Title: Seiza - Wikipedia
Headings: Seiza
Seiza
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Contents
Form
History
Floor
Difficulties
Use in traditional arts
Shikkō
Alternative sitting positions
Agura
Yokozuwari
Wariza
Kiza
See also
References

Content: They allow one to maintain the appearance of sitting seiza while discreetly taking pressure off the heels and feet. A new law coming into effect in April 2020 recognizes seiza for extended periods of time as a morally unacceptable form of punishment according to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Use in traditional arts
The judo practitioner at right performs a bow while seated in seiza
Doing seiza is an integral and required part of several traditional Japanese arts, such as certain Japanese martial arts and tea ceremony (a table-style version of tea ceremony known as ryūrei was invented in the 19th century). Seiza is also the traditional way of sitting while doing other arts such as shodō (calligraphy) and ikebana (flower arranging), though with the increasing use of western-style furniture it is not always necessary nowadays. Many theatres for traditional performing arts such as kabuki and sumo still have audience seating sections where the spectators sit in seiza style. Shikkō
Walking on the feet and knees while in the seiza posture, known as shikkō (膝行, knee-movement), is considered more polite than standing up and walking regularly. Shikkō is today quite rare, but is found in some traditional formal restaurants and ryokan, and is practiced in the martial art of aikido, where practitioners learn to defend themselves while moving in shikkō . To perform this knee-walking movement correctly the heels must be kept close together, and the body must move as a whole unit. Movement in shikkō forces one to engage the hips in a way that is considered valuable for aikido training. Alternative sitting positions
Agura
Sakakibara Yasumasa sitting in agura position
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