Blog: July 2015 Japan Training Trip
In July 2015, members from the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo visited Japan to train with Bujinkan Shihan at the hombu dojo. Some notes and comments from the trip:
Good Friday night class in Japan with Soke. Lots of points made about not using technique, 'skipping' from one thing to another (like a rock skipping across the water), and moving naturally. Soke created some fantastic artwork during tea break. The new hombu looks great.
Went to a Summer Festival in Kasukabe today. Great event with lots of food and people watching.
Good Sunday training with Hatsumi Soke. Comments about not collecting kata and moving in a simple manner (simple does not equal easy!) were sprinked into the taijutsu training by Soke. Also had some great hang-out time with Paul Masse and Steve Olsen at Kasumi An Study Center 霞庵スタディセンター. Yesterday we spent some time at an antiques store before Nagato Shihan's class.
The last couple days have been great fun with Soke and Shihan classes. Soke continues to stress not being trapped by techniques. He showed some examples of muto dori, pivoting with the elbow and taking fingers (and eyes) without a technique in mind; somehow always taking the opponent's sword. Great fun to watch, very difficult to replicate! The Shihan stress kihon happo and learning the forms in order to someday leave them.
The weather is getting hot....high 90’s….atsui...
Last few days in Japan have been a world-wind. Lots of training with Someya Sensei, Nagato Sensei, Noguchi Sensei, and Soke. Soke offered additional examples of "connectivity" - from one thing to the next - using taijutsu, bojutsu and katana techniques. His artwork continues to expand on his taijutsu, using calligraphy to further define his explanations. Good discussions with Soke, the Shihan and local friends.
More photos from the trip are available at https://www.daytonbujinkan.com/photo-gallery-i/2015-japan-trip
