The name Shin Kakuto-Ryu in Chinese / Japanese...

This is the title for Shinkakutō-ryū or Shin Kakuto Ryu in Japanese martial arts.

新格闘流 or Shinkakutō-ryū means “New Standard Fighting Style” or just “New Fighting Style.”

剛柔流 is the title of the Goju-Ryu or Gōjū-Ryū school/style of Karate or Japanese martial arts.

Sometimes romanized as Gojo-Ryu or Gojoryu, though technically, it should be Gōjū-Ryū (the accents indicating long vowel sounds like “gou juu ryuu”).

大東流 is Daitō-ryū, a Japanese martial art style - usually associated with Aikido.

玄制流 is the Japanese title for the Genseiryū or Gensei-Ryū style of Karate.

上地流 or Uechi-Ryū is the short name for a traditional style of Okinawan karate.

Uechi-Ryū is named after its creator, Kanbun Uechi. Uechi was an Okinawan man who left at the age of 19 for China to study Chinese martial arts and medicine.

The meaning of this title is “Uechi Flow,” “Uechi Style,” or “Uechi School.” Although, the name 上地 or Uechi can mean “higher stages of practice” in the Buddhist context. Therefore, you can stretch the meaning to be “Higher-Stages-of-Practice Style.”

少林寺流 is the Japanese martial arts title “Shorin-ji-ryu.”

Though the first part of the title comes from the Shaolin temple in China. In Japan, this refers to an Okinawa school of karate.

Note: Sometimes, this title is written without the “ji” or “temple” Kanji.

無雙直傳英信流 is the traditional or old way to write the Japanese martial arts title, Musō Jikiden Eishin-Ryū (iaido style).

In modern Japanese, the second and fourth Kanji are different, making them 無双直伝英信流.

Musō Jikiden Eishin-Ryū is arguably the most renowned Japanese sword art school, with a history dating back to the early 1600s.

大東流合気柔術 is Daitō-Ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, a Japanese martial art established by Takeda Sōkaku.

The most famous student of Daitō-Ryū Aiki-jūjutsu is Morihei Ueshiba who later founded the school or branch of martial arts known as Aikido.

Note: 大東流合気柔術 can also be romanized as Daito-ryu Aiki-Jujutsu, Daitou-Ryuu Aiki-Juujutsu or Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujitsu.

無双直伝英信流 is the modern way to write the Japanese martial arts term, Musō Jikiden Eishin-Ryū (iaido style).

Sometimes the second Kanji is written as 雙, and the fourth Kanji is written 傳, making the full title 無雙直傳英信流. See the other version of this title if you want that traditional version.

格闘空手 is Kakutō Karate and means Fighting Karate and/or Combat Karate.

挌闘 is a Japanese word that means hand-to-hand fighting, grappling, or scuffling.

In the old days, this might refer to a street fight but now it can apply to martial arts and MMA techniques or bouts.

Sometimes written as 挌闘 instead of 格闘 (first Kanji varies slightly)

仁神術 is Jin Shin Jyutsu or Jin Shin Jutsu.

This is a practice of calming the mind and clearing the flow of Qi energy in the body. Jin Shin Jyutsu has some commonality with the practice of Reiki.

A good translation of 仁神術 would be “Benevolent Spirit Method.”

We can break that down into all of the possible meanings:

仁 = benevolence (esp. as a virtue of Confucianism), consideration, compassion, humanity, charity, kindness, or virtue.

神 = deity, soul, spirit, mysterious, psyche, god, divinity, spiritual powers, deva, divine, spiritual, or supernatural.

術 = way, method, means, art, trick, or plan. The correct romaji for this 術 Kanji should be “jutsu.” However, in martial arts, this is often written “jitsu” but in this case, “jyutsu” became common.

稽古心 is Keiko Shin in Japanese Kanji.

The first two characters, 稽古 mean to learn from the ancients, to study the classic texts, practice, training, or study.

The last character, 心, means heart or mind.

浄土真宗 is known in the west as “Shin Buddhism.”

This is a school of Japanese “Pure Land Buddhism.” This form is also known as “True Pure Land Buddhism” or “Jodoshinshu” (jōdoshinshū).

If you are looking for this title, you probably already know the rest of the story.

See Also:  Pure Land Buddhism

心技体 is the Japanese title “shin gi tai” or “shingitai.”

This can refer to the three elements of Sumo wrestlers or martial artists, “heart-technique-physique.”

Here is what each character represents:

心 (shin) mind, heart, and spirit.

技 (gi) skill, knowledge, and experience.

体 (tai) body and physical effort.

心技体 have the same meanings in Chinese, though this title is used much more often in Japanese.

悕望の心 is “Kemō no Shin,” a Japanese Zen Buddhist word that means “The seeking mind” or “[Having] The mind to seek something.”

The first two characters mean longing for. The last two mean “of mind” or “of heart.” So, this is a mind that longs for or seeks knowledge, etc.

精神統一 means concentration of mind or mental concentration in old Korean Hanja and Japanese.

This concentration title is one of the 8 Key Concepts of Tang Soo Do.

You'll often see this romanized from Korean as “Chung Shin Tong Il.”

If you want to order the modern Korean Hangul version, click on the Hangul characters in the pronunciation box. Otherwise, this title is valid Korean Hanja (from the 1600 years that Korea used Chinese characters).

信 can mean to believe, truth, faith, fidelity, sincerity, trust, and confidence in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.

This single character is often part of other words with similar meanings.

It is one of the five basic tenets of Confucius.

In Chinese, it sometimes has the secondary meaning of a letter (as in the mail) depending on context but it will not be read that way when seen on a wall scroll.

In the Buddhist context, this is śraddhā (faith through hearing or being taught).

See Also:  Faith | Trust | Confucius

心 would often be translated as “heart.”

However, because it was believed in Chinese culture for thousands of years that your consciousness and thoughts came from the big red organ in the middle of your chest, it also means “mind” or “spirit” and sometimes even “soul.”

In Korean, beyond heart, mind, and spirit, this character can mean moral, nature, mind, affections, intentions, core, and center. In fact, it is used in Chinese to mean “center” as well but only with another character in front of it. For instance, “medical center” or even “shopping center.” Separately and alone, it will not be read with that “center” meaning unless thought of as “the center of your soul.”

神 is the simplest way to write spirit in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean.

This single character alone will conjure up ideas of the spiritual world. 神 can also be translated as “vital awareness” as in the fact that one must know they exist to exist (I think, therefore, I am).

Other translations include:
God, deity, mysterious, divine essence, lively, spiritual being, divinity, supernatural, soul, mind, nerves, and energy. In some extended context, it can mean genius or unusual.

Japanese romanizations vary a lot when this character is combined into other words. However, shin is the original pronunciation taken from Chinese into Japanese. You'll also see it romanized as kami, gami, jin, and a few others, depending on context.

Taidō (The Way of the Body) is a style of Karate practiced in Japan and popular worldwide.

Taidō or 躰道 traces a lineage from Genseiryū (玄制流), which came from Shuri-te (首里手), one of the original martial arts schools of ancient Okinawa.

The first character 躰 is a variant of the original Chinese character 體. In modern Japan, they tend to use 体, a more simple character form. 体 is also the modern Simplified Chinese form of 體.
The 躰 character is correct for this 躰道 martial arts title. But it can be confusing with so many variants out there, not to mention other homophonic Japanese words that also romanize as Taidō or Taidou.

To have a bit more fun with this 躰 character, it has a 身 radical on the left, which sets it apart. The meaning doubles up on the “body” as 身 (shin) is a character that also means body in Japanese and Chinese. On the right is 本, which often means root, stem, origin, source, or fundamental (but can also mean “book” in some contexts). This has deviated from the original 體 which was 骨 (bone) + 豊 (vessel). Hence, the body was your “bone vessel” in ancient Asia.

The meaning of 躰, as well as 體 and 体, is usually translated as the body. When related to the physical body, it can also refer to the torso, trunk, build, physique, or the constitution of a person. As an extension of this, it can also refer to someone's health (good body = good health).
However, depending on the context, it can encompass other meanings such as form, style, system, experience, aspect, corpus, corporeal, substance, or essentials.

The second character, 道, is recognized and well-known as the “Way” and is the same “do” as in Karate-do or Aikido.

一心会 is the Japanese martial arts title “Isshinkai” or “Isshin-Kai.”

It literally means “One Heart Association” or “Single-Heart Club.” This title is often associated with Isshin-Ryu Aikido and Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do. This title is appropriate for the name of a dojo that teaches these styles.

天道流 is the martial arts title Tendo-ryu or Tendō-ryū in Japanese Kanji. The meaning is “Heaven Way Style” or “Sky Way Method.”

This is the title Aijō-Ryū, Aijou-Ryu or Aijou-Ryuu meaning “style of love and affection” or “flow of love” in Japanese.

八光流 (Hakkō-Ryū) is a style of jujutsu associated with Daito-Ryu.

The title Hakko-Ryu comes from the Japanese phrase which translates as “The Style of the Eighth Light,” or more literally, “Eighth Light Style.”

The 光 character is associated with brightness or brilliance. It can be used to describe someone of great talent or potential. So the meaning goes far beyond just light.

昭霊流 is Shōrei-Ryū, a type of Okinawan karate.

Shōrei-ryū means “the style of inspiration.”

剛完流 is the title of the Gokan-Ryu or “Go Kan Ryu” martial art.

英信流 is the Japanese martial arts term, Eishin-ryu.

This can also be pronounced Hidenobu-ryu. The direct meaning is something like, hero faith school (or school of heroic faith).

千唐流 (Chitō-Ryū, Chito-Ryu, or Chitoryu) is a style of karate founded by Tsuyoshi Chitose.

Here's the meaning of each character of the title:
千 = 1000
唐 = China (literally Tang, as in Tang Dynasty).
流 = Style or School.

Together, Chito-Ryu means “1,000 [year old] Chinese style.”

I will leave it up to you whether this is of Japanese or Okinawan style. The title certainly suggests roots traced back to China.

Want a giclee print Chito-Ryu logo?
Chito-Ryu on Dragon Cloud Paper
Chito-Ryu on Grass Fiber Paper

Or how about a ready-to-frame print? Chito-Ryu Fine Art Giclee Print

和道流 or Wado-Ryu is a style of Karate or Jujutsu (Jujitsu).
Note: Many will argue whether this is a style of Karate or Jujutsu.

While some find Wado-Ryu similar to Shotokan Karate, enough differences exist in perspective and technique that it stands by itself.

Breaking down the characters into the proper Japanese Romaji, you have “wa dou ryuu” or “wa dō ryū.” The meaning is roughly-translated as “Harmony Way Style” or “Peace Method Style.” The first Kanji should probably be read as harmony rather than peace in this case.

See Also:  Wado-Kai

鬆林流空手道 is the Japanese title for the Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do school of martial arts.

If directly translated, it means “Pine Forest Style Empty Hand Way.”

Notes:
1. 松林流 can be pronounced Matsubayashi-Ryū or Shōrin-Ryū. This can be confusing as Shōrin can also represent 少林 which refers to the Shaolin (little forest) style.
2. 松 can also be written in the traditional form of 鬆.

神道夢想流 is Shintō Musō-ryū, or Shindō Musō-ryū.

This is usually used in the context of jōdō, a traditional school of the Japanese martial art of jōjutsu (the art of wielding the short staff).

完全剛柔流 is the title of the “Kanzen Goju-Ryu” or “Kanzen Gōjū-Ryū” school of Japanese martial arts.

完全 or Kanzen means complete, whole, total, or entire.

小林流翔武館 is the title, Shorin-Ryu Shobukan meaning “Little Forest Style - Soaring Warrior House” in Japanese.

There is more than one version of Shorin-Ryu and Shobukan, so make sure the characters here match the ones used at your dojo.

小野派一刀流 is Ono-ha Ittō-ryū, the oldest branch of Ittō-ryū styles from Ittosai Kagehisa's original martial arts style.

This is the martial arts style Iwama Ryu Japanese Kanja.

新陰流 is the title for “Shinkage-Ryu,” and the style of Japanese fencing or sword fighting.

首里流 is the title of Shuri-Ryu, a style of Karate established in the mid-1900s by Robert Trias in Arizona.

天真武甲流兵法 is the Kanji title that romanizes as Tenshin Bukō-Ryū Heihō or Tenshin Buko-Ryu Heiho.

天真武甲流兵法 is a Japanese koryū martial art that has its roots in the Toda-ryū, founded in the late Muromachi period around the year 1560 by Toda Seigen.

This title can be pronounced in Chinese with a similar meaning, however, it should be considered a Japanese title.

松濤館流 is the Japanese martial arts title, Shotokan-Ryu.

This is a style or school of karate.

闘魂流 is the name of the Japaense style of Karate known as Toukon-Ryu.

The meaning is “Fighting Spirit Style.”

糸東流 is the title for Shito-Ryu.

Note that while this title can be pronounced in Chinese, it only makes complete sense in Japanese.

日本小林流 is the Japanese title Nippon Shorin-ryu.

This is the martial arts style Tenshin-Ryū Heihō.

小林流志道館 is the Japanese title Shorin-ryu Shidōkan.

少林流 is the Japanese martial arts title “Shorin-ryu.”

Though the first part of the title comes from the Shaolin (small forest) monks of China.
In Japan, this refers to the Okinawa School of Karate.

Note that often in Japanese, the first Kanji of this title was changed to the version shown to the right. If you prefer this version, please click on the Kanji to the right instead of the button above.

香取神道流 is the Japanese Kanji for the Katori Shintō-ryū martial arts.

This is the martial arts style Meifu Shinkage-Ryu in Japanese Kanji.

和道流空手 is the Japanese martial arts title, “Wado-Ryu Karate.”

See Also:  Wado-Kai

剛柔流空手道 is the title of the Goju-Ryu Karate-Do school of martial arts.

無外流 is the name Mugai-Ryu in Japanese Kanji.

無外流 means “Without Outward Flow” or “Outer Nothingness School” and is a Japanese koryū martial art school.

剛柔松濤流 is the martial arts title Goju Shoto-Ryu in Japanese Kanji.

夢想神伝流 is the martial arts style Musō Shinden-Ryū in Japanese Kanji.

神伝不動流 is the title of the martial arts school/style known as Shinden Fudo Ryū.

戸山流 or Toyama-Ryu is a relatively modern Japanese swordsmanship style (gendai budo) developed in the early 20th century at the Toyama Military Academy in Japan.

It was designed to efficiently train Imperial Japanese Army officers in swordsmanship, with a focus on practical application for battlefield use.

松村少林流 is the Japanese martial arts title “Matsumura Shorin-ryu.”

糸東流空手道 is the title for Shito-Ryu Karate-Do.

&#; is the martial arts title, Niten Ichi-Ryū.

The rough translation is “Two Heavens as One.”

浅山一伝流 or Asayama Ichiden-ryū is a Japanese koryū martial art founded in the late Muromachi period by Asayama Ichidensai Shigetatsu.

上地流空手道 is the title of the Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do school of Okinawan martial arts.

Uechi means “higher stages of practice” in a Buddhist context.

調和流柔術 is the title for Chowa-Ryu Jujitsu.

This roughly translates as harmonious-flow Jujitsu. The first two characters are sometimes romanized as chōwa, chouwa, chowa, or cho-wa.

沖縄剛柔流空手道 is the title of the Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate-Do school of martial arts.

一心流 is the title for Isshin-Ryu Karate.

The literal meaning is “one heart method.” You could also translate it as “unified hearts methods.” It implies people doing things as if with one heart and mind.
The second Kanji can be defined as the heart, mind, or essence of your being. Clearly, there's a multitude of ways you can define this title in English.

See Also:  Isshin-Kai

一心流空手道 is the full title for Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do.

The literal meaning is “one heart method empty hand way.”

There are other ways to translate this, but if you are looking for this title, you already know that.

This would make a great wall scroll for your dojo or private studio if you study this form of Japanese (technically from Okinawa) Karate.

Because this is a specifically-Japanese title, I strongly recommend that you select our Japanese Master Calligrapher to create this artwork.

天真正伝香取神道流 is Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, a very old form of Japanese martial arts.

糸東流氣目館空手道 is the title for Shito-Ryu Ki-Me-Kan Karate-Do.
A school of Karate.

Note that while this title can be pronounced in Chinese, it only makes complete sense in Japanese.

初心流 is often translated in Japanese as “beginner's mind style” or “beginner's spirit method.”

The first character means first, initial, primary, junior, beginning, or basic.

The second character means heart, mind, soul, or essence.

The third character means style, method, or some will translate it as a school.

Please note, there is more than one martial arts school that romanizes as Shoshin-Ryu.

正心流 is a Japanese title that means “right heart style” or “true mind method.”

The first character means right, correct, greater, or true.

The second character means heart, mind, soul, or essence.

The third character means style, method, or some will translate it as a school.

Please note, there is more than one martial arts school that romanizes as Shoshin-Ryu.

武士流柔術 is a special title added for a customer's specific school/style of Jujutsu.

Please only order this if you are a member/practitioner of this style.

Wado-Kai is used as a title for styles of Karate and Aikido.

Breaking down the characters into the proper Japanese Romaji, you have “wa dou kai” or “wa dō kai.” The meaning is roughly-translated as “Harmony Way Club” or “Peace Method Association.” The first Kanji should probably be read as harmony, rather than peace in this case.

See Also:  Wado-Ryu

和道會合気道 is the title for Wado-Kai Aikido.

See Also:  Wado-Ryu

浄土 means “Pure Land.”

This term, “Pure Land” is often associated with the Western Pure Land paradise of Amitabha, also known as the “Buddhist paradise.”

浄土 can also be used as an abbreviation for “Pure Land Buddhism.”

You may see this romanized as Jodo, Joudo, or Jōdo. Some also combine Pure Land into Pureland in English.

This can also be a Japanese surname with the same Jodo or Joudo pronunciation.

See Also:  Shin Buddhism

浄土宗 is the title of Japanese “Pure Land Buddhism.” This form is also romanized/known as “Jodo Shu” (jōdo shū).

Also known as Amidism for the fact that this is a branch of Mahayana (Mahāyāna) Buddhism which focuses on Amitabha (Amitābha) Buddha. This form of Buddhism, along with Chinese characters, came to Japan via China in the 5th century, according to most historians.

Notes:
Pure Land Buddhism is also known as (jōdo bukkyō).
Some will just express it with just (Pure Land).

See Also:  Shin Buddhism

淨土 literally means “pure land” or “clean earth.”

淨土 is also the abbreviated title of a Buddhist sect that involves faith in the rebirth of Buddha Amitabha (Amitābha) in the Western Heaven. Sometimes this sect is translated as “Paradise of the West.” Other titles of this school of Buddhism include Amidism or Elysium.

See Also:  Nirvana | Shin Buddhism

Meibukan (明武舘) is a branch of Gōjū-ryū karate. It was created by Meitoku Yagi, a student of Goju-ryu's founder, Chojun Miyagi. Meibukan means "House of the pure-minded warrior."

This is the Japanese martial arts school, “Kenshin-Kan” or “Ken Shin Kan” in Kanji.

In the context of the Japanese Shinto religion, shintai/shin-tai or 神体 is an object of worship believed to contain the spirit of a deity, typically housed in a shrine.

This may not the the Shintai that you are looking for. This is NOT the Shintai massage technique.

身体 (body/health) and 心体 (heart/mind body) also romanize as Shintai. But I don't know what Saul Goodman is referring to as "light body" though the second character should be 体 which means body.

忍び (Shinobi) is a term often associated with ninjas of ancient Japan.

忍び really means stealing (into), a spy, a sneaking thief, stealth, or a surreptitious visit to a house of ill repute. However, 忍び is sometimes used to refer to an outcast ninja.

This term was somehow given a better report when various video games, TV series, and even a movie came out with this Shinobi title.

忍び are sometimes Romanized as two words: Shin obi or Shin-obi.

Note: The first character can be written as or .

三戦 is a title that literally means “three battles/conflicts/wars.”

三戦 is often figuratively used to relay the idea of a battle to unify the mind, body, and spirit.

Original usage likely comes from Fujian province in Southern China (just across from Taiwan).

This title is used in various schools such as Okinawan Karate, Uechi-Ryū, Gōjū-Ryū, Fujian White Crane, and Five Ancestors among others.

Seiunchin or 制引戦 is a kata of Goju-ryu karate.

伸縮 can mean, to lengthen and shorten; flexible; adjustable; retractable; extensible; expansion and contraction; elasticity; flexibility; elastic; stretchy.

伸縮 is often romanized from Korean as “Shin Chook,” which is associated with one of the 8 key concepts of Tang Soo Do.

This is a Chinese surname that romanizes as Shen from Mandarin or Shum from Cantonese.

In Japanese, it can be the surnames Chin, Chimu, Sen, Sun, Shin, or Shimu.

The meaning is to sink or heavy.

This 沈 character is a variant of 沉.

修交会 is Shūkōkai, Shūkō-kai, or Shuko-kai, a martial arts style derived from Shitō-ryū (糸東流) back in the 1940s.

This is the Korean martial arts title Jung Sim Do.

The official romanization should be Jeong Sim Do (thought in Korean, the J is almost a "Ch" sound) and other will romanize as Jung Shin Do.

The meaning is straight/right heart way. If you want this written in Hangul (정심도) in stead of Hanja (正心道), please click on the Hangul characters next to the Korean flag above.

貓神 is the title Nekogami or “Cat God” in Japanese.

This can also be pronounced “neko shin” or “neko kami.”

猫神 is the modern Japanese version, before WWII, this would have been written 貓神 (just the first Kanji varies).

This also makes sense in Chinese, though the traditional version, 貓神, would be better for Chinese calligraphy.

合気術 (Aiki-Jutsu) is a school of martial arts descended from Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu.

Note: Some also romanize 合気術 as Aiki-Jitsu.

志道館 is the Japanese title Shidōkan (sometimes pronounced Kokorozashi-do-kan).

志道館 is often associated with Shorin-ryu Shidokan (小林流志道館). Do not confuse this title with the newer 士道館 which is also romanized as Shidōkan.

砕破 is the title “Saifa” written in Japanese Kanji. This literally means “smash and tear.” Like most styles of martial arts, Saifa has origins in China. It was Higashionna that brought Saifa to Okinawa.

Saifa is generally associated with Gōjū-ryū as a title for a kata.

Notes: While Saifa is often written as 砕破, it can also be written 碎破 (just a variation on the first Kanji). Sometimes written in Japanese Katakana as サイハ.

古流武術 is the title “Ko-ryū Bujutsu” which basically means “old school martial arts” or “ancient flow martial arts.”

This is more a Japanese than a Chinese martial arts term but would be understood in Chinese as well.

致道館 is the name Chidokan.

Chidōkan was established in 1805. The original Chidōkan school was located in Tsuruoka, Japan.

The original school taught a combination of traditional Chinese literature, Ogasawara-ryū etiquette, Chinese medicine and martial arts alongside Confucianism.

六 is the number 6 in Chinese, Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji. I have no idea why you would want this as a calligraphy wall scroll, but hundreds of visitors search for this number.

In Japanese, this character can be pronounced differently depending on context. It can be ryu, roku, mu, and a few others when combined with other Kanji.

There's just one way to pronounce this in Chinese. Korean also has just one pronunciation.

Also written 陸 or 陆 as an anti-fraud banker’s numeral.

In Japanese, 無心 means innocent or without knowledge of good and evil. It literally means “without mind.”

無心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo) and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet. Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: “No mind, a mind without ego. A mind like a mirror which reflects and dos not judge.” The original term was “mushin no shin,” meaning “mind of no mind.” It is a state of mind without fear, anger, or anxiety. Mushin is often described by the phrase “Mizu no Kokoro,” which means “mind like water.” The phrase is a metaphor describing the pond that clearly reflects its surroundings when calm but whose images are obscured once a pebble is dropped into its waters.

This has a good meaning in conjunction with Chan / Zen Buddhism in Japan. However, out of that context, it means mindlessness or absent-mindedness. To non-Buddhists in China, this is associated with doing something without thinking.
In Korean, this usually means indifference.

Use caution and know your audience before ordering this selection.

More info: Wikipedia: Mushin

身土不二 (Shindofuni) is originally a Buddhist concept or proverb referring to the inseparability of body-mind and geographical circumstances.

This reads, “Body [and] earth [are] not two.”

Other translations or matching ideas include:
Body and land are one.
Body and earth can not be separated.
Body earth sensory curation.
You are what you eat.
Indivisibility of the body and the land (because the body is made from food and food is made from the land).

Going further, this speaks of our human bodies and the land from which we get our food being closely connected. This phrase is often used when talking about natural and organic vegetables coming directly from the farm to provide the healthiest foods in Japan.

Character notes: 身(shin) in this context does not just mean your physical body but a concept including both body and mind.
土 (do) refers to the soil, earth, clay, land, or in some cases, locality. It's not the proper name of Earth, the planet. However, it can refer to the land or realm we live in.

Japanese note: This has been used in Japan, on and off, since 1907 as a slogan for a governmental healthy eating campaign (usually pronounced as shindofuji instead of the original shindofuni in this context). It may have been hijacked from Buddhism for this propaganda purpose, but at least this is “healthy propaganda.”

Korean note: The phrase 身土不二 was in use by 1610 A.D. in Korea, where it can be found in an early medical journal.
In modern South Korea, it's written in Hangul as 신토불이. Korea used Chinese characters (same source as Japanese Kanji) as their only written standard form of the language until about a hundred years ago. Therefore, many Koreans will recognize this as a native phrase and concept.

See Also:  Strength and Love in Unity