Japanese Art Show Concludes At Pakistan National Council Of The Arts (PNCA)

Japanese art show concludes at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA)

A two-week traveling Japanese Martial Arts show concluded here Monday at the National Art Gallery of Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) featuring a collection of reproduction of Japanese historical martial art items

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jan, 2019 ) :A two-week traveling Japanese Martial Arts show concluded here Monday at the National Art Gallery of Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) featuring a collection of reproduction of Japanese historical martial art items.

The show titled "the Spirit of Budo the History of Japan's Martial Arts" was jointly organized by PNCA and the Japan Foundation for residents of twincities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to witness the evolution over more than one thousand years of Japanese martial arts from battlefield combat techniques called "Bujutsu" to popular sports or physical exercise to train the body and cultivate the spirit, which is called "Budo".

The traveling exhibition has been to many countries before coming to Pakistan for the second time. The exhibit featured reproductions of bows and arrows, elaborate helmets, armory and swords traditionally used in Budo which is literally translated to martial arts but attaches more importance to spiritual aspect of cultivation of oneself through developing both body and soul.

The special feature of this exhibition was that it showed the historical developments of Japanese martial arts from the 8th century to the 19th century through which visitors can see how the spirit of martial arts is still inherent in the daily lives of the Japanese people today.

The exhibition had two parts: in the first part, reproductions/originals of historical weapons such as bows and arrows, suits of armor, helmets and so on were shown and the development and changes of Japanese martial arts from 8th century to 19th century were explained. Many of ancient type of ancient type of armor and weapons have not survived to the present or are too fragile for international transport, that is why the reproductions were included to give appearance of suits of armor and helmets at the time of original production even more vividly.

The second part dealt with the reorganization of Bujustu to Budo in the 19th and 20th centuries, and how spirit of martial arts is still inherent in the daily life of Japanese people today. Nine Budo associations were also introduced and implements such as bamboo swords, protectors, bows and arrows and so on, which are used by players and students in the present day.

Through this exhibition, the viewers become aware of not only the history of Japanese martial arts, but also of people's aesthetic awareness and creativity, and Japan's social history and the Japanese way of thinking from a new angle, said the organizers.