On a beautiful clear day in Japan, the Sakura (cherry blossom) petals were falling to the ground. As the Sakura represents a new beginning, a new season, and the passing from one stage to another, they are essentially the symbol of life’s renewal. The calming and cleansing experience of these falling petals inspires us to pursue what we truly desire. The cherry blossom, as the emblem for the Shinken Bujutsu school, was chosen for exactly this reason: Shinken Bujutsu was born in pursuit of the truth within the martial arts. The place where the martial arts are practiced is called a Dojo . The first character to the left is “ Do ” which means “the way” or “the path.” The second character to the right is “ Jo ” which means “the place.” Dojo , therefore, means “the place that teaches the way.” Though the martial arts at first may seem to be only a physical activity, the “way” to which Dojo refers is not sim...
