Kagami Biraki is the first training session of the new year for Japanese martial arts. At Nippon Budokan on the holiday of Seijin no Hi (Coming of Age Day) they do a Kagami Biraki with people wearing samurai armor of the Kamakura Era (1192-1333) as part of a ceremony known as Yoroi Kizome, the first wearing of armor. The leader of the group breaks a large rice cake known as kagami mochi, kagami meaning mirror and the two rice cakes looking like the back of ancient copper mirrors. This ritual was done in the past to strengthen ties with family and friends. After the breaking of the mochi and sake barrel, a departure for battle ceremony is done. In the past when a general went to war, he would eat and drink a certain way to pray for victory.

This is followed by demonstrations of the following martial arts - kyudo, judo, jukendo, aikido, naginata, sumo, shorinji kempo, karatedo, and kendo. Then the groups gather to do Budo Hajime which is joint training. In the past they had all the groups together but this year due to Covid restrictions they broke into two joint sessions.

0:00 Introduction
0:24 Yoroi Kizome - wearing of armor
1:20 SanKon-no-gi
2:30 Breaking the Rice Cake
4:00 Armor Procession
6:15 Kyudo
7:50 Judo
8:57 Jukendo
11:25 Aikido
12:17 Naginata
13:22 Sumo
13:45 Shorinji Kempo
14:55 Karatedo
16:38 Kendo
18:15 Budo Hajime

#Japan #Martial Arts #samurai