on my way to Noguchi Sensei’s class, I answer the people who criticize the fact that I make videos sharing our Ninjutsu “secrets” with the outside world
my Bujinkan video exploring 破術九法 Hajutsu Kyūho with 蹴返 keri kaeshi and 蹴砕 keri kudaki. I have been fortunate to study this with Hatsumi Sensei more than once. But one of my favorite training sessions was in 2008 when we were studying ninjutsu outside under the Japanese maples. That was when Soke said hajutsu was...
I had a simple plan to teach 片腕遁走型 Kata Ude Tonsō Gata. But during my preparations for class that night, I was overcome with gratitude toward my teachers. It seems there was a secret power bound up in this kata.
I have studied the kata I was planning for this class with many teachers over the decades. But one of my favorite moments was studying this with Hatsumi Sensei under the Japanese maples during the year of the rat.
Last night in class we addressed a common problem. Many students practice unarmed taijutsu and they more or less are able accomplish the technique. Maybe not do exactly what the teacher demonstrated, but reproduce a reasonable version that arises from their own taijutsu. This is good. This is how the Bujinkan is set up. Each...
I had a great training trip to Japan and I wanted to discuss something I experienced during class with Hatsumi Sensei. I always thought learning ninjutsu would be the ultimate goal of our training. This year I saw something beyond that. A new horizon for me. Students often ask me when I am going to (more…)