I had this come through my Substack ‘Notes’ recently. In the spirit of active engagement, I thought I’d have a crack at this and maybe encourage other such thoughtful questions.
The question was:
“Something I'd be curious to get your take on: I was reading one of Alexander Bennett's books and he talks about how Budo (as of 2017 when writing) appears to be in decline in Japan. Young people lean towards ‘cooler’ sports like basketball and baseball. He believes its flourishing more outside Japan. What do you think about the state of Budo, specifically Karate perhaps, in Britain, in terms of engagement or the standard of the clubs we have?”
This is from Jay Lacey who is based in the UK and is undertaking his own Substack project;
The first thing I have to say is that in no way do I have a comprehensive knowledge across all disciplines, so all I can do is throw a straw in the wind, as well as make comparisons with past experiences.
Re. Alexander Bennett and Japan.
I think his views on the diminishing take-up of Budo in Japan was echoed by Robert Twigger in his excellent autobiographical account of training in Japanese Budo in Japan, ‘Angry White Pyjamas’ , when he said that to young Japanese martial arts were about as sexy as ‘Morris Dancing’. But this was written in 1997.
As someone on the ground in Japan, I would refer this same question to Anthony S. who reports on his own Substack project – check out;
My knowledge of the Japan situation is so ‘last century’, where it was clear that the universities were the hotbed of modern Budo, but then the youngsters dropped away because of the demands of seeking employment.
The UK.
There’s no doubt that there was a popularity spike for martial arts in the UK in the 1970’s, and it was huge.
Prior to that (pre 1974), and given the way media operated, it was just a minor blip in a very limited landscape of distractions and fringe activities, nobody knew about ‘karate’, probably judo had a slightly elevated profile, but other martial arts were for cranks. Cumbrian wrestling and Lancashire clog fighting had a greater public awareness than anything to do with the martial arts.
That ‘spike’ didn’t disappear overnight; it tailed off in a slow, barely visible and painful demise, until it reached some kind of stasis; which is where it exists now.
In the UK martial arts of all types have to jostle alongside other players in the marketplace. Whether you are a very active adult or a sporty child there’s so much you can do now, and it’s okay to flirt.
By that, I mean you can dip in and dip out, and that’s fine. It’s a buffet of things you can sample and in today’s society of fast food, fast media and even faster distractions on your phone, nobody is going to call you fickle, flaky or adrift, it’s what expected. Kids see adults (their parents) do it and then it’s okay to ‘sample’, soccer, ballet, badminton, gymnastics, streetdance, etc. “Maybe little Freddie will find his niche” is something that you never hear said.
Dedication.
For a worrying majority, anything that takes dedication is just too much like hard work, and serious martial arts training takes dedication.
It’s similar to anyone who wants to learn a musical instrument, only musicians hit the uphill battle right at the start, - hours of struggling with your instrument before you achieve anything that sounds decent.
Kiddie martial artists can initially be ‘entertained’; cajoled into keeping turning up (I guess if martial arts is your business, then you have rent to pay) and it can be fun and to some degree rewarding, doing all those ‘belt’ tests and everyone telling you how wonderful you are.
I think what happens then is that as the kids get older they don’t so much grow out of martial arts, it’s more that the scales fall from their eyes. Perhaps they look around them and see that the reality no longer aligns with what they want. Very few martial arts instructors seem to have a game plan to deal with that.
Role Models.
If there is anything we need now it’s role models and youngsters are crying out for this (look at the rise of toxic influencers). In martial arts any potential for role models is a confused and jumbled marketplace.
The problem comes in part from the demographic. Many Dojos are made up of a glut of kids and, at the top end, a diminishing bunch of older crocs, many of them in various stages of brokenness (I feel I can say this, as I fall into that category) and a total vacuum in the middle. The twenty-somethings have found other things to do. This is not a universal thing; if you are heavily into competition then chasing glory is like catnip for those between 18 and 25. But, as long as their martial arts training has longevity programmed into it after the competition years have peaked, then that can be a very healthy environment.
The other factor that causes a slump in the UK martial arts scene for the 18’s to 25’s is the expectation to move away from home to chase a university degree. The Japanese have this sewn up because their universities have martial arts embedded in the system; the UK ones don’t. If you have been to university in the UK, think of Fresher’s Fair; with stands for, potholing, paintballing, pilates, paddleboarding and pickleball and everything else, but, ‘karate’? ‘aikido’?... maybe.
Of course, some people find their martial arts enthusiasm in their university years, that can happen. But also, if they were brought up as youngsters in a very good Dojo, they can often be disappointed as to what is available to them in their university location, and that can herald the demise of their martial arts development.
Information through media.
Back in the pre-Internet age information on the quality and expectations of the martial arts was thin on the ground. I was a green belt before I realised there were different styles of karate, prior to that there was just ‘karate’.
With all the info out there at the touch of a screen, you would think that people would be better informed, and generally they are; but they are also befuddled with too much information. This allows them to be easy prey to novelty. Look how much stuff pumped out on social media about martial arts falls into the category of ‘novelty’, or being ‘cool’.
Is there good news at the end of all this?
I would say ‘yes’. As long as the purveyors of the martial arts, the torchbearers, keep a wise head on their shoulders and present themselves truthfully and become the beacons of solid principled leadership.
My instinct is that with all that’s going on in the world, all the bad stuff, the search for meaning and purpose in life will become a reflexive urge and martial arts training should act as a magnet to people who are seeking fulfilment through personal exploration in an active way.
But this should be a future-oriented project, not a backwards looking reactionary boneyard, lamenting things that ‘used to be’.
Build it, and they will come.
Few comments and thoughts if i may. I was a cop in london from 1989 / 2015 and tbh unless ypu were in specialist unit, very little emphasis, time, money or resource was dedicated on fitnesz. The latest Uk College of Policing fitness test bleep course run is equivalent to 3.7 mins or 500m of slow running. Idea of a Dojo would cause screams from every possible corner of every vested interest. Uk society doesnt know what it wants from its police, not helped by endless political interfence, respectfully suggezt this might not be issue in japan.
I live in small fairly drab city in W Eng. Kugb club shut last year when Sensei moved and landowner shut sight of building.
The nearest kugb club which has more than 5 members regularly training and good instructors is one hour drive. But to me im happy to do it às it is fairly true to what i experienced at Sensei Enoedas london Dojo under him or Ohta Sensei.
This club is in fairly prosperous place with well established univerzity. Id say on average night, 25 students, 25% Dan gradez, 25% Higher kyu grades and then rest lower kyu. V few children under age 16. 3 at prezent. All children of adults who train. Why that is i dont know. I suggest training here isnt of same quality as 'my' dojo.
My nearest karate dojo is different association, instructors lower Dan grades and lots of small children. How many stay and make it to Dan grade i guezs is pretty low.
Same location as my kugb club has BJJ and Aikido club.
True Budo or anything anywhere near it is a v personal thing in the west. Japan totally different culture. I just train at home alone or in Dojo. Just follow my path.
Tim, I'm not so sure there are fewer people doing martial arts today in the UK. There are, to be sure, far fewer people doing karate, but there has been such an explosion in BJJ over the past decade. I wonder if the sheer numbers of 18-25 year olds in that art makes up for the decline in other, more traditional arts.