From Jutsu to Do, from the art of war to the Path of peace

In this 7th episode of the Liomugai podcast, we dive into one of the most fascinating evolutions in Japanese martial history: the great shift from Jutsu (術)—the raw, deadly efficiency of technique—to Do (道), the Path of personal fulfillment and mental discipline. How did methods designed for battlefield survival become mirrors of our own minds?

On the program for this episode:

• The sword on the battlefield: A look back at medieval Japan during the Sengoku period, where Kenjutsu and Iaijutsu were pragmatic, brutal tools aimed solely at defeating the enemy.
• The Tokugawa peace and Katsujinken: Discover how the unification of Japan triggered an identity crisis among samurai, transforming Satsujinken (the sword that kills) into Katsujinken (the sword that gives life)—a spiritual tool to cut through one's own ego. The end of the samurai era during the Meiji period would later mark the birth of modern Kendo and Iaido.
• The mutation of Karate: We illustrate this transformation through the history of Okinawan Karate-Jutsu. Originally designed to survive street attacks, this art was exported to Japan by masters like Gichin Funakoshi in the 1920s. In 1935, the term officially became Karate-Do, integrating the Zen Buddhist concept of "Emptiness" to forge character rather than simply destroy an opponent.
• The perfect compromise, Mugai-Ryu's Iai Hyōdō: Finally, we analyze why the Mugai-Ryu school refuses to dissolve into a purely philosophical practice. Instead of using the three classic kanji for Iaido (居合道), the school uses Iai Hyōdō (居合兵道). We decode the extra kanji, Hei (兵), which represents the soldier and the weapon, serving as a reminder that the practice remains a formidable martial system. To preserve this original spirit and concretely validate technical efficiency, the school requires the Tameshigiri test (cutting tatami mats with an authentic Shinken sword) to obtain the first Dan.

Without the rigor of martial technique, the Path is empty; but without the Path, technique is blind. Join us to understand how these two aspects balance each other out!

🎧 Do you practice for the Jutsu or for the Do? Let us know in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe to the Liomugai podcast on your favorite platform!