Bujinkan Budō Taijutsu Kaeru Dōjō

There is a fascination with martial arts that being the strongest or the fastest is the best. But how often is strategy neglected?

Within the Bujinkan, the aim of the kata (techniques) is to learn strategy and principles that transcend strength and speed. These lessons should serve as well at 70 as they do at 18.

The only barrier to martial arts is in your mind. If you think you are too slow, too old, or too out of shape, then try a different martial art.

So why not come along and try Bujinkan which is a mixture of nine different martial arts schools in one?

When people talk about Ninjutsu, they often conjure up the images of the old Sho Kosugi movies. People dressed in all black sneaking through the dark and assassinating others.

How about you come to the dōjō and learn avout the truth of the Japanese Ninjas and Samurai?

In the Bujinkan, previously is has been talked about how riding the ninja boom of the 80s was helpful to spread the awareness around the organisation, but that continued association was harming the goal of the Buiinkan.

So under Hatsumi Sōke's guidance the name was changed from Ninpō Taijutsu (body arts of ninjutsu strategy) to Budō Taijutsu (body arts of the way of war).

This was done to promote that the art was to be taken more serious and was to seek higher understandings of the Budō arts holistically.

In training we look at studying the kata (forms) and waza (techniques) of the nine different schools of the Bujinkan. Often we are asked what is the point in learning the kata and waza?

The point is to learn the lessons passed down through the generations to us hidden within the forms and techniques. Lessons which can only be passed down through correct training and understanding.

Studying from a book or a video can't teach you the same way that training in person with a knowledgeable instructor can. You need to learn from the direct lineage of master to student where it is correctly taught.

So come to training in the dōjō and learn properly the mysteries and secrets of the martial arts of the ninja and the samurai.

This time last year we were hosting Merlyn Sensei for the one year celebration. What a great time it was to train.

Due to personal reasons (all good things), we haven't arranged anything to celebrate two years of Kaeru Dōjō.

So I wanted to say thank you to everyone who supports, follows, and engages with the Dōjō. Hope for many more years of training official and certified Budō Taijutsu in Torquay/Torbay.

Takagi Yoshin Ryū is often referred to as a school for bodyguards. Part of this is learning how the techniques we learn one on one can be applied as a team.

Don’t forget that outside of a sporting setting, a majority of fighting does not occur one-on-one, so as martial artists we should be prepared for how fighting asymmetrically impacts both the larger number and the lesser number.

Tonight we are continuing to look at Takagi Yoshin Ryū as it is the theme for the month. Why not come along and check it out.

Within martial arts there are forms (kata) and techniques (waza). The aims of these is to teach the learner certain lessons.

Further to this each has an outer (omote) and inner (ura). While many see the outer and think they understand, it is only through struggling with the forms and techniques can the inner and full understanding be gained by the learner.

So why not come along to training and work through the forms and techniques of Bujinkan? Learn the lessons of the ninja and samurai of ancient Japan in modern Torquay.

The martial arts are all based off of body movement (taijutsu). Without learning how to move the body, nothing else works.

Despite what some seem to think you can't learn this through just sitting, reading, and watching. You need to get up and get involved.

At first you will be terrible. But the only ones who get good are the ones who never quit.

The swords of Japanese warfare (Tachi or Katana) has been seen throughout history as the soul of the samurai.

However, the ancient samurai (before the Edo Jidai - a period of 250 years of relative peace) would have seen the sword as a tool of war. One item in a whole tool kit used for waging wars, and engaging in fights.

Now the art of sword fighting can be used a meditative practice through the lens of Zen theory. Both of these thoughts on the sword are branches of the same tree that we can study and develop for ourselves.

Tonight we will be working on sword from Kukishinden Ryū within the dōjō.

From the earliest days of the samurai it was expected that the samurai became masters in the areas of knowledge that was their livelihood - the arts of war. Ninjas were masters of information gathering in ancient Japan.

In these modern days, with the ease of information sharing we have the benefit of being able to communicate with others around the world to gain knowledge and understanding.

So why not come to the dōjō and learn the ancient arts of the ninja and samurai?

In his work, Shimazu Iroha-no-Uta, Shimazu Tadayoshi starts by encouraging learners with the phrase "Listening to or repeating the wisdom of old is useless without action."

To train is to refine oneself. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. To study is to sharpen one's intellect and understanding. However, this can open us up to being waylaid on the path of martial arts.

When training, we must ask ourselves, "How do we know we can trust what is being taught to us?" This is an important question that each must explore in their own time. Not all martial arts are for everyone, and not all teachers are worth learning from.

To ensure training is correct and appropriate, we must interrogate its essence. To learn the essence, we must study and question.

So why not come along to the dōjō and discover where you could go with proper training and development?