The place where one cannot see, it's here where changes to the extraordinary happen.

We are in the final preparation stages for the training venue, as well as preliminary booking of hotels and hostels. At the moment we are looking at some 10 multi-bed rooms at a hostel, and about 30 double- triple and quadruple bed rooms at a hotel. As soon as these preparations are finalized we’ll be back with more information.

We will be posting a lot of information in the weeks and months to come, but we’d just like to give you all a heads up that there are a few conferences and similar going on in the Linköping area at the same time as Tai Kai 2012, so there are preciously few hotel/hostel rooms to be found. We are going to pre-book a certain number of rooms, but the details are not yet quite set.

Stay tuned!

"My father Koichi Oguri had a long long sleep..."

The Power of Juuji in Taijutsu, Discovered via Oguri Sensei

"In real life, people who live beyond the bounds of common sense attack you suddenly, with scant regard for rules of combat."

The Bujinkan Theme for 2012 training is “futsu” and there will be a lot of trainings with the sword. When I’m writing this the trainings haven’t started yet, and no one really knows what the trainings will be like. I’ve already seen some good articles explaining some concepts, but I’m not sure if they will help you or plant something different in your mind that will distract you from what Hatsumi Soke will teach us this year.

At Budoshop.se we got many Bujinkan sword DVD’s from the past years that might be good for studying the base sword work that is taught in the Bujinkan. We also have Swedish Tai Kai DVD’s with Hatsumi Soke, he always taught a lot of sword techniques in the past to. If you haven’t been around that long or just want to recap from the old days we got some good DVD’s for you. Check them out!

New DVD from BUDOSHOP.SE – Click HERE to order!

Dean Rostohar – Shinken kata vol 9 – Knife & Pistol / Fighting & Tactics

Dean taught us how to use the knife and pistol. How to carry them, how to draw them, how to use them against unarmed or unarmed opponent. He also taught how to defend against the same kind of attacks.

By learning how to use a knife and a pistol and getting to know how they can be used against someone, you also get a far better understanding how to defend yourself against these weapons. Dean taught us how to use the knife and pistol. How to carry them, how to draw them, how to use them against unarmed or unarmed opponent. He also taught how to defend against the same kind of attacks. These techniques is done with the knowledge and principles of what we learn in Bujinkan Budo-taijutsu from grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi Soke. Hatsumi Soke have asked Dean to teach us the real fighting principles from his experience as he see that many people in Bujinkan only play around without really understanding the true fighting principles that he teach. This seminar was organized in Stockholm, Sweden on 29th and 30th of October 2011.

About the Instructor

Dean Shihan has a lot of experience from real fighting in the independence war of Croatia, and also from his time in the police force. He was born 1965 and started training Martial Arts at the age of 10. He have experience from many martial arts styles but he was not completely satisfied with them until he found the warrior art – Bujinkan Ninjutsu/Ninpo Taijutsu. For his full resume, check out his websites. http://www.bujinkan.hr and http://www.specwog.bujinkan.hr

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MyeDmFFETM

Tiderna är för vårterminen 2012 är

- Tisdagar kl 19:00-21:00
- Torsdagar kl 19:00-21:00

PS. Mejla oss inte och fråga om det är okej att komma, det är okej! Ta med dina frågor och besök oss, kom i tid!

För mer information se “Träningsinformation” i menyn ovan.

Välkomna!

Kaigozan instruktörerna

1980 - US Embassy demo in Tokyo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSlU7XmyPTM

2008 - Bujinkan Kashiwa Demonstration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhv4x5xdHSQ

1989 - München Taikai

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chmbgrhkGB0

1991 - Daikomyousai Japan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkIIDNCyyQ

Why we don't break boards

At the Taikai all instructors had three classes each, one class with the whole big group, one class with all Shidoshi (5′th dan and above), and one class with Mudansha & Yudansha (beginners up to fifth dan).

The instructions is all in ENGLISH. The DVD is Region Free and NTSC (US/Japan format, works on modern DVD players)

At the Taikai all instructors had three classes each, one class with the whole big group, one class with all Shidoshi (5'th dan and above), and one class with Mudansha & Yudansha (beginners up to fifth dan).

The instructions is all in ENGLISH. The DVD is Region Free and NTSC (US/Japan format, works on modern DVD players)

20 minutes, 243 Mb for $6.99
Only available as download

Sveneric Bogsäter from Holland together with Rob Renner, Duncan Stewart and Steve Olsen from Japan was invited to teach at this Swedish Tai Kai organized by Mats Hjelm and Svenska Bujinkanförbundet. There is two Tai Kai DVD’s and two download videos released from this seminar. This Video is one part of this set.

At the Taikai all instructors had three classes each, one class with the whole big group, one class with all Shidoshi (5′th dan and above), and one class with Mudansha & Yudansha (beginners up to fifth dan).

On This video – Steve Olsen

This video is 20 minute where Steve Olsen taught the Mudansha and Yudansha class (ranks below 5′th dan). He taught a little sword cutting technique but mostly Taijutsu.

Sample clip

Later…

About the download

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

32 minutes, 388 Mb for $6.99
Only available as download

Sveneric Bogsäter from Holland together with Rob Renner, Duncan Stewart and Steve Olsen from Japan was invited to teach at this Swedish Tai Kai organized by Mats Hjelm and Svenska Bujinkanförbundet. There is two Tai Kai DVD’s and two download videos released from this seminar. This Video is one part of this set.

At the Taikai all instructors had three classes each, one class with the whole big group, one class with all Shidoshi (5′th dan and above), and one class with Mudansha & Yudansha (beginners up to fifth dan).

On This video – Rob Renner

This video is 32 minute where Rob Renner taught the Mudansha and Yudansha class (ranks below 5′th dan). He taught footwork, distance, taijutsu and unarmed training drills that will make you understand the basics better.

Sample clip

Later…

About the download

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

Facebook comments

I also noticed that the comment option was not working (I don’t know for how long because no one said anything since I installed and tested it, and it worked). Please feel free to go and add comments to each video. You need a Facebook account to do it, I know some don’t use FB but this way we will filter out 99% of the spam comments.
We won’t censor the comments, we think that everyone can stand for what they say even when everyone can see who said what (compared to anonymous posts with silly comments).

Dean Rostohar och Hatsumi Soke. September 2011 fick dean utmärkelsen Bufu-ikkan menkyou.

Dean har precis varit i Japan och tränat med Hatsumi Soke och Shihan. Hatsumi Soke använde honom som uke många gånger för att förmedla känslan i tekniken. När Soke demonstrerar så gör han aldrig likadant, och det kan vara väldigt svårt om inte omöjligt att förstå vad han gör om man inte är den som tar emot tekniken och överlever .

Varje gång Dean är i Japan så tar Soke upp honom och ber honom att demonstrera och lära ut från sin erfarenhet av riktig strid (inbördeskriget i det forna Jugoslavien) och arbete som polis. Hatsumi Soke gör detta för att visa att han tycker att det Dean har att lära ut är relevant och viktigt för oss att förstå.

Nu har vi bjudit in honom till Sverige att undervisa oss i hantering och användning av kniv och pistol, taktik och försvar. Det lär också bli ganska mycket obeväpnat försvar, och nya influenser från Japanträningarna.

Missa inte detta, vi har endast ett begränsat antal platser, och det är först till kvarn som gäller! Mer information och anmälningsformulär finns här!

Hoppas vi ses på detta fantastiska läger

/Mats

Dean with the Bufuikkan menkyo

There are many people in the Bujinkan who claim to teach reality based techniques without any real experience. There is however a few people that can do this, and do it very good. And one of the best one I know is my close and good friend Dean Rostohar Shihan from Croatia. With his experience from the civil war in former Yugoslavia, and as a former police officer he certainly knows what he is talking about.

Dean goes to Japan to train with Hatsumi Soke and the Shihan several times per year. He always train three trainings per day, to make out most of his time in Japan. Hatsumi Soke always put him up to teach about his experiences. When he was there earlier this month even more so, Soke used him as Uke often to teach the real feeling. Soke also awarded him with the Bufu-ikkan menkyo which he only give to his top students.

When Dean doesn't go to Japan he practice in his own Dojo with over 100 students. He also attend many courses and seminars and further his studies in many areas with instructors outside the Bujinkan. He also practice shooting and military tactics with SPECWOG, and teach many seminars and courses.

In October 29-30'th I'm organizing a seminar with him in Stockholm. I can't emphasize enough how important a seminar like this is for everyone training in the Bujinkan system. Especially if you want to learn self defense and tactics how to defend yourself against a knife or pistol. Running backwards on a flat floor in the dojo all the time until the opponent overextend himself and fall down is fine, but how reality based is the training, really? Your instructor may say this is reality, and then do something pretty stupid and cover it up with a henka and flow so that you don't see how stupid the first response really was. OK, sorry! The word "stupid" might be a strong word, I know there is good teachers out there, but far from all. Being "stupid" is also a learning process that we all need to go through, but staying on the stupid level is just stupid .

I know there is many seminars all the time, and find the time and money to all is difficult. All I ask of you is to ask yourself what do you want from the training? If you think it is fun as it is in your dojo and you don't care much about reality then fine, good luck! If you on the other hand think that being able to defend yourself is important, then you should really try to attend this seminar (or any other Seminar with Dean)! I promise it will be very eye opening, and you will see your training with different eyes.

Both knife and pistol is very scary weapons, defending against them is very difficult. But it is possible if you also know how to use them as weapons. If you don't know how to use the weapons properly how can you say that you know how to defend yourself against them.

Dean Rostohar together with Noguchi Shihan, Hatsumi Soke and Kan Shihan.

This is the feeling Hatsumi Soke teach in Honbu dojo all the time. All instructors take what they want and do what ever they feel like for various reasons. By Hatsumi Soke using Dean in Honbu dojo so much, and constantly ask him to teach and explain in front of him, as well as being his Uke must mean that Hatsumi Soke appreciate what Dean is doing. I think also that Hatsumi Soke is learning from Dean as he watches.

So with this I really recommend you to come to this seminar! The web site is in Swedish, but there is translation buttons on top of the web site. If you have problem with the language, you can always contact me, I know the translator is not always 100% correct.

Remember to sign up, because the places is very limited!

Så mycket bloggande har det inte blivit under sommaren av förklariga skäl, sommaren var fantastisk!

Vi hade ett miniläger i början av Juli också med Ilan Gattegno från Israel. I Kaigozan Dojo tar vi aldrig längre uppehåll än nödvändigt, vi har haft träningar varje vecka under hela sommaren.

Nedan är lite bilder från gårdagens träning…

Tiderna är för höstterminen 2011 är

- Tisdagar kl 18:00-19:25
- Torsdagar kl 18:00-19:25

PS. Mejla oss inte och fråga om det är okej att komma, det är okej! Ta med dina frågor och besök oss, kom i tid!

För mer information se “Träningsinformation” i menyn ovan.

Välkomna!

Kaigozan instruktörerna

52 minutes, 354 Mb for $14.99

Also available on VideoCD

Doron Navon from Israel started training with Hatsumi Sensei in 1968 long before the “ninja-boom”. While in Japan he was also introduced to the Feldenkrais method by the Israeli physicist Moshe Feldenkrais who was an accomplished Martial Artist that came to Japan for a shorter visit. When Doron came back home to Israel in 1974 he deepened his knowledge in the Feldenkrais method directly under Dr Moshe Feldenkrais.

Doron says that the Feldenkrais method is a shortcut to the godan test. This has been confirmed by both Hatsumi Sensei and many other who have studied Taijutsu and Feldenkrais.

This video was recorded in 1994 in Stockholm. It was originally released on VHS and then later as a VCD / Video CD in 2003 by BUDOSHOP.SE hence the quality is VCD PAL (352x288), playing time is 52 minutes. It has been remastered and converted so that it plays nice on iPod, iPad, iPhone, PC, Mac, or any other device that can play standard h.264 videos. It is not DVD quality!

Sample clip

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL5ecJvJddA

About the download

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

It's like saying, hi I'm a ninja master and look at all my high ranking Facebook "friends" from other styles who know and respect me and my style. When in fact they never met each other. His poor students he con might not know this. At least I don't want my name associated with someone like this.

On the other hand I say yes to all friend invites from people who seems to be a Bujinkan member. We have probably met, and I don't remember names easily. Or we will probably meet each other in the future, being in the same organisation and travels around frequently.

So what I meant with this rant is that I think we should be more careful on Facebook, and who we associate us together with.

64 minutes, 782 Mb for $14.99

Only available as download

This 62 minute video is from a seminar with Mats Hjelm teaching at the Kaigozan Dojo in June 2011. On this video he teaches the Bujinkan Dojo Budo Taijutsu fundamentals. This is the third and last part from his Mudansha Guide, or more known as Jin Ryaku no Maki (the third part of Ten-Chi-Jin Ryaku no Maki). He taught…

Suwari kata : Five techniques from a sitting position.

Katate-dori kata : Five techniques from a one hand grab situation.

Ryote-dori kata : Seven techniques against two handed grab situations.

Haibu-yoru kata : Five techniques from grabs from behind.

Tsuki-uchi kata : Nine techniques from a punching situation.

Keri ni taisuru ukemi kata : Five techniques from kicking attacks.

Tsuki to keri ni taisuru ukemi kata : Four techniques from striking and kicking attacks.

Nage kaeshi kata : Nine techniques from throwing attempts.

Tonso kata: Three release, attack and escaping forms.

Muto-dori kata: Four techniques from knife and sword attacks.

All these 56 techniques is shown 2-3 times from different angles and explained shortly. This was filmed outside and it is sometimes difficult to hear what is said, but the way Mats teaches is very easy to understand by body language, so don’t worry about that. The instructions is all in English.

Sample clip

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-4GYgaStao

About the download

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

Title: Keiko31 – Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu Joryaku no maki
Instructors: Holger Kunzmann
Theme: Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu Joryaku no maki
Recorded: Recorded in Stockholm April 30th-May 1st 2011. 120 minutes, NTSC system, region free.

Buy the DVD click here!

The instruction is in English Format: NTSC, AAC Stereo, DVD/R- (it might not work on older DVD players! check your manual first!) approximately 120 Minutes playing time.

This DVD contains all 12 basic taijutsu techniques from Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu Joryaku no maki. All Taijutsu techniques are taught and explained thoroughly as the basic foundation, and with many applications and henka. The following techniques where taught…

玉虎流 上略の巻 GYOKKŌ-RYŪ JŌ RYAKU NO MAKI
This is the first Taijutsu level in Gyokko-ryu and a very important if you want to learn the Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu system.

All these techniques are explained and taught in detail. The DVD has menus where you can chose technique to see, completely with chapters.

Extra material from this seminar
We also released an 82 minute video as download file with warm-up and basic Taijutsu training drills. Including extra 20 minutes with henka that we couldn’t fit on this DVD. This is only available as download file, click here for more information about the Download video!

About the instructor

Holger Kunzmann Holger’s main interest in Bujinkan is the basics. And he has become quite famous for his excellent taijutsu and very good knowledge and skill of the basics in Bujinkan. He travels to Japan 3-4 times per year to study the with Hatsumi Soke, Someya Shihan and the other Shihan to. If you want to sponsor a seminar or course, please don’t hesitate to contact him. For more information see his web site Holger’s web site… www.bkd-reutlingen.de Note! The instructions is in English and there is no sub titles on this DVD

Budo Buki is committed to providing quality handmade, affordable, padded training tools for the martial arts community. Through a great deal of research, we have developed strong, lightweight, durable products for Budo training. Seeing a lack of safe training tools on the market, we decided to fill the need with our line of covered and padded swords, staffs and long tools.

Good luck to Mr Phillips and the Budo Buki shop.

Happy training!

82 minutes, 579 Mb for $14.99

Only available as download

This 82 minute video is from a seminar Holger taught at the Kaigozan Dojo in April/May 2011. On this video he teaches the Bujinkan Dojo Budo Taijutsu fundamentals. If you know the fundamentals really well you can then start putting each sequence together and better understand the ryu-ha kata. Without a good foundation, you can never really do the kata correctly.

The clips is from the morning sessions each day and contains …

Junan-undo : Warm-up exercises, self massage, flexibility and body conditioning exercises and routines.

Kamae : Proper body postures and how to move, Sabaki.

Tsuki : Striking exercises.

Keri : Kicking exercises.

Ukenagashi : How to block strikes and kicks.

Nage : Throwing exercises.

And much more. For example, we added 20 minutes extra material of some henka techniques from the Keiko#31 Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu Geryaku DVD (extra material that we couldn”t fit on the DVD). This DVD contains all 12 techniques from Geryaku (first level) of Gyokko-ryu and is 120 minutes long. For more information about this DVD, see … https://www.budoshop.se/store/ (This DVD is not available for download!)

Sample clip

www.youtube.com/watch?v=__qnSATA9P0

About the download

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

Long ago I was an accomplished warrior of the Koppōjutsu tradition. I was courageous ‘, and as intense as a flame. Even in battle against dangerous animals.

I have a heart that is like the wild flowers of the meadow. And yet as straight, and true as the bamboo. Not even ten thousand enemies can cause me fear.

Who is there in the world who can keep alive this will of the warriors heart? There you are. This one sent to me by the warrior gods (Bujin). I have been here waiting for you through the ages.

- Ett poem skrivet av Takamatsu-sensei till Masaaki Hatsumi Sōke

Everything in nature has to compete to live, and this form of survival is taught in the form of the life of nature.
- Från Unarmed Fighting Techniques of the Samurai av Hatsumi Masaaki

PS omröstningen för månadens tema blev oavgjord med endast fyra röstade. Jag tycker inte det representerar någon sorts majoritetsbeslut så därför blir det ingen av förslagen.

I think this was my 7'th or 8'th time I've been invited by Ercan and the Bujinkan Haburamu Dojo in Istanbul. I feel honored to be invited back so many times, I must be doing something right. The organizer hadn't asked for any special theme so I joked and asked if they wanted chaotic training. And they said yes. Well if you know me I like to have a special theme to go by so I thought I would do the Gyaku-gi from Chi-ryaku no maki, but I would do them all both omote and ura.

裏鬼砕 Ura oni-kudaki

逆技 GYAKU GI

1. 竹折 Take-ori
2. 表逆 Omote-gyaku
3. 裏逆 Ura-gyaku
4. 本逆 Hon-gyaku
5. 表鬼砕 Omote oni-kudaki
6. 裏鬼砕 Ura oni-kudaki
7. 武者捕 Musha-dori
8. 武双捕 Musō-dori
9. 大逆 Ō-gyaku

It is said that when you take the opponent on his back you will let him live, you give him the gift of life. And if you take him down on his face you will take his life. When a samurai died on the battle field and was found dead lying with his face down they would say that he died with honor. If they found him dead on his back they would say he died without honor. So if you take the opponent on his back you should let him live and not die in shame.

At the seminar I showed all the above techniques as they should be done (my way!). I did henka, I did them omote and also ura. For example, most of you know that with omote-gyaku and musha-dori you take him backwards. But I also showed how to take him forwards with these techniques. This was the theme I had in mind when starting the seminar, doing an ura technique but taking him omote and the other way.

I started with the take-ori technique and did many variations, I got lost in time and when it was lunch I realized I had spent half the day on one technique and there was eight more techniques. After lunch I asked what they wanted to do, and someone had asked about musha-dori. So we spent most of the afternoon doing musha-dori, and ended with a simple sword technique.

Next day I kept doing the other seven techniques, and later finished with some more simple sword techniques and also hanbo-jutsu. I always enjoyed going to Istanbul for seminars because the students at the Haburamu dojo are so eager and willing to train.

Oh I got a new nick name, "the Bujinkan engineer" from Ercan and his students . Because they said I show so many details in each movement. Well, that is how I look at my own training. I believe this is very important, to look at everything and study it in detail. I'm not satisfied looking at something from only the outside, I want o see how it looks from the inside, under, above, I want to feel the weight, texture, smell, taste, how it sounds and everything else I can think of. Just doing a technique without thinking about it and hope that I someday will understand is just not me.

Of course I can just show 1000 henka on a seminar and let people have fun and maybe not learning anything except moving around, I can do this to, but not too much. Trying to teach like Soke is impossible for me, I'm not technically ready yet. And I'm not doing anyone favors by trying to teach like Soke. But I'm geting there, I like to believe and hope that. I constantly jump between the shu-ha-ri levels; to keep moving, polishing my basics, and also moving freely and let the techniques come naturally. The last part is good for beginners to know about, but they must understand that this can not come easy until the basics have been perfected.

Besides from the training I had a good time. On Friday Ercan took me to the Basilica Cistern, this is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul (formerly Constantinople). After this we went to the Topkapı Palace which was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years (1465-1856) of their 624-year reign. We also passed the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Ercan told me this story; when the Sultan ordered the Mosque to be built he asked for gold minarets, in Turkish language gold is altın. But the architect heard altı which means six. Hence the six minarets of the Blue Mosque. After the sightseeing we had dinner and then the boat back home to prepare for the extra training later this evening.

The food in Turkey is excellent, I especially like Adana Kebab and Şalgam. I was a little disappointed about the pubs, the one that was supposed to be the best had recently closed, "The English Pub" did not even have English beer (not even Guine55 or Ki11kenny), the brewpub turned out to be a loud disco with only one bad pilsener on tap and one slightly better on bottle. But the company of old and new friends was very nice and that is much more important.

After all I had a good time, and look forward coming back soon.

I'd like to say thank you to Ercan for organizing everything! And also to all the people attending the seminar which made all this possible.

See more pictures from this trip, click here.

Ercan filmed the seminar, and he also got film from my camera. Contact him if you are interested in a DVD of this seminar.

Sample video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eDm1UZPOek

Buy the full 75 minute video

75 minutes, 540 Mb for $14.99  

This video is not available as DVD!

Årets träningsläger sponsrat av Svenska Bujinkanförbundet hölls i Gävle den första helgen i mars 2011. Arrangemanget sköttes av Patrik Johansson och medlemmar från Bujinkan Gefle Dojo. Inbjuden instruktör var Sveneric Bogsäter som varit bosatt i Holland de senaste 20 åren.

Det kom ungefär 75 träningssugna deltagare från hela Sverige för att träna och umgås. Årets Bujinkan-tema är Kihon-happō. Sveneric öppnade med att säga att temat för lägret är Kihon-happō med shūtohanpa principer. Vilket betyder att man gör tekniker halvfärdigt. På så sätt övar man på att överge sitt ego som vill hålla fast i det som man redan kan, och istället gör något fullständigt oväntat. Det är ett abstrakt tänkande och aningen svårbegripligt, vilket också är meningen.

Kihon-happō består av åtta grundtekniker som vid en djupare analys blir åtta grundprinciper. Man kan ytterligare dela upp dom i två, ura och omote; förenklat, att fälla uke bakåt eller framåt.

Sveneric började med att låta någon frivillig att visa grundutförandet av omote-gyaku den första tekniken i toride-kihon-gohō i Kihon-happō. Sedan utgick Sveneric från denna teknik och visade detaljer och principer obeväpnat och med olika vapen.

Efter att ha sett oss (några?) ha alldeles för bråttom men ändå missa detaljer citerade Sveneric Wyatt Earp, “Fast is fine but accuracy is final. You must learn to be slow in a hurry.” Att vara snabb är okej, men ni måste lära er att skynda långsamt (fritt översatt). Med rätt tajmning och positionering behöver man inte vara särskilt snabb bara man gör rätt.

En sak till vi fick kritik för med all rätt (jag håller fullständigt med) var att våra attacker, slag var ganska pinsamma. Jag har själv upplevt många gånger att man känner sig ganska säker på att inte bli träffad när man tränar här hemma, och man blir lite för avslappnad. När man som instruktör ber en Holländare, Tysk eller Kroat till exempel leverera en attack så är det en helt annan känsla. Flyttar man inte på sig så kommer slaget att träffa hårt. Träningen blir på en helt annan nivå. Så när Sveneric på ett vänligt sätt förklarade detta för oss hoppas jag att vi tar åt oss detta och tar attackerna på lite mer allvar.

Personligen tycker jag att man kanske bör attackera nybörjare lite mer försiktigt, men är det ett svartbälte man attackerar så bör slaget så länge det är rakt vara fullt ut för att båda två ska kunna träna mer realistiskt.

Ett stort tack till Patrik och grabbarna i Bujinkan Gefle Dojo, jag tänker på mannen (och hans flickvän) som bakade och bjöd alla på semlor. Det var en riktigt trevlig överraskning som blir svår att toppa för den som organiserar nästa års Bujinkan Sverige-träningsläger.

Grattis också till Jim och Hasse, det var verkligen på tiden!

För mer bilder från lägret se min hemsida.

/Mats – Kaigōzan Dōjō

The past weekend I was invited by Juris from Bujinkan Kurokawa Dojo in Riga to teach a seminar on Sanshin no kata and Juttejutsu.

On Saturday I showed and explained the way I feel is the base for Sanshin no kata. First we did the traditional warm-up routine; doing the first technique five times on the right side, and then five times on the left side, and finally ten times alternately on right and left side. Then the same with all the other four techniques. Sanshin no kata consists of five simple techniques...

三心の型 SANSHIN NO KATA

地 CHI (earth)
水 SUI (water)
火 KA (fire)
風 FŪ (wind)
空 KŪ (void)

In the early 1980's there was a "guy" that had only been training a couple of years and interpreted these techniques with Buddhism and created his own philosophy around these techniques. He wrote many books on the subject, and almost everyone copied his idea. It was a very nice idea, but it was not the Sanshin no kata that Hatsumi Soke taught as many people believed at the time (and unfortunately still believes). Do not think of the elements too much. Just simply look at them as a way of counting, nothing else.

Some people talk about three different ways of doing these techniques and they also have a name (shoshin, gogyo, goshin). I have never been taught this by Hatsumi Soke or any one else of the Japanese Shihan, and I have never seen the source for this. So I'm not teaching this, but I think this also is a good idea. I think it is important to always look at things from three perspectives. For example left, right and middle. The way I taught on the seminar was the following.

Solo training, try to get the form correct and understand all movements, angles, timing, distance, technique, kamae and everything else. I heard that even the Japanese Shihan who have been training for 30-40 years still do this every day. So there is no reason for you to think that you have already learned it. I to still discover many things when doing the forms.

With a partner you will understand the the solo training forms better. The forms you do in solo training will never bee exactly the same when done with a partner, you need to adjust according the way your partner attacks. We did the base (as I see it!) with five different blocks and five different strikes, then moved on to applications and more direct response from natural posture.

Using weapons will increase the understanding even more. If you use a weapon try to keep to the ideas we learn from the forms. But small adjustments are done according the characteristics of the weapons used.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN4XcGbDsm8

This 45 minute video from the seminar is available for instant download at BUDOSHOP.SE

十手術 JUTTEJUTSU

The jutte or jitte (十手), literally meaning "ten-hand" (i.e., the weapon with the power of ten hands), is a specialized weapon. In Edo period Japan the jutte was a substitute for a badge and represented someone on official business and was carried by all levels of police officers including high ranking samurai police officials and low-rank samurai law enforcement officers (called okappiki or doshin). Other high ranking samurai officials carried a jutte as a badge of office, "aratame" or official inspectors including hotel, rice and grain inspectors carried a jutte.

On Sunday we did the six techniques from the old Hanbo, Tessen and Jutte book published by Hatsumi Soke in 1984 ca. It has six basic techniques, we did them all. In 2003 the Bujinkan theme was Kunai and Hatsumi Soke taught five of these techniques using a Kunai. The weapons are different so adjustments need to be made according the characteristics of these weapons.

We studied the following techniques with Jutte in mind (not Kunai), first the basic form and then variations and applications.

桐之一葉 KIRI NO HITOHA – falling paulowina leaf (arrival of autumn)
落花 RAKKA – falling blossoms
水鳥 MIZU-DORI – water bird / 五輪碎 GORIN KUDAKI – five rings crush
雷閃 RAI-SEN – flash of lightning
竜下 TATSUGE – inferior dragon
廻捕 MAWARIDORI – revolve and capture

The training both days seemed to be successful and everyone seemed happy about it. I sure had a good time both in the dojo and outside before, between and after the trainings. The first time I was in Latvia in 2002? I asked about traditional masks but I didn't know so much about them that they understood what I meant. So after the training Juris surprised me with a mask I asked about nearly ten years ago.

The arrival of masked visitors

This practise is variously referred to as budēļi, čigāni "gypsies, going gypsying", kaladnieki, ķekatas, maski "masks, going masking", nabagi "the poor ones", etc. Although this practise could occur at any time of the winter (between Mārtiņi and Meteņi ), it was particularly common on Christmas eve. It is strongly reminiscent of the tradition of mummers and mummering in Great Britain and Newfoundland.

Latvian "mummers" might dress up as animals (bears, horses, cranes) or as Death. They would go from house to house and were warmly greeted, as they were assumed to drive away evil spirits. They would arrive in groups in front of the house, and sing songs and dance. Then they would be invited in and fed with bacon buns (pīrāgi), butter, sausages, and given ale to drink. They made a special effort to disguise their voices and mannerisms, so that no one would be able to guess who each one was, but if a mummer was correctly identified, he or she would have to "unveil", i.e. remove the cloth which was covering their face.

It is still common for children to be required to recite an appropriate verse before receipt of their presents (there are many).

Vai, lielie ziemas svētki,
Puiši trekni, zirgi vāji;
Puišiem alus, brandavīns
Zirgiem tukšas redelītes.

Oh my, Christmas time
The lads are fat, the horses lean;
The lads get beer and whiskey
But the hay racks are empty.

I'm happy about the whole seminar, and especially happy that people also came from the neighboring countries Estonia and Lithuania. I was asked to come back after summer, maybe in August. I'm already looking forward to it.

Thank you Juris and everyone who attended and made the seminar possible.

Happy training!

Click here for more pictures from the seminar.

Takamatsu Sensei (1887-1972) som var Hatsumi Sokes läromästare i 15 år var en otrolig fighter utan dess like. Han lärde sig Koto-ryū Koppōjutsu sedan nio års ålder av sin farfar Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu. Han härdade sin kropp till nästan det omänskliga; han kunde krossa stenar, slita barken ur träd med mera. Idag finns det ingen anledning att misshandla sin kropp så hårt att man får reumatism i äldre dar. Så vår träning är idag lite annorlunda.

Vi kommer att lära ut olika övningar att stärka sin kropp, och tekniker så att man kan utdela alla dessa slag på ett effektivt sätt. Vi kommer inte att stå och slå på slagmitsar hela träningarna, utan bädda in alla slagen i olika teknikkombinationer.

宝拳十六法 Hokenjūroppō

1. 鬼角拳 Kikaku-ken
2. 手起拳 Shuki-ken
3. 不動拳 Fudō-ken (Niō-ken)
4. 起転拳 Kiten-ken (Shutō-ken)
5. 指針拳 Shishin-ken
6. 指端拳 Shitan-ken
7. 蝦蛄拳 Shako-ken
8. 指刀拳 Shitō-ken (Boshi-ken)
9. 指環拳 Shikan-ken
10. 骨法拳 Koppō-ken
11. 八葉拳 Happa-ken
12. 足逆拳 Sokugyaku-ken (Sokushi-ken)
13. 足起拳 Sokki-ken
14. 足躍拳 Sokuyaku-ken
15. 体拳 Tai-ken
16. 自然拳 Shizen-ken

Jag har också skrivit upp alla sexton namnen på vår white board i dojon. Och markerar vilka tekniker vi tränar på under alla tio träningar denna månad. Missar ni en träning så är det inte säkert att vi går igenom samma sak igen bara för dig, det är många tekniker att gå igenom på bara en månad.

För ytterligare studier rekommenderar vi denna Kobudo no Kihon DVD med Hatsumi Soke, alla dessa 16 tekniker bland annat demonstreras…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g-EePm-_2c

Rösta om träningstema för April

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
Röstningen stängs 31/3 kl 12:00

Nästkommande månads träningstema?

Kommentera nedan vilket tema ni önskar i Maj så kan ni rösta månaden före. Försök att vara ganska snäva med era önskemål, om det är t ex en Bujinkan skola så säg också vilken nivå du önskar träna, det finns mycket att välja på (ni kan välja flera).

Kommentera nedan vilket tema ni önskar i April så kan ni rösta i slutet av Mars. Försök vara ganska snäva, om det är t ex en Bujinkan skola så säg vilken nivå också, det finns mycket att välja mellan. Ni kan välja flera.

Bujinkan Dojo Norrköping hade tagit initiativ och bjudit in Shawn Gray för att hålla ett träningsläger igen efter ett mycket uppskattat läger 2009. Shawn har tidigare instruerat i Kaigōzan dōjō många gånger förut, så han är välkänd här i Sverige redan.

Den här gången var vi tre stycken från Kaigōzan dōjō. Det var endast en till från Stockholm, de flesta övriga kom från Norrköping, Linköping och Trollhättan. Det var totalt ca 25 deltagare under båda dagarna.

Shawn var med på Sōke’s tre första träningspass i Januari innan han åkte till England, Belgien, sedan till oss i Sverige. Nästa helg håller han läger i Norge, för att sedan åka hem till Japan igen.

Han har bott i Japan sedan 1997 och tränat och tränat med Hatsumi Sōke och Shihan. Han gick igenom hela Kihon-happō. Först visade han grunden, sedan variationer och slutligen kontringar mot dessa tekniker.

Träningen var avslappnad och lekfull. Alla fick gott om tid att träna på den visade tekniken. Medan Shawn gick runt och hjälpte alla.

Årets tema är ju som ni säkert redan vet 季翻初崩 Kihon-happō. Det första tecknet betyder “säsong” och används oftast för att beskriva olika säsonger. Det tredje tecknet betyder “först” eller “ny”. Det andra och fjärde tecknen betyder “att ändra”, “vända” eller “blicka bakåt”. Man skulle kunna säga att vi reflekterar tillbaka genom åren och ser på det som om det vore första gången. Gör om gör rätt .

Shawn påpekade flera gånger att han bara tränat med Sōke tre gånger i år och att det var lite för tidigt att dra några slutsatser om hur temat utvecklar sig. Nu var inte Bujinkan enda anledningen att han åkte till Europa, han hade andra ärenden också och det var många som tyckte att det var ett bra tillfälle att arrangera träningsläger med honom samtidigt.

Om någon trodde att Sōke helt plötsligt skulle visa grunderna på ett grundligt sätt lär nog bli besvikna. Min personliga åsikt till varför han inte gör det är för att då skulle många kopiera exakt och tro att det är det enda rätta. Enligt min och många andras uppfattning är att det finns flera olika sätt som är korrekt, vad som blir korrekt är vad omständigheterna (motståndarens karaktär, balans, humör, omgivning etc) runt utförandet skapar. Det finns många fler dimensioner och omständigheterna är aldrig exakt likadana två gånger i rad.

Åter till lägret, jag tyckte det var bra för att man fick gott om tid på sig att träna. Oftast så har instruktören lite för bråttom att visa någon ny variant så att ingen hinner prova mer än ett par gånger. Det blir lätt mer en show och förvirrande situation än lärofylld träning, vilket naturligtvis kan vara bra ibland också, speciellt för de som tränat 10+ år.

Tack till Daniel Bodin, Hans Månsson och Bujinkan Dojo Norrköping för ett bra arrangerat träningsläger!

Jag har lagt upp bilder från lägret på min hemsida.

/Mats

Teknikerna är korta och förenklade från en situation där antagonisten greppar jackan eller armen. Vi tränar på att möta denna situation och ta ned honom på marken och låsa fast honom så att han inte kan fortsätta.

Vi kommer att öva på grundutförande (kihon), så som teknikerna lärs ut från generation till generation. Blandat med mer realistiska (shinken/jissen) variationer (henka). Men utan för den skull avvika från själva essensen i tekniken. Teknikerna vi studerar är följande…

捕手基本五法 Toride kihon gohō

1. 表小手逆取倒し Omote-kote-gyaku-dori-daoshi (“Omote-gyaku”)
2. 表小手逆拳捌き型 Omote-kote-gyaku-ken-sabaki-kata (“Omote-tsuki”)
3. 裏小手逆取倒し Ura-kote-gyaku-dori-daoshi (“Ura-gyaku”)
4. 腕締足折り型 Ude-jime-ashi-ori-kata (“武者取 Musha-dori”)
5. 癌石投 Ganseki-nage

Till dessa tekniker hör också tolv fastlåsningstekniker som vi kommer att studera.
- 表逆取六法 Omotegyakudori-roppō; sex grundlås med uke på rygg
- 裏逆取六法 Uragyakudori-roppō; sex grundlås med uke på mage.

PS. Bilden ovan är Shawn Gray från Japan, han kommer till Sverige och håller ett läger nu i helgen som jag rekommenderar er att gå på. Videon nedan är “What is Martial Arts?” med Masaaki Hatsumi Soke. Denna video behandlar teknikerna nämnda ovan, den rekommenderas varmt.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io9YhvBdFg0

Hardcover: 208 pages

Publisher: Kodansha International Ltd (May 1, 2011)

ISBN-10: 4770031076

ISBN-13: 978-4770031075

In a quick hirameki of what is to come in this book (without giving too much away) is the artistic look at the bigger picture of the mindset of Hatsumi Soke in his interpretation of the Pinnacle of Martial Arts. The message to Bujinkan practitioners will be standardly consistent as ever, if you are of the “Keep Going” tribe in the sense that the secret to martial arts can be found in…

- Doug Wilson (one of the translators of this book)

Budo transcends simple combat techniques to ultimately attain a world of peace. Budo includes an array of martial arts developed in Japan, among them Aikido, Judo, Karatedo, Kyudo, and Kendo. In this book, grandmaster Hatsumi explores the essence of Budo, and demonstrates a range of important techniques relating to this essence. The author also reveals secret techniques and the hidden principles of the martial arts, and elucidates the words of his master, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, on Budo and life. Including some three hundred beautiful pictures depicting the author demonstrating his techniques, and around one hundred pictures of rare works of calligraphy, illustrations, and hidden documents on the martial arts and their role in Japanese culture, this book will be relevant and insightful to practitioners of all martial traditions including Judo, Aikido, Karatedo, Kendo, Kenjutsu, Jujutsu, Iaijutsu, and other various fighting sports.

About the Author

Masaaki Hatsumi was born in 1931. After progressing through various martial arts, he found his life's mentor, Takamatsu Toshitsugu, and studied under him for the next fifteen years, becoming the 34th Grandmaster of Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu and eight other arts, which he unified into the Bujinkan system. While travelling the world, teaching thousands of individual students as well as law enforcement agencies, he received numerous accolades from politicians and spiritual leaders of many nationalities.

Click here for more of my recommended Bujinkan book!s

I highly recommend these weapons. They are not only beautiful but also authentic.

Click here for more information!

Heres a nice and well done Enbu by the Croatian Bujinkan Seishin Dojo.

Ilan Gattegno, Shihan 15 Dan kommer från Israel och har tränat Bujinkan Budo-taijutsu i 37 år sedan 1974 då han blev medlem i Bujinkan Dojo. Han kommer till Kaigozan Dojo och håller en endagskurs med temat Kihon Happo-.

From http://bujinkan.me/seminars/