Dō (philosophy)

A Dō (道) is any one of a number of spiritual, martial, or aesthetic disciplines that evolved in Japan and Korea. The term "Dō" is borrowed from the Chinese philosophical concept of Tao (道, Dao). The word means 'way', 'path', 'route', or sometimes more loosely, 'doctrine' or 'principle'. Within the context of traditional East Asian philosophy and religion, Dō is a metaphysical concept signifying the primordial essence or fundamental nature of the universe.

In Japanese, a Dō implies a body of knowledge and tradition with an ethic and an aesthetic, and having the characteristics of specialization (senmonsei), transmissivity (keishōsei), normativity (kihansei), universality (kihensei), and authoritativeness (ken'isei).

The same character,(道) can also be rendered as “path, way, way of life” which is a classical Japanese term used by initiates of the Old School (koryū- 古流) lineages, especially the Kashima Shin-ryū (鹿島神流),, although its use in the greater martial arts community is much more widespread. The term serves to unifies both artistic and martial lineages, since both lead to the betterment of the individual. It is said someone is a person of this Way or that Way, depending on the particular physical expression of an individual discipline. Michi, by the very nature of the term, speaks to a greater goal than a mere path or road. Therefore, all true michi point to the same place, leading to a sense of brotherhood between initiates, especially deep initates, of widely disparate disciplines.

List of Dōs

• Aikido (合気道), the Way of harmonious spirit

Compassionate hand-to-hand fighting

• Bushidō (武士道), the Way of the warrior

The samurai moral code

• Chadō (茶道), or sadō, or chanoyu, the Way of tea

The Japanese tea ceremony

• Gendai budō (現代武道), modern warrior Way

The group of martial disciplines that arose after the Meiji restoration

• Hojōjutsu martial art

A Japanese martial art of restraining a prisoners using cord or rope.

• Iaido (居合道), the Way of harmonious life

A Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword

• Jōdō (杖道), the Way of the jō

Wooden staff fighting

• Judo (柔道), the "gentle way"

A grappling martial art

• Jūkendō (銃剣), the Way of the bayonet

Bayonet fighting

• Kadō (華道) or Ikebana, the Way of flowers

Flower arrangement, an artistic discipline

• Karate or karate-dō (空手道), the Way of the empty hand

Okinawan Bare hand fighting

• Kashima Shin-ryū (鹿島神流), a classical Japanese martial discipline

A way that encompasses fencing, unarmed fighting and other classical Japanese martial expressions

• Kendo (剣道), the Way of the sword

Traditional Japanese fencing

• Kōdō, (香道), the Way of incense/fragrance

Appreciation of incense

• Kyūdō, (弓道), the Way of the bow

Zen archery

• Kyushindō, the Way of longing for knowledge of the fundamental nature of anything

Japanese-inspired Western school of hand-to-hand fighting

• Nanbudō (南武道), the Way of the Nan warrior

Hand-to-hand fighting recently evolved from karate

• Shinto (神道), the Way of the gods

The native religion of Japan

• Shodō (書道), the Way of writing

Traditional Japanese brush calligraphy

• Taidō (躰道), the Way of the body

Hand-to-hand fighting evolved from Okinawan karate

• Yoseikan Budō (養正館武道), the teaching truth place warrior Way

Comprehensive martial art with ancient roots

List of Korean Dōs

The word "道" is used in quite the same way in Korean language and culture, and is pronounced identically with its Japanese cognate as Dō.

• Taekwon-Do (태권도; 跆拳道), the Way of the foot and the fist

a Korean martial art with roots in Taekkyon and Karate

• Kumdo (검도; 劍道), the Way of the Sword

Korean fencing with roots in Japanese Kendo

• Hapkido (합기도; 合氣道), the Way of the harmonious spirit

a Korean martial art which shares history with Japanese Aikido

• Seodo (서도; 書道), the Way of writing

An alternate name for Korean brush calligraphy, Seoye (서예; 書藝)