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How Do I Prepare for a Bujinkan Class?

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael

Leandro Erlich's "The Classroom" at 森美術館, photo by Michael Glenn
Michael in Leandro Erlich's "The Classroom" at 森美術館, photo Michael Glenn

I probably prepare more than most Bujinkan teachers. In fact, I spend 1-2 hours before every training session setting my lesson plan. But when Hatsumi Sensei made me a Daishihan, my prep changed.

I had 5 steps before there were two big changes. Step one was easy for me, but step seven I didn’t even know about until recently. Let’s talk about the easy change first. 

One: It starts with a Bujinkan theme

As you know, Soke used to set yearly themes for the whole Bujinkan to follow. This made it easy to decide what to study every class. For example, If the theme was Gyokko Ryū, we could study the techniques and strategies from that school.

But one Fall night in 2017 I showed up to the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo in Japan and change was in the air. Hatsumi Sensei’s wife was ill and Soke had made the difficult choice to move her into a care facility. He sat in front of the Kamidana and said a private prayer at his family shrine.

Then he began class talking about change. He told us,

We have lots of Daishihan around the world now. Being able to change is the way of living. Our Tradition continues because it changes. It’s the same feeling as mutōdori. People change as they get older. Now is the time for the Daishihan to take the Bujinkan into the future.

Little did I know I would feel that weight of taking the Bujinkan into the future in less than an hour.

It happened right after the break. Hatsumi Sensei sat on the floor as they cleared away his ink and brushes. Then he looked at some of the Daishihan and said, please nominate anyone you think is worthy to be a Daishihan. Two of them immediately pointed at me. 

I was relaxing on the mat behind Soke, so he turned quickly to see who they were pointing at. His face lit up when he saw me and said, “Ok!” I think he noticed my shocked expression because he smiled and quickly called Furuta-San over to talk to me.

Hatsumi Sensei Awards Bujinkan Daishihan to Michale Glenn
Senou Sensei reads Michael Glenn's Daishihan certificate. photo Peter Crocoll

In the following class on Sunday Hatsumi Sensei made the formal announcement and presented me with the certificate in front of the whole dojo. I bowed and then Soke said to everyone,

There is a time for these things and when the time is right they should be given.

He continued,

Next year is the start of a new Bujinkan. I started Togakure Ryū with Takamatsu Sensei in Showa 33 (1958). But I hadn’t been training long. But Takamatsu gave it to me to grow into it. Please think about these Daishihan not as coming from me, but from Kamisama. To make a community of great people. 

The rest of my trip was filled with thoughts of what did it all mean? One thing it meant when I got back home was that I still had to teach my classes. But Hatsumi Sensei was no longer setting clear themes for us to follow.

I decided it was my responsibility to set themes for my dojo. So far, this has been easy for me. I basically decide what subject I'd like to do a deep dive on and set the theme accordingly. My current theme is Juppō Sesshō and we are using a variety of weapons to explore this.

Two: Bujinkan students are the focus

When preparing to teach a Bujinkan class I must consider what my students need. I anticipate which students will be there that day and what I think will help them the most. Some are beginners, some are advanced and they all need different things from me.

Three: Review the Bujinkan 伝承 Denshō

Knowing the theme enables the next step where I review the 伝承 Denshō. I do this to get as close to the original forms and traditions as they were passed down to Hatsumi Sensei. This step is tricky, because translations and copies of the kata are not always accurate.

I use several trusted sources and compare and contrast them to get as close as I can to the “proper” form. I use multiple translations because each one has a different flavor depending on the pedigree of the translator. Then, I even do my own translation to confirm. This takes a long time.

Four: Hatsumi Sensei's Books

Next, I consult Hatsumi Sensei’s books. In a recent class about the use of jūji sabaki and the jūtte, I have 3 different books with 3 different approaches to the same kata. I compare them with the Denshō to try to get as close as possible to a “kihon” version of the kata.

In each book, the version of the kata that is shown will differ depending on the era the book was written. Or maybe Hatsumi Sensei had a specific focus for that book. I bring that all together with the next step.

Five: Hatsumi Sensei's Videos

After I get the steps down in my class notes, I watch Hatsumi Sensei’s videos. We are lucky that Soke has made a lot of videos. Over the years, I have made notes about where a kata appears in a video so I can fast forward to the exact moment it was shared. Again, the same kata will be presented differently depending on the era and the focus on the day the video was made.

Six: My Personal Bujinkan Training Notes

From here, I reflect on my own personal experience and training notes. In normal years, I would make 3 trips to Japan every year. This worked out to about 6 weeks of training with roughly 2-3 classes every day.

This means that there is a good chance I studied any particular kata with Soke or the Japanese Shihan in Japan. I made many detailed notebooks from these studies. Reviewing these notes will trigger a specific memory or insight that will change how I teach the class.

An idea of 以心伝心 Ishin Denshin

The final step is one that I only recently realized was an essential part of how I prepare for class. This is the idea of 以心伝心 ishin denshin, a direct heart to heart communication between teacher and student. I received this from Hatsumi Sensei.

And I feel like I just woke up to my responsibility as a Daishihan when I discovered this next step.

Seven: What would Soke do?

What is the best way for me to convey Soke’s feeling to my students? This is the final step of my preparation for Bujinkan training. When he awarded me the Daishihan certificate he said,

This year is the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Bujinkan dojo. During this time, there were a lot of people out there who don’t understand what real budo is. And teaching without knowing real budo. Recently, I have been teaching mutōdori and this is 上層部 Jōsō-bu, the highest echelon or essence of budo. Some people understand it and some don’t, but it’s very important.
Who can say they understand Hatsumi Sensei's movement? I don't make any claims. But what I can do is try to share the feeling I got from him. 

Like the time I tried to grab him and he disappeared. Or the time when he struck me with one finger, moving a bone behind my larynx and I was hoarse for a week. He thought that was quite amusing... Or another time when he threw me on the mats in Ayase and I blacked out. I came to with his face over mine, laughing again.

He gave me a feeling too when he made me a Daishihan. He told us,

It’s important to transmit these things by word of mouth and in person. The Daishihan can teach people how to live around the world. The gokui of mutōdori is really nothingness and very pure. I feel fortunate that I could teach people up to Daishihan level and they can now take over.

This is the future of the Bujinkan right in this room. 

I didn't know it that day, but his words still guide me many times a week as I go through these steps to prepare for class. I made a video about all of these steps called Bujinkan Kuden: How I Prepare for Class with the 十手 Jutte if your curiosity drives you to dive deeper.



 

 





JUPPO SESSHO with SHAWN GRAY (keiko5)

From Budoshop by BUDOSHOP.SE

Buy the VideoCD, click here!

65 minutes, 460 Mb for $11.99

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A seminar in Kaigozan Dojo with Shawn Gray from Japan.

This is the 4′th seminar with Mr.Shawn Gray at Kaigozan Dojo in Stockholm Sweden, and the second this year. This time he taught many techniques which he has trained in Japan since his last visit in March. Koteki Ryouda Juppou Sessho no Jutsu (the 2003 Bujinkan theme).

Ukemi, Taijutsu, Kunai, Kodachi and Kyoketsushoge.

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden June 2003

Note: The instructions is in English and there is no sub titles on this VCD

About the instructor

Shawn left behing 10 years of Karate and Kendo to begin Bujinkan training in Canada after returning from a 1-year stay in Japan in 1990. After a training visit in 1995, he relocated to Japan permanently in January of 1997. Shawn passed the godan test in January of 1999, and in 2000 at the urging of Hatsumi sensei established a dojo, the first Bujinkan dojo in Japan led by a civilian foreigner. Shawn has regularly served as interpreter for Dr. Hatsumi and has translated much of Senseis writing into english. He has been regularly invited to give seminars in Europe , North America , and Asia.

More info about Shawn http://bujinkan.graycastle.com

Sample clip

About the download

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JUPPO SESSHO with SHAWN GRAY (keiko4)

From Budoshop by BUDOSHOP.SE

Buy the VideoCD, click here!
69 minutes, 474 Mb for $11.99

Buy the full VCD here!

A seminar in Kaigozan Dojo with Shawn Gray from Japan.

The theme for this video is Koteki Ryouda Juppou Sesshou no Jutsu – (Kunai, & Basic Taijutsu). Shawn taught the first four Kunai Kata (Kiri no Ichiyou, Mizu-tori, Rakka, Mawashi- dori) from Koteki Ryouda Juppou Sessho no Jutsu (the 2003 Bujinkan theme). He also taught Taihenjutsu Ukemi, Sanshin no Kata and Kihon Happou applications and more. There is a bonus segment with the last and fifth kata, Gorin Kudaki by Mats Hjelm.

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden March 2003

Note: The instructions is in English and there is no sub titles on this VCD

About the instructor

Shawn left behing 10 years of Karate and Kendo to begin Bujinkan training in Canada after returning from a 1-year stay in Japan in 1990. After a training visit in 1995, he relocated to Japan permanently in January of 1997. Shawn passed the godan test in January of 1999, and in 2000 at the urging of Hatsumi sensei established a dojo, the first Bujinkan dojo in Japan led by a civilian foreigner. Shawn has regularly served as interpreter for Dr. Hatsumi and has translated much of Senseis writing into english. He has been regularly invited to give seminars in Europe , North America , and Asia.

More info about Shawn http://bujinkan.graycastle.com

Sample clip

About the download

Click here for more information about our download files and how it works!

KAIGOUSURU 2003 TAIKAI – KOTEKI RYODA JUPPO SESSHO (KUNAI)

From Budoshop by BUDOSHOP.SE

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Kaigousuru 7 -- the seventh International Bujinkan Training Party with…

- Dean Rostohar
- Ed Martin
- Elias Krzywacki
- Lubos Pokorny
- Mariette v.d Vliet
- Mats Hjelm
- Sveneric Bogsäter
- Thomas Franzen

Theme was Koteki ryoda juppo sessho no jutsu, Kihon Happou, Kunai, Kyoketsusshoge and much more

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden April 18-20′th 2003



Part 1 -- 85 minutes, 600 Mb for $9.99

Part 2 -- 65 minutes, 460 Mb for $9.99


Buy the full DVD, click here!

Elias taught Kihon Happou with Juppou Sesshou feeling. Dean talked about and taught basic principles in combat. Mats taught the Kunai Kata with help from Onni Koskinen and Ed. Thomas taught Taijutsu and Kunai. Ed taught ten breathing excercises and knife defense. Sveneric taught Bajutsu, Kunai and Sanshin no Kata. Lubos taught Kunai and Taijutsu. Michael Clysén taught Ten Ryaku no Maki techniques and Mariette did henka with the Kunai.

There was also a Q&A session, where the instructors talked about this years theme and much more.

Sample clip from the video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0OVqwqUsIc

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Ninjutsu – The Spider’s Thread (蜘蛛の糸, Kumo no Ito)

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Bujinkan Santa Monica

photo by ajari
This last year, some of us have heard Hatsumi Sensei make reference to a spider's web dangling down from heaven.  As usual with Soke, there are many layers to this idea.  One idea that Sensei put out there for us was in his painting of Daruma with a spider descending a web and alighting on Daruma's eyebrow.  As Paul Masse explains:
The Inscription reads, “ Ninjustu is on your eyebrow.... the spider`s thread, so close, the village of Togakure”.  Sometimes things are so close to us that we can not perceive them.
Hatsumi Sensei has continued to reference this web from the heavens.  If Ninjutsu is on one's eyebrow, or there is a thread to heaven dangling down but we do not see it, how can we use that in Budo?
Maybe it will help if we look at another story that Hatsumi Sensei described to us.

"The Spider's Thread" (蜘蛛の糸 Kumo no Ito) is a 1918 short story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, first published in the children's magazine Akai Tori:
ONE

One day, the Buddha was strolling alone along the edge of a lotus pond in Paradise. The blooming lotus flowers in the pond were each pure white like jewels, and the place was filled with the indescribably wondrous fragrance continually emitted from each flower’s golden center. It was just morning in Paradise.

After a time, the Buddha paused at the edge of the pond and from between the lotus leaves that covered it saw a glimpse of the state of things below. Now this celestial pond just happened to lie directly over Hell, and peering through that crystal-clear water was like looking through a magnifying glass at the River of Death and the Mountain of Needles and such.

The Buddha saw there, in the depths of Hell, a single man writhing along with the other sinners. This man was named Kandata, and he had been a notorious thief who had performed murder and arson and other acts of evil. In his past, however, he had performed just one good deed: one day, when walking through the deep forest, he saw a spider crawling along the road. At first he raised his foot to crush it, but suddenly he changed his mind and stopped, saying, “No, small though it may be, a spider, too, has life. It would be a pity to meaninglessly end it,” and so did not kill it.

Looking down upon the captives in Hell the Buddha recalled this kind act that Kandata had performed, and thought to use his good deed as a way to save him from his fate. Looking aside, there on a jade-colored lotus leaf he saw a single spider, spinning out a web of silver thread. The Buddha carefully took the spider’s thread into his hand, and lowered it straight down between the jewel-like white lotuses into the depths of Hell.

TWO

Kandata was floating and sinking along with the other sinners in the Lake of Blood at the bottom of Hell. It was pitch black no matter which way he looked, and the occasional glimpse of light that he would see in the darkness would turn out to be just the glint of the terrible Mountain of Needles. How lonely he must have felt! All about him was the silence of the grave, the only occasional sound being a faint sigh from one of the damned. Those who were so evil as to be sent to this place were tired by its various torments, and left without even the strength to cry out. Even the great thief Kandata could only squirm like a dying frog as he choked in the Lake of Blood.

But one day, raising up his head and glancing at the sky above the lake, in the empty darkness Kandata saw a silver spider’s thread being lowered from the ceiling so far, far away. The thread seemed almost afraid to be seen, emitting a frail, constant light as it came down to just above Kandata’s head. Seeing this, Kandata couldn’t help but clap his hands in joy. If he were to cling to this thread and climb up it, he may be able to climb out of Hell! Perhaps he could even climb all the way to Paradise! Then he would never be chased up the Mountain of Needles, nor drowned in the Lake of Blood again.

Thinking so, he firmly grasped the spider’s thread with both hands and began to climb the thread, higher and higher. Having once been a great thief, he was used to tasks such as this. But the distance between Hell and Paradise is tens of thousands of miles, and so it would seem that no amount of effort would make this an easy journey. After climbing for some time Kandata tired, and couldn’t climb a bit higher. Having no other recourse, he hung there from the thread, resting, and while doing so looked down below.

He saw that he had made a good deal of progress. The Lake of Blood that he had been trapped in was now hidden in the dark below, and he had even climbed higher than the dimly glowing Mountain of Needles. If he could keep up this pace, perhaps he could escape from Hell after all. Kandata grasped the thread with both hands, and laughingly spoke in a voice that he hadn’t used in the many years since he had come here, “I’ve done it! I’ve done it!”

Looking down, however, what did he see but an endless queue of sinners, intently following him up the thread like a line of ants! Seeing this, surprise and fear kept Kandata

Kandata

Though the thread had been fine until just then, with these words it snapped with a twang right where Kandata held it. Poor Kandata fell headfirst through the air, spinning like a top, right down through the darkness. The severed end of the silver thread hung there, suspended from heaven, shining with its pale light in that moonless, starless sky.

THREE

The Buddha stood in Paradise at the edge of the lotus pond, silently watching these events. After Kandata sank like a stone to the bottom of the Lake of Blood, he continued his stroll with a sad face. He must have been surprised that even after such severe punishment Kandata’s lack of compassion would lead him right back into Hell.

Yet the lotus blossoms in the lotus ponds of Paradise care nothing about such matters. Their jewel-like white flowers waved about the feet of the Buddha, and each flower’s golden center continuously filled the place with their indescribably wondrous fragrance. It was almost noon in Paradise.

(16 April 1918)

As I read this story I remember Soke talking to us about connection.  He said you have to see beyond the surface to see what the possibilities are.  He told us that his teacher Takamatsu said "Don't ever sever the connection."

One way to explore these connections is through Juppo Sessho.  This refers to ten directions.  What are these ten directions?  There are eight directions of Happo which are really infinite and can be said to be part of the Sanjigen no Sekai (3 dimensional world.)  As Paul Masse says about the Daruma in Soke's painting,
The Daruma`s eyes are staring inward.  This is a form of “Happo Nirami” or “Staring in Eight Directions” .  It is also a form of “Ma Yokei”  or “warding off evil”.

But the Daruma doesn't see the spider.  That's because the spider is coming from another direction.  The other two directions are Tenchi.  Heaven and earth or (hell).  This is another dimension.  If you can connect to this with Juppo Sessho, then you really will be a Bujin!