tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63153334100071185612024-03-27T20:33:30.844-07:00The Dragon's OrbErik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.comBlogger512125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-12144131904384144152022-02-01T11:28:00.007-08:002022-02-01T15:05:13.568-08:00Sensei Strange?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUMJ668mq_LvYS7C0L2HaPYcCMcrV_vUzSniV7V3on69txatah0RSL56geFsmpLq6yh5OLDwkWxLshpKuIoAdU8eeHnzwbT7yTcUAFEJsivSaCMaVbIxTuzsyIfJwa8ImGCNjODi177Smuq1jbFvAIfymKbEd-5lld57sVGz0eK41NGjaOMacRcba6=s992" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="648" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUMJ668mq_LvYS7C0L2HaPYcCMcrV_vUzSniV7V3on69txatah0RSL56geFsmpLq6yh5OLDwkWxLshpKuIoAdU8eeHnzwbT7yTcUAFEJsivSaCMaVbIxTuzsyIfJwa8ImGCNjODi177Smuq1jbFvAIfymKbEd-5lld57sVGz0eK41NGjaOMacRcba6=s400"/></a></div>
Last year on the Kaze Uta Budo Kai boards Sean Ashby posed a question.
<blockquote></blockquote>"What is the appropriate way to use the term "sensei"? At what point does a person become or start being addressed as "sensei"? I would imagine that opinions vary on the subject, as would various schools and arts, so I'm curious to see what folks might have to say."<blockquote></blockquote>
Nick Lowry responded.
<blockquote></blockquote>"in the budo tradition we come from, typically after 4th dan students and peers may use the term sensei to refer to a teacher-- though in Japansese culture in general,
who serves as a teacher may be refered to in this way -- Later, after 6th dan you hear the term shihan or "leader of men" used as well, though the term sensei is still also completely appropraite reguardless of rank--
as with all honorific titles and ranks it is coinsidered rude and arrogant to use such terms to refer to oneself -- a point widely overlooked in the west where such usage has become an ugly form of advertising --
For myself, I am pointedly embarassed at my own (unknowing) misuse of such in the past -- i see that i was just following the examples of my role models, but i did not yet understand how my models were themselves being rude and arrogant
there are also a variety of other honorific titles that have been misused over the years which are missappropriations form other ranking systems-- I think it is best to just avoid them entirely"<blockquote></blockquote>
And my response (slightly edited here)
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjP0Qt2qJJBKqbHI13qU7m7R_HPzrtdgrDzkv5BciaLUv2KKLx2p5ukVYQ9NOzy8TP43wPYkyJPu5Hwx_wZqaq67IF8zQB9CrQok0hHd28P4bKbwIQ3N0jHrDhbHjJv2vjik4YcujlOs5XE1ZRYPlA8VGFNtrlXqgYqHP8imAi5BvR-XFZOggOscnWU=s1965" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1965" data-original-width="1397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjP0Qt2qJJBKqbHI13qU7m7R_HPzrtdgrDzkv5BciaLUv2KKLx2p5ukVYQ9NOzy8TP43wPYkyJPu5Hwx_wZqaq67IF8zQB9CrQok0hHd28P4bKbwIQ3N0jHrDhbHjJv2vjik4YcujlOs5XE1ZRYPlA8VGFNtrlXqgYqHP8imAi5BvR-XFZOggOscnWU=s400"/></a></div>
<br><br>
What??? But I am the Sensei Strange!!!<br>
<br>
Let me explain something about myself. As I young man I earned degrees in Anthropology and Psychology. Like Indiana Jones, I was sure when I moved to Japan I was going to seamlessly blend into the culture, mastering the language in days. Contrary to my fantasies I remained a giant, fat, larger than life, boisterous heavy beer drinker. Much of my fitting in involved dancing on desktops (much to coworkers horror) staging fire shows, pouring Tequila into the city mayor until he ceremoniously vomited over a banquet, and levitating cards in classrooms. I have a flair for the dramatic after all.
|<br><br>
In 2000 I was writing articles for a few Zen and Budo online magazines, and beginning to perform juglging and magic at festivals. I found no matter great a performance, or well crafted article I wrote, no one would remember my name. My lack of branding drove me crazy.
<br><br>
Then one day in a In Niiharu middle school English class, one of my students called me 'Henna Sensei' meaning strange teacher. The words rolled around in my head for a few hours. Then as I returned to my desk I saw the pile of American comic books I brought from home for my students. On top was the comic, Dr Strange - sorcerer supreme. Then in a flash the two ideas merged and "Sensei Strange" came to me. Well aware of the Japanese language conventions, I started using it as a pen name. Instantly I became memorable. Interesting thing about art - how you frame it is sometimes as important as the art itself.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjydDVsu3YCwwMbxkMXnOoJmld0uuyVsEVIa04rfJFDiPVQ1spREQiiBzdSWqvG_KKiNX-gBr-eBa5DKjIVBv4lSnd6rPZeLKtBTxs11cIxxZ4FlB52r9i1GZ2-YBMJHOzugf9edHNqbFG72hmN4SgifLWsiC672Yw2PM_P08Kk_vrq8ums1d5p1LUh=s1760" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1725" data-original-width="1760" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjydDVsu3YCwwMbxkMXnOoJmld0uuyVsEVIa04rfJFDiPVQ1spREQiiBzdSWqvG_KKiNX-gBr-eBa5DKjIVBv4lSnd6rPZeLKtBTxs11cIxxZ4FlB52r9i1GZ2-YBMJHOzugf9edHNqbFG72hmN4SgifLWsiC672Yw2PM_P08Kk_vrq8ums1d5p1LUh=s400"/></a></div>
I ran Sensei Strange by some of my Japanese friends as a stage name for the magic act I was developing. They all gave it a yes vote. Then slowly over the next few years, being a shameless self promoter of magic I introduced myself as 'Eric Pearson the Sensei Strange' more and more! It became my real and only name for a great percentage of people I now know. It is my professional name of sorts. So I adopted Sensei...not as a mere title. It is some sort of absurd magical avatar!!!! Talk about rude and arrogant! Again, I proved myself to be a white, bearded Godzilla plowing through Japanese conventions. Honestly it has become kind of a joke on myself and an idictment of my ridiculous nature. I am both reverant and an iconoclast in all things.
<br>
<br>
That's my story. Is it arrogant and rude to call yourself Sensei? Yup. Don't do it. I messed up. For those of us in the budo world it looks douchey. As a martial artist I regret the "name" a bit now...but the die has been cast and I have to deal with my ridiculous choices.<br>
<br>
I hate seeing on social media people introduce themselves as sensei, shihan, shidoshi. I really is a misunderstanding of the titles. It is a 'tell' for the way that person's mind works. <br><br>
<br>
So to wrap this up, I understand the Japanese title conventions, I adopted it knowing it was a 'strange' decision. I rolled with it because of magic branding from my youth. 'Ignorance of youth' I think it was a awful choice for a martial artist. It is stuck now...it is a brand I am known by - for better or worse. Don't be like me. Don't use Japanese titles.
<br><br>
<br>
Eric, the Sensei Strange
<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4VK3Dqp6bRtlNwXO4lpcUyritZVIjch-bJfotJa64vSSRN2pNKFSykoRD7b9yPpPZQw-d78z5uhloJXavCixb5FFvGpl7t8-uj6TOS3jJbENW1_xGE9Gg2YwKcH6RJIzHOde_JTdVfAgA6_0jSwMjL6_3OUtnXfkRYxDMoDmkDzCFgW4fsFKZhsdJ=s760" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4VK3Dqp6bRtlNwXO4lpcUyritZVIjch-bJfotJa64vSSRN2pNKFSykoRD7b9yPpPZQw-d78z5uhloJXavCixb5FFvGpl7t8-uj6TOS3jJbENW1_xGE9Gg2YwKcH6RJIzHOde_JTdVfAgA6_0jSwMjL6_3OUtnXfkRYxDMoDmkDzCFgW4fsFKZhsdJ=s400"/></a></div>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-31699983528183767822021-09-29T14:49:00.012-07:002024-03-27T20:33:00.229-07:00Aikido Aikijutsu in Albany Oregon <center><span style="font-size: large;">Albany Muteshokai AikiBudo Dojo 合気武道会</span></center><center><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></center><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRlB-mLpOuGihkhXTqsColo_zPy8NC__6UId8YWs3BID48o6i4xTm0amLWNQgbSk3Crs4qH7mOhHldpAID9kvc9W0S1h0GD5Q55YXKHRPO0Dj6lg_8QoPbRcKnvGUbGsUHzt_1QMQ0Ms/s2048/Dojo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRlB-mLpOuGihkhXTqsColo_zPy8NC__6UId8YWs3BID48o6i4xTm0amLWNQgbSk3Crs4qH7mOhHldpAID9kvc9W0S1h0GD5Q55YXKHRPO0Dj6lg_8QoPbRcKnvGUbGsUHzt_1QMQ0Ms/w400-h300/Dojo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Albany Aiki Muteshokai Dojo</td></tr></tbody></table><center><br /></center><center>Reach me - thedragonsorb@gmail.com</center><center><br /></center><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I would humbly like to invite you into the world of traditional Japanese martial arts with a combination of traditional and progressive teaching methods. For me it has been the most challenging and fulfilling artistic journey of my life. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We are a newly forming group (September 2021) in Albany Oregon. The dojo is at a private residence on Knox Butte (email for details thedragonsorb@gmail.com) We train primarily in progressive non-sports Tomiki lineage Aikido, Judo, Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu, TaiChi pushhands and knife training. Systema based drills are also a a part of our training now. Basically, we train in soft, technical martial arts. We train safely, pragmatically, ethically and in good humor. While we respect Japanese influences we do not overly embrace the ritual culture. We respect diversity and work with physical limitations of each student to design a study that is appropriate for their abilities. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There is another Aikido group in town as well. Lovely folks. check them out also. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Aikido-of-Albany-109595665743557/">Aikido of Albany</a> Aikido of Albany people are always welcome at the Muteshokai.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br style="font-size: medium;" /><center style="font-size: medium;"></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFivGXQIm1iJFZBRQ-7qNeMrERYbA8IAQdt208Wvfkg2Y2bWfbNc1e4OfKDbWp80fYaOjmkDPBwQGLDYBDPJJBnd2O0HFINv1IkXJpvWpsav3r_Wf1vJnyHiAzNooohopSUMvIAXA59o/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFivGXQIm1iJFZBRQ-7qNeMrERYbA8IAQdt208Wvfkg2Y2bWfbNc1e4OfKDbWp80fYaOjmkDPBwQGLDYBDPJJBnd2O0HFINv1IkXJpvWpsav3r_Wf1vJnyHiAzNooohopSUMvIAXA59o/" width="180" /></a></div><br /><center style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://tomikiaikido.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-daito-ryu-lineage.html">Eric's Daito Ryu history and certificates</a></center><br style="font-size: medium;" /><center style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://tomikiaikido.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-journey-in-aikido.html">Eric's Aikido history and certificates</a></center><center style="font-size: medium;"><br /></center><center style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Bak_DnWfSRKvWkDIYMYlmhGBdyxZUiUrQ7YAaqdi9EN0ehp2KNv7I5g_PEpdCm0GdaEcey8GMue7-dv2HrVjWnyrTDZfU6uU3-8j0_Eev5CtoswnKbt0QfscROW7rxdtERlyaDGU50w/s1600/EricandJack11-2013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Bak_DnWfSRKvWkDIYMYlmhGBdyxZUiUrQ7YAaqdi9EN0ehp2KNv7I5g_PEpdCm0GdaEcey8GMue7-dv2HrVjWnyrTDZfU6uU3-8j0_Eev5CtoswnKbt0QfscROW7rxdtERlyaDGU50w/s1600/EricandJack11-2013.jpg" width="244" /></a></center><center style="font-size: medium;"><br /></center><br style="font-size: medium;" /><span style="font-size: medium;">The class is taught by Eric Pearson. Largely Eric cares little for ranks and the ranking game. When searching for a teacher remember ranks are largely political ties. Go see a group and teacher for yourself to decide. Eric sees himself as just a student who trains with his friends.</span><br style="font-size: medium;" /><br style="font-size: medium;" /><span style="font-size: medium;"> Different organizations and teachers have ranked him as following -</span><br style="font-size: medium;" /><br style="font-size: medium;" /><b style="font-size: medium;">Aikido</b><span style="font-size: medium;"> - Although aikido is just one art form, different organizations have presented Eric with varying grading or ranks. He holds a rokudan, 6th degree, in Tomiki lineage Aikido from The Kaze Uta Budo Kai. He has received a 5th dan in Aikido from his long time teacher Russell Waddell, and a 2nd degree in Aikido from the American Tomiki Aikido Association. Take your pick.</span><br style="font-size: medium;" /><br style="font-size: medium;" /><span style="font-size: medium;"> Despite the impressive looking pedigree his Shiho Nage technique still sucks. He is working on it.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg1ajAIJInG5AMwYVvyPr76OnKaZc-GZZ6GFlwE1G9Qz07hivlc-49-ljiSPy4zgpE2Yfof3TjeZu7ZY3jmkfoxkQH-8iMyz0GJrOWaZI31Owign6CTZZfJEusQWe3JWqyAlHpoI7_uI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg1ajAIJInG5AMwYVvyPr76OnKaZc-GZZ6GFlwE1G9Qz07hivlc-49-ljiSPy4zgpE2Yfof3TjeZu7ZY3jmkfoxkQH-8iMyz0GJrOWaZI31Owign6CTZZfJEusQWe3JWqyAlHpoI7_uI/" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><b style="font-size: medium;">Daito Ryu AikiJujutsu </b><span style="font-size: medium;"> He also has an associate instructor rank in from the Shofukan (formally affiliated with Renshinkan) under Ota Ikou Sensei when he trained for three years in Numata, Japan. He periodically studies with Howard Popkin sensei and Joe Brogna sensei, of the Ginjukai, to continue his study of Daito Ryu - though he holds no rank in their organization. Eric also has trained with Roy Goldberg of Kodokai Daito Ryu. He has been fortunate to train with Ole Kingston, and Toshiharu. He is friends with Houston Daito Ryu club.</span><br style="font-size: medium;" /><br style="font-size: medium;" /><b style="font-size: medium;"> Judo </b><span style="font-size: medium;">He is continuing his education in Judo and has received a sandan (3rd degree) grade under Zdenek Matl for his time teaching and spreading the art of Judo. Nick Lowry has also granted him a sandan. This is a <u>club</u> ranking, and NOT a international sport judo-USJA or USJF ranking. Eric developed a judo team focused on students who are blind from 2015-2020 at the Texas School for the Blind. Some of the students went to the judo nationals and tried out for paralympics. Sadly though, he quit the School for the Blind to move to Oregon. He trained in Japan from 2000-2003.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgjfGWbEVCuQifa1uffd8ZCseKZyp6WA7eqbE9JNBoEWIDVjQBKH64w2QmwCujVzfg5vJ7Fks1VWxqZpWlzS1NJE1tD759k3JqBG2NjR3xiMKvOIAWeLU1lOdarLxAOpmP9aHTT6D5wA/s1600/greg+and+eric.jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgjfGWbEVCuQifa1uffd8ZCseKZyp6WA7eqbE9JNBoEWIDVjQBKH64w2QmwCujVzfg5vJ7Fks1VWxqZpWlzS1NJE1tD759k3JqBG2NjR3xiMKvOIAWeLU1lOdarLxAOpmP9aHTT6D5wA/s1600/greg+and+eric.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">His teaching practice is named the Muteshokai. Although until recently based in Austin, Texas he frequently travels and gives workshops in the Dallas area, Little Rock, Seattle and Oklahoma. He know lives in Albany, Oregon. Students and teachers from many local dojos gather with Eric in Albany to share techniques and friendship.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Here are some clips of him training. If it looks like you would enjoy practicing like this join us. If not there are lots of schools in Oregon that can meet your needs.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vZtx4PC39Xk" width="420"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /><span style="text-align: left;">email - thedragonsorb@gmail.com</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjb4NpCl8MER9FKx74h05lf9eaFid8RjQvR6RBDnUZmGxqEqU1P1TnxF_wu9dePGdJVYY57C8-nAemjqoEg6b-aXE5d4EglZXnAwogsM-NOml0XKkP7Y9hLGYgzM5k5mqur-qCEYMdn-ap/s220/senseishodo.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Eric continues his journey under the patience, watchful eyes and good humors of many Aikido, Judo and Jujutsu teachers. While he does not get to train with them as often as he would like, but he thanks Russell Waddell, Brendan Hussey, Zdenek Matl, Nick Lowry, Roy Goldberg, George Ledyard, Corky Quakenbush, Cory Juhl, Leslie Libby, Jack Bieler, Jason Mix and Howard Popkin for their teachings, help and friendship. Arseniy Grebnov and Gene Smithson influenced by introducing him to Systema concepts which he continues to explore everyday of his life. He is eternally grateful to Ikuo Ota sensei and Master Man H. Han for their teachings and influence.</span><br style="text-align: left;" /><br style="text-align: left;" /><span style="text-align: left;">Also he could not do it without his best friends and closest teachers. A million thanks to Scooter Holiday, Michael Chihal, Matthew Howell and Thomas Daniel for being the backbone.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-7686003386655643702019-08-23T10:48:00.002-07:002019-08-23T10:49:31.567-07:00Embrace O'Sensei<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Recently on an internet forum I read that we must...</span></span></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">"Embrace O'Sensei and teach actual Aikido."</span></span></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: white; display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="color: white;"><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Embrace Osensei? I am curious as to what that means. I see a disturbing trend in Aikido, the deification of Morihei Ueshiba. The phrase 'Embrace' reeks of a religious connotation. I suppose people want a religious leader. The image of a white haired Ueshiba appeals to the Nippophile Zen wanna-be in all of us. </div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br /></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
There is an excellent phrase in Zen. "If you meet Buddha on the path to enlightenment, kill him" As humans we so easily become enthralled with the teacher, we put too much on him. We lose sight of the message, the practice and what is important. Perhaps a revision. "If you fall in love with Ueshiba on the path of aikido, kill him"</div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br /></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Another piece of wisdom from the Zen tradition. When the master points to the moon, the students watch the finger and not the moon. The path is obscured by the short vision, unable to understand what to focus on. On forums and in literature I see hundreds of love sick Aikidoka, pining away for a master they never knew, claiming to understand his teaching from a foreign language, long ago. They claim to know what he knew while selectively cherry picking quotes and actions that back up their point of view. They become enamored with the finger, while the moon shines bright above.</div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br /></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Another piece of wisdom comes from Issan Newton. "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants" Giants indeed. Our paths are laid out by giants before us: Takeda, Kano, Ueshiba, Tomiki, Sato, Shiodo and even every teacher tirelessly working away in every dojo to this day. Giants. I acknowledge them. However I dont feel the need to move into the woods and shave my head to study their ways. </div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br /></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Embrace Ueshiba? Ueshiba never threw me. He never had the chance to teach me. I never had the chance to counter him. Why? Because he is dead. Buried. Gone before I was born. I learned from him what I could and find the modern artists to play with. Some of them are still tearfully clutching onto a symbol of saint buried long ago. But the truth is Aiki is a living art. It's not meant for the dead. It only comes alive in the here in now. 今ここ. Only in the moment of constant practice. </div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br /></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
I was once an accolyte for the cult of Ueshiba. I met him on the path. I stood on his shoulders. I killed and buried him so I see what he was pointing at. I buried him long ago. </div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br /></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Embrace Ueshiba? No thanks. I grew out of that stage. I am a man capable of thinking and feeling and creating on my own without the need a fantasy saviour saint. Aikido is what I do, and what I create. Ueshiba died. Clutching onto the past is not living in the now - one of the the more profound messages of Zen. 今ここ</div>
</span></div>
Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-16865779761102602332019-01-21T11:38:00.000-08:002019-01-21T11:38:34.082-08:00<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgTLK6LO-JQcgC-DOue2I6rxDYEBbrejSS7sF1YrQUyBSBaA5Ruh9Ziz_3QYPBeUik9w6gFrjhTPcV50Fpxo1x_rPq_WbfKRy29EvQeLNu4-Yn_POgi7XeclyTLDtWCdM4xtWRNny1dY/s1600/preference+calligraphy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgTLK6LO-JQcgC-DOue2I6rxDYEBbrejSS7sF1YrQUyBSBaA5Ruh9Ziz_3QYPBeUik9w6gFrjhTPcV50Fpxo1x_rPq_WbfKRy29EvQeLNu4-Yn_POgi7XeclyTLDtWCdM4xtWRNny1dY/s1600/preference+calligraphy.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">jyumi - 'preference'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I would like to bring up a useful concept for your aiki, and understanding other people's journey through their own development of aiki.<br />
<br />
PREFERENCES<br />
<br />
Before I go into the concept I want to share a little history. When I first started learning aikido from an organization they taught a lot of fundamental ideas that the students religiously followed. We were instructed that is was the only way. Us students believed them. They had a very rigid teaching structure.
I then moved to Japan. I joined a Aikikai school and a Daito Ryu school. Every group moved in different ways, broke each other's rules...and somehow still made it work. How could this be? Again very rigid structure.<br />
<br />
I moved back to the states and got loosely hooked up to an organization that if you broke a movement rule they would scream you out of the dojo. Their work looked alien to all the others I had seen,<br />
<br />
You see, a lot of what you have grown to believe what is aiki IS, comes from a group's and individual teacher's PREFERENCES. It is largely political. We are easily swayed by the politics of our own groups.<br />
<br />
Preferences are good to have. Great in fact. You get to know what qualities attract you in an artist, teacher, a movement, and in your own technique.
The choices you make about your preferences greatly affect to art you develop. Do you prefer hard, soft or a balance? Stances? How hard of falls do you want to take? Do you want to develop an arrest type of art, or purely passive? Do you want to be ideological, or pragmatic? Do you feel creative in aiki, or do you feel you must faithfully copy your teacher's work. Is pain ok? Attack or defense? Spiritual or mundane?<br />
<br />
All of these are preferences. Aikido is large enough to explore all of these things and a myriad more.
The point. The way you view aikido is your preference. Your preference is not totality of aiki. You like your preference. I like mine. You when you look at another artist and think "that is not aikido." You really mean, "that is not my preference, because currently I am working on..."<br />
<br />
You simply don't get to tell me what Aikido 'IS'.<br />
<br />
You DO get to tell me what your preference is.Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-5106680031028471902017-05-05T06:34:00.000-07:002017-05-05T06:41:40.112-07:00An interview with Eric PearsonSo a few months back I sent out interviews to a bunch of budo teachers.Some people were kind enough to write back. Yesterday it occurred to me that I had not tackled these questions myself, and likely no one will ever want to interview me, so I might as well do it myself. So there you go...<br />
<br />
If you happen to read this and you are a teacher in any martial arts form, please shoot me an email with your answers to the questions to thedragonsorb@gmail.com. I would love to hear from more people.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDMPHvNBJguE527U957t24ejpf6cdLJ1oBBN-ZEc8A_gBA2QGZWGcm1w74yYlUdRvw3D0gHVp7G8ayPWhOZWwVa3JYZllTVzO2l6r_zjexfy5uyDjGzUywauvxihn2xs_zo_BDMV8164/s1600/EricandJack11-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDMPHvNBJguE527U957t24ejpf6cdLJ1oBBN-ZEc8A_gBA2QGZWGcm1w74yYlUdRvw3D0gHVp7G8ayPWhOZWwVa3JYZllTVzO2l6r_zjexfy5uyDjGzUywauvxihn2xs_zo_BDMV8164/s320/EricandJack11-2013.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Why did you start training?</span><br />
<br />
I had been interested in the martial arts since I was around 7 or 8, but my mother refused to let me participate in fighting arts. I used to spend my Sundays watching Kung Fu theatre, a show which presented a different kung fu flick every week. After that the westerns would come on. Thinking back this is probably where much of my warped fascination with the martial arts stems from. I love both the sword and the six-shooter.<br />
<br />
In the sixth grade my world starting turning upside down. The new middle school was infested with bullies. I was a small quite boy with not a lick of fighting sense. I was fresh meat. The bullying was terrible. Every day was full of fear and confrontation. Teachers and principals largely were ineffective at stopping the harassment. Eventually the problem got so bad my mother relented on letting me study martial arts. I believe at the age of 11 I was enrolled in Master Han’s tae kwon do in Carrollton, Texas.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyktC8_VcHA_goynLHQPNmGTKxSZ7cWyISVfbu8uIj5GYpLoqIy0WeMsz1CMxXabaIC7EmmeCE5pPgS65FWb-fcZhhQHbzpm38SQVevNEhvKA1Etk_ph3Ox4F9w3RgNJNbA9pm-qmg_C8/s1600/21036_107593205920707_100000100841905_180338_4052197_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605562164213260210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyktC8_VcHA_goynLHQPNmGTKxSZ7cWyISVfbu8uIj5GYpLoqIy0WeMsz1CMxXabaIC7EmmeCE5pPgS65FWb-fcZhhQHbzpm38SQVevNEhvKA1Etk_ph3Ox4F9w3RgNJNbA9pm-qmg_C8/s320/21036_107593205920707_100000100841905_180338_4052197_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 226px;" /></a><br />
<br />
I trained off and on throughout my teens. I did tae kwon do for several years, karate, ju-jitsu, fencing, Northern Shaolin, and some kick boxing. When I was twenty I finally met the man who I call teacher, Russell Waddell. He opened my eyes to what budo could be, and has helped me along my path of aiki-budo.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVOXndsSvg6Lf-c38bRc4sagUbrU9pGVv_2Qw0uGukOtAXaN4wGTonw-x6qbW1TJcsnmpuVI_Oc-VColkuXkFCgU4FYGrYnfBuD1K-4B9Wix3De2elbzOA3fem-ei_ZIn6T6sHZeXqIc/s1600/38184_144091178937576_100000100841905_409872_6837542_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605562959857929810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVOXndsSvg6Lf-c38bRc4sagUbrU9pGVv_2Qw0uGukOtAXaN4wGTonw-x6qbW1TJcsnmpuVI_Oc-VColkuXkFCgU4FYGrYnfBuD1K-4B9Wix3De2elbzOA3fem-ei_ZIn6T6sHZeXqIc/s320/38184_144091178937576_100000100841905_409872_6837542_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Why do you continue to?</span><br />
<br />
Now I simply cannot stop. I feel like I am wasting time if I am not training. I feel weak if I don’t train. I feel emotional unbalanced. I feel sick after a while. It keeps me sane and healthy.<br />
<br />
Also martial practice has become the focus of my artistic, creative, and even social experiences. My writing and painting is focused around budo and the Zen aesthetic. My evenings not training are spent writing and talking to some of the finest martial artists. My vacation time is planned around training. My teachers and students are my best friends and are some of the finest people I have ever had the privelage of spending time with. <br />
<br />
I remember one of my early martial arts teachers talking about being a ‘budo man’. Somehow he always made it feel like BEING a budo man was something that I wasn’t. Well, guess what? I am one.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you have a phrase(s) that sum up your ideal of martial arts practice</span>?<br />
<br />
“The great way has no boundaries.” I firmly believe in the possibility of a great many things. If we shut down possibility through self imposed boundaries, then we are doing ourselves a great disservice. I choose to believe in possibility. I choose to believe I can always accomplish even greater understanding.<br />
<br />
In the following picture I am at an art show with my favorite phrase. This is the largest piece of calligraphy I have ever done - 20 feet tall!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkm6ULwJSrl5Esl7vUwBgG9ayzZ24soBhtec8j3BqEWgXBylA1zISMC10TI_FETQko6T7qTDDzp3Ieno_y317e7i_He2N7QNKqpixGruPSw3e-j9MY4qN4ilH_JGVFnVUDHCVm-jHeYVU/s1600/Flipsideshodo.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605629586866386114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkm6ULwJSrl5Esl7vUwBgG9ayzZ24soBhtec8j3BqEWgXBylA1zISMC10TI_FETQko6T7qTDDzp3Ieno_y317e7i_He2N7QNKqpixGruPSw3e-j9MY4qN4ilH_JGVFnVUDHCVm-jHeYVU/s400/Flipsideshodo.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 299px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What do you like to see in a practice?</span><br />
<br />
I like to see less lecturing and more people playing. I like to see one on one problem solving. I like to see an active dojo where everyone is teaching and everyone is learning. I like to see high level teachers playing with each other, because I find typically they don’t. I like a casual environment where a new student can comfortably talk to a high level teacher without dropping to his knees and bowing. I like ukes that ride that line of being a tough, yet achievable challenge. I like to see randori, free play, done thoughtfully.<br />
<br />
I like seeing a strong sense of zanshin. Zanshin is connection. It is awareness. It is a burning stare and staying in the moment. Practice without it feels empty to me, like it is play rather than budo. Most martial artists do not have a sense of this concept yet, and I see it and feel the emptiness.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What do you not like to see in a practice?</span><br />
<br />
I do not like seeing centralized power. I do not think there is one artist, and everyone is trying to copy the big dog’s system. I loathe seeing an abuse coming from teachers towards people. I hate seeing teachers that think they are better, or a higher social standing just because they have skill at throwing people. I do not like seeing teachers that demand a title be used with their name. <br />
<br />
I hate seeing a skilled teacher with an empty dojo.<br />
<br />
I do not like seeing systems with without a system of free play. I do not like systems where things are forbidden, like foot sweeps. As long as techniques are safe to practice, and they are done in the correct intent – everything should be on the table. <br />
<br />
I do not like seeing stylized attacks from predetermined ranges with no room for spontaneous and creative movement. <br />
<br />
I do not like seeing people waste time in the dojo. In many dojos I have been trained in, I see people sitting and talking for long periods of time. I talk in the dojo, but I do it while training!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lztsgDRkt4J8bvyLzIuBbnbNzDyjf7QPUHwSi1c1CxAxKCQ2niC8-3_ygFdOud2BsmtjHY6Jmw6VZooL8S9q3JpC5DdbyDMyjnN9Y3VZ2WjvgDPzqPuIvcEUVISH-Oa_qNC9n1w9KEg/s1600/ericaiki+at+nicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lztsgDRkt4J8bvyLzIuBbnbNzDyjf7QPUHwSi1c1CxAxKCQ2niC8-3_ygFdOud2BsmtjHY6Jmw6VZooL8S9q3JpC5DdbyDMyjnN9Y3VZ2WjvgDPzqPuIvcEUVISH-Oa_qNC9n1w9KEg/s320/ericaiki+at+nicks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How do you define 柔/合気 ju/aiki?</span> <br />
<br />
Aiki 合気 and Ju 柔 – mean 合気 ‘fitting to energy’ and 柔 ‘softness’ are strategies and philosophies in martial training and budo lifestyle. In China at the Taoist temples the internal artists postulated a theory that softness can overcome the hard. They believe that challenging the mind and spirit through internal work will reward the diligent student greater results that depending on strength and power. I believe the students of ju and aiki are inheritors of this philosophy.<br />
<br />
Early in the development of judo, Kano Sensei penned the two most important phrases in budo practice. Students of 柔 ‘ju’ should strive for mutually beneficial training practices. Also our training at all levels should be infused with the strategy of maximum efficiency with minimum effort. These simple two phrases can, if studiously followed, totally change the practice and results of a sincere budo practice. We should be obsessed with the concept of efficiency and economy of motion.<br />
<br />
Also, I think too a serious student of 柔 ‘ju’ should be infatuated with the word softness. It should be a mantra. It should be the self analysis grading rubric of each technique thrown. We must constantly ask ourselves how we can do these same motions with less energy. <br />
<br />
合気 Aiki to me not only speaks of a strategy, it also speaks of a lineage. If you train and teach aiki it means you are from a family coming from Sokaku Takeda. What is aiki is something largely up to artistic interpretation, so it largely has little meaning beyond that. There are a great many artists from many different martial schools that achieve it. I sometimes equate aiki with the word kung fu – meaning great acquired skill. Aiki – or harmonizing with energy is not a unique strategy in our lineage. I do have my own constantly evolving definition of aiki, but looking out into the larger community I see that my interpretation is a personal one.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What adjective would you say your technique 'feels' like?</span><br />
<br />
It depends on how much of a skill deferential there is between me and my partner. Most new people I can make dance around with no pain and very little pressure they can feel. I do not do techniques to these folks. I can keep it in the realm of pure balance breaking. In Lowry Sensei’s breakdown down of techniques according to elemental intent I would say my style is ‘air’. I imagine myself a cloud, intangible, yet rippling with small lightning strikes.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9us1z319ko8i7BVYQNb58MC6ERgw0WrggnscdPrXGLrZqVbza3wo5Z6E-o1CNqVaU4UBLhFClzGvP4pBvyvjqMaNdMCxkyAm_6V2msQ0bVlDOfv0KgfOo6PRjZDTs4R9M9pU6d-DgRps/s1600/6213_102023099811051_100000100841905_42738_6371869_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605561756371285858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9us1z319ko8i7BVYQNb58MC6ERgw0WrggnscdPrXGLrZqVbza3wo5Z6E-o1CNqVaU4UBLhFClzGvP4pBvyvjqMaNdMCxkyAm_6V2msQ0bVlDOfv0KgfOo6PRjZDTs4R9M9pU6d-DgRps/s200/6213_102023099811051_100000100841905_42738_6371869_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 150px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">When does a practice become not-ju/aiki?</span><br />
<br />
Exertion of anything is that is more than is needed is when it ju/aiki fails in practice. It could be MORE of anything. If you use more speed than needed, you are not using these strategies. If you are using more strength, more pain, more time, more space, and more motion you are doing too much. These art forms are supposed to be deep studies of efficiency.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you have a favored technique right now?</span><br />
<br />
I have deeply exploring standing shime (chokes) in aikido and judo for a while now. I have been linking trying to do Tomiki’s seventeen with a different emphasis than what is taught standard. I might do a technique such as aigamae ate (irimi nage) with the main connection with my hand, my elbow, my hip, my knees or my feet. Then I work on rippling the connections down rapidly so there is not one throw, but a lightning fast transition of connections that a nervous system cannot respond to.<br />
<br />
If I had to put it to words I do not believe aiki is in the techniques. Aiki lies in the changes between techniques.<br />
<br />
In judo I am working hard on my ashi waza (foot techniques). I am taking the time to go back and explore ground work very slowly and with the minimal effort mindset that I approach standing work with.<br />
<br />
I have been also developing a system of aiki tanto work for about 6 years now also.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What is your favorite practice related book?</span><br />
<br />
‘The Book of Martial Power’ is probably one of the best written. The ‘Tai Chi classics’ is a must read. The Tao Te Ching is a constant source of inspiration. I enjoy ‘Book of 5 Rings’ by Musashi. Suzuki Roshi’s collection ‘Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind’ is a good one. The ‘Hagakure’ is an interesting view into the samurai mind. Saotome’s ‘Aikido and the Harmony of Nature’ is sometimes an interesting read.<br />
<br />
To be honest I am a video junkie. I am blown away at the amount of information now available that until recently was unavailable. We has access to so much now. I love it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What is rank? What does rank reflect?</span><br />
<br />
It is an understanding between a teacher and student – going both ways. The rank system is a goofy ego trap. It as a ridiculous as it is useful.<br />
<br />
I have successful thrown people that far outrank me, and I have been pinned by brown belts. While skill is a nice prerequisite I would say rank has to do more with knowledge of methods and strategy than it had to do with fighting ability. <br />
I believe that people should not be ranked past 5th dan unless they show phenomenal skill, understanding, and they can articulate it well. I do not see any need for people to go much higher than that unless they are part of a large organization. To me a 7th or 8th dan rank is an indicator of leadership. By this point a person should have produced so many 5th dans that they are pushed up. I do not think a person should receive a 7th dan for being a good student alone. They should receive it for their ability to teach. Look at his students and you will know if the person is really a 7th dan. Their energy should have spread the art far and wide.<br />
<br />
<br />
I have heard of some 9th dans that simply train in a dojo and have never taught. I do not think this is accurate portrait of rank. This would be a 5th dan with exceptional skill. The higher ranks are leadership and teaching ranks IMHO.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What principle have you been focusing on in your practice lately?</span><br />
<br />
Connection or connectivity is my main principle of focus right now. For a long time I have connected then disconnected, making movements that do not have effect. In a good training session every movement should have effect. If you are connected to your opponent, you merely have to move yourself and your opponent has to move. With no connection you can really accomplish very little efficiently. Connect!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kIxMfauPGFKFSYQ_lVv40kkWK6iGDZscD7rzhDIjtSG0jRCuULp8Nl4qH8QZtAhR9gwuwKX33v2IX7KnCHIjoLRZrp59LYzd8NxFCpTdIxLzm-o6dmMKM0Eg90WEcZJyRD78ehCrX6A/s1600/ericsankata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kIxMfauPGFKFSYQ_lVv40kkWK6iGDZscD7rzhDIjtSG0jRCuULp8Nl4qH8QZtAhR9gwuwKX33v2IX7KnCHIjoLRZrp59LYzd8NxFCpTdIxLzm-o6dmMKM0Eg90WEcZJyRD78ehCrX6A/s320/ericsankata.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What is your relationship to kata?</span><br />
<br />
When I studied Daito Ryu in Japan I did exacting formal kata every practice for three years. In my first aikido school they were big on kata and would run it over and over. I know kata. I can get a deep practice with it. It is no longer my focus.<br />
<br />
Kata is great, but there is a point of diminishing returns in my own practice. I especially disapprove of kata if you are just trying to memorize how master _____ does it. Kata is not a static thing. It is a tool to engage and challenge. Every time you step up to a kata to explore eventually you will be brought to a place where you cannot answer the problem with your previous knowledge. Kata has a way of forcing the beginner’s mind. You must experiment from this point. I use kata as a launching point for experimentation. I do not try to fit my movement around someone else’s kata. Often know I use kata as an example of the way I don’t like the technique to be done. Nevertheless it is still a useful tool.<br />
<br />
Rather than kata, I prefer flow drills, rezoku (continuous) attack exercises or balance breaking drills. I do not like training where the result is known. In real aiki the result can rarely be predicted, so that is why I have a hard time finding aiki in kata. I can find techniques, but no aiki. In my estimation aiki comes from an ever changing relationship that accommodates to the circumstances. Much of kata is trying to prescribe the circumstances – type of attack, range, technique...etc. For my current practice I feel that the prescription robs the interaction of life.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What is your relationship to a competitive feeling in training?</span><br />
<br />
Budo is a combat art. In many aikido dojos people are not allowed to push themselves to a competitive level. I think aiki and ju tends to fail if the mind gets too competitive, but I feel it is important to let people go there when they need to. Sometimes they need to get to the frustration level where the strategy of aiki fails them. They need to tense and to struggle, so they can learn a more efficient way. Power and strength are often a valid answers in conflict. During randori I do not forbid my partners from using it. I do remind them that it is not a good aiki answer. More often now I can use that power to my own benefit to illustrate the point. Sometimes I still get hung up.<br />
<br />
I love having judo guys shiai me. I don’t shiai back. I love the raw energy and tension of someone bent a determined to throw you. If you don’t feed into their game, if you just surf their energy I have found I can be a fearsome opponent by just going where they want me to go and doing what their body tells me to do, softness negating hardness.<br />
<br />
I love randori (free play) I do not understand a martial arts practice that does not have it in some form. I similarly do not under how any artist can get to higher levels without spending a great deal of time in this zone. For me at least it is the place where aiki in it’s most beautiful and creative forms can be found and created.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How has your vision of practice changed as you have gotten older?</span><br />
<br />
I get hurt less now than when I was younger. I tend not to take as much radical ukemi. My father is an expert billiards player. You never see him take a difficult shot. The better I get at budo I try to tailor my ukemi around what my body can safely and easily take. <br />
<br />
The biggest difference in my art now as opposed to when I was younger is that it is entirely a creative process. I do not copy anymore. I find inspiration from nature or other artists, and then I go through a process of creative movement and thinking to solve novel problems. Many of my guys have commented that I often do not teach, instead I lead a laboratory. I make it up as a go along now, but I have a hefty tool box of experiences and principles to guide the way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you have another hobby or art form that you think about in martial arts terms and ideas?</span><br />
<br />
Performance magic, calligraphy, cooking, shooting, archery, and teaching children are the main ones. Really I never turn off my martial arts window in which I view the world. Principles tend to be universal. Often they work in the physical sense. More often they work conceptually, and poetically in other interactions and relationships around us.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz7Vu3Hj0YK_x0anMqreZ9aNszf30fX2a-fgIKzNW13-tYxzu7UhY0jv1asK4BkxXOTc3ZunhAU51D96ahBQdpXIVJVg1t13KaAuJWJCoeMav9Ie5FtRQxTRscwD69r7Zb9nyDWEiAng/s1600/170838_197564440256916_100000100841905_774992_2492104_o.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605564005288538242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz7Vu3Hj0YK_x0anMqreZ9aNszf30fX2a-fgIKzNW13-tYxzu7UhY0jv1asK4BkxXOTc3ZunhAU51D96ahBQdpXIVJVg1t13KaAuJWJCoeMav9Ie5FtRQxTRscwD69r7Zb9nyDWEiAng/s400/170838_197564440256916_100000100841905_774992_2492104_o.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 258px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you see any problems with the way aikido is practiced in the world at large, and do you have any recommendations for change?</span><br />
<br />
The main problem I see is ego. Ego creeps in everywhere in the practice. For a supposedly Zen related art form ego seems to be one of the biggest traps, from the new students to the heads of systems. It truly poisons the practice.<br />
<br />
There are many ways to practice. As long as it suits you, have fun! Remember to give other people space to practice their way. Don’t let that ego thing crawl in there.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What martial art besides the one you practice do you think is interesting?</span><br />
<br />
I love so many arts. I can watch a good silat teacher for hours. I love sambo’s leg lock work. Wing chun is an art form I wish I studied deeply. Tai Chi push hands is lovely. The new wave of ground work submission wrestlers is inspiring. There are many geniuses at work pushing the envelope in this frontier. Knife and shuriken throwing is an amazing practice. A deep study of the sword is another aspect of budo I would love to have. Extreme long distance shooting is also so cool. Strategy games such as chess and go are well worth spending your life chasing after.<br />
<br />
I just love all this stuff. I am a nut for martial study.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFWU0jrIueRdBSVPgPMuLRa85Ex5kBZZPrDfI5H15FCT0hvel4DkOUvjsiuCZoJZaVmxgwMGV0NuRtbPBtCsQAbH8nlyYJWriuP6xIIm8ogHrx3dFN17yXWKFoQrlG_W-NM0WZ-9ryQ8/s1600/210363_221008401245853_100000100841905_965516_4024893_o.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605561335212083250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFWU0jrIueRdBSVPgPMuLRa85Ex5kBZZPrDfI5H15FCT0hvel4DkOUvjsiuCZoJZaVmxgwMGV0NuRtbPBtCsQAbH8nlyYJWriuP6xIIm8ogHrx3dFN17yXWKFoQrlG_W-NM0WZ-9ryQ8/s320/210363_221008401245853_100000100841905_965516_4024893_o.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 310px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What inspires you?</span><br />
<br />
Teachers that have attained great skill and use it to build communities and friendships inspire me. A passionate student that is absorbing as much as they can is a sight to behold. I find the images and avatars of the masters that have walked before us an interesting mythology to explore to find inspiration. Good art in general is very inspiring. Calligraphy is extremely inspiring to me. The Tao Te Jing and all those books I mentioned earlier. Of course YouTube, watching other people is great. Oh yeah, Star Wars. I like Star Wars.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you have any aspirations for your art, dojo or organization for the future?</span><br />
<br />
I would like to continue with what I have. I like having a tight knit group of devoted teachers and students working together to create a healthy and dynamic practice. <br />
<br />
Oh yeah, I would also like to be considered a force a nature.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Anything on your mind you would like to add?</span><br />
<br />
The most important thing in budo is relationships. <br />
<br />
Don’t get stuck in one way of thinking. <br />
<br />
All arts have beauty. All artists are worthy of respecting, because at least they are out there practicing, which is better than most people.<br />
<br />
The great path has no boundaries.<br />
<br />
Be nice to your mother.<br />
<br />
Choose to see beauty in the world.Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-84142774987473621882016-08-21T13:29:00.000-07:002016-08-21T15:18:48.737-07:00Elements of Aiki throwsWhen learning and teaching throws and throw mechanics, it is sometimes useful to break down the throw and analyze it in detail. Often when there is a problem with the throw, knowing the broad elements can help someone find and fix the problem areas of their throws.<br />
<div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27uNB-XU3D8PnSd6yqJb-CkGIO6IRxfAz6r2mqmijyLCSfGDyzOf7ABs6eZHTpNDhZp0-ZPvHUFSwPrMjY-xp03nC2Vdo-7HtTAJ1hNA0aDd9mMd2gbPIRxCioKBE4QpikiuV2jpnjVg/s1600/shodo+aikido+tensho+1-2012internet2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27uNB-XU3D8PnSd6yqJb-CkGIO6IRxfAz6r2mqmijyLCSfGDyzOf7ABs6eZHTpNDhZp0-ZPvHUFSwPrMjY-xp03nC2Vdo-7HtTAJ1hNA0aDd9mMd2gbPIRxCioKBE4QpikiuV2jpnjVg/s320/shodo+aikido+tensho+1-2012internet2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Elements of a Judo Throw</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Judo theorists have divined that there are three major parts or elements in the execution of a throw/ nage waza.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1. Kuzushi <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"> <span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">崩</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">し</span> </span></span>- the breaking of balance, crumbling the structure/ creating asymmetry in the structure of the partner.</div>
<div>
2. Tsukuri<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"> <span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">作</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">り</span></span>-</span> entry, or building the relationship and architecture of a throw. </div>
<div>
3. Kake <span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: white;">掛け</span></span>- execution of the technique - literal - in the midst of</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While these elements are typically written in a numerical order, they often happen in differing orders or a chain of elements. Common ideas about sequences might look like...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1) kuzushi-tsukuri-kake</div>
<div>
2)kuzushi-tsukuri-kuzushi-tsukuri</div>
<div>
3) kuzushi-kuzushi-kuzushi</div>
<div>
4) tsukuri-kuzushi-kake</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These elements are a fine general description for the elements in Ju throws. However, in Aiki we are often dealing with a different set of variables and throw mechanics.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After a great deal of thought, I have categorized my own list of elements of Aiki throws. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Elements of an Aiki throw</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">1. Awase <span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">合</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">わ</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">せ </span> blend/ meet/ <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">j</span>oint together</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">2. </span><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><a href="http://tomikiaikido.blogspot.com/2012/03/musubi.html">Musubi</a> </span> <span style="color: white;"> </span><span style="color: white; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">結</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">び </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;"> </span><span style="color: white;">join/union/connecting </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">3. Kuzushi <span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">崩</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">し </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;"> </span>to collapse/ crumble/ disorganize/ unbalance</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">4. Hanasu <span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">放</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">す </span>to release/ to let go/ to set free/ to turn loose</span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: white;"> Awase </span></span></b> <span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">合</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">わ</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">せ </span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhem1DrIC5OR2IgkHLEAQwtF8H9aQhxQQoe4gw61ZHb8rEFZzydQCw_C5QaQTrI69K7RlmnhuKqcp8UcQAKe6ZS6EQTLNAMv9bqko-1Ja6_RFoCP7jOA-wPmWJyYOxk4vsgi9Pk2Ff3QBQ/s1600/awase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhem1DrIC5OR2IgkHLEAQwtF8H9aQhxQQoe4gw61ZHb8rEFZzydQCw_C5QaQTrI69K7RlmnhuKqcp8UcQAKe6ZS6EQTLNAMv9bqko-1Ja6_RFoCP7jOA-wPmWJyYOxk4vsgi9Pk2Ff3QBQ/s200/awase.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: white;">From inverted mouth 亼 and mouth 口, two people talking. Meaning united.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In judo techniques the throw might begin with the opponents already grappling, and linked closely together. There is often a battle for favored grips on the jacket, but usually the range is very close. In aiki waza, the range between opponents tends to start further away until the attack is initiated. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In aiki waza, the time of the two partners coming together is the awase phase of technique development. The central idea of awase is to merge with the opponent's energy and attack and take control. Awase is not blocking energy or defending against the motion and energy of the attacker. Awase is merging into power and motion and disabling it and leading it into new shapes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In order for awase to be effective (Aiki), the elements of musubi and kuzushi must also be present. In many ways, awase IS all three elements of blending, connection and balance breaking. However, I find it useful to separate them into smaller parts, while remaining mindful that we are trying to achieve all these elements in one motion.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"> Musubi </span></span></b></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">結</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">び</span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUuFcidYkB9MBT_4wVljyikrY_tKgQqAMMtye3pvQQeR72w_BRh276uaWp737YhfX6tF6FGefUd_mcaRcR2mQuzQrsU0U6Z6CjY-7sAsflv3kJaoWEpBFKgFMC0CppPcWODOsSIv0Mmc/s1600/musubi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUuFcidYkB9MBT_4wVljyikrY_tKgQqAMMtye3pvQQeR72w_BRh276uaWp737YhfX6tF6FGefUd_mcaRcR2mQuzQrsU0U6Z6CjY-7sAsflv3kJaoWEpBFKgFMC0CppPcWODOsSIv0Mmc/s1600/musubi.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">From thread 纟糸 and phonetic 吉. Meaning to tie.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before physical connection, the aiki student and the
attacker are separate bodies in motion hurling together in a potentially
devastating clash of matter and energy trying to occupy the same space. The
skillful aiki artist, however, connects to and blends (awase) with the energy
hurling towards them. The two individual structures of the human being now
become more unified,and the two people become one four-legged structure. The aiki
artist can cause his opponent to need to lean on him for support, so as the
aiki man moves, his opponent must follow. Any time two people touch and become interdependent on each other for
balance, musubi is being created. The two
people often lose their individual centers of gravity and gain a common or
shared one. This joining together of the centers is what I consider to be
musubi <span style="font-family: "ms gothic"; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Gothic";">結び</span>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had one Japanese friend, who was an aikidoka and Daito Ryu student, say he did not like the use of this word for aiki. He felt it had more Shinto implication, like connection to the universe or the Gods. I have, though, heard it used by other aiki folks that corresponds to my use and definition.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is a little film I shot trying to teach the concept. I hope you find it useful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JUCnOZ7aU9o" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Kuzushi </b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">崩</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">し</span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffVi_pZ97OR8zqMdXhYHxsoFlIuHMhdGGEmPd6yvdRLUEcxIxoj_mWIpnBf15IoXWmyMXSux-owI2ySGwMe3Sse-bZqNw_OOVbkcRlFjXRxZMI_DgQoauOpzyPILuQyS3mPV8QVMwxqc/s1600/kuzushi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffVi_pZ97OR8zqMdXhYHxsoFlIuHMhdGGEmPd6yvdRLUEcxIxoj_mWIpnBf15IoXWmyMXSux-owI2ySGwMe3Sse-bZqNw_OOVbkcRlFjXRxZMI_DgQoauOpzyPILuQyS3mPV8QVMwxqc/s200/kuzushi.jpg" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="color: white;">From mountain 山 and phonetic 朋. Meaning avalanche.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">
<span style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;">Kuzushi</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"> is a Japanese term for unbalancing an opponent in the Japanese martial arts. It refers to not just an unbalancing, but the process of putting an opponent in a position where his stability, hence the ability to regain balance for attacking and defense is impaired or destroyed. Typically this is demonstrated by a structure displaying </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">asymmetry or being forced into taking recovery steps because the center of balance is moving over the base of support.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box;">
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; line-height: 34.32px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 34.32px;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Lowry sensei of the Kaze Uta Budo Kai has made an essential series on aikido and judo kuzushi and connection. </span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<center>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sp-Gxzb25iA" width="560"></iframe></b></span></center>
</div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Hanasu </span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">放</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "hiragino kaku gothic pro w3" , "hiragino kaku gothic pro" , "ヒラギノ角ゴ pro w3" , , "meiryo" , , "yugothic" , "ms pゴシック" , "ms pgothic" , "ms ゴシック" , "ms gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 34.32px;">す</span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjsB8iRvN15o4ziHkuSd6uYU2OgHIw88VIwqAnCi3SsOczZxciR_G65oaBcoW_4Kz-L0_vo9-BYIkuj8u0YAY2Db_8a4dfBOM1bT2Zf-uQHgjG3i_VGzdPSk2gmDY5YMFdaiKn2gKgFU/s1600/hanasu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjsB8iRvN15o4ziHkuSd6uYU2OgHIw88VIwqAnCi3SsOczZxciR_G65oaBcoW_4Kz-L0_vo9-BYIkuj8u0YAY2Db_8a4dfBOM1bT2Zf-uQHgjG3i_VGzdPSk2gmDY5YMFdaiKn2gKgFU/s200/hanasu.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: white;">From hand 攵攴 and phonetic 方. Meaning to put.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While at the intro level of judo they teach kake, or the execution of the throw, typically this is action based, one person throwing another. However, advanced judoka sometimes say there is no kake. If you have off balance and fit in, the throw happens on it's own. Kake happens. In the aiki world, the state of having the kake just happen comes from a relaxed shaping of lines of direction. This is hanasu.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the aiki world, I see most artists struggling with this concept of hanasu. Even the most advanced artists often 'throw'. In my own estimation, though, this is still jujutsu creeping into developing aiki. The very best aiki is hanasu, or relaxed releasing of the opponent into a place they must fall to.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While I myself am still a struggling student, I offer this film as both a good and bad example. My hanasu has improved dramatically in the past decade. Most of my techniques are done with a relaxed arm, or relaxed whipping arm. When my techniques are sweetest, it looks like my opponent is just falling off of me. When I am not doing it as well, it looks like I am throwing him.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vZtx4PC39Xk" width="420"></iframe></center>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I hope you found something useful. Track me down if you want to chat about it or train someday.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Walk In Peace,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Eric </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-40786524068837339042015-12-03T12:56:00.000-08:002015-12-03T13:21:15.279-08:00Sagawa Daito Ryu Films<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">There are nine branches of Daito Ryu lineages. These are coming from the following teachers.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">1. Takeda Tokimune</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">2. Hisa Takuma</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">3. Sagawa Yukiyoshi</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">4. Horikawa Kodo</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">5. Yoshida Kotaro</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">6. Morihei Ueshiba (preWWII Daito Ryu)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">7. Hosono Tsunejiro</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">8. Matsuda Toshimi</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">9. Yamamoto SumiYoshi </span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcdqrEDq6kw6nBNcMx5WDdFyvfUofRCOgr2AA4bKcXa-id7NOT05rFnkAq-zMLKma9DKlAZDXPXGoGco0oKdsJ_r8sgUA2S-bc6GCYgRLXttA3ZwFOqqfzpuWX39TlAz5eChEQWlv0cQ/s1600/Sagawa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcdqrEDq6kw6nBNcMx5WDdFyvfUofRCOgr2AA4bKcXa-id7NOT05rFnkAq-zMLKma9DKlAZDXPXGoGco0oKdsJ_r8sgUA2S-bc6GCYgRLXttA3ZwFOqqfzpuWX39TlAz5eChEQWlv0cQ/s400/Sagawa.jpg" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-align: start;">Sagawa Yukiyoshi </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: start;">佐川 幸義</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">One of the famous students of the founder of Daito Ryu was Sagawa Yukiyoshi. I have found his school is hard to get into, and they are secretive. Until lately I did not think any films coming from this lineage were available. While no public films have been released of Sagawa himself, many of his students have made short recordings. For my own research records I have decided to gather them here, Hopefully these films can give a glimpse into the world of Sagawa Daito Ryu.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The following 3 films show one of Sagawa's top students. Keisatsu Yoshimaru,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KYqgOKx8I0U" width="420"></iframe></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/929VChlVZ5w" width="420"></iframe></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hr5pPjO9CtU" width="420"></iframe></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Sagawa student Yasue Kunio, who also studied aikido under Seigo Yamaguchi. Now he teaches his own form of Chrisitan aikido (hence the robes)</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z_Hxkpt-Mhw" width="420"></iframe></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">Yasue Kunio claims to have started Daito Ryu under Matsuda Toshimi, but then went on to study with Sagawa,</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span class="UFICommentBody"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l_AzW11VdEI" width="420"></iframe></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-41096497554396231582015-08-20T05:50:00.001-07:002015-08-20T05:50:08.962-07:00松田派大東流合気柔術 Matsuda ha Daito Ryu<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s4iiU4vWaVs" width="560"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-49216573866497316692014-09-16T12:51:00.002-07:002014-09-16T12:51:47.946-07:00Daito Ryu Workshop at WindsongLast winter I had the honor of leading a workshop at the Windsong winter intensive. Lowry sensei asked me to share some of the Daito Ryu I had learned in my time in Japan. I really love teaching and sharing principles of aiki. I am grateful to have had the chance to share.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZFbltocs6mI?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-2467237807262893622014-09-15T12:14:00.002-07:002014-09-15T12:17:06.118-07:00Suwari Circles<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hb4Wc2x8UQY" width="560"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-36396273985505172162014-09-12T05:36:00.002-07:002014-09-12T05:36:56.532-07:00Short Form Releases at Windsong<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/h5OPR5v0gCw" width="560"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-51079406410135921722014-08-25T13:52:00.002-07:002014-08-25T13:52:53.155-07:00Short form release 2<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yDvKo9fOd4s" width="560"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-24323056779099206442014-01-15T13:15:00.001-08:002016-10-05T10:29:37.639-07:00Toshimi ‘Hosaku’ Matsuda’s 松田敏美 Daito Ryu Legacy tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2G4vWErxrvbtPwG8qgv1HtWy7CAfYb9UgeyGB6FkSqDYX03RNWtlAdqeqbjSxI0Zxt0XqQtJ32X4kewgkEC47k6LdHyB0NTkND6z8wT7VrP_0zRPUG6Gc1moPwVkD1dVY_hgpHGk5tnk/s1600/Toshimi+%E2%80%98Hosaku%E2%80%99+Matsuda%E2%80%99s+%E6%9D%BE%E7%94%B0%E6%95%8F%E7%BE%8E+Daito+Ryu+Legacy+Chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2G4vWErxrvbtPwG8qgv1HtWy7CAfYb9UgeyGB6FkSqDYX03RNWtlAdqeqbjSxI0Zxt0XqQtJ32X4kewgkEC47k6LdHyB0NTkND6z8wT7VrP_0zRPUG6Gc1moPwVkD1dVY_hgpHGk5tnk/s1600/Toshimi+%E2%80%98Hosaku%E2%80%99+Matsuda%E2%80%99s+%E6%9D%BE%E7%94%B0%E6%95%8F%E7%BE%8E+Daito+Ryu+Legacy+Chart.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-17874871695461048092013-10-11T22:36:00.002-07:002013-10-11T22:36:11.829-07:00Thoughts on Musubi<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JUCnOZ7aU9o" width="420"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-81771975938873616142013-10-05T12:55:00.000-07:002017-05-19T09:13:35.344-07:00Toshimi ‘Hosaku’ Matsuda’s 松田敏美 Daito Ryu Legacy<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qYavP8EkYH2mvEP4ENIzM-nD3oPO_ZGAAWdBDGqnKqNiOYbTt4wF-DGFTF374FSKYObwx1b_VJLNxMYfH2psybcTMzBbsqQqFyg_z6RdMbLok4e9iEeDeggwiMQkukLwoguPA3p6oSw/s1600/matsuda+toshimi2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qYavP8EkYH2mvEP4ENIzM-nD3oPO_ZGAAWdBDGqnKqNiOYbTt4wF-DGFTF374FSKYObwx1b_VJLNxMYfH2psybcTMzBbsqQqFyg_z6RdMbLok4e9iEeDeggwiMQkukLwoguPA3p6oSw/s400/matsuda+toshimi2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matsuda Sensei (center) with his students. In the back row center is Jang and front row left is Ryuho Okuyaman 1938?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJEsHzU5nJEdgGHdUbOCD6PCQ9SCmdCFyDjjrwHqYnEcftXeVDQOY678s_FWEE2XVNiAOHp0xGxpn2E5vRt8TauCH4l129BWCRef8YNhLCfc2Rc4_0XtTSSfLONwpzht_HRJryUzVHrg/s1600/sokaku+takada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJEsHzU5nJEdgGHdUbOCD6PCQ9SCmdCFyDjjrwHqYnEcftXeVDQOY678s_FWEE2XVNiAOHp0xGxpn2E5vRt8TauCH4l129BWCRef8YNhLCfc2Rc4_0XtTSSfLONwpzht_HRJryUzVHrg/s200/sokaku+takada.jpg" width="163" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Sokaku Takeda</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The great teacher of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Daito Ryu AikiJujutsu </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">大東流合気柔術</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> , Sokaku
Takeda </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">武田 惣角</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> , taught many students in his career. Eighteen of his best students in his early career were
presented with Kyoju Dairi (教授代理, "representative instructor") many of these
instructors became very well known, and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">founded lineages and schools of Daito
Ryu. Toshimi</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">敏</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">美
Matsuda 松田
was one of
these </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pupils of Takeda sensei. Despite Toshimi Matsuda's influence, and esteemed position as a pioneer of Daito Ryu, very little has
been written about this man and the influence his art and teaching practice has
had.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> In 1910
Sokaku Takeda accompanied his friend who was the former Akita police chief who
was transferred to Hokkaido. Takeda made
Hokkaido the center of his teaching career for the next 20 years. Out of the Northern prefecture of Japan many of the great Daito Ryu teachers would meet and train with Sokaku Takeda and learn the art from him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXsuJgu0fqVeFWeFHc8G_bqJ7E9L9Hq0trtogNA9DmpSeLeuseQlMubAzhBfNWaCZBDcyHViNW9VCjGpZmWqDr99HZ1XOy5VkKNDxe0ZZWAXB1sS5pev9bmwaKMFIHtTBnxQUhNLKVwM/s1600/hokkaido.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXsuJgu0fqVeFWeFHc8G_bqJ7E9L9Hq0trtogNA9DmpSeLeuseQlMubAzhBfNWaCZBDcyHViNW9VCjGpZmWqDr99HZ1XOy5VkKNDxe0ZZWAXB1sS5pev9bmwaKMFIHtTBnxQUhNLKVwM/s200/hokkaido.gif" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toshimi
‘Hosaku’ Matsuda </span><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.328125px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">松田敏美</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was born in 1895 or 1896.
One source claims he was born
Hosaku, and Toshimi was his pen name he later adopted. Toshimi Matsuda lived in Asahikawa City,
Hokkaido. By some reports he was a
military officer. Toshimi began training
in June of 1928 at the age of 33. An entry
has his name in the Daito Ryu logs at this time. He then later received the kyoju-dari
certificate from Sokaku Takeda in August 1929.</span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-J_RTw6DsN8Ekb7_LNns3QYynH6FW_2HKY57PySFnjoiMTC6Vne3zV9vkmNCKilR7_lqL3wirpHwpVTdYzyKp9eTrKB1g1cXc6dkRVOhahyphenhyphenX0MpPqxbwPysjS_-zlvAy5ep0jZSzpT4/s1600/matsuda+toshimi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-J_RTw6DsN8Ekb7_LNns3QYynH6FW_2HKY57PySFnjoiMTC6Vne3zV9vkmNCKilR7_lqL3wirpHwpVTdYzyKp9eTrKB1g1cXc6dkRVOhahyphenhyphenX0MpPqxbwPysjS_-zlvAy5ep0jZSzpT4/s1600/matsuda+toshimi.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Toshimi ‘Hosaku’ Matsuda 松田敏美</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (Either his starting date is incorrect, or he
was an exceptional student because a kyoju-dari is quite an advanced grading at
that point in history. Only 18 people
received this grading from Takeda. While
dojo heads were only authorized to teach in their own schools, a kyoju-dari was
authorized to teach at other schools as well.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At
some point in his training he must have known or trained at the same time as famed
Kodo Horikawa, founder of the Kodokai – also a resident of Hokkaido. Seigo Okamoto of the Roppokai says his
teacher, Horikawa Kodo, often spoke about Toshimi Matsuda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h1 style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 1.2pt; margin-right: 2.4pt; margin-top: 1.2pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 1pt none; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; padding: 0in;">After receiving his teaching
license Matsuda taught the art in the </span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Asahikawa City, Hokkaido</span><span style="border: 1pt none; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; padding: 0in;"> by opening a dojo, the
Shobukan </span><span style="font-size: small;">松武會.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxCQ6lO8O10c3fzcHKROwkuFpvRKt8UkT5sMXr3satMqKBXczhHQkKqF-OIX_iymvcNRZDBK2bp0K8MV9hyphenhyphenPd8Cxnx0AojeeRq-djNbn7xx5NyemGMMUA5j5tPKMfxdrEMqOA6ReDWeE/s1600/Shobukan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxCQ6lO8O10c3fzcHKROwkuFpvRKt8UkT5sMXr3satMqKBXczhHQkKqF-OIX_iymvcNRZDBK2bp0K8MV9hyphenhyphenPd8Cxnx0AojeeRq-djNbn7xx5NyemGMMUA5j5tPKMfxdrEMqOA6ReDWeE/s400/Shobukan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Group photo at Shobukan<b> </b></span></span></span><span style="border: 1pt none; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in;"> </span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 12pt;"><b>松武會</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Throughout
his teaching career Matsuda sensei produced many students. Some carried on his direct line of Daito
Ryu. The man that became his direct
successor was Takeshi Maeda. Other
students of Toshimi Matsuda went on to form their own styles of jujutsu based
on his teachings. Several Korean names
have been documented among his students, and some of these went on to contribute
to the growth of Hapkido in Korea. In
the 1930's, up until around 1936, he was the Daito Ryu teacher of Okuyama
Yoshiharu (Yoshiji) also known as Ryuho Okuyama, founder of Hakko-ryu Ju-jutsu.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
two men that are probably best known for carrying on the art and Daito Ryu
legacy of Matsuda Sensei are Takeshi Maeda and Ryuho Okuyama.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At this time I cannot find information about the passing of Toshimi Matsuda. What is clear about his life and art, is that he was tremendously influential and a great many artists and arts have descended from his practice.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 12pt;"> On the Japanese language wikipedia I uncovered this information. The automatic Google translation </span><span style="line-height: 16px;">defiantly</span><span style="line-height: 12pt;"> garbled some kanji in the translation. Although the English language wikipedia claims there are 4 major lines or traditions, the Japanese claims 9.</span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 12pt;"> <span style="color: white;"> </span></span></div>
<ol style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px; list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="notranslate"><b>松田敏美</b> 1895年ごろ~不明。</span> <span class="notranslate">本名、豊作。</span> <span class="notranslate">北海道<a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E6%2597%25AD%25E5%25B7%259D%25E5%25B8%2582&usg=ALkJrhh_h1kZwWwAncvdTAF7ojpgw3OC-w" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="旭川市">旭川市</a>にて松武館道場を開設して大東流合気柔術を教授する。</span> <span class="notranslate">弟子には群馬県大間々町に練心館道場を開き大東流合気柔術を教授した<a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E5%2589%258D%25E7%2594%25B0%25E6%25AD%25A6%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhjaJKEcdIeC9Zv3A30cx-xZ5diiOg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="前田武 (存在しないページ)">前田武</a> 、北海道<a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E5%25B8%25AF%25E5%25BA%2583%25E5%25B8%2582&usg=ALkJrhhW-QTnbxG-YrhAqfpCH-D21yv9SA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="帯広市">帯広市</a>の元信館道場にて教授する<a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E5%25AE%259D%25E7%2594%25B0%25E5%2585%2583%25E4%25BF%25A1%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhi474n2lE6HTiHpPpxPNxBv5Zitow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="宝田元信 (存在しないページ)">宝田元信</a> 、他に<a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E5%2585%25AB%25E5%2585%2589%25E6%25B5%2581%25E6%259F%2594%25E8%25A1%2593&usg=ALkJrhh6zVdoe5jgrBtECAukYeF6HXPMRA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="八光流柔術">八光流柔術</a>開祖の<a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E5%25A5%25A5%25E5%25B1%25B1%25E9%25BE%258D%25E5%25B3%25B0%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhgdygSibTFFZhuqZeKsmLqVZCdqeQ" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="奥山龍峰 (存在しないページ)">奥山龍峰</a> (後に武田にも師事) や、導引術で有名な道家合気術(道家動功術) の<a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E6%2597%25A9%25E5%25B3%25B6%25E6%25AD%25A3%25E9%259B%2584&usg=ALkJrhjn1lNyJq6zN6KvFzkJpooVtZy9xA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="早島正雄">早島正雄</a>などがいる。</span></span></span></li>
</ol>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: white; padding: 0in;"></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><strong style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 12pt; outline: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></strong><span class="notranslate" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;"><b>Matsuda Toshimi</b> 1895 around ~ unknown.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;"> </span><span class="notranslate" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;">Real name, good harvest.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;"> </span><span class="notranslate" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;">Hokkaido <a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E6%2597%25AD%25E5%25B7%259D%25E5%25B8%2582&usg=ALkJrhh1eJSsT8eVnG9vsVoIQQS56rX1RQ" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Asahikawa">Asahikawa</a> teach the Daito-ryu Aiki Jiu Jitsu by opening the Shobukan dojo in.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;"> </span><span class="notranslate" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;">Disciples was teaching Daito-ryu Aiki Jiu open the Neri-shin Museum dojo in Gunma Prefecture Omama-cho, <a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E5%2589%258D%25E7%2594%25B0%25E6%25AD%25A6%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhiLc6quB3J1z9aOqfjGI7KdJTg6Ug" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="And Takeshi Maeda (non-existent page)">Takeshi Maeda</a> , Hokkaido <a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E5%25B8%25AF%25E5%25BA%2583%25E5%25B8%2582&usg=ALkJrhgKbralBC3ED9ykBCyK9ko-ZU6eAA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Obihiro">Obihiro</a> teach at Motonobu Hall dojo of <a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E5%25AE%259D%25E7%2594%25B0%25E5%2585%2583%25E4%25BF%25A1%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhiAYk7CyQV6NSB1TyV9--MOTD1TPg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="The Takarada Motonobu (non-existent page)">Motonobu Takarada</a> , other <a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E5%2585%25AB%25E5%2585%2589%25E6%25B5%2581%25E6%259F%2594%25E8%25A1%2593&usg=ALkJrhjZD_xo6dY32-VTijW25kE0QvnZ2A" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Hakkō-ryū">hakkō-ryū</a> of founder <a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E5%25A5%25A5%25E5%25B1%25B1%25E9%25BE%258D%25E5%25B3%25B0%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhimISentZ4oahuLPaT_44peuOwv0g" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Okuyama Ryu-ho the (non-existent page)">Okuyama Ryu-ho</a> (even after Takeda studied), and the famous Taoism Aiki surgery with an electrically引術(Doke Doko surgery) <a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E6%2597%25A9%25E5%25B3%25B6%25E6%25AD%25A3%25E9%259B%2584&usg=ALkJrhirg4w1sGlEO9aNxuBW6cmX9Rdj4A" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Hayashima Masao">Masao Hayashima</a> there are such.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px;">Japanese wikipedia goes on to state </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">
<span class="notranslate" style="color: white;"><b style="background-color: black;">松武館系</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">
<span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">北海道<a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E6%2597%25AD%25E5%25B7%259D%25E5%25B8%2582&usg=ALkJrhh_h1kZwWwAncvdTAF7ojpgw3OC-w" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" title="旭川市">旭川市</a>に<a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E6%2595%2599%25E6%258E%2588%25E4%25BB%25A3%25E7%2590%2586%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhgbIhN6gazi2RKmS31nabvoHvqotg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="教授代理 (存在しないページ)">教授代理</a>・<a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E6%259D%25BE%25E7%2594%25B0%25E6%2595%258F%25E7%25BE%258E%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhjrCToiqJs_tFW9CtDGT1pTR-IS2w" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="松田敏美 (存在しないページ)">松田敏美</a>が開設した松武館道場に連なる系統。</span></div>
<ol style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px; list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">旧松武館</span><ol style="list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">元信館</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">練心館</span><ol style="list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">弘道館</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">隆道会</span></li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E5%2585%25AB%25E5%2585%2589%25E6%25B5%2581&usg=ALkJrhje-IKfVi-KzQBTerfY345OFBBMPg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="八光流">八光流</a>柔術</span><ol style="list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">臣流柔術</span></li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="color: white;"><a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E9%2581%2593%25E5%25AE%25B6%25E5%2590%2588%25E6%25B0%2597%25E8%25A1%2593%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhiO7-yNIvRS7TBbmMWArBld6uVVSA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="道家合気術 (存在しないページ)">道家合気術</a></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">弘武會 (韓国伝大東流系)</span></li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">
<span class="notranslate" style="color: white;"><b style="background-color: black;">Shobukan system</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">
<span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Hokkaido <a href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E6%2597%25AD%25E5%25B7%259D%25E5%25B8%2582&usg=ALkJrhh1eJSsT8eVnG9vsVoIQQS56rX1RQ" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Asahikawa">Asahikawa</a> to <a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E6%2595%2599%25E6%258E%2588%25E4%25BB%25A3%25E7%2590%2586%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhjtVkH8lKhi5tvOxkDQ07Q77w5K7Q" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Professor agency and (non-existent page)">Professor agency</a> , <a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E6%259D%25BE%25E7%2594%25B0%25E6%2595%258F%25E7%25BE%258E%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhjC0BEdMxowRU6cMTFMSZ8O_97MEA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="The Toshimi Matsuda (non-existent page)">Toshimi Matsuda</a> lines connected to Shobu-kan dojo was opened.</span></div>
<ol style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.1040000915527px; line-height: 24.1664009094238px; list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Kyumatsu Take-kan</span><ol style="list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Motonobu Museum</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Nerikokoro-kan</span><ol style="list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Hiromichi Museum</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Takamichi-kai</span></li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E5%2585%25AB%25E5%2585%2589%25E6%25B5%2581&usg=ALkJrhjuW7cPJQtChIwgDxbjVeDIxwUEXw" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Hakko flow">Hakko </a>Ryu Ju</span><ol style="list-style-image: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Minister flow Ju</span></li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><a class="new" href="https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php%3Ftitle%3D%25E9%2581%2593%25E5%25AE%25B6%25E5%2590%2588%25E6%25B0%2597%25E8%25A1%2593%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&usg=ALkJrhg9yjhcGX0DcKEMC1tX1aLXb-OkGw" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Doke Aiki surgery and (non-existent page)">Doke Aiki surgery</a> <a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A9%E5%B3%B6%E6%AD%A3%E9%9B%84"><span style="color: white;">Doke Doka Aiki</span></a></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="notranslate" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Hirotake會 (Korea Den Daito-ryu system)</span></li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://daitoryuaiki.web.fc2.com/teacher.html">Renshinkan Homepage</a></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://daitohryu.aiki.xyz/">New Shobukan dojo</a></span></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></strong></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 12pt; outline: 0px;"><br /></strong>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXP8XmLANehCZrFVwBu87Hthyphenhyphenra8yMzKVJNKr25vkwNaORoV6ZwLhOUMU9d7-zhkjArLWubRS_YBUFjhTf8Iz15vxfCIz12EkeeshQwUjtXfRKfZGwE06_VJZXFFKU7falqne1gKVsWKU/s1600/Masuda+chart+color.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXP8XmLANehCZrFVwBu87Hthyphenhyphenra8yMzKVJNKr25vkwNaORoV6ZwLhOUMU9d7-zhkjArLWubRS_YBUFjhTf8Iz15vxfCIz12EkeeshQwUjtXfRKfZGwE06_VJZXFFKU7falqne1gKVsWKU/s640/Masuda+chart+color.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 12pt; outline: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"> <a href="http://www.budoshugyosha.com/matsuda-toshimi/">Much of the following information comes from BudoShugyosha</a></span></strong></div>
<strong style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 12pt; outline: 0px;"><br /></strong>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></strong></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2.4pt 0in 6pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Takeshi Maeda (</b><b>前田 武</b><b>) Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujutsu </b></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>練心館 </b></span></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Renshinkan</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqn6X4O_elpRpf5fkDWp7k44eFIfPyb3RI75AENXRUmq5r4JERXXP5iSr6l5xdmSKciuCyoUfwWF47SWzi_kF35FPzVam9Z7_JG6VCI6s_HbwQkh-LZTwqYH6IW3XOdEMwfkOmX2-7Yw/s1600/maeda-matsuda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqn6X4O_elpRpf5fkDWp7k44eFIfPyb3RI75AENXRUmq5r4JERXXP5iSr6l5xdmSKciuCyoUfwWF47SWzi_kF35FPzVam9Z7_JG6VCI6s_HbwQkh-LZTwqYH6IW3XOdEMwfkOmX2-7Yw/s320/maeda-matsuda.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 12pt; outline: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; font-size: xx-small; padding: 0in;">Toshimi Matsuda (left) and Takeshi Maeda (right)</span></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">「集中力」ではなく、触れることで相手を無抵抗にさせることだと思います。接点から気を出して、丹田から足へと伝えることによって相手を動けない状態にしてしまう。あとは投げようが倒そうが、こちらの意のままです。師匠の松田敏美には「力を入れるな」と教わりました。師の手を握った時の感触を覚えておいて、あとは自分でいろいろ思考錯誤することで身に付くはずです。私の場合には30年ぐらい掛かりましたね。<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>“It is not
“Shuchu-ryoku” (“focused power”), I believe that it is to make the opponent
non-resistant upon touch. Extend Ki through the contact point, transmit from
the Tanden to the feet and put the opponent in a condition in which they are
unable to move. After that, they may be thrown or taken down at will. I was
taught by my teacher Toshimi Matsuda “Don’t put in power!”. One must remember
the feel of taking the teacher’s hand and then absorb it through their own
process of trial and error. In my case it took about thirty years.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MaKYq4TuPJG1f0rAXX_Yo7bviffcqyE8nziOvy9764afW8CKw0MrQU8U4BpBfk0gS5rJ6GEW9lJrgXCPHUb_tmeF_Xq7cnxXelqP4uZhHwnqHMoWwB0GxZI4cLhU9PBTbDfV8jMvm_k/s1600/maeda+aikiage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MaKYq4TuPJG1f0rAXX_Yo7bviffcqyE8nziOvy9764afW8CKw0MrQU8U4BpBfk0gS5rJ6GEW9lJrgXCPHUb_tmeF_Xq7cnxXelqP4uZhHwnqHMoWwB0GxZI4cLhU9PBTbDfV8jMvm_k/s320/maeda+aikiage.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Toshimi
Matsuda, through his work, often had the opportunity to travel to the capital
from Asahikawa.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">It seems that he took advantage of these opportunities to place in
a newspaper an advertisement announcing lessons for DaitoRyu AikiJujutsu.</span> <span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">By reading this, Maeda became interested and visited Matsuda
sensei who was staying in a hostel in Asakusa.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFD3ILK8G3vmBNzRdflvFQxXfXqcUGEne8pkq7qw4UagO64M6EgwHhdjXWSMUt-nCCRJJv_IZopUTEAl9cfQv2eCN5bJYPTILH7MF0H6dG9-YDVL2fnqXVkEwl84Ad-z2kVg5FpxFzoE/s1600/%2524%2528KGrHqJ%252C%2521iwE-llhveGUBPsPzl6h1w%257E%257E60_35.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFD3ILK8G3vmBNzRdflvFQxXfXqcUGEne8pkq7qw4UagO64M6EgwHhdjXWSMUt-nCCRJJv_IZopUTEAl9cfQv2eCN5bJYPTILH7MF0H6dG9-YDVL2fnqXVkEwl84Ad-z2kVg5FpxFzoE/s400/%2524%2528KGrHqJ%252C%2521iwE-llhveGUBPsPzl6h1w%257E%257E60_35.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 15.976914405822754px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Asakusa 1920s/30s</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">After
observing Matsuda perform techniques Maeda became interested and asked to
become a student.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">Maeda had then no experience in
koryu, his only experience was having practiced the Kodokan Judo. Thereafter, when he went to Tokyo, Matsuda
sensei led the training of Daito Ryu in</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none; color: white; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj_JU-QHxOFzunGcG7VcxqBbio9KedToS8uNsxLPD5M1HrSXWhXppedTKylNfBvV4a9P_UkAQzKaHTXeBe3VWXH83Y99ehG9d8jv43371fuwAm1yFDK78RiqZMfLYPzsP8eUOO9SQs2c/s1600/photo-8-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj_JU-QHxOFzunGcG7VcxqBbio9KedToS8uNsxLPD5M1HrSXWhXppedTKylNfBvV4a9P_UkAQzKaHTXeBe3VWXH83Y99ehG9d8jv43371fuwAm1yFDK78RiqZMfLYPzsP8eUOO9SQs2c/s320/photo-8-.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">
the same hostel.</span><span style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">Maeda
was a pharmacist. He had the opportunity
to travel to a meeting of the Federation of pharmacies in Sapporo, and when the
event was over, he extended his trip to Asahikawa to receive teaching from Matsuda
sensei at the Shobukan dojo.</span><span style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;">
</span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">At the rate of one week per
month, Maeda sensei could learn Daito Ryu with Matsuda sensei whenever it went
to Tokyo for business.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">In addition, Maeda sensei made
a stay for one week dojo at the Shobukan in Asahikawa.</span><span style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">Thus,
by repeating these periods a week of practice, he learned the art.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">Until the late '20s, for members of Daito Ryu, there was no daily
training at the dojo, all training was in seminars or private lessons.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdznAMgueOcZVtiVl9ur1JvZ57Mns1Z3XQuNzmHaTZ4cf9VwSgTX-Mb0CBPKeiIyMeixAwT7991Bg0F6m0w44W2NJnZAKcAJxmY2ZUouCVMbX5J04GP0yD9lLKolWkAhINDuQRhiP5jk/s1600/maeda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdznAMgueOcZVtiVl9ur1JvZ57Mns1Z3XQuNzmHaTZ4cf9VwSgTX-Mb0CBPKeiIyMeixAwT7991Bg0F6m0w44W2NJnZAKcAJxmY2ZUouCVMbX5J04GP0yD9lLKolWkAhINDuQRhiP5jk/s200/maeda.jpg" width="110" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.513513565063477px; text-align: center;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 12pt; outline: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; padding: 0in;">Takeshi Maeda</span></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: black; border: 1pt none; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; padding: 0in;">The
forms of Daito Ryu that Maeda sensei taught Matsuda sensei were close </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 12pt;">to the
old forms taught by Takeda sensei students to various locations. </span><span style="line-height: 12pt;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">What in the education received Maeda sensei method, we learn the Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu through five groups of techniques, from tower to tower Ikkajo (first group) to Gokajo (fifth group).</span> <span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">These steps were already important in learning and training at the time of Takeda Sokaku and Toshimi Matsuda. </span></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in;">In the aftermath of the war, Maeda sensei who had returned to his hometown of Omama in Gunma Prefecture, took the estate of a pharmacy and opened a dojo Renshinkan to teach Daito Ryu.</span><span style="line-height: 12pt;"> </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in;">He also toured teaching</span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in;">in the prefectures of Nagano, Gunma and Tochigi.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 12pt;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in;">It even came to pick a vehicle of Self-Defense Forces to ask him to make a demonstration of Daito Ryu in a military barracks in the Gunma prefecture in 1963.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 12pt;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 12pt;"> </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in;">Of budoka from various schools also rendered him even though he did not put forward on the stage of the martial arts world tours.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 12pt;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 12pt; padding: 0in;">Notably, Kenji Tomiki sensei, student Morihei Ueshiba and in relation to the Kodokan, asked to see the real Daito Ryu.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: 12pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"> </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal; text-align: start;"> Ryuho Okuyama (</b><span style="font-family: "ms mincho" , "arial"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16px;">奥山龍峰</span><span style="font-family: "ms mincho" , "arial"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16px;">) </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal; text-align: start;">–</b><span style="line-height: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>八光流柔術</b></span></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal; text-align: start;"> </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal; text-align: start;">Hakko-Ryu Jujutsu</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_t1nl9wKu62gr3JFELewbx_cJbIm_4Cqx4MiItjlCIblRR7-3nXqa2fiRmS-gUvrgadVHZyyJa5h3jsnfjlorwUR5wOQO22NEfmkGz1diNqG1DNNmD_G8Gf75Utbwh8nfU36SyeLUeq0/s1600/Okuyama+Ryuho+signed+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_t1nl9wKu62gr3JFELewbx_cJbIm_4Cqx4MiItjlCIblRR7-3nXqa2fiRmS-gUvrgadVHZyyJa5h3jsnfjlorwUR5wOQO22NEfmkGz1diNqG1DNNmD_G8Gf75Utbwh8nfU36SyeLUeq0/s200/Okuyama+Ryuho+signed+photo.jpg" width="154" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"> </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: start;">Okuyama was an instructor of Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu which he studied from two people: Kyoju Dairi Matsuda (Toshimi) Hosaku and later Takeda Sokaku himself. In 1938 Okuyama finished his studies with Takeda and published a martial art text called Daito-ryu Goshinjutsu (The Daito System of Self-Protection), later founded the Dai-Nippon Shidokai (Greater Japan Way of the Samurai Association) and began teaching what he called Daito Hiden Shido (Secret Daito-Ryu Way of the Samurai). Okuyama's first Dojo was located in Asahikawa and was called Nippon Shidokai Ryubukan. In 1939 he moved to Kanda and opened another dojo called Dai Nihon Shidokai. This marked the beginning of the split from Daito-ryu, as by this time Takeda was very old and his son Tokimune was still very young. Seeing no place for advancement in the Daito-ryu school, and being a skilled medical and martial person,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" style="line-height: 1em; text-align: start; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakk%C5%8D-ry%C5%AB#cite_note-1" style="background-image: none; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><span style="line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: start;"> Okuyama began to form his own system based on Daito-ryu Jujutsu and Daito-ryu Aiki no jutsu as well as his experience in other forms of bujutsu.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakk%C5%8D-ry%C5%AB">from Wikipedia</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 12pt;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmSa_iptzaimA6w3carc4nfQPoeRScoH_SuBABH4hVCfjKIhX1wXT5E6ZhFFGZmaCatAPiK3oiWLBEloG3TZEfK0CKwkXHeESeMod5jihPAS2VAKROOWa_a-CDe6TW3IbSIhoi_BULXw/s1600/maeda+okyama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmSa_iptzaimA6w3carc4nfQPoeRScoH_SuBABH4hVCfjKIhX1wXT5E6ZhFFGZmaCatAPiK3oiWLBEloG3TZEfK0CKwkXHeESeMod5jihPAS2VAKROOWa_a-CDe6TW3IbSIhoi_BULXw/s320/maeda+okyama.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="" style="background-color: black; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Okuyama, Maeda and Minami Haizan - teacher of shiatsu to Okuyama</span></span></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span class="" style="border: 0px; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">Maeda sensei had good relationship with Okuyama sensei. Maeda</span><span class="" style="border: 0px; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> was at Okuyama's side when he founded the Hakko Ryu. I ha e even seen some reports that in the early days of Hakko Ryu, Maeda sensei would travel and teach at Hakko Ryu trainings. Maeda ended up becoming the direct successor to the Toshimi Matsuda Daito Ryu lineage, while his friend Okuyama went on to focus on his own organization and art.</span></span></div>
</div>
Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-103853737318698272013-09-08T14:34:00.002-07:002013-09-08T14:34:39.785-07:00September videoJust some clips from the past summer and the spring retreat with Nick Ushin Lowry.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/9Z1ZZDlNwvo" width="420"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-7038052622215452052013-08-29T16:21:00.000-07:002013-08-30T20:30:52.677-07:00一期一会 Tea, Brush and Budo <div style="color: #222222; margin: 4.8pt 0in 6pt;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; margin: 4.8pt 0in 6pt;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfxvW_2UTlfv1A34BcLEldFBE-vvz8V0qziGTsfPSCZzLHlKVNTDDnpoZEpWqjeA-mhKrECSg2-hXqWnZm6x3ER8QArM0sOweV3Qde10nPFRrxVxVzcxk1FDlSnXNd27QIZZkZ7uQ2ZQ/s1600/ii_naosuke02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfxvW_2UTlfv1A34BcLEldFBE-vvz8V0qziGTsfPSCZzLHlKVNTDDnpoZEpWqjeA-mhKrECSg2-hXqWnZm6x3ER8QArM0sOweV3Qde10nPFRrxVxVzcxk1FDlSnXNd27QIZZkZ7uQ2ZQ/s1600/ii_naosuke02.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Ii Naosuke (1815 -1860)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: white;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 4.8pt 0in 6pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVUIDBjqvdcEkTyUY_JbrhnENwkI9g1gVvsQslIkCYv1BvVyz-XHkPPp76abvUM4x79jMtpNAQMCXBmx8xF_NyEtq-UtHLCBO8ICokd7ERKDrE8iN392SmRLOItMdU2HIWZ_IadbF_7E/s1600/japanese+tea2%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVUIDBjqvdcEkTyUY_JbrhnENwkI9g1gVvsQslIkCYv1BvVyz-XHkPPp76abvUM4x79jMtpNAQMCXBmx8xF_NyEtq-UtHLCBO8ICokd7ERKDrE8iN392SmRLOItMdU2HIWZ_IadbF_7E/s320/japanese+tea2%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ii Naosuk</span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">e </span><span lang="JA" style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">井伊</span><span lang="JA" style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span lang="JA" style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">直弼</span><span lang="JA" style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was daimy</span><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">o of Hikone and also T</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">airō (chief elder) of Tokugawa Shogunate. He was an accomplished practitioner of the Sekishūryū school </span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">of 茶道 tea ceremony. In his writings he coined the famous phrase <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%9C%9F" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:期">期</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BC%9A" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:会">会</a> Ichi-go ichi-e ("one chance, one encounter") Ichi-go ichi-e is linked with Zen and concepts of temporary and transitory and the importance of being in the “here and now”. The term is often brushed onto scrolls which are hung in the tea room. In the context of tea ceremony, ichi-go ichi-e reminds participants that each tea ceremony is unique. It is a reminder that one should honor the moment as an once in a lifetime gathering. The message is to cherish the importance of every meeting for it will never happen again. </span><br />
<div style="margin: 4.8pt 0in 6pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pYESFxgnO3QR-ixiQtasDci3N92jdKU6-7-QJDRBAe0uE_49o-B8U87B9Zvm696rrnZndothcKLGDwZbEvPsYOnTSGV3Lgdi25_GYFkmhUkPVSt1PIe63GP_EFp5dK1rLDCRFSNsKyU/s1600/d561e35cfadc7d4eb08f3c3ed07d2b8b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pYESFxgnO3QR-ixiQtasDci3N92jdKU6-7-QJDRBAe0uE_49o-B8U87B9Zvm696rrnZndothcKLGDwZbEvPsYOnTSGV3Lgdi25_GYFkmhUkPVSt1PIe63GP_EFp5dK1rLDCRFSNsKyU/s320/d561e35cfadc7d4eb08f3c3ed07d2b8b.jpg" width="82" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In </span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="color: white;">書道 </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">shodo, the way of the brush, </span><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%9C%9F" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:期">期</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BC%9A" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:会">会</a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Ichi-go ichi-e is exemplified. The moment the </span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">brush touches paper can only happen once. It is a pure moment of practice. Yuehping Yen writes “Chinese calligraphy is a live hi fidelity record of physical forces involved in </span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: center;">brush </span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">play. The motor act leaves an imprint on the produced form.” He goes to write, “Graphic energy or visual dynamics in Chinese calligraphy can be fully understood in the use of force in wielding the brush. Once a stroke is written it is forbidden to retouch it with the brush. Once ink leaves a mark on the paper its destiny is finalized. In other words, after an ink stroke is written it cannot be scraped off, erased written over or modified in any way. Therefore a written work can be seen as a trace of a succession of brushstrokes of no return.” ArtVirtue writes “Amending or retouching ( </span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">描</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"> ) is considered a "failure" and "dishonest" in calligraphy. It’s forbidden for all students and calligraphers at all levels. In China and many other Asian countries, calligraphers, scholars, officers, emperors or presidents may lose trust to people if they are found to retouch their strokes in brush writing.” There is a strict rule that writing should come directly from the mind and skill of an artist. A retouched brush stroke can easily be seen by experienced artists. But even more than that, retouching discourages the development of skill. The aspiring artist robs themselves of genuineness of form because they have chosen an easier way. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlhFAnkKMMU432SVKzepVsnGfN1vewSykoRw1tsIwqsLI5aLwsU5k2qOn0pceb2mugKevi4evRH2NsaUleCw4S0vBk_Q9f7EU7OsRoAvh3j3CiJAEV6oZpJKUxfGYk-BQZh59s07dbOLg/s1600/d561e35cfadc7d4eb08f3c3ed07d2b8b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1l74O5MWzOz_ESYqWs0_vRO1CbHMx7T-EETL_Tc5CQnfyvkoi8BeBPGFO9qbibzCylvgPa5wIXEmRCHnS95QgF_i-ulmtFRkcCU7XxgESDk9HOpuKnUdC-3SJRV7qwj4yNRQV0RhThco/s1600/chinese_calligraphy_class_1-preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1l74O5MWzOz_ESYqWs0_vRO1CbHMx7T-EETL_Tc5CQnfyvkoi8BeBPGFO9qbibzCylvgPa5wIXEmRCHnS95QgF_i-ulmtFRkcCU7XxgESDk9HOpuKnUdC-3SJRV7qwj4yNRQV0RhThco/s320/chinese_calligraphy_class_1-preview.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The term </span><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%9C%9F" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:期">期</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BC%9A" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:会">会</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is also much repeated in </span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><strong class="Jpan headword" lang="ja" style="font-family: 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', 'MS PGothic', 'Arial Unicode MS', Code2000, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.1875px;" xml:lang="ja">武道</strong><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">budo (martial way). Budoka need the reminder not to cheat the moment in their martial brushstrokes. Where can we find "failure" and "dishonesty" in the budo practice? My first thought is in not owning mistakes “retouching”. The first touch of a budoka is as pure a moment as when the brush touches paper. We ‘retouch’ when we refuse find the mechanics that make it really work. Instead some budoka choose to program unrealistic partners – expecting them to fall rather than find legitimate technique. The aspiring artist robs themselves of genuineness of form because they have chosen an easier way. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: right; color: white; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPSRNzDRWngegz_lW0JwXiIe9ScutzKx3IbT4BoL_Qz2k1I8d4mNkTGEn_2vnUxXUCbqBvRSGSm8rzywak55SmOQRcwHlna11iJWV50HLmLdt_DNTkaXUHRUahkb1zwv2TcRxKSbI9VQ/s1600/300px-JUJITSU_(AND_RIFLES)_in_an_agricultural_school.jpg" /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%9C%9F" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:期">期</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BC%9A" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:会">会</a> is used to remind those who become careless and break the flow of techniques to stop techniques midway to "try again," rather than moving on despite the mistake. This is another form of retouching. As budoka we own the mistake and deal with the problems that arise from it.Even though techniques may be attempted many times in the dojo, each should be seen as a singular and decisive event. In a life-or-death encounter there are no "do overs." There is only the one chance to deal with the problem.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jd7Bxzv2eqboGJccCbR9Qa5RXp81bFj73wAKoapLnwpj0LFnk5mSIQIHhL8fFKBKpnHdWKu2v27We9Bk3t5POhR1kB2CsL6Bw6bL66DuSsrWgRbp0BLKJTbj8a2rneHkqD6ZqibrbQ8/s1600/meditation-old-dojo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jd7Bxzv2eqboGJccCbR9Qa5RXp81bFj73wAKoapLnwpj0LFnk5mSIQIHhL8fFKBKpnHdWKu2v27We9Bk3t5POhR1kB2CsL6Bw6bL66DuSsrWgRbp0BLKJTbj8a2rneHkqD6ZqibrbQ8/s320/meditation-old-dojo.jpg" width="261" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Photo by Chris Barense</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Maybe most importantly, like in the context of tea ceremony, <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%9C%9F" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:期">期</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:一">一</a><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BC%9A" target="_blank" title="wiktionary:会">会</a> ichi-go ichi-e reminds participants that each day in the dojo is unique. It is a reminder that one should honor the moment, the dojo, the people, and the art as an once in a lifetime gathering. That is, we should cherish the importance of every meeting for it will never happen again. For indeed the dojo is like a phantasm. Look around the hall and see all the faces of teachers and students. It only exists at ‘this moment’. Before long people drift off, or die off and the fabric of the practice changes yet again. We lose buildings and people and our practice forever morphs into something different. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> The preciousness of THIS moment of training can never be overstated.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinA8z3DU1WR8JIzg0MMudh3MIlYSK74jgMFf2vli-xROeiBF0S2F0fV9zluCoyGhAKOqWpWDG_05tk7US-_vB91_F7vPDRSGEfN_VN9y8SQE2YWiWzkFvfiqaCaaKd7nohfIE4o09WvEU/s1600/491e579b0924d203632f4939ee8388e3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinA8z3DU1WR8JIzg0MMudh3MIlYSK74jgMFf2vli-xROeiBF0S2F0fV9zluCoyGhAKOqWpWDG_05tk7US-_vB91_F7vPDRSGEfN_VN9y8SQE2YWiWzkFvfiqaCaaKd7nohfIE4o09WvEU/s640/491e579b0924d203632f4939ee8388e3.jpg" width="176" /></span></a></div>
<div style="color: #222222;">
<span style="color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-19913384448623148752013-08-24T16:16:00.001-07:002013-08-24T19:30:42.741-07:00Zen Aesthetic Principles in Budo<span style="background-color: black;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> Zen Aesthetic Principles in Budo</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9SwXSP0QY8lk2Zi_iuhi0oBQ94xmkpv39j1Bj67CB8M1PXSeQXwWAdLZS8H4P2apWpBMTIOboWkviK4FmHA9akA7-lS7ifIOTpt3KncDimNjCnHEKIa_DzaZAHMkLOEV9mXjcXqW8gg/s1600/Dojo-shomen.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9SwXSP0QY8lk2Zi_iuhi0oBQ94xmkpv39j1Bj67CB8M1PXSeQXwWAdLZS8H4P2apWpBMTIOboWkviK4FmHA9akA7-lS7ifIOTpt3KncDimNjCnHEKIa_DzaZAHMkLOEV9mXjcXqW8gg/s400/Dojo-shomen.jpg" /></a><br />
In the training halls that come from the Japanese martial lineage we find what was once simple and crude acts of violence elevated to a a high art form that transcends the physical techniques and moves us towards a far deeper practice. These arts that have sprung from Japan emerge from a rich and formal artistic tradition. The formality of Bushido culture, the Zen artistic aesthetic and the rich religious and social philosophies of the East all shape the character of the fine arts that comprise 武道 budo - the martial way. Fredric Lieberman wrote, "To Occidentals, the physical world was an objective reality--to be analyzed, used, mastered. To Orientals, on the contrary, it was a realm of beauty to be admired, but also of mystery and illusion to be pictured by poets, explained by myth-makers and mollified by priestly incantations. This contrast between East and West had incalculable influence on their respective arts, as well as on their philosophies and religions."<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW__eAkZUXcROH_6lmR7V3hYj9hyphenhyphen1Pk1JxRAi4knbOq7-1V4pjalZL01jLQMolLtfRwe-sY2XdrZvNfpRu5JxpASz1kKmn-WO-WBhBS2tj47sFCYknPFclvy_woBoAHbrlP-oJ9l6M9o/s1600/rock-garden-ryogen-353-phototravels11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW__eAkZUXcROH_6lmR7V3hYj9hyphenhyphen1Pk1JxRAi4knbOq7-1V4pjalZL01jLQMolLtfRwe-sY2XdrZvNfpRu5JxpASz1kKmn-WO-WBhBS2tj47sFCYknPFclvy_woBoAHbrlP-oJ9l6M9o/s320/rock-garden-ryogen-353-phototravels11.jpg" /></a><br />
武道 Budo was birthed from the Japanese artistic tradition and is directly shaped, like so many of the Japanese arts, by 禅 Zen aesthetic principles. Aesthetics can be seen as an attempt to define principles concerning what is ‘beauty’. I distinctly remember during my time in Japan a calligrapher telling me that in the art of the brush, one must often be taught "what beauty is." I feel strongly that the process of the study of aiki, we are not only learning a martial skill, we are being shown, "what beauty is." We are being educated in a physical embodiment of a philosophy. Everything from the formal training dojos, to the uniform, rankings, calligraphy on the walls, and yes, the character of the techniques themselves are in some large way shaped by the Zen artistic tradition.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYv83JST3XIf42KbxdoRjKUJUMjWhYBKKnMTyCyaNXlTSAiy1CAzpbgzTH1KEGs69cXfwm4LA5JDxCCrbITlEXuo8U72RE8DgnQ3tXEwRIrNVGP7b4ROOKQ5Oio5ADYGCJlWOUva2Th8/s1600/pearsonsensei.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYv83JST3XIf42KbxdoRjKUJUMjWhYBKKnMTyCyaNXlTSAiy1CAzpbgzTH1KEGs69cXfwm4LA5JDxCCrbITlEXuo8U72RE8DgnQ3tXEwRIrNVGP7b4ROOKQ5Oio5ADYGCJlWOUva2Th8/s1600/pearsonsensei.jpg" /></a><br />
Sokyu, in my opinion, writes the most succinct description about the Zen process and how it emerges in the practice of budo.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“Japanese Buddhism teaches the attainment of detachment by the removal of self-consciousness through spiritual concentration. A technique for this is the repetition of a kata (form)…. In essence…practicing an action a certain way, time after time, so that in the end we come into contact with our true nature.”</i></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPB38sKxV1qw1Q1eTXfbb5auagYpYI6z5X3WKl-_tcjYNjjwHVjiu4wXBrZIQlSA6ma4TWg6mUWZG7P92I0N3ImN4qwgEh-lpYAhJTEt8kQuO15HRO-bJQL7wlKAn3SFthd87514MvUck/s1600/japanese-tea-ceremony53212601687802493.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPB38sKxV1qw1Q1eTXfbb5auagYpYI6z5X3WKl-_tcjYNjjwHVjiu4wXBrZIQlSA6ma4TWg6mUWZG7P92I0N3ImN4qwgEh-lpYAhJTEt8kQuO15HRO-bJQL7wlKAn3SFthd87514MvUck/s320/japanese-tea-ceremony53212601687802493.jpg" /></a><br />
Despite Sokyu's wonderful insight, I still want to go deeper down the rabbit hole and take a look at the work of Hisamtsu Shinichi , who more clearly defines the characteristics of the Zen aesthetic. Hisamtsu Shinichi (久松 真一 June 5, 1889 – February 27, 1980) was a philosopher, Zen Buddhist scholar, and Japanese 茶道 tea ceremony master. He attempted to break down the aesthetic principles of Zen. These principles can be seen in all of the major classical 道 - do, spirituality through art form. Shinichi Hisamtsu wrote, “The seven characteristics (of Zen aesthetics) are not limited to art in the narrow sense, but rather they include the whole of human existence.”<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z9vleO-bhiZQWA6jxujS76MECeoEoljU8f_JlUcgANlSbV4mMl9y_WaUSU0lZzUzUo-a-8P1Fox0NE24DBYdkATEnFu-eszj-uHyPmv48G3zPrJrI646vGvREOi3_HqkY4RHAPDB0Y4/s1600/Hisamatsu.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z9vleO-bhiZQWA6jxujS76MECeoEoljU8f_JlUcgANlSbV4mMl9y_WaUSU0lZzUzUo-a-8P1Fox0NE24DBYdkATEnFu-eszj-uHyPmv48G3zPrJrI646vGvREOi3_HqkY4RHAPDB0Y4/s1600/Hisamatsu.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Hisamtsu Shinichi</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Zen Aesthetic Principles</span><br />
<br />
不均齊 Fukinsei - creating asymmetry "dynamic relationships"<br />
簡素 Kanso - simplicity<br />
考古 Koko - austere yet bare essentials, basic, weathered<br />
自然 Shizen - naturalness, absence of pretense<br />
幽玄 Yugen - subtly profound grace, not obvious<br />
脱俗 Datsuzoku - unbounded by convention, free<br />
静寂 Seijaku - quiet, calm<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELyeuwQFCwN49AjiEdlBp6gletZPC2DIEqguZg4uk1LpGQYVvVvxHOKC6XYPU_BoeHTszZHeyuh7p7EYnV_HS6M6qpus0s3WT533MyWPmviilaYidTYVY8U5dmzYpZFCP4mK55qexEYs/s1600/enso_bw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELyeuwQFCwN49AjiEdlBp6gletZPC2DIEqguZg4uk1LpGQYVvVvxHOKC6XYPU_BoeHTszZHeyuh7p7EYnV_HS6M6qpus0s3WT533MyWPmviilaYidTYVY8U5dmzYpZFCP4mK55qexEYs/s200/enso_bw.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> 不均齊 Fukinsei </span><br />
不(un-; non-) 均 (average; level) 齊 (alike; equal) - creating asymmetry <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJT-5ii_J9yPUTAX7c32-1xdUUtFOBXW7uZv5KjPjSbe7Yl6KuydqIDuE5LzjwwDrXL4OEoTzEfc_rbNVJXRX_FIW3U1KySdR8fTWCHrQgJcjrj2yAlh3mRZmat6bDy8zL2smdQK-O32Q/s1600/kodo-lineage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJT-5ii_J9yPUTAX7c32-1xdUUtFOBXW7uZv5KjPjSbe7Yl6KuydqIDuE5LzjwwDrXL4OEoTzEfc_rbNVJXRX_FIW3U1KySdR8fTWCHrQgJcjrj2yAlh3mRZmat6bDy8zL2smdQK-O32Q/s1600/kodo-lineage.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Kodo Horikawa</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Fukinsei is asymmetry, odd numbers, irregularity, unevenness, imbalance is used as a denial of perfection as perfection and symmetry does not occur in nature.<br />
<br />
In bonsai the principle controlling the balance of a composition is always asymmetrical. Its division of space, in either the second or third dimensions of spatial organization uses an irregular division.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6U5pFlrcVccU235GYpyMrE5OtvyQaxjSFb89BdHwA1YP4irOAOs8xQJ6QTPA62yxylUndNb38p0zfzD6Cb6MlMmfT12IsTk16ecr3hyhUMCm62jBQP4zF1uQ8L6RLfJdrQj7nGUo4PLw/s1600/green-bonsai.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6U5pFlrcVccU235GYpyMrE5OtvyQaxjSFb89BdHwA1YP4irOAOs8xQJ6QTPA62yxylUndNb38p0zfzD6Cb6MlMmfT12IsTk16ecr3hyhUMCm62jBQP4zF1uQ8L6RLfJdrQj7nGUo4PLw/s200/green-bonsai.jpg" /></a><br />
In budo there are a myriad of asymmetry we create. The inequality of our compositions comes in how we shape the spatial organization of our partners. In the dynamic relationship of the budoka we attempt to create unequal power dynamics between partners typically by creating misalignment in the posture of our partner. Typically budoka call this principle 崩し kuzushi - 'to crumble, to level'. Spatial position is everything. Kuzushi is almost a magic word to many budoka, and is seen as a core and vital principle. The principle can be seen in unbalance, mis-alignment, distraction, misdirection, and crumbling of the human postural structure.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> 簡素 Kanso </span><br />
簡 (brevity; simplicity) 素 (plain, white silk) - simplicity; plain<br />
<br />
<br />
Bruce Lee reminds us, "to me, the extraordinary aspect of martial arts lies in its simplicity. The easy way is also the right way, and martial arts is nothing at all special; the closer to the true way of martial arts, the less wastage of expression there is." <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1z-NhrIBQN4Qziut1hX27maG34OWlaOVLphNwAtSch3W6ShOqoPepwYxYz00BUgMKsEccnyHtBmCfIJ_YjzFOL0PEPEL4FRTj7_hX0D1o8FSSyivpq_R4ta3fg24K0Jz0PtpZxmU234/s1600/MifuneOguruma.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1z-NhrIBQN4Qziut1hX27maG34OWlaOVLphNwAtSch3W6ShOqoPepwYxYz00BUgMKsEccnyHtBmCfIJ_YjzFOL0PEPEL4FRTj7_hX0D1o8FSSyivpq_R4ta3fg24K0Jz0PtpZxmU234/s200/MifuneOguruma.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Mifune Kyuzo</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When I first encountered the Japanese martial arts I had been a student of Chinese external systems. We learned form after form. We learned to move like animals and to wildly swing scores of different weapons around the room. I was struck as to how simple Japanese arts seemed in comparison. There were few forms and relatively few techniques. The forms were more about how to walk and move properly, rather than how to move like a dragon or crane. The dazzling results the teachers I trained under had came from mastery of basic exercises that are grounded in solid bio-mechanical principles. I am still working on the simple exercises that I learned in my first months as an aikidoka.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Saying something is simple can be a misnomer. In my estimation the arts of the Zen aesthetic are infinitely complicated in their simplicity. Take chess for an example. I learned the game in 15 minutes. On the surface level it is a simple game really. However many people have gone mad trying to master it. The near infinite variables that springs from it's simplicity take a life time and great discipline to understand. Budo is very much the same way. A great juggling teacher once told me "Great artistry comes with simple technique, Complex technique leads to poor artistry."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRoT5U4LwOT7TlxwQ4ep71rU_NvWKc7vBuFaN7iHe-BJzcLV_-vRXAY0S3fyw4AShrh62vyP7-xNAKe2xN9tHHO1LUrS2QaDaUmxgbsG01wdaUo3PLsDb0vjcasbDSqRSdokqN0DYPKE/s1600/figure_11_shodo_is_not_about_your_accomplishments_with_a_brush_ichi.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRoT5U4LwOT7TlxwQ4ep71rU_NvWKc7vBuFaN7iHe-BJzcLV_-vRXAY0S3fyw4AShrh62vyP7-xNAKe2xN9tHHO1LUrS2QaDaUmxgbsG01wdaUo3PLsDb0vjcasbDSqRSdokqN0DYPKE/s1600/figure_11_shodo_is_not_about_your_accomplishments_with_a_brush_ichi.jpg" /></a>While living in Japan I attended a 書道 shodo, calligraphy display. Hundreds of artists contributed to the exhibition. Amid all the complex lines and forms, one artist had a piece with a single stroke. It was the character for '1'. At the moment it's simplicity was sublime and it's form exquisite. That is when I thought of the phrase "infinitely complicated in it's simplicity." Like many truths, kanso's nature is a joyous paradox.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> 考古 Koko</span><br />
考 (consider; think over) 古(old) - austere yet bare essentials; basic; weathered<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQzoLCS0HIZey0kSFNz6-ZQSDyJx0YIPD9o8fL4aZi-pUSVtGitJI6AsJAGm8-wKrzLZyumJ3ypdUbKNrWWc5IEaT0SFK0yTCx9tQNAbAVMgdgzQ2twodlQljC_bAafXhKmi2Vo6I0AY/s1600/nakamuraM1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQzoLCS0HIZey0kSFNz6-ZQSDyJx0YIPD9o8fL4aZi-pUSVtGitJI6AsJAGm8-wKrzLZyumJ3ypdUbKNrWWc5IEaT0SFK0yTCx9tQNAbAVMgdgzQ2twodlQljC_bAafXhKmi2Vo6I0AY/s200/nakamuraM1.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
雪の朝独リ干鮭を噛み得タリ<br />
The morning of snow-<br />
all alone, I chew yuki / no / ashita / kitori<br />
dried salmon meat karazake / wo / kami / etari<br />
<br />
-Basho Maysuo 松尾 芭蕉 <br />
<br />
<br />
This haiku is said to be an excellent example of wabi-sabi in poetry.<br />
<br />
<br />
Although koko is an aspect of of the concept of wabi-sabi, I think exploring wabi-sabi helps us to understand koko. Wikipedia describes 侘寂 wabi-sabi. Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, roughness, irregularity, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPzvB6h5mFKeGlwlrDUbZ2pSnxXTY8ULcuyOEZh3658zKXslNTtP5g3Rxho9iM0Kjk90AGGzySvC2IMirqiz_ENt8sgI1w2-w0uSafLXtpRWk5plL4-hnbkEbdyQ5DGfpLRI0jW6Rs64/s1600/belt.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPzvB6h5mFKeGlwlrDUbZ2pSnxXTY8ULcuyOEZh3658zKXslNTtP5g3Rxho9iM0Kjk90AGGzySvC2IMirqiz_ENt8sgI1w2-w0uSafLXtpRWk5plL4-hnbkEbdyQ5DGfpLRI0jW6Rs64/s200/belt.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
In looking at the concept of koko in budo I start with the literal translation. "consider the old." Much of classical budo is looking towards the past for inspiration for the future. The technical understanding, philosophical inspiration and even costume we wear comes from a by gone age. But to be sure we are not simply reenactors or martial historians. We study the wisdom of the past because we are custodians of a way. We study so we might live in the now more fully. In my shodo practice I once copied a poem for a month that read "Study the old to know the new". Indeed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaZmFju1Zs7yeqZJ373LIUzAb8CdRMgx0NLqy9HTCBg8QNIMQ_R9Zmavf189AjbUQXeVH5vM7ZB103pOx6Atv5rggH1gG9Wbnu5RkzEx1_3oXBChsFbfajhCjLALNGmFyvnSMu9sg9q4/s1600/bio-nocquet-ueshiba-ikkyo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaZmFju1Zs7yeqZJ373LIUzAb8CdRMgx0NLqy9HTCBg8QNIMQ_R9Zmavf189AjbUQXeVH5vM7ZB103pOx6Atv5rggH1gG9Wbnu5RkzEx1_3oXBChsFbfajhCjLALNGmFyvnSMu9sg9q4/s200/bio-nocquet-ueshiba-ikkyo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Ueshiba Morihei</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
In further reflection on what koko could mean in budo, my mind turns to the men we call sensei. Sometimes austere, they gain their powers through mastery of bare essentials; weathered by life and training - who could not marvel at these men? Even better than their mastery of skill, is their willingness to share it with those that are worthy to receive the spirit and skills they have cultivated. They are temporarily a link to the past and all the teachers they have gotten to share space with.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> 自然 Shizen</span><br />
自 (oneself) 然 (nature; in that way) - naturally; spontaneously, naturalness, absence of pretense<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkaaKTbQB1owuaPiRu9WtQD33n35LdvNvx8gGXBfBlXjVe_GPS3hwuWP579U83XXGohW-Wry-hfrC3Jj3cPwvMv4dME1jL_swFrd1no4isr6CagIaLMZnrP01rz9ATSXFTsFW61JqKlU/s1600/waseda.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkaaKTbQB1owuaPiRu9WtQD33n35LdvNvx8gGXBfBlXjVe_GPS3hwuWP579U83XXGohW-Wry-hfrC3Jj3cPwvMv4dME1jL_swFrd1no4isr6CagIaLMZnrP01rz9ATSXFTsFW61JqKlU/s1600/waseda.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Tomiki Kenji</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"The deep secret of ancient jujutsu is embodied in the saying, "True natural posture is the manifestation of mushin. Control strength through gentleness. These are the principles of jujutsu." Master Jigoro Kano (1860-1938), the founder of Kodokan Judo, well explained the subtleties behind this principle when he formulated his Principles of Judo--judo meaning gentleness--so that the original jujutsu principle would be understandable to the people of the current day. The principle of natural body (shizentai no ri), which concerns posture. This is a natural, unrestricted posture from which it is possible to attack and defend, adapting to any kind of assault."<br />
<br />
- Tomiki Kenji<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> 幽玄 Yugen </span><br />
幽 (profound) 玄(mysterious) - subtly profound grace, not obvious<br />
<br />
<br />
Yugen is an awareness of the universe that triggers emotional responses too deep and mysterious for words. <br />
<br />
Yugen is at the core of the appreciation of beauty and art in Japan. It values the power to evoke, rather that the ability to state directly. The principle of Yugen shows that real beauty exists when, through its suggestiveness, only a few words, or few brush strokes, can suggest what has not been said or shown, and hence awaken many inner thoughts and feelings. <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=yugen">source</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKOFkaxnSmK4IF7FPwlg5zyr5fySJIyufOTfpc4zXHyQp2q81w-qrTmtu_qWqMgrn6igWdXgU6MbOxeKO57GcgcrfcRlJZMuF-qAw-0t1WBqj69bsc4TIDM_4uq4NVFpHOPGp3RFwQjA/s1600/traditional_japanese_garden-t2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKOFkaxnSmK4IF7FPwlg5zyr5fySJIyufOTfpc4zXHyQp2q81w-qrTmtu_qWqMgrn6igWdXgU6MbOxeKO57GcgcrfcRlJZMuF-qAw-0t1WBqj69bsc4TIDM_4uq4NVFpHOPGp3RFwQjA/s320/traditional_japanese_garden-t2.jpg" /></a><br />
"Yugen is to watch the sun sink behind a flower-clad hill, to wander on and on in a huge forest without thought of return, to stand upon the shore and gaze after a boat that disappears behind distant islands, to contemplate the flight of wild geese seen and lost among the clouds."<br />
<br />
Like all of these principles, we can find it in many aspects of our budo training. For me yugen is the feeling I first have when I step into my dojo, a sense of grateful return to a place I love. It is the awe I continue to feel when return to a state of creating consistent aiki. I find yugen when explaining the mechanics for a technique and I realize what I just said is really a metaphor for life and love. I also find yugen at the hands of a master whose technique is so sublime I burst into laughter at the surprise of total loss of control. I especially see yugen when I watch an iai master, while I clumsily fumble with my own weapon. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byAgl-b2xFs">Iai master that evokes yugen in me.</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH9JqL_Slvy_R7MKBw1zPZvNMgDncaHGJyZASss00fK8j1rf8a_Ofir3WP8cD_xRTW8WMN-IzAh5ErVRrKp6KW29rmS6WEaNevOcLUC_5K-NCyfjT2-aJgDZGTxOENruA0k7Wn0YKq8M/s1600/sokaku-takeda-osaka-36-08.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH9JqL_Slvy_R7MKBw1zPZvNMgDncaHGJyZASss00fK8j1rf8a_Ofir3WP8cD_xRTW8WMN-IzAh5ErVRrKp6KW29rmS6WEaNevOcLUC_5K-NCyfjT2-aJgDZGTxOENruA0k7Wn0YKq8M/s320/sokaku-takeda-osaka-36-08.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Takeda Sokaku</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ellis Amdur wrote about the history of Daito Ryu, Aikido in his book Hidden in Plain Sight. Indeed, the seemingly miraculous power demonstrated by some artists lies in their subtly. It is hidden right before your eyes. There is internal work going on in the bio-mechanics of budo that is not obvious. The mechanics your eye sees often is not the sophisticated work that is going on within the internal structure of the artist performing it. One of my Daito Ryu teachers said, "if you can explain what just happened to you, then it is not aiki." The tactile invisibility of soft delivery of energy and direction while subtly balance breaking an opponent is one way yugen is expressed in budo. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> 脱俗 Datsuzoku</span><br />
脱 (be left out;escape from) 俗 (customs; manners) - unbounded by convention, free<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ns7CODhFXo55ARG9S7D_5t49GOHkRuERR2Vo5C2pFb0luEhEQ6tSw3P-OS0La-5sxiW4GHlYV-3h61Dsjum3lDbLdutClEz6gM7ZuKFysvgacAy1whraHshabwLEvejj8Sk0iXZCfbs/s1600/10102008_shodo-02.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ns7CODhFXo55ARG9S7D_5t49GOHkRuERR2Vo5C2pFb0luEhEQ6tSw3P-OS0La-5sxiW4GHlYV-3h61Dsjum3lDbLdutClEz6gM7ZuKFysvgacAy1whraHshabwLEvejj8Sk0iXZCfbs/s320/10102008_shodo-02.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">from Palazzo Barolo exhibition</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Japanese arts often have many rules governing them. In visual arts technique, form, composition, line and balance are all often formalized. At first glance it struck me as funny that datsuzoku would be a principle, because often the Japanese are totally bound by convention. That being said often arts coming from the Zen aesthetic find freedom in the confines of form. One must learn and master the rules before they can be broken.<br />
<br />
The challenge while doing shodo is to transmit the spirit, the sense, and feelings on the sheet of paper, so that each drawn character is showing the expression of the artist. The artists uses yet transcends the convention.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Y7Yap1PQQCllzY5vESV2UBcWzFRiTyUUwn6HZJ_wHgYeb5iSM7iqvko9pKm-mW_HNAb5zRR2-IhcktmJXehqvk_fyEFthE2jHPx2WrhOj4N3mqJ9PpNkh2qf3URklR1XhBIxA952YJc/s1600/kano16+(1).jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Y7Yap1PQQCllzY5vESV2UBcWzFRiTyUUwn6HZJ_wHgYeb5iSM7iqvko9pKm-mW_HNAb5zRR2-IhcktmJXehqvk_fyEFthE2jHPx2WrhOj4N3mqJ9PpNkh2qf3URklR1XhBIxA952YJc/s320/kano16+(1).jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kano Jigoro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In budo we train in techniques, principle and form. Mastery does not come until skills become so internalized that they become automatic. Only then form turns into formlessness. The budoka moves freely like the calligrapher splashing ink across the page. The artists are so versed in technical principle the body effectively organizes behind the creative process. Challenges are solved in opponents and in self and body and mind move freely.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> 静寂 Seijaku </span><br />
<br />
静(quiet) 寂 (death of a priest; loneliness;quietly) silence; stillness; quietness<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eq0CYpnB8n3dEkm0ne7kXUu8tV5nW9nlmoBdi1TjZK1bBuFTK4uGb7MElTj27ovojxEeyAVRsodRhNC78CJgaz0Y5u-ktE3YJg2V8c5OBBvCEC4RW4a5GK6cCp-_Lv0cf1goi9_0NLA/s1600/ikebana.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eq0CYpnB8n3dEkm0ne7kXUu8tV5nW9nlmoBdi1TjZK1bBuFTK4uGb7MElTj27ovojxEeyAVRsodRhNC78CJgaz0Y5u-ktE3YJg2V8c5OBBvCEC4RW4a5GK6cCp-_Lv0cf1goi9_0NLA/s200/ikebana.jpg" /></a><br />
"The spiritual aspect of ikebana is considered very important to its practitioners. Silence is a must during practices of ikebana. It is a time to appreciate things in nature that people often overlook because of their busy lives. One becomes more patient and tolerant of differences, not only in nature, but also in general. Ikebana can inspire one to identify with beauty in all art forms. This is also the time when one feels closeness to nature which provides relaxation for the mind, body, and soul." <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikebana">source</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCEBb4Mu16iSdOjgDR4Fh5vPF6LN2dgqpv6eTZGZuKHnhrwY7ndHjzy7dGfUv9wLMo3_vwR5k9flv7f5KAu1fJVdU8qsiL8E8V7ZHHKsH0N2YPRTWTEUGsw7stcWyzbOQ2q6DdkJbTyc/s1600/kyu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCEBb4Mu16iSdOjgDR4Fh5vPF6LN2dgqpv6eTZGZuKHnhrwY7ndHjzy7dGfUv9wLMo3_vwR5k9flv7f5KAu1fJVdU8qsiL8E8V7ZHHKsH0N2YPRTWTEUGsw7stcWyzbOQ2q6DdkJbTyc/s320/kyu.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
Kata in the highest expression that I have practiced it is a quiet dance. It is the act of finding stillness in motion and motion in stillness. The chatter of the regular mind falls away and there is simply the task at hand. There is only breathing, posture and freedom within form. A practitioner's thoughts of work, problems, relationships, stress...etc. all fall away as the mind focuses and quiets on the task at hand.<br />
<br />
<br />
Although Zen has influenced many of the classical arts, there is really only one practice that is critical in the practice of Zen. The act of zazen, the practice of sitting. It is the act of quieting and weeding the garden of the mind.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYZAI5iGdvamAEfp-ukcvEV-ujzXQ7NYkpoRJyHraDiQzotMQjrDoQm1K73N9_kZSrRNmoArlu4lzvuxLom5fqvKJcMCAUHDKW-mTMp8kAl5qb0mM2AS05O4Em3Zq3JnQYkIZEz25eW8/s1600/zazen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYZAI5iGdvamAEfp-ukcvEV-ujzXQ7NYkpoRJyHraDiQzotMQjrDoQm1K73N9_kZSrRNmoArlu4lzvuxLom5fqvKJcMCAUHDKW-mTMp8kAl5qb0mM2AS05O4Em3Zq3JnQYkIZEz25eW8/s200/zazen.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Hozumi Roshi at Shofuku-ji</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
"Everyone is tempted by the eloquence of speech<br />
but I am a slave to the Master of Silence."<br />
<br />
~Maulana Jalaluddin RumErik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-51718321603978573782013-07-24T07:33:00.001-07:002013-07-24T07:33:46.736-07:00Matl Sensei ground workI scored some old video from my judo teacher. It was taken in 1973 in Czechoslovakia. I edited it down to just the ground work in this edition. <br />
<br /><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fL82bPrwtCk" width="420"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-76421990433624016572013-07-02T06:20:00.003-07:002013-07-02T06:32:04.599-07:00Kokyu - breath 呼吸<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZT26wTzvP9Ap-VG1kWjG57wFXmepSKBKCkLI3S67M0Lac7IXkgm3A8CgMOl3rQl3ACWEgg2vRP1M42cKs-kXfvb8HC7OEfHB1R_OamEGJTRkCnBrK2HxdC6CZLJibXGdrNsoojW7C-tg/s340/kokyu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZT26wTzvP9Ap-VG1kWjG57wFXmepSKBKCkLI3S67M0Lac7IXkgm3A8CgMOl3rQl3ACWEgg2vRP1M42cKs-kXfvb8HC7OEfHB1R_OamEGJTRkCnBrK2HxdC6CZLJibXGdrNsoojW7C-tg/s320/kokyu.png" width="178" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breathing - the first act outside the womb to prove if we are meant for this world or not. It is our first and most immediate link to our environment. It is the line where the external world blends with the internal. It is basis for activity, health and dealing with pain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
The main thing I have learned in my time studying Systema is to focus on relationship with breathing while doing my aiki. Kokyu is in the principals of our art, but I simply had not encountered a teacher that focused on it before. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
I suggest you embrace the breath. It is training. It is meditation. It is a simple way to control the tension in our system. While training I notice the people that quickly burn out hold their breath while performing actions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Look to the other arts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
The Zen students focus on breath. Shooters, weight lifters, runners, swimmers, and child bearers all focus on the breath. We should too. I suggest breathing exercises friends. It has changed my art and my relationship with my body.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
<br />
Funny thing about the word kokyu- the word's definition not only means breathing, but another definition is that is it the trick or secret of doing something. Makes me think there is more to this breathing thing in the arts after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-24791059459960992292013-06-20T19:42:00.001-07:002013-06-20T20:03:12.732-07:00 Jutsu not Jitsu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.yaplog.jp/img/06/pc/s/h/o/shododeguchi/0/50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.yaplog.jp/img/06/pc/s/h/o/shododeguchi/0/50.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">English speakers by and large have been writing and pronouncing the word 'jujitsu' wrong. It is the pronunciation and writing is jutsu, not jitsu.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
Long had I believed both writings were OK. Long have I sworn my teacher in Japan said 'jitsu'. And even my business card says 'jitsu'. The window at my dojo says 'jitsu'. I was wrong.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%A1%93&eng=&dict=edict">from Jisho</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">術 </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
art; means; technique - the kana for it's pronounciation is quite clear じゅつ = jutsu.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.romajidesu.com/kanji/%E8%A1%93">from romanjidesu</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">
術 </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">art; technique; skill; means; trick; resources; magic again in katakana - </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">ジュツ = jutsu</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://www.yamasa.cc/ocjs/kanjidic.nsf/SortedByKanji2THEnglish/%E8%A1%93?OpenDocument">from yamasa</a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">
術 </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">again - ジュツ = jutsu</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
Jutsu - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dait%C5%8D-ry%C5%AB_Aiki-j%C5%ABjutsu">Wikipedia</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still refusing to believe? Let's look at some<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span>AikiJujutsu English language sites from Japan.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jutsu - <a href="http://www.daitoryu-roppokai.org/">from daitoryu-roppokai</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jutsu - <a href="http://www.daito-ryu.org/en/">main line</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jutsu - <a href="http://www.kodokai.us/"> from Kodokai</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jutsu - <a href="http://hakkoryu.com/">from hakkoryu</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Chrismas I had the pleasure of sitting down with 20 Japanese teachers studying English at my wife's school. I asked them the jitsu versus jutsu question. They ALL told me it was jutsu. Still I refused to believe and pressed them further. They speculated that English speakers simply cannot easily pronounce jutsu so there was some pronounciation drift. Simply we like saying jitsu, just like Japanese people say 'wapuro' instead of word processor.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #edf9ff; font-family: HiraKakuPro-W3, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro W3', 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #edf9ff; font-family: HiraKakuPro-W3, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro W3', 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-20177287158915128322013-06-06T17:29:00.003-07:002013-06-06T17:29:26.873-07:00Another filmI got some new editing software and I needed to play with it. I am just demoing some stuff to my class slow and mellow.<br />
<br />
Be good to one another. Don't play with knives kids.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Tg5wR41Aem4" width="560"></iframe>Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-77385396043849455992013-03-15T10:38:00.002-07:002013-03-15T10:38:44.244-07:00Elbow Techniques My poor blog. Neglected. <br />
<br />
I did however shoot a little film of the hiji waza set of our primary grouping of techniques. I start with a weak line balance break/ikkyo. Then it moves on through the rest of the standard kata.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rifDFuvVIsI" width="560"></iframe><br />Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-72524771564026197302013-01-28T08:34:00.003-08:002013-01-28T08:34:43.617-08:00ZenBrush App pieces<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Here are a few more pieces I have written using the Zen Brush app for the Ipad. The first is Buddhist and Aiki iconography of the triangle circle and square. The second piece is a seal script form of <span class="kanji" style="z-index: 149999;">崩 </span>kuzu, to crumble/collapse. Often in Judo we translate it as balance break.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EE1lkXTweMggWexldo_ef0XQ3qkX8Cv-UDSLnRg8iyOUrBIKClI-ZDPseBFJQ1c_14ebzDNkvPQlCFOzTCfxqqg04ZbyF5kbOlXmbmvnwOCcoSUMeBpsk_kq1G6Yv-KNFNOCAUH7Zuo/s1600/Shodo+-+zenbrush+circlesquaretri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EE1lkXTweMggWexldo_ef0XQ3qkX8Cv-UDSLnRg8iyOUrBIKClI-ZDPseBFJQ1c_14ebzDNkvPQlCFOzTCfxqqg04ZbyF5kbOlXmbmvnwOCcoSUMeBpsk_kq1G6Yv-KNFNOCAUH7Zuo/s320/Shodo+-+zenbrush+circlesquaretri.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigg5SAOjsDxN-OkjBZkAtfr5gzSerHAC1eqi34eaTbCmwjWb9YNojzbXuLb30umvp7Z3eIpxjsqgXfUmI0VSTmX28RZ-76ojxw2ZLsh533WwaPbPV0Lbpy2CPlwzXmqiypdIuoN8hmzzI/s1600/kuzushi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigg5SAOjsDxN-OkjBZkAtfr5gzSerHAC1eqi34eaTbCmwjWb9YNojzbXuLb30umvp7Z3eIpxjsqgXfUmI0VSTmX28RZ-76ojxw2ZLsh533WwaPbPV0Lbpy2CPlwzXmqiypdIuoN8hmzzI/s320/kuzushi.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-62754159537232799962013-01-27T23:51:00.003-08:002013-01-27T23:51:47.553-08:00Daito Ryu 大東流 Calligraphy <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This is a piece I worked on today. It is a combination of old oracle style and bronze age style calligraphy. It reads 大東流 - big east school. It is the style of martial arts I studied when I lived in Japan.<br />
<br />
Recently I bought the ZenBrush app for the Ipad. This is an experiment. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIiEoF1I5A8vF72LniqMy0Xoyd4x-2eMjivc0_1yD-M5WQjO9q41X5qz086yJbY32Cnml6X1xnEP1QHySA9lsX9YpBXYhpfDhDmehcE6RJpdHOWOZy2VUeJUxCvIBFqg-2mEjob4LyF_s/s1600/shodo+-+daitoryu-1-2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIiEoF1I5A8vF72LniqMy0Xoyd4x-2eMjivc0_1yD-M5WQjO9q41X5qz086yJbY32Cnml6X1xnEP1QHySA9lsX9YpBXYhpfDhDmehcE6RJpdHOWOZy2VUeJUxCvIBFqg-2mEjob4LyF_s/s640/shodo+-+daitoryu-1-2013.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Erik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.com1