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Shihan Noguchi Yukio

From TENRYU by jorgevaccaro

Año 2003

Interview to Shihan Noguchi Yukio

Shihan Noguchi Yukio is well known in the Bujinkan, by his classes in Noda City and for being always very close to Masaaki Hatsumi Soke, not only in Japan, but in many Taikai that have taken place all around the world.

His way of moving doesn’t stop to amaze, no matter whoever sees him for the first time, as much as those who have been training with him for years.

The classes developed by Shihan Noguchi Sensei are dynamic and with happiness, and although his movements are fast, precise and sutile for the human eye, the power behind his techniques leave a mark on the body that lasts for days.

While he is moving, it seems that he’s dancing at the same time as the attack, sometimes he’s movements are so absorving that can take us from our own balance without even touching us.

From every waza he shows, and infinite amount of Henka are quickly expanded on infinite changes. There’s no time to analize, no time to reflect, his classes are as the wind of Bufu that wraps us and takes us from one side to the other without thinking. Everyone gets out smiling, the happiness is captured in his trainings.

In this opportunity, a breath after class gave us place to interview him for the Tenchiwado (Antique publication of the Bujinkan Tenryu Dojo & Christian Petroccello).

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Noguchi Sensei ¿How did you began in the martial arts?

I began when I was 30 years. Now I’m 61. I’ve been training for 31 years, and never did any other art but this one.

¿How did you meet Hatsumi Sensei?

I knew him before training. I met him once when I went to meet him because I hurt my ankle. I went there for him to cure me, because that’s what he was dedicated to at the time. There we became friends

However, when I started training with him, I stopped being his friend, to became his student.

¿What other activities did you do beside Martial Arts?

I’ve practiced several sports such as Volley, Beisbol, Bowling, Ping Pong, etc..

At bowling I was quite good. I always did over 200 points!

¿How do you see the growth of the Bujinkan in the world?

The Bujinkan is growing naturally, without propaganda.

All over the world, people have been gathering by themselves. Good people, that make good things.

¿Do you feel identified by any ryuha in particular?

I have no preferences. All are equal to me. Besides, I don’t understand all of the schools.

¿What did you feel the first time you took the Sakki Test?

I felt very nervous, but it was something I made gladly.

¿What advice would you give to the instructors?

When they come to Japan to train as much as they can, to then bring those teachings to their countries. Once there, teach freely.

¿How do you apply Budo in your life?

No difference. I live in complete fullness.

¿Respect this year’s theme called Koteki Ryuda Juppo Sessho, what can you tell us?

It’s something that it’s practiced from every directions. As people, that come from every part of the world, every direction. They come from Switzerland, England,Spain, Argentina, etc. The base I think is to work from those directions.

Ko teki Ryu da, gives me the idea of something candent, that expands or that comes from every directions.

As sensei explains more about this matter, the more I will be able to talk about it.

¿How was the training when you started in the Bujinkan?

It was different. Sensei tought old school, but now he doesn’t. He’s smoother now.

¿Where you able to meet Takamatsu Sensei?

No. I only met his wife.

¿What did you feel when Sensei talked and showed the teachings of Takamatsu Sensei?

Afraid!!!


…

Bou Shuriken-jutsu DVD

From BUJINKAN TASMANIA by Duncan Stewart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi0cf0wPr_M&feature=share

A simple DVD has been produced for Bujinkan students and those interested in Shuriken-jutsu.

The DVD will be available for order by the 1st December 2012.

The express aim of this dvd is to add life to the training by ensuring students use taijutsu and taihenjutsu. Weapons can fail and not be effective. Relying on the Shuriken alone is not enough. The student must understand that the opponent will be moving and also may be throwing shuriken in return!

Understanding these realities, the student is encouraged to study with the knowing that Budo Taijutsu and Taihenjutsu are the means to survival. Not just the Shuriken. A weapons specialist without his weapon or any other skill is a weakness.Soke Hatsumi exclaims that Taijutsu is the base for all weapons and survival.

The Dvd gives humble examples of basic throwing practice, basic variations utilizing various methods of taihenjutsu and weaponry, and then demonstrations of shinken gata ( possible real life scenario methods ).

The demonstrator in the DVD is not a master of shuriken-jutsu and is still correcting on a daily basis his faults and weaknesses. This Dvd is a means to merely encourage others on using imagination and think about the infinite variations one may encounter and how to effectively use the shuriken in those moments.

Duncan is a long time practitioner of Bujinkan Budo. He knows and trusts that the art of shuriken-jutsu exists in the Bujinkan. Upon learning the fundamentals of throwing, the student of Bujinkan Shuriken-jutsu must take the time to study and practice, constantly refining their technique. But most importantly, never forgetting to use Budo taijutsu: The core or “Kaname” of Bujinkan Budo.

The Bujinkan technique is “Ninja technique”. One must throw “naturally” in ones own way, free from form or style. This allows the practitioner to be open to change, be unpredictable, and adjust accordingly using Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu Happou Biken and Ninpo Taihenjutsu.

I sincerely hope that those who view this DVD will look at training as something more than throwing at a mat.

DVD Order Details:

  • Currently the DVD will be only available at Bushinden Kai  and at the Toku Bu Ryu Sui Bujinkan Dojo in Kashiwa, Japan.
  • It is expected that there will be a designated distributer in Japan,Europe, The United States and Australasia in the near future.
  • Direct Downloads may be available in the future if there is a big enough demand.
  • International Order Price 4000yen ( approx: $47AUD, $49USD, 38Euro ) – Price includes Postage & Handling.
  • Bushinden Kai and Toku Bu Ryu Sui Dojo sale price is 3000yen.
  • Orders can be made through http://www.Paypal.com. Account name:  http://[email protected].

…

Jintsu 神通: Mystical Power From Sudden Change

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

毘沙門天 Bishamonten photo by Satoshi Kobayashi
Some people talk about 要 kaname, one aspect of this year's theme,  like simply translating the Japanese to English explains its meaning. This is a bit shallow. Hatsumi Sensei would probably encourage us to look deeper than that.

My take on kaname is a bit different than other's I have spoken with. For me, one important aspect of kaname is being connected with 神通 jintsu and 神通力 jintsuuriki. These are mystical powers of heaven and earth that are connected to and pivoting through you.
In Buddhism, Jintsu is known as "direct knowledge" or even "supernatural knowledge." This leads to some interesting super powers like: 天眼通 tengentsuu divine eye or clairvoyance; 神足通 jinsokutsuu unimpeded bodily function like walking on water or walking through walls; 天耳通 tennitsuu clairaudience or divine ear; 他心通 tashintsuu or telepathy; 宿命通 shukumyoutsuu remembering past lives; and 漏尽通 rojintsuu which is the extinction of contamination, or a divine clarity of mind.
While these ideas seem impossible, if you broaden your experience to include this type of connection in your training you will experience some interesting results. I cannot teach anyone how to do this. But as an example, the connection we use in both taking AND giving the Godan test must not be severed. If you have experienced this connection, ask yourself, where does it originate? And how do you embody it in training?

Hatsumi Sensei suggests that one way to connect to this power is to repeat one technique a thousand times. The idea here is to cultivate mindlessness. You get the self out of the way and enter a state of 無心 mushin. What happens next is 神運に任せ jiuni makase. Your fate or luck is connected to kami or the divine.  

The resulting power of this connection leads to  変化必然 henka hitsuzen. These inevitable changes have immense power. In the 天津鞴韜馗神之秘文 amatsu tatara kishin no hibun, a secret teaching of ancient war strategies that informs several ryuuha in the Bujinkan, one very important principle is:
豹変して必ず勝つ hyohen-shite kanarazu katsu. Sudden change will always prevail.
This is what I think about with the idea of kaname. But my experience so far this year has also shown me that kaname is a reflection of one's heart.  If you have ever felt the power of this kind of change, ask yourself, where does it originate? How might you embody that in training?…

Bujinkan Tasmania Dojo

From BUJINKAN TASMANIA by Duncan Stewart

The establishment of the Tasmania`s first full-time Bujinkan Dojo is in place.

Donations are welcome to assist with the planning and development of Tasmania`s first full-time facility directed at transmitting Bujinkan Budo and other Japanese Cultural Arts by qualified instructors.

It is the express aim to develop the Japanese cultural arts that comprise the Bujinkan in Tasmania, offering a wonderful opportunity for interested people and groups to affiliate themselves with such a rich history and martial way expressing true art and humanity.

Donations can be sent via to the Dojo Paypal Account at http://www.paypal.com.

http://[email protected]

Bufu Ikkan.


…

Shoninki books

From 8þ Kabutoshimen by admin

20121030-125323.jpg

I got a question today about these books, if they are important for Bujinkan practitioners.
http://www.coloradospringsninjutsu.com/Shoninki.html
http://www.shoninki.com/home/Welcome.html
For what it’s worth here is my answer.

Hello. I don’t think it is very important today, but probably very interesting in historical view. I know Don lived in Japan for many years and probably discussed the book with the Shihan when he run into problems in translation. I don’t know who the other person is, he might be better in Japanese, but if he haven’t been training he might have missed some things. Both books probably have errors, why not get both?
But I don’t believe it is that important, the knowledge is old. There is better modern books about survival skills, medicine, tools etc today.

Thanks for the links, I didn’t know Don also had a translation.

Happy training!

Mats

The post Shoninki books appeared first on 8þ Kabutoshimen.…

鬼ごっこ Onigokko: Let’s Pretend We Are Demons

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

鬼ピキ photo by w00kie
One summer day we were having our normal class in the park when something interesting happened. As we were stretching, we watched a team building exercise that some company was doing in the same park as us. There were a lot of pretty women working for this company, so most of my students were riveted.

They began a game of tag. They used the entire park. Most of them were athletic, so it was a very aggressive and and fast paced game. At one point one guy came to stand next to us. We were all lined up on the periphery of the field watching this game. I realized immediately what he was doing.

Hatsumi Sensei tells us that "a person who understands play has life's greatest treasure." He says that in Kukishin-ryu this idea is taught as 鬼ごっこ onigokko (demon play) which is a children's game of tag. In this game the "oni" chases down the other children. As they are caught, they are "infected" and turn into oni. Until they all become little demons!

In 2011, there was a world record setting onigokko game played in a Toyama stadium. There were 1566 participants. It only took 7 minutes for all of them to be caught and turned into oni!

I said hello to the guy standing next to me. I asked him what company he worked for. He said TOMS shoes. I knew this company because my wife likes them and they are popular in the U.S.. I said, so are you hiding over here with us? He smiled and said he was just resting.

We watched as all the workers  ran around the park and got caught. Turning each into another demon. This guy had a great strategy. No one was even looking for him among our group as we stood there watching.

Finally the demons ran out of victims. As they searched the park their attention turned to us. The guy said to me, "I better run!" He took off and sprinted around the park. He dashed between his pursuers until they finally caught him.

Later when I got home, I looked up TOMS Shoes to see where their offices were, since I knew they must be nearby. It turns out that this guy with the great strategy of hiding out with us was the founder of the company, Blake Mycoskie. That day he definitely showed a good understanding of "play."…

The Gift of 神輿 Mikoshi

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

東松山のまつり photo by w00kie
How can I ever support this heavy beam on my shoulder? That's what I remember thinking when I looked at the 神輿 Mikoshi. I was intimidated by the size of it. Of course I was only 10 years old.

When I was growing up, my best friend was Japanese. His mother invited me to go with his family to a festival. Suddenly I was being conscripted to be one of the 担ぎ katsugi or Mikoshi bearers! I didn't understand at the time what an honor that was.

In Japan, not only is it an honor, it is somewhat of a civic duty to carry the Mikoshi. Hatsumi Sensei inherited the 34th Soke of 戸隠流 Togakure Ryū in 1958. He says that in that same month he carried the Mikoshi along the street.

Someone found a Happi coat for me and helped me put it on. My friend's mother also found a karate kid looking head wrap that she tied around my head. Then they lead me over to the Mikoshi where it sat on the saw horses...


I looked around awkwardly at all the strong men who were doing calisthenics, preparing to lift this small house and carry it through the streets. They were all strong looking and Japanese. I was a skinny red headed white boy. I had no idea what I was going to contribute to this effort, but I thought I would try my best.

Even though I felt out of place and had no idea what was going on, the men were very welcoming. Suddenly, they all crouched underneath the beams. I found a gap and pressed my shoulder into the wood. I was preparing to grunt and heave when the whole thing seemed to fly into the air with a shout.

I was left nearly hanging from the beam! The men were all taller than me, so they hoisted the mikoshi onto their shoulders and far above my own shoulder. I looked around confused about what to do. They all encouraged me to stay in my spot. I pushed up as hard as I could with my palms.

Next thing I know we are lurching down the street to the trill of a whistle from our guide. He would give long notes to start or stop us from moving and short beeps to keep us in rhythm. We round a corner and and into the large crowds gathered along the parade route. I had no idea we would have this large audience.

Suddenly I felt so proud. I felt proud of my friend's Japanese heritage. I felt proud to be included. No one I knew in my community had ever even heard of sushi back in those days, even less Mikoshi.

Japanese people were thought of differently back then in my hometown. My Grandfather fought against the Japanese in WWII. His brother died on Iwo Jima. I could say more, but those times have past. I personally felt like a bridge between these two worlds in that moment.

That was truly a gift from the kami inside of the Mikoshi.

…

Shikomi zue

From Paart Budo Buki by buki stolar

here is one of my older works,  full wooden Shikomi Zue, 
but not as some standard hidden blades, more like walking stick from Zatoichi movie, from Takeshi Kitano 

this one is with black finish, but as all what I make you have choice


…

Shikomi zue

From Paart Budo Buki by buki stolar

here is one of my older works,  full wooden Shikomi Zue, 
but not as some standard hidden blades, more like walking stick from Zatoichi movie, from Takeshi Kitano 

this one is with black finish, but as all what I make you have choice


…