Bujinkan Training Videos

Right now it’s the rainy season in Japan. This reminded me of one rainy night when I went to a class with Noguchi Sensei. It was a small class with 20 students or so and Noguchi announced that he would teach us Gikan Ryū.

my Bujinkan video sharing 武者捕に這入り型 Musha Dori ni Hairi-gata. These are methods for entering into Musha Dori that I studied with Hatsumi Sensei in Japan. First we warmed up by reviewing the kihon.

Bujinkan kuden exploring: ゆとり Yutori. About 10 years ago, on a cold rainy day, I was training with Hatsumi Sensei and he was putting on a clinic. Many of us were cold and tired, but his flow was endless. He described this as yutori, or having the room to play.

my Bujinkan video focusing on 一文字の秘法 Ichimonji no Hihō or the secret methods of Ichimonji. These are henka of from Hatsumi Sensei’s book, 武神館の秘法 Bujinkan no Hihō. After reviewing the basic form, I explain some details about the kamae itself. For beginners it is an expression of distance. For more advanced students it becomes a form of 虚実 kyojitsu.

my Bujinkan video sharing some connections Hatsumi Sensei made for me regarding Marishiten. During on Tuesday night in the Bujinkan Honbu, I ran to grab a bokken from the weapon rack. When I returned, my training partner was waiting for my attack so he could try the muto dori technique that Soke had just demonstrated.

my Bujinkan unboxing video of a book by 木葉幸四郎 Kiba Kōshirō. One day I was on a long distance call with my original teacher, Peter Crocoll. I often call him to chat about various aspects of training including all the Japan news. And we often discuss what each of us are studying in our own dojos. He was working on the beginning of 九鬼神流 Kukishin Ryū 棒術 bōjutsu.

my Bujinkan video focusing on applications for 竹折 take ori. Take Ori means folding or breaking bamboo. If you’ve ever tried to do this on actual bamboo, it is not easy. This is why I always teach this lock using the taijutsu of the whole body. Here, we try with the kata Karai.

My Bujinkan video focusing on 暗黒透視術 Ankoku Tōshi-jutsu. One Monday night during a class with Senou Sensei in his dojo, he was very giving and generous. I often trained with one of his senior students, Sasa. We would have great fun and Senou sensei would often watch us from the side.

we continue with our warmup series focusing on Bōjutsu 八方打ち Happō Uchi. Striking with a bo requires agility, speed, and accuracy. You must study when, how, and where to strike. You must also recognize the suki (openings) on your opponent and have the ability to strike them when the appear.

We continue with our warmup series focusing on Bōjutsu 受身 ukemi. This is part of the kihon gata for rokushakubō. When you think of ukemi, it is not only rolling, breakfalls, and taihenjutsu. It is the strategy used when receiving an attack.

my Bujinkan kuden while warming up with ukemi. 35 years ago the first Bujinkan technique I ever learned was zenpō kaiten. I learned it from pictures in books and magazines.

We continue with our warmup series focusing on Bōjutsu Kamae and Striking. We began with a review of the 奇神九法之構 Kishin Kyūho no Kamae and their names. I showed a progression of kamae that works as a mnemonic drill.