An exhibition of Japanese martial arts, displayed with the medium of visual arts, will continue at the National Art Gallery till December 23.
The show entitled `The Spirit of Budo’ was organized by the Embassy of Japan and the Japan Foundation in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and the Ministry of National Heritage and Integration, to highlight the history of Japanese Martial Arts as part of international cultural-exchange activities.
“The show has been providing art lovers with an opportunity to enhance the understanding of Japanese arts and culture through visual arts,” a PNCA official told APP.
The exhibition consisted of two parts, in the first part, reproductions/originals of historical weapons such as bows and arrows, suits of armour and helmets had been shown and the development and changes of Japanese martial arts from 8th century to 19th century had been explained.
Many ancient types of armour and weapons had either diminished or were too fragile for international transport. So these reproductions were included to give the appearance of suits of armour and helmets at the time of original production.
The second part dealt with the reorganization of the Bujustu to Budo in the 19th and 20th centuries, and demonstrated how the spirit of martial arts was still inherent in the daily life of Japanese people.
Nine Budo associations were introduced and clothes and implements such as bamboo swords, protectors, bows and arrows, which are used by players and students even today, were also shown.
The show would also create awareness among visitors about the history of Japanese martial arts, as well as introduce creativity and knowledge of Japan’s social history and the Japanese way of thinking from a new angle.
