Reiho
礼法
A set of rules of proper conduct, literally “law of respect”. In the martial arts it governs bowing, sitting, dressing and the handling of weapons.
Quick Facts
Word breakdown
Definition
Reiho (礼法) is made up of the characters rei (respect, courtesy) and ho (law, method). It is an entire set of etiquette rules, not a single greeting, which is called rei. In the dojo, reiho governs bows on entering and at the beginning and end of training, sitting in seiza, dressing and folding the garments, addressing teachers and the handling of weapons. The best-known Japanese school of etiquette is Ogasawara-ryu, which developed from the skills of the warrior nobility, mainly archery and horse riding. In kyudo, shaho, the procedure of shooting, and reiho, the rules of conduct, are still distinguished today.
Relations to other terms
See also
Formal Japanese kneeling on the heels, literally “correct sitting”. In the dojo one bows, meditates and practises iaido and part of aikido from it.
Dojo kun道場訓A short set of dojo principles that practitioners recite at the end of training. The best known is the five-point dojo kun of Shotokan karate.
Rei礼The bow and respect in general in Japanese martial arts. One bows standing (ritsurei) and kneeling (zarei) on entering the dojo, to a partner and to the teacher.
Dojo道場Hall where Japanese martial arts are practised. Literally “place of the way”, with its own etiquette, cleaning and a fixed arrangement of the space.