ABSTRACT
Bujutsu (arts and techniques in battle) is the collective term for traditional Japanese martial arts and includes kendo, judo, kyudo and sumo. It was one of the core values of the warrior class which was the ruling class before modernization. The warriors’ values, and the social system represented by the warrior philosophy (bushido), were the foundation of traditional Japanese culture. With the radical change in national policy to one that encouraged internationalization and modernization from the middle of the nineteenth century, the practical value of bujutsu techniques diminished. As a result its popularity waned. However, Bujutsu came to be considered as the central guide to traditional moral education and became more commonly known as budo. Judo was developed by Jigoro Kano as part of this transition from bujutsu to budo. With the internationalization of sports, judo continued evolving and became an Olympic ‘sport’. Judo continues to change as a result of globalization processes.
