujutsu柔術the old Japanese grappling arts that judo grew out of
- Martial ArtsStandard Shorinji Kempo少林寺拳法a Japanese martial art founded in 1947, different from Chinese Shaolin kung fu
- Martial ArtsStandard shingitai心技体mind, technique and body, the three things an athlete must develop together
- Martial ArtsStandard seiza and mokuso正座と黙想kneeling and the short silent sitting at the start and end of practice
- Martial ArtsStandard shomen ni rei正面に礼bowing to the front wall of the training hall
- Martial ArtsStandard senshuraku千秋楽the final day of a sumo tournament or a stage run
- Martial ArtsStandard suburi素振りswinging a weapon or bat with no opponent or ball
- Martial ArtsStandard kumite組手sparring with a partner in karate
- Martial ArtsStandard sumo beya相撲部屋the stable where wrestlers live
- Martial ArtsStandard oicho大銀杏the ginkgo-leaf-shaped topknot only sumo wrestlers ranked juryo and above are allowed to wear
- Martial ArtsStandard honbasho大相撲の本場所the six official grand sumo tournaments held each year
- Martial ArtsStandard danpatsushiki断髪式the ceremony where a retiring sumo wrestler's topknot is cut off
- Martial ArtsStandard shinai and bogu竹刀と防具the bamboo sword and protective armor used in kendo
- Martial ArtsStandard chugakko no budo hisshuka中学校の武道必修化the compulsory martial arts unit in Japanese junior high gym class
- Martial ArtsStandard dohyo土俵the raised clay ring a sumo bout is fought in
- Martial ArtsStandard dohyo-iri土俵入りthe ring-entering ceremony performed by top sumo wrestlers before their bouts
- Martial ArtsStandard monoii物言いa challenge to the referee's call in sumo
- Martial ArtsStandard bokuto木刀a wooden sword used for practice
- Martial ArtsStandard randori乱取りfree practice in judo
- Martial ArtsStandard tachiai and shikiri立合いと仕切りthe charge that starts a sumo bout, and the ritual staring before it
- Martial ArtsStandard yabusame流鏑馬archery from a galloping horse
- Martial ArtsStandard rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru礼に始まり礼に終わるit begins with a bow and ends with a bow
- ConceptsStandard konjo根性grit, and the training culture built around it
- Annual EventsStandard supotsu no hiスポーツの日Sports Day, the second Monday of October
- PlacesStandard Nippon Budokan日本武道館the Nippon Budokan, a Tokyo arena built for martial arts and famous for concerts
- School LifeStandard bukatsu no intai部活の引退leaving your school club after the last tournament
Advanced（19）
- Martial ArtsAdvanced osu押忍the all-purpose word shouted in martial arts dojos
- Martial ArtsAdvanced makiwara巻藁a straw training target used in karate and kyudo
- Martial ArtsAdvanced kyudo弓道Japanese archery
- Martial ArtsAdvanced iaido居合道drawing the sword as a discipline
- Martial ArtsAdvanced kimarite決まり手the official list of winning techniques in sumo
- Martial ArtsAdvanced kendo no ippon剣道の一本a valid point in kendo, which needs spirit, posture and follow-through as well as a clean hit
- Martial ArtsAdvanced kobudo古武道Japan's classical martial arts
- Martial ArtsAdvanced yobidashi呼出しthe ring attendants who call sumo wrestlers into the ring
- Martial ArtsAdvanced shaho hassetsu射法八節the eight stages of shooting in kyudo
- Martial ArtsAdvanced kemari蹴鞠the Heian court game of keeping a ball in the air
- Martial ArtsAdvanced jodo杖道the martial art of the wooden staff against the sword
- Martial ArtsAdvanced aoi judogi青い柔道着the blue judo uniform worn in international competitions
- Martial ArtsAdvanced dojo-yaburi道場破りthe movie trope of a stranger challenging a rival dojo to a duel
- Martial ArtsAdvanced naginata薙刀the long-handled blade and its modern sport
- Martial ArtsAdvanced banzuke番付the sumo ranking sheet
- Martial ArtsAdvanced menkyo kaiden免許皆伝a master's certificate showing a student has learned everything a school teaches
- Martial ArtsAdvanced men-tenugui面手ぬぐいthe cotton cloth kendo players tie around their head under the mask
- Martial ArtsAdvanced sonkyo蹲踞a deep squat on the balls of the feet used in sumo and kendo
- School LifeAdvanced bukatsu no asaren部活の朝練training before school starts