From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael
I woke up on the day before Hatsumi Sensei’s birthday party and cranked open the window to find another spring day in December. The weather feels like it is trying to confuse the trees to bloom early. I arrived in Japan over packed with jackets and sweaters, but I end up walking around Tokyo in my t shirt.
This Japan report is summarized from the FULL video available on Rojodojo.
During my preparations for the party tomorrow I was thinking about a class with Hatsumi Sensei a few years back. It was on the day when Soke awarded the Daishihan to 筒井巧 Tsutsui Takumi. During the training Hatsumi Sensei told us that he wasn’t teaching, he was just giving examples.
Even so, we cannot steal his technique. Soke went on to say that artists must create works that can’t be untangled or stolen. You must create unique or original work that can’t be understood only on a superficial level. This kind of work is unique to you and your spirit.
Hatsumi Sensei’s taijutsu or budō is like this. It’s not something that any of us can steal from him. It’s unique to him. He often says that techniques that can be taught, given away, or stolen are worthless techniques that don’t have any spirit.
He finished by saying あり思想ですね Ari shisōdesu ne, meaning that’s a good enough idea for now. That one idea can take you very far in training. And you probably don’t need much more than that.
Next, I did some bird watching at 財田川 Saitagawa before class. The ducks and herons were diving like it was spring. Watching their territorial disputes gave a good example of how nature finds the proper distance.
The avian tactics reminded of a Friday night class at the old Honbu Dojo. Soke had hung the 神韻武導 Shingin Budō scroll for the yearly theme in the corner. Someone, I’m not going to say who, swung a sword at Hatsumi Sensei. Soke didn’t move an inch but he wasn’t cut.
The attacker’s distance was off. Or, Soke put himself in a position where he didn’t have to move. At that moment he told us it was important to have 平気 heiki. This is like remaining calm, cool, and composed in the face of danger.
He told us to gauge the distance with just a glance. Size the opponent up. You should immediately know if you are at risk.
In my many years working in construction, I developed the ability to size up distances, sizes, and amounts of material. I could look at a plank and with just a glance tell you its size. Or, I could quickly estimate the quantity of sand needed to mix concrete for a wheelbarrow, mixer, or even a truckload.
It’s the same in budō, if you have a lot of experience with weapons, or with many types of attacks, you can tell if someone can hurt you with just a glance. It’s not something you have to test, you just know if you are in a safe spot. When you have that type of knowledge it is easy to have heiki.
Your spirit is at peace. Then when you avoid an attack, it’s like doing nothing. Which is really the nature of Hatsumi Sensei’s budō.
The spirit of the river and the waterfowl had put me in a mood. And I made my way to the Honbu dojo. Paul Masse was teaching that afternoon.
He began class from 型破の構 kata yaburi no kamae with the hanbō. The attacker came in with a knife and he pivoted inside and outside exploring ideas of 支点 shiten. He finished class from 無念無想の構 munen musō no kamae and pivoted into a form of 刀匿礮姿 tōtoku hyōshi with the hanbō.
Paul inked some 書道 shodō for us, and on my board he wrote 弱を示して強に出る Jaku o shimeshite tsuyo ni deru, which he translated as, “show weakness but turn it into strength.” This is an expression of kyojitsu, but also an important idea for the self sacrifice of sutemi.
After the class, Paul’s wife Tomoe, invited us to their house for an おでん
oden party. She is also very generous and made a very nice presentation
of the stew for us. Hanging out with Paul is always rewarding. He is
good with training but he also thinks deeply about philosophy, poetry,
and the Japanese mythologies that make up the 極意 gokui of our Bujinkan.
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