Cultural Study Choice

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"We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training."

Black belts candidates will pick a cultural study topic to analyze and write a full report to accompany their testing. 

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  • Bushido - The traditional military code observed by the samurai warriors.

  • Chado - Chinese tea ceremony, Links, Stash Tea, Japanese tea ceremony Chaji, more about the Tea Ceremony.

  • Kodo - Incense ceremony, Nippon kodo Incense.

  • Bonsai - More links, miniature trees, the bonsai web.

  • Bonkei - Miniature landscapes created trays.

  • Shodo - Calligraphy, more links.

  • Art of Sushi.

  • Yoga - Hindu art of stretching your muscles and your mind,

  • Martial Arts and Yoga
    Master your health with yoga

  • Ceramics/Pottery - Japanese pottery making.

  • Kabuki - Japanese drama and theater.

  • Mahjong - History and how to play.

  • Feng Shui - The art of perfect placement and harmony.

  • Haiku - Subtle 17-syllable poems.

  • The History of Ikebana - The oldest anthology of Japanese poetry through flower arranging. From the fifth to the eighty century.

  • Kado - The art of flower arrangement.

  • Kagura - Shinto dance and music.

  • Sensu Logo - Fan folding. The Kyoto Fans project

  • Origami - links - Paper cutting and folding Origami page.

  • Sumi-e - Black and white painting drawn using India ink.

  • The Art of War - By Sun Tzu.

  • Buddhanet - Buddhism Information.

  • Seppuku - INFO 1, How and why it was done, and the differences in styles.

  • What is Zen?

  • Uses of Herbs in health and medicine - Index of links, info.

  • What is Chi, Ki, or Qi.

  • Mythology, Folklore, and Legend.

  • Meditation - Other than Zen... info.

  • Zen and the Gateless Gate - A dozen stories. There are myriad of fascinating Zen stories which recount actual experiences of Zen teachers over a period of five centuries.

  • The Art of Breathing - The different styles, methods and techniques, info.

  • Go Rin Nosho - 'The Book of Five Rings' by Miyamoto Musashi.

  • Yin-Yang - The original meaning of yin-yang was the sunny side-shady side of a slope. Yang is the sunny side of a slope and Yin is the shady side of a slope. Classical Chinese thought describes and explains everything in the world with Yin-Yang. The way it is related to life, how it is used in health and medicine.