Japanese Martial Arts Association Explains the Meaning of "Riai"
Michimich.com/10289101

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Michimich -- Have you heard the term "riai" in your practice?

When you practice your art, do you truly know the meaning of the form?

My trusty Nelson kanji dictionary defines the two kanji that make up the word as meaning "reason," or ri- ("principle", "truth") with "coming together, meeting, or harmonizing" (-ai). In other words, in budo, riai are the underlying principles behind a technique. That's as simple an explanation as I can give, and in most cases, that's enough. Riai, in a way, is similar to the word bandied about frequently in karate-do schools: bunkai ("analysis," "reduction," "parsing"). However, as the Nelson translated meanings make clear, they are somewhat different.

In any case, on a superficial level, riai is simply an explanation of the "meaning" of a technique, or waza.

If you don't understand the core principles behind the art, your techniques won't look coherent. You'll be doing something, but there won't be a unity or cohesiveness. The techniques will look like disparate, unrelated actions. It will look choppity-chop.

More on Michimich.com

• How to Fast-Track Your Way to the Top with The Code
• Midwest Juice of Grand Rapids, MI, Acquired by Leonard's Syrups of Detroit, MI
• Macomb Township Chiropractic Posts Neck Pain Relief YouTube Testimonial Video
• Rocket Companies to Announce First Quarter 2025 Results on May 8
• Lyricalmar Set To Release Powerful New Ep "MARCHIVES" May 16

So, if you were going to attack someone, what was the biggest worry? His sword hand, his right hand, would grab his sword and cut you in retaliation. Hence, you'd grab his right hand first, nullify it, and then punch him, kick him, slap him or dance with him. Whatever. Maybe, if you grabbed him with your left, you could draw out your own sword with your right hand. Just don't give the guy a chance to draw his sword out.

Read the full article on SMAA's website: https://www.smaa-hq.com/articles/article/riai-m...

Understand Riai, Get Certified in Martial Arts

If you're committed to understanding the riai of your art, you can earn a martial arts certification at SMAA! To get started or ask questions, call (734) 720-0330 or submit a contact form here: https://www.smaa-hq.com/contact

More on Michimich.com

• Charleston, SC - ACSEC offers Rain Barrels Through Annual Program
• Greek Government Issues Landmark Ministerial Order Addressing Citizenship of Greek-born adoptees
• Baltimore Author Crafts Space Opera Where Human Questions Outshine Galactic Scale
• Stout Surpasses 60,000 Acres and 3 Billion Plants Scanned
• OpsVeda Announces Launch of TariffSight, the World's First Comprehensive Platform to Address Tariff-Driven Challenges

About Shudokan Martial Arts Association: SMAA was founded in January 1994 by a group of martial artists concerned with promoting and safeguarding Nihon budo and koryu bujutsu—the traditional martial arts and ways of Japan. SMAA is a non-profit that aims keep the spirit of traditional budo alive in the West. Anyone can become a member, even if you aren't a martial artist, and SMAA members are from multiple countries across the globe. For more information, visit https://www.smaa-hq.com/about