DAINIHON BUTOKU
KAI
Until the
beginning of the 1887, the Japanese government promoted
Westernization but it was reconsidered and the
nationalistic thought took initiative.
Moreover, the uplift of nationalism raised the people's
interest in martial arts again. In 1895, the
commemoration festival of the Kanmu Emperor who
established Kyoto as the capital city of Japan 1100
years prior was held.
That April, Dai Nihon Butokukai was founded for the
purpose of the preservation of all kinds of time-honored
martial arts and to cultivate national morale through
the promotion of martial arts.
Headquarters was placed in the Kyoto Heian Shinto shrine
and appointed a member of the Royal family as President,
then the branches were placed in each prefecture and the
governor became a branch chief.
Dai Nihon Butokukai was developed as a National
organization by around 1907.
And their business contents were the promotion and
popularization of the martial arts, to hold tournaments
and to award Budoka.
In 1905, a martial arts teacher training school was set
up as the educational institution of the Butokukai.
It was then advanced to the martial arts vocational
college in 1919 and has played an important central role
for the martial arts since the Meiji era.
A great number of Masters and Meijin (Expert) appeared
from that school and they made great contributions to
the Japanese martial arts world.
The judo, kendo, Japanese halberd (Naginata) and archery(Kyu-Do)
were centered in the Butokukai and they organized " the
Butoku festival " every year on May 4th.
On December 8, 1941 the world war II broken out.
Butokukai was put under jurisdiction of the five
Ministries because of the mechanism reinforcement for
the war.
And the former Prime Minister Senjuro Hayashi became a
chairman.
In 1946 after the war, the Butokukai dispersed in order
to save their dignity and Samurai spirit before it was
possible to emit the dissolution order by the GHQ (General
Headquarters of American Military).