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Japan Report Eleven 令和5年

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

下谷神社 Shitaya Jinja, photo by Michael Glenn

I got up early to catch the train into Tokyo. I headed to 下谷神社 Shitaya Jinja to fill in my 集印帳 shūin-chō stamp book. But I also wanted to purchase some 御守 Omamori as gifts for my students back home.

2024 is the year of the dragon and Shitaya Jinja has a bit of a dragon theme. You might remember on a previous visit I was very lucky to be invited to enter the 拝殿 haiden. There, on the ceiling, is a painting of a dragon by 横山 大観 Yokoyama Taikan that was commissioned by the parishioners. I thought my students would appreciate omamori with a dragon motif.

After my visit to Shitaya Jinja, I had another train ride all the way back out to Noda-shi, and the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo. The first class was with Noguchi Sensei, and I was definitely ready to hear his laugh. I heard him as soon as I opened the door of the dojo. I was the second student to arrive and Noguchi gave me a cheerful welcome before I even stepped over the threshold. We had a great class which I will review in a minute.

First, I had to go pack and catch a train to Haneda airport. The commute was crazy busy, with the windows all steamed up, and the cars swaying with the weight of our bodies smashed together. A young man next to me used his finger to make drawings in the window condensation.

At the airport I had a little time to kill before my flight. And I like to walk a lot before my 12 hour flight across the Pacific ocean. As I strolled around Haneda, I discovered they had installed a scale replica of 日本橋 Nihonbashi.

The bridge is made of Japanese Cypress and has many wonderful details you can study as you cross or walk underneath. From their description, “The wall is decorated with Edo period folding screens from the National Museum of Japanese History that depict various famous locations throughout Edo… This pair of screens is one of only few historical artifacts that depict scenes from the time that Edo was founded. “

Since I still had time before my flight, I reviewed my notes from Noguchi Sensei’s class. He trained on the 天之型 ten no gata section from 神傳不動流 Shinden Fudō Ryū and he embraced the idea of sudden change. If you’ve trained with him, you know he moves fast. He covered all of the kata from the section along with a bunch of his own henka.

As he began with 日撃 Nichi Geki he explored different levels. The normal, chudan level might use a strike to 七抜 shichibatsu to stop the opponent’s throw. But he also showed variations for the jodan and gedan levels. He told us to make sure everything you do is a kamae.

月肝 Gekkan was all about the rhythm. Noguchi Sensei interrupted the opponent’s attack with his kick, taking their rhythm away. That deft set up flowed into a take down.

When we got to 風靡 Fubi, he didn’t want to do the leaping 胴締 dōjime. Even though I know he is capable because I saw him do it many times over the years. But since he is now in his eighties, He had some creative ways to express the kata without the risk of that move.

He kept telling us to “embrace our opponent with a loving feeling.” But his embrace attacked 腰 koshi. And it also disguised a 足起拳 sokki ken to 鈴 suzu. He said you crush them down.

During 雪耀 Setsuyaku he applied a 逆背負投 gyaku zeoi nage. But he did it almost without touching. He would set of the form of the lock and then drop the power out to send his opponent flying.

When he did it on me, what I felt was very surprising. The lock confused my body structure. Then as he dropped out, I went flying even though it didn’t feel like he did anything. This gave me some ideas to work on when I return home.

 With many of the techniques, but 霧散 Musan in particular, Noguchi Sensei would do the opposite of what you expect. The kata might say to take one side, but he would take the other. He would take one arm up, and one down. If you only take one, the opponent will sense what you are up to and try to counter.

Noguchi Sensei called one of his throws a 俵投げ tawara nage. This is like throwing a big bale of rice. He told us that one of the 47 Ronin was famous for doing this kind of throw.

You hoist them up and heave them over. For any normal person, it takes a lot of vigor to do a throw like this. But Noguchi Sensei did it without any force or power.

I really enjoyed Noguchi’s energy and good humor. He finished by rocking his uke with a 骨法拳 koppō ken where he swung the entire arm like a baseball bat. He laughed and said that he was like the baseball player, Shohei Ohtani.  

As I strolled around Haneda, I found an installation of 絵馬 Ema. An entire wall strung with these prayer plaques. You can purchase your own plaque and write a wish or prayer on the back to add it to the wall. The described purpose of the installation is to help heal travelers from Covid. The Japan tourism business was hit hard when they closed their borders for almost 3 years.

I had a great trip with many adventures and training discoveries. But every time I leave Japan I start making plans to return. You can expect more Japan Reports from me soon.
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Japan Report Nine 令和5年

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

Noguchi Sensei and Michael Glenn toast Hatsumi Sensei on his birthday

There are no classes today 令和5年12月2日 because we are celebrating Hatsumi Sensei’s birthday. This day always makes me reflective and nostalgic. It has been four years since I last trained with Soke in the dojō because of his retirement. But every time I’ve seen him in the last four years it has felt like a celebration full of humor, joy, and good conversation.

When I arrived at the party Niigata-San informed us that Hatsumi Sensei was in the hospital with a fever and could not join us. They said he was busy pestering the nurses and trying to smuggle in some wine for his birthday.

We still celebrated in his honor. I got to see many friends including some that I only see once a year at his party. The new Soke in attendance made speeches and shared stories of their memories of training with Hatsumi Sensei.

Noguchi Sensei gave us some inspiration when he compared training to forging a Japanese sword. He spoke about training at different ages in life. He said you must strike the sword while it is hot. During this “hot” period is when you train hard and build good form, and forge a good heart. He said that he didn’t know how much longer he could keep training, but he wanted to continue enjoying the training because he appreciates us all and the energy we bring him.

By chance, I sat next to Daisuke-San who I had not met before. He is a policeman and he surprised me by producing a bottle of liquor. Then he took a small appetizer plate and poured some into the saucer. He said this was Japanese mafia style. We drank together from the saucer and he said now we are family!

People stood in line to offer their gifts for Hatsumi Sensei’s birthday while my friend Yabunaka-San filled out labels to mark each gift and who it was from. I stood nearby and he walked up and wrote a label and stuck it on my chest. He started laughing hysterically. The label basically said one extra large gaijin for Hatsumi Sensei. What a thoughtful present!

They distributed some note cards for us to write birthday messages to Hatsumi Sensei. I wished him happy birthday but I also thanked him for the way he inspired my life. My life would be very different without him. He has provided me a path in life as well as budō. He has often said we are not just doing martial arts, we are studying how to live.

The morning after Hatsumi Sensei’s birthday I went to the 丸の内 Marunouchi district. Which means it is “inside the moat” of Edo Castle. I find it remarkable that I am able to just wander in these grounds. Just a few generations ago, I would have been killed or arrested if I was caught wandering Daimyō alley.

But today, Mitsubishi bought much of the land for a central business district and surrounded the moat with skyscrapers. I did manage to find a few remnants of the moat and walls marking the castle grounds. I entered by crossing the moat on a bridge to 和田倉門 Wadakura mon.

This gate was built in 元和6 (1620). The name implies it was used as a storehouse. Goods transported from the bay to the 倉前 kuramae (the street of Imperial granaries and rice stores) and into the gate. Later, when the Meiji Emperor first came to Edo, he passed through this gate.

When I passed through the gate, I came into a courtyard surrounded by heavy walls to form a 枡形 masugata (a place for soldiers to assemble). The feeling of being surrounded by these stones reminded me of something Soke said.

During a class where he was teaching 破術九法 Hajutsu Kyūhō and the forms of 蹴返 keri kaeshi, he said,

And in that instant you’re surrounding and controlling the opponent. These four kicks become just one ring. Don’t think of it as four kicks, think of it as a trap that you’re setting in the process. You’re not just kicking it out with the opponent. Otherwise it ends up being just like a carpenter. And you lose the art of it. We’re studying life.

I don’t know why the heavy walls of the square reminded me of this idea of surrounding an opponent with kicks. But during that class Soke instructed us,

I’m not teaching punching or kicking. It’s not that simple. I’m teaching the ability to live within the kukan. To survive within the kukan.

During my walk around this area, I came across a group of volunteers cleaning some stone monuments. I asked them what the monuments were for. They told me the one on the right was a 御製 Gyosei, or Imperial Poem written by Naruhito on his ascension to the throne. He wrote,

「学舎に　ひびかふ子らの　弾む声　さやけくあれと　ひたすら望む」When I hear the cheerful voices of children Resounding through their classrooms I hope from the bottom of my heart They have a bright and beautiful future ~ Emperor Naruhito

 Apparently every year the Imperial family composes poems in a ceremony they call 歌会始 utakai hajime. They have a reading broadcast on NHK to share with the public in Japan. Next to his monument there is also one for Naruhito’s Father, Akihito, written in 1991,

「いにしへ の人も守り 来し日の 本の森の栄え を共に願はむ」With the people I pray that the forests of our forefathers will be protected and may prosper in the Land of the Rising Sun. ~ Emperor Akihito

These are the “official” translations, and while they don’t match literally, they catch the spirit of the poetry. It was nice to see volunteers caring for these monuments. In what other country would poetry be displayed and looked after for so many decades? I am often amazed at the random depth of culture I discover just stumbling around Tokyo.
…

Japan Report Six 令和5年

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael


I was invited to Furuta Sensei’s home dojo out in the countryside. He is very generous and picked us up from the train station. The only problem is that he plays a Lady Gaga CD on repeat during the drive.

Furuta’s home dojo is very rustic with traditional tatami mats. He started training with ukemi and my cotton tabi really slid across the straw! His exploration of 基本八法 Kihon Happō is influenced by his study of 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū. As the next Soke of Kumogakure Ryū, he is hard at work learning and studying this school. And I feel lucky to be part of this journey every time I study with him.

At one point he showed a detail of how to attack the 急所 kyūsho 血止 chidome and 血ダメ chidame. The name of this kyūsho means to stop the blood. Obviously this would incapacitate an opponent if you pull it off. But Furuta Sensei used a hooking strike into chidome to unbalance with one finger.

The kyūsho becomes a 支点 shiten. The pressure creates a pivot or a fulcrum to affect the opponent’s structure. Studying the kihon in this way to find shiten within them will really transform your understanding of taijutsu.

My luck continued when Furuta Sensei pulled out the pole weapons. First up was a 刺股 sasumata. This had been on everyone’s mind because of a viral video where a security guard in a Tokyo jewelry store fought off three smash and grab robbers with a sasumata.

Furuta brought out a heavy iron and antique looking sasumata. I had never trained with one before. He used it against a sword and a 長巻 nagamaki. He used the hook to lock up the attacker’s blade. The sheer weight of the iron can swing like a pendulum grounding the opponent and his weapons.

Furuta Sensei also shared some yari. We studied with 片鎌槍 katakama yari, 三角槍 sankaku yari, and 管槍 kuda yari. These were live blades so we had to be very careful in his small dojo. The kuda yari was so long I had to thrust out the open door from the dojo into the garden!

I had little prior experience with some of these weapons. But this is the kind of opportunity that arises if you form good relationships with the teachers in Japan. Then they’ll share things with you that not many people get to study.

Furuta continued his generosity after training by taking us on an excursion. First we went to lunch at 末廣 Suehiro, which is a restaurant frequented by Hatsumi Sensei. Then we listened to more Lady Gaga as we drove to 夢楽堂 Murakudō for some shopping.

Hatsumi Sensei also likes to shop at Murakudō, an antique store packed to the rafters with many things, including weapons. My teacher, Peter was looking for 矢の根 yanone as you may have seen in my Japan Report Three 令和5年 video. Another member of our group bought a sword. And people were looking at tsuba, tessen, yari and even a nice 仕込杖 shikomi-zue. I had trouble guarding my wallet.

After the shopping, I went back to Noda-shi for an evening class with Paul Masse at the Honbu Dojo. Paul began with a form of 手解 tehodoki. But this was just an excuse to explore more themes related to 支点 shiten.

He raised his forearm to create support under the attacker, then he dropped it away. This caused the opponent to stumble and expose other weak points. He added in knife techniques, but all through the class he was creating shiten then throwing them away.

Having personal relationships with the teachers here makes my visits feel like family. Then the training feels like sharing. And no matter how long my days are, I always come away energized and excited for the next day’s training.

If you like what I do, you can support my writing and video productions by signing up at Rojodojo. Then you can watch the FULL video of this report here https://www.rojodojo.com/japan-report-six-reiwa-5/ along with more than 400 other training videos

 …

Japan Report Six 令和5年

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael


I was invited to Furuta Sensei’s home dojo out in the countryside. He is very generous and picked us up from the train station. The only problem is that he plays a Lady Gaga CD on repeat during the drive.

Furuta’s home dojo is very rustic with traditional tatami mats. He started training with ukemi and my cotton tabi really slid across the straw! His exploration of 基本八法 Kihon Happō is influenced by his study of 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū. As the next Soke of Kumogakure Ryū, he is hard at work learning and studying this school. And I feel lucky to be part of this journey every time I study with him.

At one point he showed a detail of how to attack the 急所 kyūsho 血止 chidome and 血ダメ chidame. The name of this kyūsho means to stop the blood. Obviously this would incapacitate an opponent if you pull it off. But Furuta Sensei used a hooking strike into chidome to unbalance with one finger.

The kyūsho becomes a 支点 shiten. The pressure creates a pivot or a fulcrum to affect the opponent’s structure. Studying the kihon in this way to find shiten within them will really transform your understanding of taijutsu.

My luck continued when Furuta Sensei pulled out the pole weapons. First up was a 刺股 sasumata. This had been on everyone’s mind because of a viral video where a security guard in a Tokyo jewelry store fought off three smash and grab robbers with a sasumata.

Furuta brought out a heavy iron and antique looking sasumata. I had never trained with one before. He used it against a sword and a 長巻 nagamaki. He used the hook to lock up the attacker’s blade. The sheer weight of the iron can swing like a pendulum grounding the opponent and his weapons.

Furuta Sensei also shared some yari. We studied with 片鎌槍 katakama yari, 三角槍 sankaku yari, and 管槍 kuda yari. These were live blades so we had to be very careful in his small dojo. The kuda yari was so long I had to thrust out the open door from the dojo into the garden!

I had little prior experience with some of these weapons. But this is the kind of opportunity that arises if you form good relationships with the teachers in Japan. Then they’ll share things with you that not many people get to study.

Furuta continued his generosity after training by taking us on an excursion. First we went to lunch at 末廣 Suehiro, which is a restaurant frequented by Hatsumi Sensei. Then we listened to more Lady Gaga as we drove to 夢楽堂 Murakudō for some shopping.

Hatsumi Sensei also likes to shop at Murakudō, an antique store packed to the rafters with many things, including weapons. My teacher, Peter was looking for 矢の根 yanone as you may have seen in my Japan Report Three 令和5年 video. Another member of our group bought a sword. And people were looking at tsuba, tessen, yari and even a nice 仕込杖 shikomi-zue. I had trouble guarding my wallet.

After the shopping, I went back to Noda-shi for an evening class with Paul Masse at the Honbu Dojo. Paul began with a form of 手解 tehodoki. But this was just an excuse to explore more themes related to 支点 shiten.

He raised his forearm to create support under the attacker, then he dropped it away. This caused the opponent to stumble and expose other weak points. He added in knife techniques, but all through the class he was creating shiten then throwing them away.

Having personal relationships with the teachers here makes my visits feel like family. Then the training feels like sharing. And no matter how long my days are, I always come away energized and excited for the next day’s training.

If you like what I do, you can support my writing and video productions by signing up at Rojodojo. Then you can watch the FULL video of this report here https://www.rojodojo.com/japan-report-six-reiwa-5/ along with more than 400 other training videos

 …

Japan Report Two 令和5年

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

Morning Song at 月野宮神社 Tsukinomiya Jinja, photo: Michael Glenn

On this day of my Bujinkan Japan Training trip, I began with a visit to the the 月野宮神社 Tsukinomiya Jinja Flea Market. There, I found an impromptu concert from a local guy with a guitar. And I also found many antique swords, jutte, and miscellaneous weapons. I finish by sharing a lesson from Hatsumi Sensei about 弱いも支点 yowai mo shiten, using your weakness as a pivot point.

If you want to support my work, sign up to Rojodojo, and you can watch the full video: Japan Report Two 令和5年

During my train ride back to the dojo in Noda-shi, I stopped for lunch at a street festival on 大宮銀座通り商店街 Ōmiya Ginza-dōri shōten machi. This was random luck, I just popped out of the station and the party was on! Some nice people whipped up tasty and filling yakisoba for me and I ate it straight off the grill.

Once back in Noda, I had a great class with Furuta Sensei. He started the class with tehodoki. But his unique approach is informed by 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū. He had us match our own body and shoulder to his grab then change angle or levels. He even had us grabbing our own body or clothing for extra support.

Then he changed to hanbōjutsu against a knife attack. He did a flip strike to disarm. If that doesn’t work, pivot under to unbalance. Add a final strike to the hand to finish.

Then he showed receiving the knife in a vertical kamae with the hanbō alongside your own body. When he pivoted under, he extended one finger like a jutte to hook the attacking arm. Meanwhile the hanbō is passed behind the attacker’s head to lock his arm and choke.

He finished class with sword. He had us receive in 棟水之構 Tōsui no Kamae, then push the attacker’s sword aside. But your own sword must control the center line before you cut down to kote.

Great training so far. And up next from my Bujinkan Japan Training trip, Japan Report Three 令和5年
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Japan Report One 令和5年

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

Michael at The Bujinkan Honbu dojo
Every Bujinkan trip I make to Japan feels like a gift. And I always share that with you all in my Japan reports. This trip, I decided to video a lot. Like every day. So there will be quite a few of these. The only issue is that it takes me time to edit all of this video, so these Japan reports may spread out into next year. The first video is here: Japan Report One 令和5年

The first day of any Bujinkan trip to Japan starts with a marathon. 20 hours of travel by Plane train, and automobile. Also, a lot of walking with a heavy backpack up and down stairs, through airports and train stations, and of course to the Honbu Dojo!

Because I’m crazy, I arrived at the airport and went straight to Noguchi Sensei’s class. The class was smallish, maybe 20 people. I was a little shaky on my feet so I slammed some milk tea to get my energy back up. I partnered with Mario From Croatia.

Noguchi began with 中伝之捌型 Chūden no Sabaki Gata from 高木揚心流 Takagi Yoshin Ryū. He put a lot of focus into what the opposite hand was doing (the non technique hand). Controlling the shoulder or elbow. Pushing the other side away while capturing a lock on the wrist, elbow, or shoulder. And lots of 虚実 kyojitsu!

I was intrigued by 腰投鎌 koshi nage gakari, because he pivoted under the grabbing hand using his head to pass through. Then he gripped the opponent’s belt from behind for the throw. What was hard to understand was that he really threw using his own head and body position against the back of the opponent’s arm. In fact he did many no handed techniques using just his head.

He did so much kyojitsu. In fact, during one technique, he said to cover 反対 hantai, so he turned his thumb down and covered the opponent’s rear hand with his elbow. But the elbow was a threat and became kyojitsu hiding the claw or finger strike to 五輪 gorin.

When I arrived in Japan, I first noticed all of the construction and changes since my last trip. Nostalgia made me reflect on something Hatsumi Sensei said,

    Just because someone’s been training for 40 or 50 years it doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t matter how long I’ve been training, it’s nothing special. I’m still walking along behind Takamatsu Sensei. That’s what the tradition means.

It made me think that I am doing the same by following Hatsumi Sensei. As a Jūgodan and a Daishihan, I feel this as my duty and responsibility. Soke went on to tell everyone at the dojo,

    There are many people at a high level, 15th dan and above. Please train with them. These people at the 15th dan level are showing this important feeling. They are moving at this high rank, but at my level I’m doing what I learned from Takamatsu Sensei.

Soke said this last part because he could tell we did not understand what he was showing us. How could we understand something that he learned from Takamatsu Sensei and that he has been perfecting for many decades? The reality is, we all only can see from our own level. The same happens with my own students. I am following in Hatsumi Sensei’s footsteps, but they are following in mine.

He said that the Daishihan are born from him. Training with people who have this connection is how you get a direct line to the teaching in Japan. It is also how to stay connected to the ancient lineage of all who have come before. I can trace my line from Hatsumi Sensei back to Takamatsu Sensei, and those who came before. And I remain a humble student following in their footsteps.

Forgive the video quality, I was testing a new app and quickly discovered I didn’t know how to use it. For all the future Japan Reports, I abandoned it and stuck to the familiar. My next Bujinkan trip report is here: Japan Report Two 令和5年


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The Sound of Bujinkan 変化 Henka

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

One Friday night back in the old Honbu Dojo, Hatsumi Sensei moved to a very high level of training right from the start. After he asked someone to demo, he immediately went into counter attacks using his fingertips. And he said to be playful.

Hatsumi Sensei painted and hung a scroll in the corner of the dojo. He did this every year to express the yearly theme. This year it was 神韻武導 Shin'in Budō. You can read this as Budō of exceptional artistry. Or, when you look at the characters for Shin'in, it could be a Budō that expresses the sound of the heart, the soul, or even  the kami.

神韻武導 Shin'in Budō scroll in the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo
神韻武導 Shin'in Budō, Bujinkan Honbu. photo Michael Glenn
 

Earlier that afternoon, I had made a pilgrimage of sorts to visit 矢切の渡し Yagiri-no-Watashi. The ferry that has been taking passengers across the Edo river for nearly 400 years. The Tokugawa shogunate did not build bridges over rivers to protect Edo. Ferry boats leading to the highway were strictly controlled, but ferries for farmers who had farmland on the opposite bank were allowed.

For people who were not allowed to enter Edo, they would cross on these ferries disguised as farmers. A good use of 変装術 Hensō-jutsu! Maybe a few ninjas made this crossing during their travels.

My student Jesse waits, 矢切の渡し Yagiri-no-Watashi pier
My student Jesse waits, 矢切の渡し Yagiri-no-Watashi pier

This ferry was the setting for the sad love story between Masao and Tamiko in Sachio Ito's novel ``The Grave of Wild Chrysanthemums''. It is also the setting for a popular song of the same name. I was surprised to discover that in 1996 the Japan Ministry of the Environment selected this ferryboat as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan.

Besides the sound of rowing, you might hear the rippling water of Edogawa, some black headed gulls, and skylarks. These sounds were like a mediation for me, setting the tone to prepare for the dojo later. Sometimes what you do before and in between classes is almost as important as the training itself.

Now when I show up for a class like this, where Soke is teaching many subtle lessons in his quick and energetic manner, I might have a chance of keeping up. If I can understand just a little of his teaching, my whole trip to Japan will have been worth it.

The sound of training wisdom came just before break time. Hatsumi Sensei was showing a form of 指押さえる yubi osaeru, controlling just like I shared in my training reports from Japan. He grabbed a hold of Nakadai-san and really applied the pain. Nakadai yelped into the rafters from the intensity.

But while it may have looked like the finger manipulation was the key to this technique, Soke had actually shifted his shoulder and chest forward. He did this by dropping his left shoulder and raising his right. This made Nakadai’s 胸捕 mune dori almost useless. And it also fed into 親殺 oya goroshi right under Soke’s thumbnail.

The train from Atago station rumbled and thundered by at just that moment- rattling the whole dojo. Soke just laughed and chuckled his way through two more opponents. It was hard to hear what he said, but I was lucky to be right under him when he explained,

分散させる。変化させる。虚実、な？
bunsan saseru, henka saseru, this is kyojitsu, isn’t it?

Bunsan saseru means you may break up or scatter to create variance. You distribute your response to the opponent in a way that causes the breakup of his attack, his tactics,  and even his mind or will to fight. Soke expressed the kyojitsu here by offering his mune on one side, but capturing the oya goroshi on the other.

While henka saseru allows you to create change. The transformation of the technique arises from shin’in. While Nakadai was screaming in pain up into the rafters, Hatsumi Sensei used his whole body to control from that one point. Then he said 次 次 次 tsugi tsugi tsugi Next next next... The kyojitsu is hidden in the Next.

One of my students who made the trip to Japan with me was on his own after that class. I wasn’t very conversational. I sat quietly on the train back to my hotel. I wrote some notes in my composition book. But I paused to listen to the sounds of Japan.


…

Bujinkan Daikomyosai Party and Training Themes from Japan

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

What are the current Bujinkan Themes?

For my second week of Japan training, I begin with a visit to 上野東照宮 Ueno Tōshōgū. This shrine was built in 1627, and enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu. I have visited many times, but they did an extensive remodel a few years ago. This was my first time going beyond the 唐門 Karamon and into the grounds. The entire 本殿 Honden is covered in gold leaf and looks spectacular with the gingko leaves fluttering down around me.

Michael Glenn at 上野東照宮 Ueno Tōshōgū

Later that night, I arrived a bit early for Nagase Sensei’s class. He had moved the class time back 45 minutes so I took the opportunity to review my notes from the prior class. He has been working with 十方折衝 juppō sesshō and the directions for 天地人 Tenchijin and the sanshin within it.

He described many aspects of Tenchijin. He would control his opponent at three points, high, middle, and low. He told us the Ten direction is 天照大御神 Amaterasu ōmikami. The Chi direction is 国常立尊 Kunitokotachi no mikoto (that’s how people pronounce these kanji). And the Jin direction is the spirit across from you, or your opponent.

Nagase Sensei and Michael Glenn December 2022
 

He also emphasized these three points on the jutte: the tip; the pommel; and the hook. He told us that we have sanshin in our training development. Learn taijutsu up to godan, bōjutsu from godan until judan, and kenjutsu until 15th dan. Then after that is what Soke teaches with mutō dori.

The next morning I dressed up to go to the Daikomyosai party AKA Hatsumi Sensei’s birthday party. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Soke has had some health issues and everyone in Japan is taking precautions for the virus. There was a joke going around that we would all line up in the parking lot and Hatsumi Sensei would drive by and wave like the Queen.

Since the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo is still closed (as of December 2022), People ask me about class schedules and where is there training in Japan right now? They see my photos of my training at various dojos in Japan and they want me to give them the location and the schedule. That is not how it works. These are private classes and you have to be invited or ask permission.

Technically you even need permission and must be a “member” of the Bujinkan to train at the Honbu dojo. But in actual practice, anyone can drop by a class if it is on the schedule. But we all know each other, and strangers stick out…

For private dojos, every teacher is different and has different expectations, but it is customary to ask first. This is why it is so important to form good relationships with the teachers. Or if you are new to Japan, your own teacher should have these relationships so they can give you an introduction.

Back to training updates from Japan. The next morning, I went to Furuta Sensei’s dojo in 茨城県 Ibaraki-ken. He came to pick us up from the train station for a 25 minute drive to his house. It is a nice old Japanese house with a garden and an out building for a dojo. We trained for a morning session, then had lunch in his kitchen. Then we did an afternoon session.

Furuta Sensei's Dojo December 2022

It seemed like Furuta Sensei had three years (pandemic years) worth of teaching waiting to get out. He had so much to share. He told us that many martial arts in Japan are like 化石 kaseki, or fossils. They are being preserved but there is no life in them.

Furuta spoke about kata and densho. He said these are like samples of a dish. You can take a bite of something to taste it, but that is not a meal. He said that people who only do kata or densho are missing the meal. This is something I often say to my own students. The Bujinkan is not just kata or the densho, it is also the kuden and direct transmissions from teacher to student that are not on any menu.

Furuta Sensei said ここ当たり koko atari

During training, he had some peculiar angles for evasion. He also showed various places to strike kyusho as he said ここ当たり koko atari, meaning “hit here.” I found out later why things looked strange to me.

After training, he took us out to dinner to a local Soba shop. If you didn’t know, Furuta will be the next Soke of 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū. So over dinner he shared that his recent training used the strategies from this school. He would hide himself in the space with subtle angling of his body, just like mountain hiding it’s slopes in the clouds.

Now I realized why all of my classes with him felt different. He had been expressing ideas from Kumogakure Ryū and I didn’t know it. Based on this new insight, I had to go back and revise my notes from each training session with him!

On the flight home from Narita to Los Angeles, I spent some time reflecting on Hatsumi Sensei’s birthday. The party was great fun for me. It had been 3 years since I had seen most of my friends here in Japan. Everyone was happy to let loose a little.

My friend from Senou Sensei’s dojo, Sasa, was entertaining our whole table. Sayaka, Ueki, and Hirotoshi kept things youthful and I enjoyed their wonderful smiles and energy. Nakagawa-san dressed up like some kind of scary geisha with unkempt nose hair and bad jokes.

Hatsumi Sensei and Michael Glenn Dec 2022

Hatsumi Sensei and Michael Glenn Dec 2022
 

The restaurant has two levels. Hatsumi Sensei sat downstairs and we took turns visiting with our birthday gifts to him. I made this trip to Japan in his honor and I felt lucky I was able to see him.

I made a video about all of this while I was in Japan that you can watch here: Japan Report December 2022 Part 3
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Is the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo Open?

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

Who is teaching at the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo?

The Japan training schedule is irregular and I am following my instincts rather than any set schedule. Peter Crocoll shared a story about Hatsumi Sensei using instinct to buy an antique jūmonji yari based on a feeling.

Furuta Sensei invited me to his class. He picked us up from the train station and we went to a high school gymnasium. We warmed up with a bit of rolling, sanshin, and 骨指基本三法 kosshi kihon sanpō. Then he went into the kata 乱勝 Ranshō from Takagi Yoshin Ryū. He did a deep dive with many themes from Hatsumi Sensei.

The next day, I got up early to have coffee with my friend, Craig Olson. He told me some funny Nagato Sensei stories. He also told me that Furuta-san would be helping out at the Honbu office today.

This piqued my interest because I had a lot of ranks and paperwork to be approved and recorded. Many things have changed in the Bujinkan office, and I had a lot of questions. Craig suggested that it would be too busy and I should not go. But I risked it, and I was the only one there.

Niigata-san has done a tremendous job organizing the Honbu office and the record books. With his and Furuta-san’s help, I was able to get all of my paperwork submitted properly with all of the correct kanji, dates, and yen amounts.

While waiting for the ink to dry, I went to lunch at the old Coco’s in Noda. The restaurant updated with a computerized reservation and order system. It even had robotic servers to bring the food to your table.

Then I stopped by the old tabi shop. It was nice to see it still open. I didn’t know if the elderly couple that ran it would survive the lack of tourism for 3 years over the pandemic. But the old man was as helpful and friendly as ever.

My luck continued when Paul Masse invited us to a special class at the Honbu dojo. He organized this training and got permission a while ago, not realizing that it was on Soke’s birthday. Paul seemed to think that was a good omen.

Paul Masse shares a story at Bujinkan Honbu Dojo December 2022

The dojo has been mostly closed. The Japan training schedule has been empty. Niigata said that this class was the biggest one held at the Honbu in a long time. Paul didn’t teach so much as share. We were all nostalgic and traded Soke tips and tricks with each other. It was a really good feeling and I am grateful to Paul for organizing this opportunity.

Paul also invited us to his house to meet with 根岸流 Negishi-ryū Shihan Kurosawa-san. If you’ve followed my Japan reports from the past, you know that I’ve studied bo shuriken with Kurosawa before. His methods really improved my own understanding of shuriken use.

Kurosawa-san shares a variety of weapons

Paul served some 焼酎 Shōchū with 麦茶 mugicha. Kurosawa-san shared a variety of hidden weapons and bo shuriken from a few different schools. He even showed some modern shuriken with a hollow shaft for improved aerodynamics. He told us that Kan Sensei’s son, 菅 祐寿 Kan Hirotoshi, helped to design these shuriken.

根岸流 Negishi-ryū Shihan Kurosawa-san

Kurosawa shared 3 different shuriken styles: 直打法 Choku dahō; 反転 hanten; and shutō. He also spoke about 柄飛ばし tsuka tobashi, where your own sword leaps into your hand during a shuriken throw to deliver a quick cut. I can’t wait to practice this!

If you would like to see this Bujinkan training video from Japan follow the link: Japan Report December 2022 Part 2
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Bujinkan Training in Japan Update

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

 Which Dojo's are Open in Japan?

After three long years, I return for Bujinkan training in Japan. The world is different. Training in Japan is different.

Michael Glenn at the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo

I share my expectations and my actual experiences. I came here as a scouting trip. I wanted to see what changed and where the Bujinkan is going.

So far I’ve trained in three dojos. Nagase Sensei started my trip with quick, focused taijutsu.

Nagase Sensei with Michael Glenn November 2022

I visited my friend Sakai-san for training in Kasukabe.
Michael at 酒井一弘 Dojo Novemeber 2022

And Furuta Sensei invited me to his dojo.
Furuta Sensei and Michael Glenn November 2022

Luckily, I found more training than I anticipated. And I’m having a great time. I’m encouraged for the future. And this is only part one of my Bujinkan training in Japan report.

You can watch the video about my training in Japan here: Bujinkan Training in Japan November 2022
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