Sport is a culture which has evolved with the development of human society. Although sport is a cultural product, socio-cultural aspects of sport have been largely ignored.　Specifically, traditional sport, which have been played by the people and have been handed down from one generation to the next, represent a variety of ethnic cultures in the world.

　The traditional martial arts of _Japan such as judo, kendo or Japanese fencing, kyudo or archery, naginata or halberd (a martial art for women of former samurai families) hold a special position in Japanese sport.　The samurai fighting techniques, which developed during the Sengoku Era (Period of Civil War, 1477-1573) in the sixteenth century, were organized into several different schools during the Edo Era (1600-1867) in the eighteenth century, and then modernized at the end of the nineteenth century,

　One of the unique characteristics in Japanese traditional sport is the process-orientation.　For example, kyudo, literally means archery (kyu), ways(do) and may be interpreted to mean "the way of archery".　A series of ceremonies prior to and after shooting are important parts to become an expert.　This process-orientation can be seen in various aspects of Japanese culture including sport.　Such unique Japanese cultural elements also find the teaceremony (sado, the way of tea) and flower arrangement (kado, the way of flower arrangement), the Japanese word "do" means "the way".　These ceremonies emphasize on modest behavior and a strict order of the procedure.

　Ruth Benedict, an American anthropologist, presented "self-discipline"as a unique characteristic of the Japanese in the Chrysanthemum and the Sword in 1946.　She explained that in the United States technical and traditional methods of self-discipline are relatively underdeveloped.　But in Japan, the concept of self-discipline can be schematically divided into those which give or have competence and those which give or have something more.　She called this "something more" expertise.

　Self-discipline was much influenced by Bushido, which is the spirit of traditional sport.　Bushido, literally translated, means "the way of samurai warrior". Bushido is an unwritten code of laws governing behavior of samurai warrior originated in thirteenth century, when Feudalism dominated this country. It incorporates elements from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shintoism in stressing such values as loyalty, self-discipline, modesty, courage, simplicity, reverence for nature and strict obedience to the law and moral code.

　In modern sport of the world there is a tendency to evolve from rituals to competition, while traditional sport in Japan still keep unique rituals and styles.　Those characteristics also reflect the Japanese culture and lifestyle of the people.