From Shiro Kuma's Blog by kumablog

​

The last two classes with Hatsumi sensei were intense. Not physically, but mentally. 

As he was late, I was tasked by Senō sensei to begin the class. When Sensei arrived he spoke again of the importance of Sakki, continuing the speech he gave after the Sakki tests of Friday.

This year is about Mutō Dori (1) and “zero”, but it is difficult to express it with words. The “natural” state is beyond the bio-mechanical movements. And Sensei gave us a few keys to get to it. 

In his previous class Sensei said that we (Jûgodan), had to understand that Kankaku is more than only feeling, another Kankaku that comes from our six senses. As there’re two types of Kankaku, Omote and ura (physical and sensual), he said it is important to study 感覚の勉強, Kankaku no benkyō (2). 

He said that at some point of our Budō progression, we have to let go of technique. To let go of Waza, means that you must learn them first. 

When you do not try anymore to apply a technique, movement and distance bring them to life. Like in the Ishitobashi of last year (3), the spaces created between two points of contact, allow you to manifest natural movement. 

Because you react mindlessly to the attacks of your opponent you become able to use 間玉利, Aida dama ri (4), to “take advantage of the sphere of possibilities existing between movements.”

But it is also 間魄利, Aida dama ri (5), where your spirit (dama/tamashii) in communion with 大自然, Daishizen (6), Mother nature, perceives everything in a natural way, and acts accordingly without you having the time to think. 

More than ever, in these days of high international tension and terrorism, we have to develop combat awareness. The Sakki test is preparing us exactly to do that. Developing Sakki is the training the Jûgodan have to do now. We have entered the period of 戦前, Senzen, the period before war. 

The Bujinkan system is regrouping actual fighting systems that have proved their efficiency on the battlefield for many centuries. It is not a sport, and it would be good that Bujinkan teachers let go a little, of the “flowery movements”, as criticized by Yamaoka Tesshû at the beginning of Meiji,  and prepare their students to survive an actual encounter. 

As Shidōshi, after the Sakki test, you have to train actively the two Kankaku (Omote and ura / physical and sensual), t in order to get the Shizen gyō un ryû sui, “the natural and ever-appropriate movement” that comes with long training. 

We have to learn to “Move like the wind in the Kûkan, because strong people get stuck in the waza, and are easily defeated” said Sensei at the end of the class. 

But then he added that “until Jûdan, training is basics and strength”, so teach your students properly, and train yourself to develop your Sakki. 

This is why he said, “the Sakki test is only the beginning”. 

So, don’t stop there! Continue your Benkyō until you reach the “zero state”. 

________________

1. Mutō Dori: read my other posts in the blog.  Mutō Dori is mainly about having the courage to go face the attacker even at the risk of getting killed. 

2. Kankaku no benkyo:

感覚/kankaku/sense; sensation; feeling; intuition

勉強/benkyō/study|diligence|discount; reduction

3. Ishitobashi:

石飛ばし/ishitobashi/skipping stones (on a body of water); skimming stones. You can read more about it on several posts of this blog, written last year on this blog. 

4. Aida dama ri: 

間/aida/space (between); gap; interval; distance|time (between); pause; break|span (temporal or spatial); stretch; period (while)|relationship (between, among)|members (within, among)|due to; because of

玉/tama/ball; sphere; globe; orb|bead (of sweat, dew, etc.); drop; droplet|ball (in sports)|pile (of noodles, etc.)|bullet|bulb (i.e. a light bulb)|lens (of glasses, etc.)|bead (of an abacus)|ball (i.e. a testicle)|gem; jewel (esp. spherical; sometimes used figuratively); pearl|female entertainer (e.g. a geisha)|person (when commenting on their nature); character|item, funds or person used as part of a plot|egg|coin|precious; beautiful; excellent

利/ri/advantage; benefit; profit; interest

5. 魄/tama/tamashii/soul; spirit

6. Daishizen: 大自然/daishizen/nature; Mother Nature

7. Senzen: 戦前/senzen/pre-war days; before the war

From Shiro Kuma's Blog by kumablog

​The development of the Bujinkan (around half a million practitioners worldwide), has brought many good students, but also bad ones in our training halls. These individuals, not knowing history, believe in the ninja “super powers” as depicted in low­level American movies, Mangas, or comics. This is because of them, that our art has been badly judged for many years since the eighties. Now that the ninja boom is over, some true practitioners are appearing. But the spread of ninja myths and legends on the Internet is beginning to recreate the once gone “ninja dream”. It’s like believing that Santa Claus lives at the north pole! When I began training, the ninja boom was just beginning. I remember reading the few books available at the time. It seemed magic. I don’t recall believing in these fantastic stories I was reading, but it definitely kept me training.

Today the ninja boom is gone and the huge development of the Bujinkan worldwide has replaced the dream of the past by something less “sexy”, but definitely more interesting. The bujinkan as taught by our Sōke, Hatsumi Masaaki, is a deep, physical and philosophical system that abandoned the ninja dream, and let it vanish in the shadows. But is this ninja dream really gone?

Everyday on Facebook, I see more people spreading the same fantasies that were common in the eighties. The Internet is not helping the dreamers to step down. In fact, I sometimes have the feeling that the world is going back in time. This enthusiasm for ninja magic around our art, is hardly based on historical facts. The people of Iga and Koga (southern part of Iga) (1) were regular human beings. They were not calling themselves ninja! They were living in a remote mountainous area, outside of Japan’s main stream. They had developed a kind of “Republic”, with their own economic, religious, and political system inherited from the T’ang dynasty in China. Their language had not been influenced by neighboring communities. When Nobunaga Ieyasu and his army, “offered” the Iga community to join his unification process, they refused categorically, fought the invaders, and kicked them out. Because Iga is a plateau surrounded by high mountains, it was pretty much isolated from the rest of Japan. The people didn’t need a real army, as technically they had no enemies. In Iga there were no samurai, only jizamurai (2). The jizamurai would go to fight only when necessity would arise. The trained armies of Nobunaga came back a few years later. This time, they were too strong for Iga. The Iga warriors adapted their fighting skills and developed guerilla warfare. The war lasted about 10 years and is remembered, by historians, as the “Iga no Ran”, the war of Iga (3). Close to be defeated, the families of Iga flew out of the region and spread  all over the country, bringing with them their warfare knowledge.

Instead of becoming a “ninja”, please try to become a true human being. As Sensei said “ninpō is not made in Japan, it is made in human”. 

______________

1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iga_Province

2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizamurai

3.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenshō_Iga_War

Thank you to Patrizio “el pato” for  his collaboration. No animals are injured during the photo shooting. 

From Shiro Kuma's Blog by kumablog

Only 8 students in class at Noguchi sensei’s class but still, he was brilliant! The small number of participants didn’t stop his endless energy. We covered the first level of Gyokko Ryû (again). In my sixty trips here in Japan, I must have seen these techniques at least thirty times. And this is always a pleasure, as his interpretation of these known waza is always different. In fact, what Noguchi sensei does with the techniques is so far from the basic form, that it could be another fighting system. Because there were so few students, I trained with a young Shihan from Mexico. He was totally lost because he’s didn’t know the basic was a from the Gyokko Ryû. Even though I think that anyone should come here to train with Sōke and the Shihan, if you don’t know your basic forms, maybe it would be better to not come to Japan!

I wrote recently an article about the responsibility of being a black belt. As a teacher you have a bigger responsibility. 

Maybe because of the stress added to his lack of knowledge, my partner was only using upper body strength, and was unable to move his legs. I don’t blame him, I blame his teacher. How can you create black belts with an apparent lack of basics?

I was losing my time and began to be irritated (this is an understatement). I asked him why his level was so bad? He answered: “we do only basics”.

If it were true, he would have been good enough to train with, but that wasn’t the case. He didn’t know the Bujinkan basics at all. I don’t blame him, but his teacher. I don’t know what rank his teacher has, or who he trains with, but he has to reconsider his teaching abilities. 

He let him go to Japan without the fundamental keys to survive here. If this young black belt had trained with another young black belt, I guess things would have been OK. But with me, he had a hard time, and the more the class was going, the more he was lost. 

I don’t mind teaching beginners, this is my main activity in my dōjō, but when I come here, I come exclusively to train, not to teach. As I had to teach him, I missed a fantastic class by Noguchi sensei because his teacher didn’t do his job correctly. 

I hope that one day I can meet this teacher in Mexico, and tell him that what he does has to change. I’m aware that he might not even be responsible himself, maybe he too, had a bad teacher. 

Here are a few rules for teachers:

1.  Teaching is transmitting:

To teach, you must be focused on the quality of the transmission.

2. Having a high rank doesn’t make you a good teacher:

Having a black belt rank doesn’t mean you are qualified to teach. Teaching is an ability you learn  or develop. There’s no improvisation in teaching. 

3. Know your limits:

It is important to be aware of your teaching skills, if you don’t have any, the best is to stop teaching. 

4. Not every black belt is able to teach. 

As a teacher you are responsible for what you give. The world is not nice. Teach the right thing.  Because the lives of your students might depend one day  on the quality of your teaching and of your transmission. 

Hatsumi Sensei repeated in his last class, that he is only teaching the Jûgodan. He added that teachers have to teach the basics to their students. Without good basics, there cannot be any good transmission. 

I have sometimes the feeling that Bujinkan teachers are across. They are keen in showing the “cosmic flow” (that they often don’t have) than to teach the foundation of taijutsu. 

Entender that what you see here in Japan, is not what you have to teach. What you see here, is your next personal goal, your potential future. 

So, please, teach your students correctly!  

As a teacher your responsibility is to teach the bio mechanics of Budō, not the “cosmic flow”, it is useless, and only a show of ego. Your only job is to teach the roots of correct taijutsu. 

From Shiro Kuma's Blog by kumablog

I entered the dōjō and only 16 participants were there it was a luxury. I’m so used to see the honbu packed that such a small number is like having a private lesson. For some reason (maybe the summer heat) only a small group decided to attend Noguchi sensei’s class. 

As always with him the 90-minute was intense. We covered the first level of the Shinden Fudô Ryû,  and I was lost after ten minutes. Noguchi sensei is so creative in his interpretation of the techniques,  that it’s often impossible to reproduce without thinking. It is like going back to beginner’s level. And once again I learned a lot. 

What I like with Noguchi sensei is that each one of his classes is a Sanshin: you deepen things that you know, you review concepts that he taught in the past you discover new things. 

I can resume the sanshin of the class with three words: Ô Gyaku, Yorimodori,  Hagaijime. 

Deepen:

When you’ve been training for a few decades  you naively think that you know your basics. No you don’t! Until yesterday I thought that in Gekkan the Ô Gyaku was a shoulder technique where you lift the extended arm by locking the shoulder nearly vertically to push uke face down. If this is the basic form, I didn’t know that you could also do Ô Gyaku when the extended arm was positioned horizontally behind uke’s back. I should have known that as the shoulder lock is the same. Only the angle differs. When you use it then uke’s balance is taken sideways, and prevent him from landing softly. Try it in your next training. 

Review:

With Setsu Yaku, we reviewed the concept of Yorimodori. I already wrote  a few trips ago  about it (check the blog). If you didn’t read it, it’s a “down – up – push –  pull” movement a shape of a horizontal “8” (¤¤) that you apply to the attacking arm. Uke is put off balance and his body wraps around yours and fall. It is highly technical and beautiful to watch. It is even better when you finally succeed. The timing has to be perfect to make it work. It was nice for me to review it. 

Discovery:

Noguchi sensei introduced a new concept (at least I didn’t know it). He called it Hagaijime (1).

On one of the technique of the Shinden, Noguchi sensei was holding the uke by locking the shoulder and elbow joints. Uke was bent forward with his arms extended and locked (body in a “T” shape). The upper arm locked by the neck, and the lower arm sorted by Tori’s leg with an armbar done with the body  We did it in front and then in the back this time keeping the arms extended behind in a short of Ryō Ude Jime. In the front (T), or in the back (use jime) Uke was unable to take Ukemi, and each time would land on the floor, face first. Obviously we didn’t do it to the end. 

Everything came up without effort the body movement wrapping  uke through the body flow. 

It was indeed an interesting class and reviewing the first level of Shinden one again, was refreshing. I have done all of these techniques many times since my first trip here in 1990. And I’m grateful to the Japanese Shihan to have so much creativity,  as it gives us new insights on his to understand the waza

Yesterday Nagato sensei spoke of Kimatenai (2),  “nothing is decided”, this also works with specific waza. Once you know the steps (omote), the next level is to get the ura, break the form and make the Kaname alive in a different way in order to survive. Because in a real fight “nothing is decided”.  

________________

1.  羽交い絞め/hagaijime/pinioning; binding arms behind the back

2. 決まる/kimaru/to be decided; to be settled|to look good in (clothes) + ない / nai/not|emphatic suffix

From Shiro Kuma's Blog by kumablog

The word Kihon (1) is a major companion of your daily practice. It is a word that is used in every class. Each  time you do the Kihon Happō, you use it. 

It is often translated as “basics”, but there is more to get it out it.

Japanese sounds can be an interesting way to dig deeper in your understanding of the martial arts. 

If you replace  the Kanji “Ki” 基 (foundation) by “Ki”  気 (essence) your 基本 becomes 気本, or the “true essence” of movement. What is often seen as basics,  turns out to be something much bigger. The Omote is replaced by the Ura. Because through your basics are hidden the means to reach the true essence of natural body movement. 

But there is even more to get it out it.

I’ve just recorded the Sainō Tamashii Utsuwa (3), theme of 2009 with the Indian team (4). Sainō Tamashii Utsuwa was the seventh year of Juppō Sesshō. It is also called Sainō Konki. 

“Tamashii Utsuwa” is also “Konki”. And this “Ki” means “vessel”,  “container”. This is within this container that you can  express natural movements. (5) 

This three-step progression can be seen as a Juppō Sesshō no Sanshin,  where: 

Kihon / 基本: defines simple body mechanics. 

Kihon / 気本: gets you into the true essence of the movement. 

Kihon / 器本: allows you to unify your body and your soul, within the basics. 

At this level, you don’t think anymore. Movements unfold in a natural manner. You are one with the universe. You are one and zero at the same time.

The circle is finally closed, you are the Alpha and the Omega. 

__________________

1. 基本/kihon/foundation; basis; standard

2. 気/ki/spirit; mind; heart|nature; disposition|motivation; intention|mood; feelings|atmosphere; essence

3. 才能/sainou/talent; ability;魂/tamashii/soul; spirit; 器/utsuwa/bowl; vessel; container|ability; capacity; calibre; caliber

4. Soon available in dvds and downloads at http://www.budomart.com; and in streaming at http://www.koimartialart.com 

5. 器/ki/device; instrument|vessel; container

From Shiro Kuma's Blog by kumablog

Organising and hosting such a big event as the Paris Taikai is always a challenge. Every year over 120 people from more than 20 countries gathers in the Bujinkan France dōjō for 3 days.

This year, the Yuro Shi Tenno: Sven, Peter, Pedro, Arnaud, promoted to Bujinkan Dai Shihan last year, will share what they learned in Japan in 2016 with Sōke Hatsumi. There are around 15 Dai Shihan amongst the half million Bujinkan members, and four of them will be there for you!

But don’t expect something too formal. The Paris Taikai is more like a family reunion. The four Dai Shihan have been training together for more than 30 years, and the attendees are friends from all over Europe that we meet regularly during our seminars or in Japan. If you didn’t have the chance to go to Japan this year, this is your best opportunity to understand better what Sensei has been unfolding recently.

The theme for 2016 is multiple: Zero, Katana, Mutō Dori, and the New cycle of 42 years. This will be the subject of study for this Taikai.

Sensei began the year in Japan, with a lot of sword training. He spoke about Yamaoka Tesshu, a famous swordsman, Zen master, calligrapher (1)(2).

Then his classes focussed more with Mutō Dori and the concept of “Zero” (3). In taijutsu and with/against the sword. More than a waza, Mutō Dori (4) is more than we think, it is the genuine philosophy of Natural movement.

Sensei spoke a lot about the “new cycle of 42 years” which he sees as a new beginning for the Bujinkan. After reading the “H2G2,” you all know the answer (5). But seriously, “42” has been used by many, over thousands of years and this is where the Bujinkan is heading now (6). To summarize, there will be a lot of sword study, and also a lot of taijutsu.

Sensei was very energetic last April at the Honbu, and he gave us many insights that we will cover during this Taikai.

To me, the best part of this April trip was that the four of us were reunited for Takamatsu Sensei’s memorial. Such a thing didn’t happen since the beginning of the century!

It was nice, and we had superb moments together, even if the Honbu was filled with 300 participants at each of Sensei’s classes! As one of my friend said, “during the memorial, the new honbu passed its sakki test.”

So, I officially invite you all to join the four Dai Shihan: Sven, Peter, Pedro, Arnaud for three days of sharing and studying.

Each one of us has been developing his own understanding of Sensei’s Budō over the last thirty years. And the Paris Taikai is the opportunity to meet these differences. As Sensei said once “ninjutsu is multiplicity within simplicity.” As we are four, then it will be simple.
The Paris Taikai is lasting three days and has become an institution in the Bujinkan community. For 12 years (I don’t remember exactly when we began), we have been conducting these 3-day seminars, the way we organized the Taikai for Hatsumi Sensei.

Another important aspect of this international workshop is that the group of participants is divided by rank into four groups. As we have four training halls, it is convenient. Each participant receives a lesson suiting his or her abilities. Pedagogically this is always a fantastic experience for all. The end of each day concludes with a class gathering everyone and the Shi Tennō.
There are four groups sorted by level: Kyū, Dan, Shidōshi, and Shihan. Each training group has around 30 trainees (6). For me, this is a fantastic chance given to any Bujinkan member, whatever his rank, to exchange privately with the Bujinkan Dai Shihan.

During the memorial, Sensei some strange happened. Sensei was holding the shinken (real sword) he received from Takamatsu sensei with the 9 Ryūha. He was on stage, the sword was naked.
Then he called each Dai Shihan one by one and asked to grab the naked blade. It was highly symbolic, like some kind of transmission, similar to this cold winter day in Kobe, when Takamatsu sensei asked him to grab the same naked blade. (7)

I hope this post will decide those still uncertain to join us. We are happy to welcome you to Paris mid-July. The last count I received from the Bujinkan France, there was already over 90 participants pre-booked. As we can accept 130 students, you still have time, but don’t wait too long…

Check our facebook page and website www.bujinkan-france.com
All you need to know is HERE

Ganbatte!

___________________________________________

1. Yamaoka: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaoka_Tessh%C5%AB
2. Biography of Yamaoka: http://www.amazon.com/Sword-No-Sword-Master-Warrior-Tesshu/dp/1570620504
3. https://kumafr.wordpress.com/2016/04/02/sensei-is-magic/
4. https://kumafr.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/muto-dori-is-not-muto-dori/
5. H2G2, read the book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy
6. https://kumafr.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/42-the-end-of-the-cycle/
7. I will soon write about it more extensively.