Shugyo is a traditional Japanese martial arts practice that entails putting oneself through sustained rigorous training for the purpose of self-development. It typically involves enduring feats that are performed outside — in the mountains, at the beach, under a waterfall, in extreme heat, in bitter cold and so on.
Martial artists who engage in such intense physical practices believe it will lead to a mental and spiritual transformation. The underlying concept is that by pushing oneself beyond one’s limits and strengthening the body, the martial artist will live in the moment and gain an enhanced appreciation for being alive.
Historically, shugyo was integral to the development of many martial artists, including sword-master Miyamoto Musashi, aikido-founder Morihei Ueshiba and kyokushin-founder Mas Oyama.
Shugendo: New Spiritual Practice
The roots of shugyo can be traced back to ascetic Shinto, Taoist and Buddhist traditions. During Japan’s Heian period (794–1185), they were formulated into a unique spiritual practice that came to be called shugendo.
Followers of shugendo are believed to have been influenced by the life of an ascetic called En No Gyoja (634–701), who was born into a family of Shinto priests but later converted to Buddhism. When he was in his 30s, he retreated to Mount Katsuragi to live off the land while searching for enlightenment.
For the next 30 years, En No Gyoja performed ascetic and religious rituals to honor Shinto and Buddhist divinities while he traveled to various mountains in Japan. By enduring harsh living conditions, he claimed to have attained enlightenment, insisting he’d obtained the power to control the Those assertions caused him to appear suspicious in the eyes of the local government. Fearing that he would foment political unrest, government officials exiled him to the island of Izu in 700. He was allowed to return to Kyoto in 701, where he passed away the same year.
