From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

Hatsumi sensei controls distance with only one finger. When you attack him, he moves away enough to place one finger on your attacking arm. He adjusts it on the hand, wrist, or forearm, and applies no pressure. Instead, there is only soft physical contact.

Sensei said that Josei Goshin Jutsu (1), to fight like a woman the last thing he learned from his teacher. He said it is the most challenging thing that he ever trained. Controlling the opponent’s violence without force is the highest level of fighting. This is Mutō Dori.

During wartime, we can use more violence. But in the 21st century, we have to limit our reactions to what is legally accepted. During peacetime, this type of control is vital as everyone must obey the Law. Be aware that legal environments differ significantly from one country to another.

“Self-defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one’s property or the well-being of another from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretation varies widely.”

France has adjusted the laws about self-defense since January 2015. The violent terrorist attacks have created a near war state in the country. So, the law has evolved. (2)

Josei goshin jutsu is more powerful because it doesn’t need any strength. It is hard for practitioners to understand they can solve a fight without being violent. This is the famous “Chikara Janai” repeated by Hatsumi sensei in class. (3)

Sōke said that we keep using speed and strength even though he asks us not to do so because of wrong timing. He said that “everybody is rushing because we are late.” Using an analogy, he added, “it is like catchball, expect the point of arrival in space and time and bring in.” Anticipation is all you need.

When studying “Kannin Dokuson,” we learned to control everything: the opponent, us, and the environment. (4)

Last Sunday Sensei said that “if you are controlling yourself, then it is all the same.” By controlling yourself, you do not react too early but at the correct moment. Your timing will match the attacker’s speed and moment, and you will be able to control him with only one finger. When you can control yourself, you do not show anything. If your intentions motivate your actions, you make mistakes.

What you do when you are at the right distance and at the right moment depends on the attacker. It is not your fight, it is not your decision. Your actions are natural it is not a technique. He said that “whatever you have, use it.”

There is no technique because, at this level of Mutō Dori, we are way beyond the technical realm. (6)

Do you want to be invincible? Fight like a woman with “Josei goshin jutsu,” and you will always get the finger distance right.

And don’t forget: “One finger is enough!” (7)
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1. Josei Goshin Jutsu: 女性護身術; woman art of self-defense
2. Terrorist attacks of Charlie Hebdo, the Bataclan, The Stade de France, Nice, etc
3. Chikara Janai 力じゃない; there is no force
4. Kannin Dokuson 貫忍 独貴; respect Uke, yourself, and the environment.
KAN 一貫/ikkan/consistency; coherence; integration; 貫/kan;
NIN 忍/nin/endurance; forbearance; patience; self-restraint;
DOKU 独り/hitori/one person|alone; solitary;
SON 尊/son/tattobu/to value; to prize; to esteem; to respect; revered; noble
5. Read https://kumablog.org/2017/01/20/kannin-dokuson-first-approach/ and after

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

Noguchi sensei’s creative power is impressive! It is called “Sōzōryoku” in Japanese. Now, depending on how you write it, is (the power of) creativity (1); or (the power of) imagination. (2)

After training with him for more than 28 years, I am often surprised by his way of destructuring the Waza. This is still beyond my abilities. All the techniques we train in the dōjō are coming from the Densho.

Each class, Noguchi sensei read the technique as if it is the first time, and comes up with a new interpretation. Over the years, he has developed his own destructuring pattern. But I find the variations of these popular movements always surprising.

I guess this is due to the way the Japanese language plays with concepts and images instead of words, the way we do. By playing with the many meaning of one given set of kanji, you can come up with an infinity of interpretations.

For example, Sōzōryoku as “the power of creativity” is a mix of “genesis+create+power.” (3) (4) (5)
But when Sōzōryoku has the meaning of “power of imagination,” it is “idea+form.”
And with a Buddhist spiritual connotation, it becomes “perception+appearance.” (6) (7)
The many interpretations of the Kanji make Japanese more alive than western languages. In that respect, this is what makes Noguchi sensei’s taijutsu so playful.

Here are the definitions of the dictionary for creativity and imagination.
“Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as “new” may be about the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs.”
“Imagination also called the faculty of imagining, is the ability to form images and sensations when they are not perceived through sight, hearing, or other senses. Imagination helps provide meaning to experience and understanding to knowledge. It is a fundamental faculty through which people make sense of the world, and it also plays a key role in the learning process.”

Creativity adds value and imagination makes sense. Both are the sources of Mutō Dori. You can see them as two legs, to walk you need both of them. And proper walking is the secret of Mutō Dori. Through creativity and imagination, we will be able to move like Sensei does.

The way Hatsumi Sensei and the Japanese Dai Shihan move, is the result of their fantastic ability to rethink the already known. Keep in mind that they have been repeating the same Waza for more than fifty years! And still, they surprise us every class.

So, remember that, next time your students (or yourself) complain about repeating the Sanshin no kata and the Kihon Happō.

Sōzōryoku is the real training, and the correct path to develop your own taijutsu.
_____________________

1. Sōzōryoku 創造力; creative power.
2. Sōzōryoku 想像力; (the power of) imagination
3. 創 = genesis
4. 造 = create
5. 力 = power
6. 想 = conception; idea; thought . It is also “perception” for the Buddhists (Samjna)
7. 像 = image; picture; portrait , form; shape; appearance…

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

This morning, I was exchanging with my friend Leandro Barros from Brazil. We were discussing ranking in the Bujinkan.
He had read an article on Sakizuke by Duncan and was wondering when he should grade his students. (1)

This article is a reminder about the benefits aspects of the Sakizuke system. (2)

In modern Japanese, it means “appetizer.” (2)
When breaking it in two, you get “earlier” (3) + “add” (4).
Both mean that the “real stuff ” is coming later.

Sakizuke is a typical Japanese concept. It is the way Sensei gives ranks in the Bujinkan.
The black belt ranking in the Bujinkan is not a system based on rewards like in sports. You know why? Because the Bujinkan is not a sport! The Bujinkan teaches Budō, not entertainment.

The Sakizuke is for the black belts. But beginners need a comprehensive grading system. For many years I did like everyone not having exams for my students. Then I noticed they were quitting fast. So in 2005, I created a grading system for the Kyū belts covering the whole Tenchijin, and they began to stay. For a beginner, I guess it is essential to know what they know. Also, do not forget that in Japan, you get a black belt when the teacher thinks you have understood your basics. Shōdan, first Dan, means that you move wrong but that you are accepted as a student by your teacher. Coloured belts for Kyū is a Westerners’ invention. (5)

You can find the various modules for beginners on Koimartialart, my streaming platform . (6)

The real question is how do you rank your black belts? This is where the Sakizuke system comes into play. To understand the Sakizuke, imagine you get a gold medal and then you are asked to win the race. This is how it works.

Duncan says it better:
“The ranks in the Bujinkan are for the heart. Those with the right heart will accept rank from their teacher without question. Students having a feeling of discomfort or inadequacy for their new rank, should then go away and train hard until they become worthy of the grade. This is understanding Sakizuke and the correct feeling to have when dealing with the Bujinkan grades.”

Many criticize the system without understanding it. These teachers still have a sports mentality. The Sakizuke is typically Japanese, it is part of Budō.

I have a pleasant memory that might help you understand it. When I was 13th Dan, I had a coffee with Sensei in his house. At one point he said that he wanted to promote me to 14th dan.
I told him that I was not worth my 13th dan yet. He looked at me and said, “yes, but you are getting close to deserving it. This is why I want to give you a 14th dan.” I objected that I would be back to Japan four months later and that he could give it to me at this moment. “No,” he said while filling the diploma, “If I die tomorrow, you have the rest of your life to be worth it.” This is Sakizuke.

Your rank is a potential level. It is up to you to deserve it or not. Many high grades in the Bujinkan don’t understand it, which is why some have a deplorable level. Don’t be that kind of black belt. Be aware of your level and study hard to be worth it. At the end of the day, your rank will not protect you in the streets, train hard if you want to survive.

Bujinkan ranks are traps for your ego, they are a challenge to your intelligence. Accept them but train harder and fill them with sweat. See your rank as a container. From the outside, it looks like the Schrödinger’s cat who is dead or alive; your tank is either full or empty. What is inside only depends on you. (7)

The Bujinkan is Ura, so leave the Omote, and enter the Ura side, because there is much more to gain for your Budō and your life.

Be happy!

________________________

1. “Thoughts on Ranks” by Duncan Stewart (June 2012), https://tazziedevil.wordpress.com/page/2/
2. Sakizuke 先附 or 先付け; appetizer, postdating
3. Saki 先; earlier
4. Suke 附; to add, to join, to attach
5. Coloured belts: When Jūdō came to Europe, Kawaishi Sensei was forced to accept the coloured system by the French federation of Jūdō in exchange for a working permit! This system was then adopted worldwide, in and out of Jūdō. More on that: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/07/history-color-belt-scheme-martial-arts/
6. https://www.koimartialart.com
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger%27s_cat…

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

Each class with Sensei brings more depth to the understanding of “control.” We trained taijutsu, knife, hanbō, sword, bō, and yari yesterday. I can summarize it in one set of words: “Hi no Ken.” (1)

The control is the same whatever weapon you use, “Hi no Ken” applies to everything.

As I opened the training session, I was lucky to be Uke. He controlled me immediately after I attacked. Being Uke is the best way to learn. You see what he is doing, you understand it. But then you still cannot avoid or counter.

When you try to reproduce it, it is impossible to do. This is mysterious. It is like a fall on an icy floor, you witness it while it is happening, but there is no way to avoid it.

It is hard to describe. As if Sensei was not moving in the same dimension of time and space. When you attack, you are defeating yourself. He tried to helps us: “move together with the attacker”; “don’t do anything “; “Uke’s energy is my energy.” But these are only words, what you feel is much more.

The quality of his control over your actions is total, permanent and invisible. When you reach him, you don’t. You come in contact with one of his fingers, and you stay there in an Ukabu state. (2) You are suspended in mid-air, unable to move. He controls you within the space of your attack. (3)

During an exchange with swords, the blocking was an absorption so perfect that it looked like a dance. His sword met Uke’s sword and he turned around him. After that, he counterattacked with a rapid blow to the temporal bone. It was fast and slow at the same time.

The first point of contact between the swords is a Shiten (4) It is dynamic, and sliding. Not giving any force to the opponent, Sensei turns around him, not giving him a chance to adjust his next move. Uke is unable to take any action. He said, “it is not Kendō, do not oppose the attacker, move with him. “Tatakai wa Janai,” there is no fight, no confrontation.” Instead, you disappear in plain sight.

The quality of the contact and of the distance is perfect. The attacker lies there, suspended in the air, this is Ukabu. There is no force involved, Uke stays in a waiting state. But he doesn’t fall because the small support given by the sword or the finger is enough to hold him in position. Then Sensei releases it, and Uke collapses on the ground.

Asked to explain what they felt, Sensei’s Uke couldn’t say. It felt like they were trapped like flies in a spider web. In this situation, the only way to stay alive a little longer is to not move after the first attack. Watching it was nice but feeling it was even better. Sensei said that “only those who experience it, have a small chance to get it.” I didn’t. What you feel with your senses is not the reality. As I wrote, you understand, but you are unable to reproduce it. It is a very high-level skill that Hatsumi Sensei showed us yesterday night.

With Thomas Heidenreich, my training partner, we did our best, but we couldn’t get close to that. During class, I spoke with my friends Doug, Oliver, Yabunaka, and others, it was not helping either. We were all lost. What was amazing is that Sensei does the same trick with all the weapons. It is not only a sword or a taijutsu thing, but he can also do it with anyone and any weapon. He always has the perfect distance and the perfect timing.

The depth of Hatsumi sensei’s control is impossible to match. When I watch this 87-year-old man moving, I often wonder if we will be able to run like him one day. Don’t get me wrong. Sensei is human, and what he does is reachable. But how many more years do we need to get to his quality of movement?

Graf Durkheim wrote, “we understand the quality of the depth by its relation to the depth of the quality.” Hi no, Ken is the depth of the quality of control.

Doing a sword counter, Sensei said, “Cut the opponent or don’t, it doesn’t matter, the important is to control.”
Control is beyond waza, it is not a technique, it is something else.

_________________________

1. Hi no Ken the secret sword. It comes from Himitsu 秘密; mystery, secret, esoteric teaching.
2. Ukabu 浮かぶ; to float; to be suspended, but also: to come to mind; to have inspiration.
3. Read this previous post: https://kumablog.org/2018/07/23/the-space-within/
4. Shiten 支点; fulcrum.…

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

Each class with Sensei brings more depth to the understanding of “control.” We trained taijutsu, knife, hanbō, sword, bō, and yari yesterday. I can summarize it in one set of words: “Hi no Ken.” (1)

The control is the same whatever weapon you use, “Hi no Ken” applies to everything.

As I opened the training session, I was lucky to be Uke. He controlled me immediately after I attacked. Being Uke is the best way to learn. You see what he is doing, you understand it. But then you still cannot avoid or counter.

When you try to reproduce it, it is impossible to do. This is mysterious. It is like a fall on an icy floor, you witness it while it is happening, but there is no way to avoid it.

It is hard to describe. As if Sensei was not moving in the same dimension of time and space. When you attack, you are defeating yourself. He tried to helps us: “move together with the attacker”; “don’t do anything “; “Uke’s energy is my energy.” But these are only words, what you feel is much more.

The quality of his control over your actions is total, permanent and invisible. When you reach him, you don’t. You come in contact with one of his fingers, and you stay there in an Ukabu state. (2) You are suspended in mid-air, unable to move. He controls you within the space of your attack. (3)

During an exchange with swords, the blocking was an absorption so perfect that it looked like a dance. His sword met Uke’s sword and he turned around him. After that, he counterattacked with a rapid blow to the temporal bone. It was fast and slow at the same time.

The first point of contact between the swords is a Shiten (4) It is dynamic, and sliding. Not giving any force to the opponent, Sensei turns around him, not giving him a chance to adjust his next move. Uke is unable to take any action. He said, “it is not Kendō, do not oppose the attacker, move with him. “Tatakai wa Janai,” there is no fight, no confrontation.” Instead, you disappear in plain sight.

The quality of the contact and of the distance is perfect. The attacker lies there, suspended in the air, this is Ukabu. There is no force involved, Uke stays in a waiting state. But he doesn’t fall because the small support given by the sword or the finger is enough to hold him in position. Then Sensei releases it, and Uke collapses on the ground.

Asked to explain what they felt, Sensei’s Uke couldn’t say. It felt like they were trapped like flies in a spider web. In this situation, the only way to stay alive a little longer is to not move after the first attack. Watching it was nice but feeling it was even better. Sensei said that “only those who experience it, have a small chance to get it.” I didn’t. What you feel with your senses is not the reality. As I wrote, you understand, but you are unable to reproduce it. It is a very high-level skill that Hatsumi Sensei showed us yesterday night.

With Thomas Heidenreich, my training partner, we did our best, but we couldn’t get close to that. During class, I spoke with my friends Doug, Oliver, Yabunaka, and others, it was not helping either. We were all lost. What was amazing is that Sensei does the same trick with all the weapons. It is not only a sword or a taijutsu thing, but he can also do it with anyone and any weapon. He always has the perfect distance and the perfect timing.

The depth of Hatsumi sensei’s control is impossible to match. When I watch this 87-year-old man moving, I often wonder if we will be able to run like him one day. Don’t get me wrong. Sensei is human, and what he does is reachable. But how many more years do we need to get to his quality of movement?

Graf Durkheim wrote, “we understand the quality of the depth by its relation to the depth of the quality.” Hi no, Ken is the depth of the quality of control.

Doing a sword counter, Sensei said, “Cut the opponent or don’t, it doesn’t matter, the important is to control.”
Control is beyond waza, it is not a technique, it is something else.

_________________________

1. Hi no Ken the secret sword. It comes from Himitsu 秘密; mystery, secret, esoteric teaching.
2. Ukabu 浮かぶ; to float; to be suspended, but also: to come to mind; to have inspiration.
3. Read this previous post: https://kumablog.org/2018/07/23/the-space-within/
4. Shiten 支点; fulcrum.…

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

During the past months, Hatsumi sensei has been insisting on not avoiding Uke’s attacks. He has been repeating it, each class since I arrived.

Exploring more the concept of controlling the space from within (1), he said: “Don’t fight, but control. As you can see, I’m not dodging the attack.”

Last March, we covered the concepts of “Yokeru Janai” and “Tatakai wa Janai.” (2) (3)
You can read a few posts I wrote here about it.

If you do not avoid the attack and don’t fight then how do you expect to survive? I thought a long time about it last night with my friend Mister Jetlag. (4)

I came to the conclusion this is about determination, about your general attitude. (5) In the “Way He Walks,” I explained that Mutō Dori is the highest level of Taijutsu. It needs only one thing: perfect walking. When you “march” with confidence to the attacker, you create a space in which nothing yet is decided. Everything is possible. It is like “playing chicken” with the opponent, but not being concerned about the outcome.

There is a famous quote from Indian Chief Crazy Horse: “Today is a good day to die.” (6) This is the correct attitude to develop and nurture in training and to have on the battlefield. I often tell my students that as they wear the Yoroi on the battlefield, the risks are limited. They have to be more confident and don’t fear pain.

There is a paradox here because you will discover that the day you accept to be hit, you get hit less and less. Sensei even said once that “you have to fight with the yoroi, even if you have no yoroi.”

Determination gives you control over the space “within.” There everything is possible. Explaining a counter technique Sensei went even further. He said, “Create a space where you can create anything, but don’t necessarily do something.” Uke is not stupid, and he doesn’t want to die. So by not doing the obvious, you force him into “acting” instead of “reacting.”

“If the single-minded determination is absent, one will never advance regardless of the years in training… The technique has its place, but spiritual forging is far more important” Yamaoka Tesshū. (8)

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1. Read the previous post on the kumablog HERE
2. Yokeru 避ける; to avoid physical contact with, to avoid a situation. Then “Yokeru Janai” means “do not avoid the attack.” HERE
3. Tatakai 戦い; battle; fight; struggle; conflict. Then “Tatakai wa Janai” means “do not fight or create a conflict.”
4. Some trips are like that, and your nights are endless and very short. But at least you have time to think.
5. Determination 決心; Kesshin
6. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/today_is_a_good_day_to_die
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaoka_Tessh%C5%AB
8. Yamaoka Tesshū: You can get his biography “The sword of no sword” at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Sword-No-Sword-Master-Warrior-Tesshu/dp/1570620504…

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

During the break, Sensei displayed a new katana. But unsheathing it, inside was a ninjatō. He told us that he was collecting a hundred of these ninjatō to make an exhibition. He said that he wanted to show the world of scholars how wrong they were. Truth is not in the books, it is in real life. A theory doesn’t supersede praxis. He then spoke about history.

“In history,” he said, “the names of the important players are often hidden. They are not forgotten. The ones we learn about in our textbooks, are there to help us not to forget, but they are not always the major ones. Important actions in life are being conveyed in the shadows”.

What you don’t see is superior to what you can. This is what differentiates the Omote from the Ura, exactly like in a technique. When Sensei moves, the things you see are not always what makes it possible. It is the invisible, the Kūkan, that gives life to the movements.

At the beginning of the class, Sensei spoke again about “controlling the space” with Mutō Dori. He said that we “do not have to control the space, but to control within the space.”

When you only control the space there are not so many options, you wrap the situation. But when your control applies “within the space,” you can create many actions. In an instant, you act on it, or not. Doing nothing is always a possibility. You are free in your body and your mind, everything is open, you are at the Ura level.

This is not the case with Uke. As he sees (or feels) what you can do, his mind is being trapped in an endless analytical process. The vast number of your possible reactions overwhelms him. His decision process is stuck at the Omote level. As a consequence, he can only react, too late, to what you are doing. When your control applies “within the space,” you are at the master of the game.

Whatever Uke tries to do, based on the Omote analysis of your actions, is visible to you. As you have no preconceived idea, your awareness is total. You see Uke’s reactions like waves you can surf when they unfold before your eyes.

During the class, Tezuka san launched a Tsuki with a knife to Sensei. Sensei stopped him with one finger to support him. He seemed like suspended in mid-air as if Sensei was “not there.” Sensei was not emitting anything.

Waiting for Sensei’s next move, he couldn’t carry out his attack to the end. Instead, he stood there frozen in time and space. When Sensei stopped supporting him, Tezuka san fell straight to the ground. It was like watching a Roadrunner cartoon. The coyote stays suspended in the air before dropping down from the cliff.

Tezuka san explained that he got locked there because he was unable to know or feel what Sensei was going to do next. And at the exact moment he made a decision to move, sensei “disappeared” and gravity took over.

In the dōjō as in our lives, we have to use the Ura more than the Omote. Remember that what you show is less valuable than what you are.…

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

A class with Senō sensei is always a great moment. As he was in and out a lot recently, I was glad to learn he was teaching at the honbu. For me, Senō sensei is a gentleman and a magician. His elegant taijutsu mixed with his magic precision don’t stop to amaze me. And he is resilient like a real Shinobi. Respect!

As it is often the case when he teaches, I am lost after a few minutes. In fact, this is why I cherish his classes, they are a challenge. Being lost and unable to redo what he shows is a lesson of humility and the best way to improve my knowledge. Going to Japan is about training and learning always more.

Today’s movement was about surfing the wave created by Uke’s movements. It was a simple double Tsuki. But simplicity is hard to get. Uke was attacking left then right. On the first attack, you dodged sideways, controlling with the body and the right hand. On the second one, you pivoted like a door on the outside of the fist, control the arm and boshi/fudō ken to butsumetsu. Then Uke goes down in a kind of Katame Dori leaving him lying on his belly. From there, we did many variations using Yubi kudaki, changing sides, using Te Dama Dori, etc.

I will not explain everything we did, but want to detail a few points here:

1. Osaeru more than “control”:

In my previous blog entry, I stressed the difference bat ween “Osaeru” and “control.” Rob told me that Senō sensei was using the Japanese word instead of the English one used by Sensei. After this class with Senō, I understood the difference. Hatsumi Sensei uses the whole body and mind. Senō sensei emphasizes the biomechanical aspect of the movement. Without an excellent knowledge of the body, the “control” remains at the physical level. Once you have the knowledge, then the next step is to control the whole.

2. Elbow stuck to the body:

One interesting tip was to move, intercept the Tsuki by using the whole body keeping the elbow attached to the body. When you do that, strength is not needed as the mass of your body makes the block with the body weight behind. The footwork though is quite technical. If you do it wrong, then you release too much force and destroy the benefits of the block. You must do that with a perfect transfer of your body weight: not too much, and not too little.

3. Yubi kudaki wrapping:

Once you did the block, your hand stays glued to the opponent’s forearm. You can do this inside or outside. Then by extending your fingers, one finger gets in contact with Uke’s wrist. The footwork allows you then to rotate your hand, using this finger as a Shiten to redirect uke’s strength. (1)

4. Te Dama Dori to control the opponent:

When outside Uke you can apply Te Dama Dori to off balance the opponent quickly. You can find this in the book published by Sensei in 1983 “Togakure Ryū Ninpō Taijutsu. This is one beneficial way to get Uke’s balance without using strength. (2)

5. Use your footwork through the hips, use no strength: (3)

All these tips are possible only because you are not using any strength. As Sensei puts it “you control the attacker with your hips.” Your body moves because your body as a whole is moving.

All these points are add-ons to your movements. They are not specific to this one technique. These are the little gems you get when you come here to train in Japan.
Use them, and become a Gentleman magician too.

______________________

1. Shiten 支点; fulcrum, support

2. 手玉に取る; (leading) someone by the nose. Here it means to redirect uke’s attention to take his balance. Sensei and the Japanese Shihan use it a lot. Don’t apply force or pain that could make Uke change his steps.

3. footwork 足さばき; Ashi sabaki…

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

When you train with Sōke, what is important is not what you see, but what you don’t. If you want to understand Sensei’s techniques, study the way he walks. This is the secret.

Last night there were not so many people attending class, it was good. I guess the heat in Japan is a good reason for many Bujinkan practitioners not to come. Also, the majority have reached the highest rank, so they don’t feel the need to go and train anymore. This will change once again if Sensei creates a new diploma. Then, people will rush back in to get promoted.

With not so many students in the dōjō gives Sensei the freedom to use many different weapons. That was the case in this class. We did taijutsu, hanbō, tantō, biken, and bō. Many Buki gives you a different vision on the technique. It shows the same movement with various angles and different distances. (1)

Our eyes need time to see things correctly. It happened to me last night. It was evident that what Sōke showed us was not what we had to do. When you look at his body movements, you first watch what he is doing, and make a mental checklist. But this is the beginner’s approach to reality. His Mutō Dori is beyond that. In fact, Mutō Dori is simple. It is about controlling Uke in all aspects. Your action or the lack of it controls the attacker. This happens before, during and after the attack. Also, it is not limited to the opponent, it includes the space between and around us.

In a break, I asked Rob how to say control in Japanese. “Control,” he said. He told me that the Japanese verb is “Osaeru,” but that sensei prefers the English “control.” (2)
The word “Control” is more holistic and not as diverse as the many meanings of the Japanese word. “Control” englobes the physical and the non-physical. Senō sensei uses “Osaeru,” but then he is only referring to the biomechanical level.

We began with taijutsu and for the first time “I saw it.” Uke is under control, the moment he launches the attack. (3)
Mutō Dori is the ultimate level of Budō and has nothing to do with the physical technique, it is an attitude. We know that “Kamaeru” means taking a stance, but it also means to “assume an attitude.” (4)

Thanks to my jetlag, I had time to think during the night, and I played with the concepts of Tai gamae and Kokoro gamae. Until yesterday I thought that “Kokoro gamae” was more advanced. I guess I was wrong. As a beginner, you learn that your body posture (Tai) can be different from your mental posture (Kokoro). Until last night this is why I was thinking. Sensei’s “one-body movement” lies above this dualistic vision. A holistic Tai gamae exists at the Mutō Dori.

The Yoroi teaches “One-body movement.” When you have Yoroi on, you have no choice, you have to be one. (5)
The more important lesson of Yoroi fighting is to learn how to walk correctly. The correct way of walking comes from the battlefield, thus walking is the secret of Mutō Dori. This is what I understood yesterday!

Walking is the secret origin of all martial arts. Fight efficiency is coming from your ability to walk. Remember that footwork is the essence of the Bujinkan and Budō.

Sensei’s movements are invisible because like a magician, what he shows is not what you have to focus on. He creates an illusion.

Do you want to understand Sensei’s techniques? It is simple, study the way he walks.
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1. Buki 武器; weapon, arms, ordnance
2. Osaeru 押さえる
Here are the different translations of “Osaeru”:
a) to pin something down; to hold something down; to hold something back; to stop; to restrain; to curb esp.
b) to seize; to grasp; to arrest esp.
c) to gain control of something; to govern; to keep down (information); to suppress
d) to catch happening; to determine (important points); to find (proof); to understand
3. My friend Duncan explained in March that “Sensei control me, the moment he asks me to stand up and attack him.” I wrote about it in a previous entry here (March 2018).
4. Kamaeru 構える; to put on an air; to assume an attitude
5. Yoroi 鎧; Japanese armor…

From Shiro Kuma by kumablog

As my friend Eric Jones would put it: “Too bad for you! Or Not”

Only 100 out of the half million Bujinkan members will have the privilege to attend the 15th edition of the Paris Taikai that will open its door on July 13th at the Bujinkan France Headquarters, in Vincennes (Paris).

Too bad for you! Or Not.

Sveneric, Peter, and Arnaud are real “Jurassic Bujinkan Ninja”.

Totalling some 112 years of training altogether, more than 120 trips to Japan, around 200 Taikai participations, and 12 Taikai Organization for Hatsumi Sensei, their knowledge go back to the beginning of Bujinkan times.

Too bad for you! Or Not.

You will not be able to share with the participants coming from 17 different countries, the latest insights we got this year from Sensei while in Japan. It will be fun as always!

Too bad for you! Or Not.

If you want to improve your knowledge.
If you want to live the “family” Taikai spirit as we had in the past.

Then CLICK HERE and join us!

The 3 days of training include:

• free Taikai t-shirt
• free hot lunches
• free farewell party
• free sleeping at the dojo
• free certificate
• free bruises
• free night cruise on the Seine river

And also, for the World cup fans, schedules that will allow you to watch the Sunday’s final in the many bars around the venue.

CLICK HERE to join the PARIS TAIKAI 15th edition, now!

Get the official Taikai t-shirt, sweatshirt, or hoodie

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