Is it Military or is it Zen Buddhist Influences

Often when asked about certain practices as to etiquette in the dojo I respond, it was a military thing. As I continue my studies of the cultures for my practice, i.e. Okinawan with smatterings of Japanese influences, I am coming to a new hypothesis, that it may not be just a military influence driving such practices but possible it or the Zen aspects of Japanese systems called "art."

In some of my posts I have alluded to the Japanese influences in regards to culture, customs and Zen Buddhism. Take the concept of "kata." We tend to think that "kata" are a part of karate. In the book written by Mike Clarke, Shi Gi Tai, he references that actually the martial arts are a part of "kata." Hmmm, urban legend debunked?

Kata is pretty rigid in Japan. Everything has strict rules governing how everything is done and they tend to call that "kata." It can be exactly like many military aspects our boys serving in places like Japan, Okinawa and other Asian countries place on practices and training. It could be this like-minded connection that attracted the military to the dojo in the fifties and later, maybe?

What I have to consider is the most direct influence on a system. It could be a military influence, a Zen Japanese connection or it may simply be some other form perceived, accepted and then merged into a system of practice and training. In lieu of either one or the other it remains as a possible out of the box and open mind aspect to consider.

Thinking, thinking, thinking!