From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

Yoyogi kōen Sword Fighting, Tokyo. photo by Colin McMillen

We had been training with tachi all day. Then I shifted the focus of the class to katana. One of the newer students had not really done much Bujinkan sword prior to that day. So he continued to draw the katana with the same method as I had shown him earlier with tachi.

When I noticed him doing this I gave him another quick sword drawing lesson. I didn't want to slow the whole class down to teach him all of the necessary basics. But as I looked over at him, he would have his sword upside down in his belt.

It was amusing because he would try to emulate the kata I had shown the class, and every time he cut with his sword he was hitting with the back of the blade. He would then glare at his sword as if it was broken.

I told him he was unlucky to have a "backwards" sword.

But he isn't the first student to have his sword wrong way around. Many of us have done this at some point in our training careers. So if you get stuck with one of these "backwards" swords in a real battle, what do you do?

You can make use of the strategy of 峰打ち mineuchi. This is a method of striking with the back of the blade (normally on purpose). So why do this? What are some strategic reasons to strike with the back of your blade?

• Well, in the heat of the battle, or, if you are a beginner, it could happen by accident. Then just getting your weapon into play is a start and you correct as you go.
•  When the strategy of mineuchi is done on purpose, it opens up some wonderful options. For one, it can be a speed thing. It may give a slight advantage to strike whatever is nearest without having to turn your blade or adjust your kamae.
•  Another option is surprise. Using the back of the blade allows you to attack from angles and directions that are unexpected. Then through principles of 引力 inryoku or 押切 oshikiri, you can transition it into a cut.
•  A third really great reason to use mineuchi, is to open up the space. Striking with the backside of the blade up under kote before do giri is common. Or flipping down onto kote, and after slamming into his hands bouncing off this strike to cut something vital. Also, clearing the enemy's weapon while keeping the edge directed at him.
•  The curve of the sword itself allows for the tip to wrap around obstacles and build up tremendous speed when hitting with the back of the blade.  The uke may block your strike and still be surprised when the tip makes contact with his temple. Also, this curve creates wonderful effects when redirecting an enemy's strike.
•  But you may also do this so as not to seriously injure or kill. Hatsumi Sensei shows this all time. There are many important methods of using a sword without cutting or killing.

In 時代劇 (old Japanese plays),  the actors would prepare the sword in advance so the audience could see it was backwards to show they did not have murderous intent.

This principle is even more important with modern firearms. There is a saying in English, if you are holding a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Meaning you will choose the "hammer" solution just because you have that tool. So with a gun, every threat looks like a target to be shot. Even though it may the wrong choice for that particular threat.

With your sword, give yourself options besides cutting by learning more about your weapon.

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From Paart Budo Buki by buki stolar

After you see how they look in start one by one, here is final look of all three,
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From Paart Budo Buki by buki stolar

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From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

Ouch! photo by Harry Sherman

There is a certain type of student in the martial arts and the Bujinkan who is like 餓鬼 gaki. A gaki in Japanese is the spirit of a jealous or greedy person who, as punishment for mortal vices, has been cursed with an insatiable hunger or thirst. No matter how much it consumes, it cannot be sated. Gaki is also a slang word for bratty kids.

Could you be a gaki? Would you even know if you were this type of student? And if you are, how can you leave behind this cycle?

Sometimes we focus on the wrong things in training. It's easy to get lost in the details. Where did Sensei put his feet? Which hand did he strike with? What are the steps of this kata?

After asking these questions we are still no closer to understanding what was taught. Then we try to mimic the teacher and cannot. Or we do mimic but don't get the results. This becomes frustrating for many. Some give up and quit.

Some even adopt a strange strategy of trying to mimic the teacher when he was younger. (how they think they can accomplish this I have no idea… old video? stories from the so called "old days?") Many people sink deeper into details, training on form to the extreme.

We should have compassion and understanding for these gaki. In Japan they even have a special day in August (or sometimes around Halloween) called segaki 施餓鬼 which is for feeding these hungry ghosts. In training, many so called teachers cater to these unfortunate students and sell them anything they wish to consume.

None of this offers a solution. You have to go back to the original problem. What do you focus on in training?

True experts make it look easy and effortless. What does that mean to appear effortless? It means to not show effort. Masters in any art are really masters of what to leave out. What not to do. Mistakes not to make.

They narrow their focus to the absolute essence of the movement. It looks so simple. And in truth, it is!

Soke Hatsumi writes,

"... with the Zen style of painting where anything unnecessary is omitted, and the place where it has been omitted is where the genuine illustration of Zen can be seen."

We should be focusing on what is not shown. What is not attempted. What steps are not taken.

If you can discard what the master left out, you will be left with the essence. Start from this basic, ground state when learning. The teacher shows what he shows for a reason. Don't think you know better than him to go do something else.

In training we only require the ground beneath our feet. Just like Soke. That is where he begins every technique. Connecting to this realization clears away the heaps of junk that are injected into our minds by people with a variety of agendas. Know also that many teachers cater to Gaki students and have an agenda for saying what they say. Their intentions are not to help you learn, but rather "sell" themselves and promote their ability. Your training with them will be full, but you will always be empty.

You have an innate wisdom that expresses an intuitive understanding and clarity that cuts through ego, anxiety, and aggression. Every student I meet has this ability to know what is good when they allow themselves this freedom.

Good training is going into that place in yourself where this exists naturally. You do this over and over until you no longer have to search in yourself for it. You embody it and all you require is the ground. It becomes the body you live in.

When you get to this place and find your spot on the ground, you have a responsibility to reflect it in your life. Bring it forward through personal example and responsible action. This is how to teach without ego, from your own truth.

Look for that teacher or be that teacher. Anything less is like being a gaki.

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From 自然行雲流水 by 自然行雲流水

Thoughts on the the future of the Bujinkan and the
responsibility of it`s teachers and students.


Many dojos around the world want to follow the way of training as experienced in the Honbu Dojo in Japan.
Unfortunately, people do this without giving much thought to their actual current ability and, the ability of their students. As a result, we often see people demonstrating skills and techniques that have no “bone”, or “skeleton” to the movements. To develop a sound base is to come to develop a working knowledge of the Kihon within the Kihon and, develop the body. If you neglect good, repetitive training, your body will take longer to understand the movements.
In the Bujinkan, people are talking more than training. At times, the talking is a cover for their lack of skill or actual taijutsu ability. It is time for people to really start training well.
Nagato Shihan has said that many of the older teachers in the Bujinkan are surviving on reputation and not based on their actual skill level. There are many younger people that have passed them in actual ability and, this is not good. If the Teacher continues to train ( and not just teach ) then this should not happen.
Over 30 years ago, Soke used to begin training with a short meditation, junan taisou and then kihon. This kihon was done in a circle and performed solo. Eg: Kicks, strikes, kamae, ukemi, jumping, etc. This lasted for the first hour and everyone would be dripping in sweat. Nowadays in the Honbu, we do not see this. Why?
The Japanese have done this training and are entering old age. They are training according to their age and skill. What is funny is, the younger generation have blindly started to train the same way. This is just foolish and an obvious showing of a lack of understanding. Upon conversing with the Shihan, they say that people are weak nowadays and need to train harder and correctly. Nagato Shihan told me that people cannot even punch or block properly and that teachers around the world are teaching students not to use power too early. It is important to remember that these statements of not using power, kamae,kata etc, are directed to the people that should have already trained hard in the basics.The 15th dans. He is not talking to shodans, green belts or white belts. Up until 4th dan, the student is expected to train hard to develop a sound body and skills. Look at the skills and training other martial arts do. They are fit,strong,flexible,develop sound technique and a strong martial spirit. Many Bujinkan Dojos are like “ social groups “ rather than “ Martial Arts Dojos!”

Look at the Japanese shihan. Their movements are precise, structured and correct. Yet, they are relaxed, and move very naturally, capturing the timing,flow and distance of their uke.
We all want to achieve this same skill but, how do we do it? In my eyes and experience, you do it through looking at how they trained in the past. This will give you an indication of what is necessary to get closer to the ability you desire. If you do not put in the hard work, feel pain, sweat, and taste some blood, then maybe, you are just “playing”?
Soke says to “play”. However, many people take this too literally and just go off and do whatever they like. If their technique fails, they just go and do a henka. Henka is something you do after you can do the technique. Because, henka is based on technique. If it wasn`t, where is it coming from? The void? What void is this? Your void?
This Bujinkan seminar will challenge everything you thought you knew or thought you could do well. After 22 years of training, I was told I had a bad habit in my jodan uke. So, I now train in Jodan uke a lot. You have never fully understood or mastered something. If you think you have, you are falling away from the martial heart and the spirit of a three year old child. Around the world, I see people extremely confident in their abilities that are in fact, quite laughable. In saying that, it is important to always search for your shortcomings. No one is going to show you. You have to find them yourself. If you keep the mind of a student, then you will see your strengths and weaknesses. This is very important. Being in a class is also the best way to “see”. That is why it is important to train under a teacher and not to become a teacher yourself. When you do teach, it is about your learning. It is about becoming better yourself. Your students will see this and become inspired and have more respect for you. Don`t stand there and tell people what to do. If you do, you have to ask yourself, “ can I actually do what I told them to do? Can I actually demonstrate that well?”
Noguchi san said to me that he is training. He is not teaching. He trains at his own pace and flows as he wants. He keeps control of his own training. This is the way training should be. Don`t be a teacher. Transmit from training. Your students will learn that way.
Soke has said the same. “ If you become a teacher, you will become a slave to your students!”

I was in Mexico last year and we did basics. I stood at the front and made people repeat basic movements over and over. People were puffing, and could not do it. I remembered that one of the Japanese shihan said to me that he thought the average Bujinkan godan would loose to a Karate or Judo Shodan. He said no one trains hard anymore. He understands that people around the world would look at many Bujinkan dojos and laugh. I was surprised to hear this, but not really.
People say that this is a real fighting art, but many people have never experienced a confrontation. It is not the art, but the person. Don`t blame the art if you fail. You must look at yourself and your training, your character. Many people are hiding behind their high ranks. There are very few people that actually demonstrate real ability and understanding of budo taijutsu in my eyes.
And, I am not one of them.
Doing what you want because you cannot do basics or feel they are not relevant because you are small and have no strength is, sorry to say, a bad excuse.
Look at the late Oguri Shihan. He was a small built man, however, he had no problems controlling his uke both large and small. Why? Because he followed the teachings of Soke.
Regardless of if you are a small man or woman, etc, we all need to train in the fundamentals and get good at them. Any other way is to fall short of being a martial artist.
The secrets to controlling larger opponents are in the kihon. If you do not take the time to really discover these things, your skill will be lacking and, you will change the training to suit you. But, if you do this, are you really doing Bujinkan, or are you doing your own style based on your lack of ability or desire to endure with the basics?
Persevere with the Kihon and fundamentals of our art. There is much to learn. As a result, you will develop strength, flexibility, techniques, and the warrior spirit. If you still feel weak, you can add a weapon to your taijutsu. This is Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu Happo Biken.
The Bujinkan Shitenno in Japan demonstrate numerous variations, however, you can see their kihon in every movement. They move with structure. They have not left their kihon, they are using it. It is the basis of all their movement. They are our guides. Therefore, please watch your teacher closely.
Just like in Karate classes, we see the instructor at the front training and, training hard. The students follow his/her lead. In Mexico I did the same. The hosts came to me and said “ you are the first teacher that we have seen that actually trains. Everyone else shows a few techniques and then teaches. “
Yes, this is the case in the Bujinkan. It is ok for the Japanese, they are old men now. But still, some of them train in their own classes like this!
As long as the teacher is training, they will maintain a strong leadership in the dojo. But, if they don`t, the students will surpass them in skill level eventually.

This Bushinden Kai ( gathering to honor the teachings of our warrior ancestors ) will be to become more aware and discover ways we can better practice ourselves and therefore assist the future generation of the Bujinkan.

I will do my best to transmit aspects of training that I feel very important. I will be training as much as possible to improve myself as well.
I hope we can enjoy the training together and grasp the “kaname” of many things over the course of the seminar.
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From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

Ghostly photo by didbygraham

When I was studying the Bisento kata 魅剣 Miken, or bewitching blade, I wanted to understand what would make the blade bewitching. I know the movement is meant to confuse the opponent with kyojitsu, but what I found in my study takes this "bewitching" to another level.

Often in our Bujinkan training we encounter supernatural ideas. They are woven in the fabric of our art and in Japanese legend. This is an aspect to training that makes the art so mysterious and fascinating. Mystery brings another level of power to the art and to stories of the Ninja.

The challenging thing for pragmatic martial artists is to connect the myth to something that can be used in battle. I personally am not a pragmatist in these things. I am an artist by profession and it is natural for me to accept mysterious ideas and inspiration in my training. What really stops my mind cold is when I glimpse the supernatural at work in the pragmatic.

With Miken, Hatsumi Soke says that it is the same as 魑魅魍魎 chimimōryō in 幻実 genjitsu which is a phantom reality, or possibly 幻術 genjutsu magic/witchcraft.

He justs drops this statement on us like it is a normal way to use the Bisento.

So what is 魑魅魍魎 chimimōryō? It is translated as evil spirits of mountains and rivers; monsters, goblins, and ghosts; all sorts of weird creatures.

But to understand 魑魅魍魎 chimimōryō (chimei-wangliang in mandarin) we must know that the beginnings of Bisento in our art stemmed from Yoshiteru either learning it in China, or directly from a Chinese monk. Then for chimei-wangliang we have to go back to the very beginnings of Chinese myth. Back as far as the 26th century BC.

In the beginning… (I always wanted to say that)

There was the battle of Zhuolu. This was a battle fought between the Yellow Emperor, who is considered the founder of Chinese civilization, and Chi You. Wikipedia describes Chi You:

According to legend, Chi You had a bronze head with metal foreheads. He had 4 eyes and 6 arms, wielding terrible sharp weapons in every hand. His head was that of a bull with two horns, but the body was that of a human. He is said to have been unbelievably fierce, and to have had 81 brothers.

So you see we had quite a battle brewing.

Chi You used 魑魅魍魎 chimei-wangliang as a battle tactic. He summoned forth the demons of the swamps, forests and mountains to fight in his army, and employed 幻術 genjutsu producing a poisonous mist against the forces of the Yellow Emperor.

This poison mist was used to confuse and cause the enemy to become lost in the thick fog. The Yellow Emperor suffered several defeats because of this and eventually had to ask for help from a dragon to win the battle.

I tell this story because in our (somewhat smaller) battle with the Bisento, we can employ Kasumi (mist) techniques and cause the enemy to become lost in confusion through kyojitsu. The kata itself demonstrates the physical foundation for creating this feeling, but as Soke reminds us, "Separate yourself from the waza so that you see the whole picture. If you think "this is how we do the waza," that is very dangerous." We have to go beyond what we think we know.

I wrote about one way to reflect this feeling here: 平常心 Heijōshin: a Heart Like Clear Water.

He tells us that breathing in this life force, or  生命 seimei is of great importance to martial artists.  This is the Bufu Ikkan that blows through our lives.

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