Dai Nippon Butoku Kai

Dai Nippon Butoku Kai
大日本武徳会

Founded	1895 April 17th
Type	Sports organization

Dai Nippon Butoku Kai 大日本武徳会 ("Greater Japan Martial Virtue Society") is a Japanese martial arts university that was established in 1895 in Kyoto.. 1946 November 9th, the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai was disbanded by the order of GHQ of SCAP and it was reestablished in 1953.

History

The Establishment of the Original Military School

The original Dai Nippon Butoku Kai facility was created as a private organization in 1895 in Kyoto. By the 1930's the systematic appropriation of martial arts by the state was underway in the wake of the Russo Japanese war and 1942-1945, during the apex of Japan's “militarisation”(sengika,) "unprecedented policies aimed at making martial arts education combat effective and ideologically aligned with ultra-nationalistic government policy" were set into motion. This strove to coral any and all budo organizations under state control to which the proposal of the “National Physical Strength Deliberation Council” sponsored by the Ministry of Health and Welfare recommended that an “all-encompassing extra-governmental organization” formed between the five ministries of Kōseishō (Health and Welfare), Mombushō (Education), Rikugunshō(Army), Kaigunshō (Navy),and the Naimushō (Home)which promoted budō in schools, community organizations and groups. This was seen as an effective way to expand the reach and spread propaganda of the ultra nationalastic government into the community, plus allowing a clear path to community indoctrination through budō programs; especially notable was the targeting of children and schools within their funding allocation budgets.

The response was as follows: “We have reached a consensus to restructure the Dai-Nippon Butokukai, a registered society that has contributed to the advancement of budō for many years, and incorporate it into the organs of government.” This allowed public funding to be spent on a larger project nationally.

After the end of World War II, the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers (General Douglas MacArthur) issued a directive to dissolve all military-related organizations. The disbanding was done under the “Removal and Exclusion of Undesirable Personnel from Public Office,” which issues a purge directive contained in SCAPIN9 548 (Removal of Ultranationalists) which stated that “ultra-nationalistic or militaristic social, political, professional and commercial societies and institutions will be dissolved and prohibited.” and SCAPIN 550 (Removal and Exclusion of Undesirable Personnel from Public Office) which states, “Persons who have been active exponents of militarism and militant nationalism will be removed and excluded from public office and from any positions of public or substantial private responsibility." in a memorandum proposed to the Chief of Staff, it stated that the “Dissolution of Dai Nippon Butokukai by order to the Imperial Japanese Government is recommended in accordance with the provisions of SCAPIN 548 Paragraph I-f on the grounds that this is an organization ‘affording military or quasi-military training’ and which provides for the ‘perpetuation of militarism’ or a martial spirit in Japan.”

The Reestablishment of DNBK

In 1953, the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai of today was reestablished with the new philosophical vision of preserving the long-standing illustrious classical martial virtues and traditions. It aims for the restoration of classical martial cultures, supporting allied research, instruction and service, promotion of international peace and harmony, and the advancement of greater humanity through Budo education.

The first official branch outside Japan was established in Virginia (USA) and in 1985 a division in the east coast USA. In 1992, DNBK officially established the International Division under the leadership of Tesshin Hamada overseeing all international members. In 2011, DNBK has official representatives and coordinators in Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Israel, Hungary, Russia, Germany, Spain, Malta, France and California USA, Hawaii USA, Mid-Western USA, Boston USA, Arizona USA, Florida USA, Australia, Romania, Switzerland, Armenia, Chile, Switzerland, Greece, Gibraltar, Austria, and Nepal. ,.