Hombu Dojo Officially Opens!

September 7, 1997, marks the official opening of the Bujinkan Hombu Dojo. (For those a little rusty on their Japanese, “Hombu” means “Headquarters”.) The 50-tatami mat facility is located about three minutes from Atago station on the Tobu Noda Line, and is about ten minutes from Soke's home.

To visit the Hombu Dojo, exit Atago Station and cross the train tracks on your left. Make an immediate left turn down the narrow path lined with bicycles. This path runs parallel with the Tobu Noda Line. Walk to the first corner (about two minutes) and turn left, the Hombu Dojo is the last building on the right.

Quotations From Soke - Part VI
by Benjamin Cole

The past few months have been interesting for me. I've had to squeeze training in between preparations for my wedding and a bruising business trip back to the States. (Peter and all, thanks for opening your dojo to me and letting me bug you for a couple of practices.) Hatsumi-sensei recently returned from the New Jersey Taikai, and more and more people are coming for their first time to Japan. If you can't make it to Japan, definitely get to a Taikai sometime in the near future. Taikais are fun and enlightening, even if you are with five hundred other people. And if a Taikai is to be your only training with Soke, then definitely spend the money. But nothing can beat a practice with fifty or so other people over here in Japan when Hatsumi-sensei is "at home" and feeling good. I hope to see many more of you over here in the near future..

May all your choices be good ones.— Ben

This is a collection of quotations made by Masaaki Hatsumi-sensei during practice sessions at Ayase, as recorded in my training diary. In response to the feedback I received for my first submissions, I have decided to provide installments of these quotes every three months. As for the content, I try to remember the general flow of the training sessions when I record my thoughts, because, as Hatsumi-sensei once said, “I teach from what I see around me.” I have tried keep these quotes in essentially the same order as they were made during the training session, but naturally memory does play its tricks. These are my interpretations as to what Hatsumi-sensei was saying, based upon my feelings at the time. They should not be viewed as verbatim nor as “official.” Words in parentheses are my comments, most of which are for clarification.

April 22 (Tuesday)
"Translate this please.... I have said time and again that this is a very significant time for the Bujinkan. I feel that there are many good people around the world who understand what I am trying to teach. It is only natural. The Bujinkan is very strong right now and this ultimately benefits you all. After all, that is what the Bujinkan is for. There are too many people who have forgotten this point. I feel that this is the time when the Bujinkan can most positively influence all martial arts. I won't be around forever, but the Bujinkan can make a lasting difference. That's the power of nature, the power of good."

"If there is anyone who does not train with a Shihan who needs an issue of rank resolved, please come to me directly. Or if you cannot do that, talk with one of the Shihan here, and they will get you squared away."

(To a visiting Shihan who had brought a video camera) "It's okay if you video tape me today, so long as you erase out the parts when I talk bad about people. (He jokes, then turns slightly more serious) It's not that I care. It's just that they have small hearts, and will be hurt by me speaking the truth.... Please remember, I speak very naturally...very freely."

"You are not striking with the arms (despite the fact that the weapon is in your hands). You are striking with your legs. Use your legs."

"This technique will break their leg. And if the weapon were a sword, you would chop it off.... Does anyone have a sword with them today? Great. Let me borrow it. See. Here is how it would change. See how the strike so easily becomes a cut? And you could do it this way, too."

"You all don't have the kick correct. Spring up on your toes like this to get power."

"The ribs break very easily. This makes this kick especially effective."

"People who have built their bodies up (i.e. body builders) or are overweight tend to have weak hearts, medically speaking. It's important to remember such things.... The same goes with laborers. They tend to have shorter life spans as well, so it is in your best interest to avoid such physically straining jobs."

"Make sure to open yourself up here. Spread your arms wide and open up."

"If you can do this technique properly, you could do it equally well with a yari or naginata, or sword. All weapons are the same."

"There have been some people who have built a wall between themselves and me once they reached a certain level. Like the Soviet Union's red curtain, or the Berlin WallóI am trying to break down those walls. (After a few seconds pause, he turned to the interpreter and joked) You do know the other meaning of 'red curtain', don't you? (The interpreter shook his head. Soke laughed.) It also refers to a woman's undergarments here in Japan. (The translator, for obvious reasons, looked confused. Soke then turned to Shiraishi-sensei, who was near the translator and said,) Why don't you explain it to him. (Shiraishi-sensei blushed bashfully, then earnestly began trying to interpret the joke to the translator, much to Soke's delight.)"

"I am teaching to fifth dan and above. They are all the same. In this way, rank is meaningless. . .but it's necessary."

"Andrew (Young) was telling me that during one of his trips a while back someone got really excited about learning the following year's weapon. If you cannot understand this year's weapon and neglect it in your training, how can you expect to learn next year's? That shows how bad you truly are, how foolish. Everything is the same."

(A practitioner was asked to describe the feeling of trying to hit Soke, but missing) "I don't know how to describe it. It was like light refracting from many angles, blurring my vision. He just wasn't there."

(Another practitioner was also asked to describe the technique, and said) "I went to strike him, and Soke just wasn't there. He just vanished. Seriously, nothing was there." (To which, Soke added) "You must learn to disguise your actions and the use of your weapon in this way. All of you here visiting from abroad have a grave responsibility to learn these things and take them back with you."

"You must all respect each other. Never forget this."

"This technique can be done without weapons as well. If you wrench their skin after you grab them like this, it'll come right off. Just rip it right off if you need to. Don't hold back."

(After doing a technique whereby he strikes two people in a row with his jo without even looking, he says) "Did you notice that I managed to hit them both.... and without looking or aiming. This feeling is what you need to work to achieve."

"I know many people who have battled through much.... I would like to share a story with you. There is a chap in England, a former SAS member, who went into pub one day. There were no empty seats so he pulled out a grenade, removed the pin, and rolled it along the floor. The place went crazy and everyone made for the exits. He himself calmly walked up to the grenade, picked it up, and replaced the pin. He then sat down and had himself a drink..... There are many colorful characters around the world."

April 25 (Friday)
"True training in the Bujinkan will begin next year. Only after you understand the movement this year will you be able to understand the Biken. Everything I teach will be Biken starting next year. Shinden Fudo Ryu. . .everything."

"See if you can spot the differences in people's Taijutsu from different countries."

"You all have very good things to show. All of you."

"There are many tenth dans who are no good because they have stopped training.... This is not speaking badly of them. They need to understand this. You must never stop. 'Keep going!' (He said in affected English, making his point clear.)"

"Watch my feet. It is not the arms which are striking, it is the feet."

"You are not just randomly striking their leg. You are hitting here. (Whacks his uke, who collapses in pain.) It is a healing pressure point. That's why it hurts so much.... And if they don't fall down the first time, hit or kick it a second time. That'll bring 'em down." (Laughs)

"Once you get their hand like this, just wait. There's no need to do anything, unless they try to punch you. Then just snap their elbow here. It will pop very easily."

"This line from their far hand to your jo is very important. Please note this."

"This is the Koto Ryu way of using the jo."

"Don't reach for your jo until after you've started moving your feet. Your opponent will then have no idea what you are doing."

May 2 (Friday)
"Practice grabbing their jo at all three levels: above their hands, between them, and below them both."

"People who play are truly living life to its fullest. It is important to have fun.... Please have fun when you train."

"If you go through your training thinking that you got it, you'll become complacent, and never truly get good."

(Concerning a jo-on-jo technique) "This technique is equally effective against a sword attack. It will work like this. (Does the move) But there are times when the sword will split a jo like this in half. If that were to happen, then just stab them with it like this...."

"There were actual incidences in history of people who had a piece of bamboo or such and would hold it out in front of them in kamae so that their opponent would cut it. When their opponent obliged, the person with the bamboo would run their sword-wielding opponent through. Why do you think you rest it on your forearm in this kamae? This allows you to aim. You must understand how your weapons work, and then use them to your advantage."

"If your bamboo jo were cut here, you could actually retaliate with the razor sharp edge your opponent just gave you. You could slice someone pretty bad with a piece of bamboo in that situation."

"I am not teaching 'technology'; I am teaching 'the fighting spirit.'"

"You must learn how to move within the space around you."

"You must learn the 'kukan.' This is not the 'kan' which means 'space'; this is the character which means 'intuition' (as in 'sixth sense' or 'gut feeling'). You must have this 'intuition of space'."

(A practitioner speaks about being Soke's uke for a technique) "Yoshida-san (a frequent Soke uke) frequently makes this claim and I'm afraid I have to agree with him. I went to punch Soke and thought I was going to hit him. In fact, I truly thought that I had made contact. I really did. Only then, did I realize that I was being played with like a toy."

May 13 (Tuesday)
"Paris was really successful. Five hundred people representing some 26 different countries. There were 19 tenth dans there. It was really great training. I can safely say that the Bujinkan is now alright. So many good practitioners with good hearts. The bad apples aren't around anymore."

"Noguchi and I got onto the plane to return to Japan, and the flight attendant took my jacket for me. She asked, 'Are there any valuables in here, sir?' I laughed and said, 'Not even a thousand yen.' Used it all. Every last bit of money I had I used. Noguchi insisted I needed some Japanese sake. They had, what was it? Three types? Including a small micro-distiller. Ah, good stuff.... (Just Soke shooting the breeze, enjoying the simplicity of pleasure in life.)"

"And as you might think, the French countryside was absolutely beautiful. We saw objects of the first Impressionist painting period.... What can I say? It was wonderful."

"The Bujinkan doesn't need the Internet anymore. There are so many high-ranking, good practitioners out there. And they are teaching the true heart of the Bujinkan."

"Practice the move exactly as you were shown. You all are not moving in the same way. Here try it again."

"Doron (Navon), come here. Have a taste of this technique.... (After finishing, he added) Do you understand? (Doron merely grinned in reply)."

"This is meant to fake them out. Move as though you are going to shoot your jo right at them, but instead strike them like this."

"Never show your opponent how long your weapon it. Keep it angled and pointing in such a way that they cannot access its true length."

"Good! You are all moving as though you do not have a jo! Very good!"

"There is lots of room today, so let's do some throwing techniques. Be careful not to hurt anyone. (After a few minutes, one jo went into the overhead stands, and a few others bounced off the ceiling) Don't hit the ceiling! (Soke pleaded as he laughed) You might set off the sprinklers and rain us out!"

"This movement will bring out all your bad habits. You will see your worst habits when you try to do it. So practice hard to destroy those habits."

"This is Ninpo Taijutsu. You can only understand Ninpo Taijutsu by coming here."

"Let's work on Reverse Segan Kamae as well. They go to punch and you move here, like this."

"I know that I've told you about how ninja used to practice walking on ice while wearing geta. This is one way of learning this lightness of foot I'm trying to teach you.... They also occasionally would train doing handstands on ice with geta (on their hands), to teach them balance. You can also slide on all fours across ice like that as well."

"The Paris Taikai was a grand success. Today's practice was a grand success. That's all that needs saying."

May 16 (Friday)
"The Paris Taikai had over 500 people and 19 tenth dans made the trip. The Bujinkan is alright in my book."

"The more you practice, the more you will come to see these possibilities I am showing you."

"In a real situation, the environment will be different, everything will be different. You must be able to respond to those changes. Only then will you understand."

"Hey, fifth dan! (Addressing a recent exam passer) Get over here! I'll show you what I'm talking about. You understand, obviously. Your fifth dan test is testament to that fact."

"You must be able to quickly move from one technique to another."

"Don't do merely the technique I showed you. Feel free to do anything you want from today's theme, and explain anything needed an explanation."

"Only by coming here will you understand what I am teaching."

"If you don't understand this type of kyojutsu, you can never expect to understand self-defense."

"Don't hit them too hard in the arm here or they won't be able to draw their sword on you. There are times when you want to just break their arm, and there are times when you want to actually guide their hand to their weapon for them. Practice the latter at this time."

"There are many interesting ways of kicking. Let's watch what people come up with and learn from each other."

"It's very important to remember to bring your knees to your chest when kicking."

"To make this punch effective, you have to grip your hand very tightly. If you don't grip tightly, the punch will not work for this technique."

(To some zealous visitor) "Don't do this strike too hard. You could damage the nerves in that part of the arm. Go easy. We're practicing."

"Be careful with this. If you stomp too strongly, you will crush their kneecap on the ground."

June 6 (Friday)
"It's okay if you miss. You just have to be able to move into something else. A real fight is never perfect, so don't insist on being so yourself. Otherwise you will find yourself in real danger."

"To do this, it's essential to know your distancing... and the length of your 'stick.' (The laughter following this statement revealed its Freudian implications as well.)"

"The easiest is always the most difficult."

(Nagase-sensei speaking of Soke) "When most people do techniques, it is easy to anticipate how they will move based upon what they've done before. But with Soke, I never know what he's going to do next." (To which Soke added,) "That's because I have never decided in advance what I'm going to do next.... As you could see, I never once put 'a technique' on Nagase. (He just kinda enveloped him instead.)"

"It is a good idea to listen to Doron (Navon). He has used Taijutsu in real combat."

"I am a bad teacher (In the sense that Soke doesn't break things down and analyze them for you). That is why it is important to also work with a teacher like Doron who can see such things. Many times Doron and teachers like him pick up more of what I'm teaching than I recognize myself.... And if you train hard, you too can get as good as they are."

"The first thing you must do is keep your distance and evaluate your opponent. Watch his footwork to assess the situation before you act. All martial arts, like boxing and karate, have their own way of moving. You must not have only eyes for the art of the Bujinkan. You must have eyes for other martial arts. Otherwise, you will not be able to handle them."

"The second punch is actually a counter. They must feel threatened so they want to counter."

"You are all very good at techniques. So I will not show you techniques."

"You are not just sliding your hand. You are actually re-gripping your jo. Re-grip it."

June10 (Tuesday)
"The New Jersey Tai Kai is coming up in July, and we expect about five hundred people to attend, including a good number of Shihan from Europe."

"No. Don't hit them with your jo here. That is just following the most obvious path. You need to set yourself up so you can do anything, and they can't tell what you're going to do."

"People who study other martial arts, for example, Gracie Jujutsu, which has gained a lot of popularity recently, are doing techniques that can be seen. What I am teaching cannot be seen."

"The New Jersey Tai Kai should be interesting. A few Shihan from Japan will also be coming along. It will be a good time for people to compare their Taijutsu with that of people who train here in Japan."

(After being frustrated with the lack of strength Soke used and the obvious over-use of strength by myself, Soke came over and addressed my anxiety) "This technique is 'Lovely tender.'" ("Lovely tender?" I asked, not sure if I heard him correctly.) "Yeah. You know, the song...." ("The song?" After a quizzical look, he proceeded to serenade me) 'Love me tender. Love me true.'" (We smiled at each other, then he walks away singing to himself, leaving me to fight with my uke...and myself.)

"If you stop to think about it, getting out of the way of the sword when it drops during the fifth dan test is no big deal. It's only natural. Attaining fifth dan is only just passing; it's only 60% of the total."

"So long as you get that minimum 60% needed to pass, the other 40% doesn't really matter, now, does it? The 40% is what you are free to experiment with. Regardless of whether you get a higher score (70%, 80%, etc.) you still would have passed with the sixty. I myself am perfectly content with only the 60%."

"As a teacher, if you have ten students, and only six of them are able to get what you are teaching, it is only natural. And if you are one of the four who fail at first, all you need do is keep at it, and you may, in fact, surpass the six who got it first. Einstein and Freud are two such instances of such geniuses who originally had never been very scholastically remarkable, but ended up surpassing everyone."

"Failure is natural."

"In Japan, we have a saying that states 'Failure is the key to success.'"

"There was a famous Zen master (Sorry, I can't recall his name) whom people would seek out to become enlightened. He was strict and would occupy people with things having nothing to do with seeking enlightenment. You see, that is the only way to achieve enlightenment; by not focusing on achieving it. Then, one day, it will just come to you."

"Anyone who claims to be enlightened is mentally unbalanced. (Perhaps because someone who was truly enlightened would never boast about anything so mundane as having done so.... Well, it's just a thought. :-)"

"I am teaching 'fudoshin' (the immovable heart)."

"When Takamatsu-sensei first began teaching me, he was, in fact, teaching me the entirety."

"Understanding this movement is directly related to understanding Budo Taijustu. And if you can understand this, you can understand Ninpo Taijutsu. That is why I call the art Budo Taijutsu."

"If you call our art Ninpo Taijutsu, then things turn into a circus.... There are so many people around the world who are fresh out of the circus. I hope they soon understand that they are merely circus performers, and come back to train."

"Don't try to trap them with your hands, trap them in your wave."

"You are never static. You must move your feet."

"As soon as they hit your staff, don't just stand there. Create a wave and have it carry you, to evade one direction or the other."

"You must twist your spine as you move your feet to properly escape."

"The jo is actually a very weak weapon. But if you can use it in this way, it becomes very powerful."

"Distancing is vitally important. You are not too far in, and not too far away. Practice your distancing."

"Don't forget that you should all be practicing on your own time as well. Work with each other and teach each other. As well, the Hombu Dojo should be finished by September. Just so you know, you can rent a room (at this temple/shrine) nearby for only about seven or eight thousand yen a night. And up to six people can stay there. Please feel free to utilize it. I hope to see many people coming here from abroad to train at Hombu once it's finished."

"Starting next year, I hope to bring people together, to bring more people into the Bujinkan. I want everyone to recognize how truly simple Taijutsu is.... Everyone is so colorful now. Basically, anything goes. We need to think of ways to make things more colorful. Let me know if you have any ideas about what we should do in the future."

June 13 (Friday)
"You need to put your 'ki' into it. It's not just technique. It's spirit." (Upon hearing this, my partner took up training with new vigor. Soke turned and pointed.) "That's it! That's what I'm talking about. Very good."

"From your knee here, you are not punching straight. You need to punch up under their diaphragm. Use your middle knuckle to get more depth."

"You are not just hitting with your palm heel beneath the chin. You may not necessarily be able to knock them down if you do that. You must strike with your whole body like this."

"This grip should be like arm wrestling, but you don't use arm strength to throw them. (Tosses his uke like a doll) Never let them go. Take everything if you got it, even their fingers (Slide his foot over until it buckles his fallen uke's fingers, then proceeds to step on them.)"

"You want to remove all the air that surrounds your opponent. Create an air-pocket that they will trap themselves in."

"For this one, you actually want them to make contact with your weapon. This will give your weapon motion that you can use back against them."

June 17 (Tuesday)
"Turn your technique into the wind."

"Watch carefully, everyone. Because I'm really not very good at explaining what I am doing. First you move here. Then you can take the arm here when you move forward. Then you have mussha doori here. Do you see? (Let me just add that I don't think anyone knew how he managed to do what he did. After seeing us try and try again, but fail to understand that technique (he actually showed us three or four times in a row, but to no avail) he decided to work on some easier Tai Sabaki practice. I'll probably be working on that technique for the rest of my life.)"

"Every person is different, so your ability to get any one technique on them will vary as well. You just have to make due with what you have."

"By studying this move, you will come to understand the dynamics of kicking."

"Keep your elbow in when you do Segan, then to thrust, extend your arm as you put your whole body into it."

"This is like playing music. You can play just individual notes if you want, but to create beautiful, fluid music you have to perform with your entire body, with your everything."

(Concerning a two-on-one technique) "This technique will teach you how to move your body."

(Concerning a two-on-one technique) "Don't try to do everything yourself. You are part of a team, so learn to work together, to anticipate each other's intentions and actions."

(After Nakadai-sensei did a fine job of escaping several traps, Soke grabbed the end of two jos and called for Noguchi-sensei to grab the other end.) "Okay, Nakadai." (He laughed as he called the ill-fated uke out to prove his stuff. Nakadai-sensei never once was able to escape with those two working in unison against him.)

"This way of turning sideways is characteristic of Gikan Ryu."

"No! (says Soke, sternly correcting a visitor with a bad habit of using too much strength) No strength!"

"For this technique, you want to make sure to knee the kyusho located here. It's called the Saino Kyusho."

"Sometimes if your opponent is big, he will not go down with the first punch. It sometimes happens to me when I have to punch one of those big military guys like they had in Holland. I'm an old man, you know. So you need to strike the same place several times in a row. Hit them a couple of times, then knee them in the same place, then kick them and then finally kneel on it. They'll get the message."

"What I was teaching today was very fundamental, but very important."

"You all had a very aerobic exercise today. Please try to work as hard and sweat as much every time you practice."

June 20 (Friday)
"I have noticed that when I try to explain what Budo Taijutsu is, many foreigners have trouble comprehending. I have had much more success getting across the meaning by explaining it was 'Knight Taijutsu.'"

"The feet are the same as the hands." (Spoke after cupping the back of his uke's head with one foot, while pretending to break his uke's neck with the other foot on the chin.)

(Said while laying on his jo, which pinned his uke to the ground painfully.) "Remember: If you are wearing 'do' (torso armor) then it will not hurt you to lie on your jo like this. Please try to understand how this technique would change when wearing backpacks, jackets, etc. Please practice in this way."

"I am covering him completely, taking everything from him and giving him no way to escape. (Spoken while lying on his back, with his feet completely disabling his uke)"

"This is wrapping practice. (Yeah, wrapping people around wooden sticks practice.)"

"This technique works exactly the same with a sword."

"Try all of these angles (4:00, 6:00, and 8:00) from the ground."

"I am hitting in many ways that cannot be seen easily. Come here and look. He knows (referring to his uke), but you may not. I am punching him here, before punching him here."

"Experiment with various ways of punching. Here's one to try. Be careful; it hurts."

June 27 (Friday)
"I have finished six new videos. Three are on the sword techniques of last year, and the other three are from foreign Taikai."

"When you put a weapon in someone's hands, you can quickly see how good or bad their Taijutsu is. There are plenty of people who can move well without anything in their hands, but put something in their hands, and their bad habits become magnified.... For all of you who teach, it is important that you make your students train with weapons. That way you can improve not only them, but yourself as well."

"Make your techniques ride the wind."

"Note that when I do a technique such as this, I have never really decided what I am going to do. So there is no way to read my movements beforehand."

"In this situation, hit into the kyusho located on their far shoulder. Here. (Bam!) It will not only render their arm useless, but it may knock them to the ground."

(Soke held his jo perpendicular to the ground and draped a jacket over the top of his hand. He then placed his other hand on top of the jacket and held it up about a foot above the top of the jo, but low enough so that you couldn't see the true height of the weapon.) "If you cover your weapon like this, they won't be able to tell how long your weapon really is.... Of course, you need to sway the part you are holding so it looks natural when you walk. Otherwise, they won't be fooled. (I swear his four foot stick appeared to be able six-feet long! It was a really cool example of kyojutsu.)

(Soke held his jo with his right hand about a foot off the tip. He then placed the handles of a shopping bag over the jo so they rested on his hand. He then had his uke tried to attack him and the poor sap got beat up with a flailing shopping bag attack. It was humorous, but insightful. Anything CAN be a weapon.) "This bag is empty so it falls straight to the ground. Remember how the physics would change if the bag were full, or if the bag were a bucket of water, for example."

"You should use this opportunity to practice your ukemi."

"Anything goes today. Do anything you want to do. (Let's just say that things get a little crazy, but innovative. It was a living Taijutsu brainstorming session.)

(After someone did a technique wherein he threw his glasses at his opponent's face) "Very good. Throwing glasses in that way is a type of atemi-waza."

"It is growing increasingly hot as mid-summer approaches so please make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Feel free to go and get a drink right now if you want. In Israel, where it is really hot, it is not uncommon to see people walking down the street drinking out of bottles of water. It gets so hot sometimes, you could fry eggs on the sidewalk."

(After someone made firm contact with their uke's jo, sweeping it out of the way) "It certainly feels good when you make a good sound with your weapon, doesn't it?"

(Concerning someone's Tai Sabaki versus an attack) "Interesting.... A technique that was not really a technique."

Ben's email address has changed. He can be reached at 6551312@tmail.toyota.co.jp

Well, it is now already September and that means that only three more months of the jo remain. Soke was right when he said that things are endless and that he never teaches the same thing twice. Nine months into the jo and he is still teaching fresh techniques--all of which are intended to teach us to move our bodies, something we all thought we could do before we came here....

As well, things have been buzzing with the opening of the Hombu Dojo in the near future. Soke hopes that the Hombu dojo will increase the opportunity for training, and that more and more people will come to Japan to do so. I, too, hope to see you here in the near future.

May all your choices be good ones.— Ben

This is a collection of quotations made by Masaaki Hatsumi-sensei during practice sessions at Ayase, as recorded in my training diary. In response to the feedback I received for my first submissions, I have decided to provide installments of these quotes every three months. As for the content, I try to remember the general flow of the training sessions when I record my thoughts, because, as Hatsumi-sensei once said, “I teach from what I see around me.” I have tried keep these quotes in essentially the same order as they were made during the training session, but naturally memory does play its tricks. These are my interpretations as to what Hatsumi-sensei was saying, based upon my feelings at the time. They should not be viewed as verbatim nor as “official.” Words in parentheses are my comments, most of which are for clarification.

July 1 (Tuesday)
"The Hombu Dojo will be ready to open in August."

"I have just finished six new videos. The first three are from the 1996 Daikomyosai, and feature the Dai, Sho, Tachi and Ken of last year. The other three are of overseas Taikais, namely, Tuscon, Washington, and Chester."

"I have plans to release even more videos so you all can come to recognize the feeling I am trying to teach, and can thus work to attain it yourself. I will release videos depicting from first to fourth dans, as well as one solely on 'ken.'"

"I would like to use the opportunity of the opening of the Hombu Dojo to allow you all to get a taste of true Taijutsu on an individual basis."

"Today will build off of practice yesterday at Noguchi Dojo. Today is Jumonji.... Noguchi, teach!"

"That's too much to remember so let's work on just the first strike. Make sure to attack a specific target. There are several on the head. One lateral blow above the ears, one to the ear, one to the temple, one to the kyusho here in the cheek. Practice aiming to hit one of these four kyusho."

"If you miss, just come back at them like this. (Whacks his uke HARD). Use your body. It's like hitting a home-run in baseball. Use your body, not just your arms."

"This is not an uppercut. You have to be here, to the side. Then, use your entire body to strike like this. You will knock your jo into their arm as you strike them in the chin. Use your entire body."

"Don't just take one point, take their entirety."

"Is there anyone here who can do this technique?" (There were only two comers, and neither did it properly. Soke then began calling on people and demanding they try. No one could get it.) "I realize it is difficult, but you must try."

"You are taking things that aren't really being taken.

"You are not taking things with your hands. You are taking things with your feet."

"Of course, if you do this, your jo is going to come free. That is why you must bring their arm in and press it to your body. That way, when you move your feet, they come with you. Don't take things with your hands. Take them with your feet."

"Don't use your hands to grab your opponent's limbs. Your hands can be 'read.' Use your feet. If you use your feet in this way, then things will just come your way and the techniques will be there."

"If all you learn is to take things with your feet (by moving your body) then that will be enough."

(After someone did a very skilled maneuver) "There are very few people who can do Tai Sabaki-gata properly. You just saw an excellent example of it."

"I am now going to teach sitting practice."

(From the knees, when bowing to someone) "Pretend to be moving back like this, but actually prepare your weapon for use. This is kyojutsu. If you just reached for your weapon and initiated an attack, then your opponent could readily defend himself or escape. Use kyojutsu whenever possible to get the advantage."

"You must time your bow and your attack with your opponent's bow. If they bow, then lift their head up, then it is too late to initiate your attack. (Laughs) You must get your timing correct."

(Concerning a technique by which you trap your opponent's hands on the ground while bowing to each other) "If you miss them with this one because they looked up before you could trap their hands, just whack 'em in the head like before."

"Don't be taken in by judo-like ukemi on this one. When they go to trap your hands like this, remember the movement of judo ukemi, which will free your hands here, and allow you to roll."

July 8 (Tuesday)
"I have finished six videos so far this year. Three are on the sword Biken of last year and the other three are from the Tuscon, Washington, and Chester Taikais.... You can also get a hold of copies of the foreign Taikais directly from the sponsors. And I would highly recommend you do so, that way you can see how other people around the world are training."

"The Hombu dojo should be finished in August."

(After giving us about 10 seconds on the first technique) "I'm fast today. Try to keep up. (He then went on to show the next technique. The entire session had about twice as many techniques as a normal practice. When he does that, he usually intends to not let people remember the techniques, but rather the feeling of the practice, something he always repeats to us, but we so soon forget.)"

"If there was something attached to the tip of your jo when you did this, it would be very effective. A shikomi, for example, would fly straight out. If you don't study and understand this way of striking, how could you possible use something like a shikomi? I will say it now. The weapons of ninjutsu do not come easily. You must train in this way to be able to truly use them."

"By learning this movement, you will come to understand how to cut with a ken."

"There are specific ways to strike with the jo. Please learn them. One is with your hands near the top like this. This will whip (Cracks his poor uke) and may even bend around their defenses. (He then hopped a little and his jo whipped over the top of his uke's braced jo and whacked him square in the head.) The second way is when your hands are further apart like this; you must thrust in with the body like this. You must learn both of these ways of striking."

"When you have a jo in your hands, don't forget you have other limbs." (Punches his opponent.) You can also kick, if you like."

"This is not an uppercut. This is striking with your entire body into their entire body."

"It doesn't matter if their strike grazes you here, because you are in a more advantageous position."

"Good. Now that you are familiar with a counter to mussha doori, let's move on to another kihon.... Okay. Here. Take Ura Gyaku on me. (Offers his arm freely to his uke, who reluctantly takes it and tries to apply the technique. For obvious reasons, it doesn't work, folks. The poor guy gets thrown this way and that for a good two minutes of Soke playtime.)

"Okay. They take your hand. As soon as they go to apply Ura Gyaku, put the back of your hand against your forehead like this. This will prevent them from finishing the technique. (It was strange, but it worked surprisingly well)."

July 11 (Friday)
"Don't use your arms to apply Hongyaku. If you have it locked in place and only use your arms to try to apply pressure, it will change into something else. But if you have Hongyaku in place and instead bend your knees to lower your body, the Hongyaku will stay intact and be devastatingly effective."

"Today is learning how to tie people up with your jo."

"If you don't do this, you are not an artisan, but a mere laborer."

July 15 (Tuesday)
"This technique is good for learning proper distance."

"Please remember to push your jo into the ground like this so that they cannot kick you."

"You don't have your hand just laying on top like this. You are pressing down like this. You can also use your foot to brace the jo against a kick as well."

"You are not kicking correctly. If you can bring your knee to your chest like this, then your kick will just naturally fly up. Don't tilt your head like this. Just bring your knee up."

"Don't use your arms to try to get the armlock. Instead, use your feet like this."

"When you move into position here, put yourself in such a way that they cannot do anything to you. It's like when a cat traps a mouse and plays with it. On occasion, the mouse will bite the cat back in self-defense (Kyusou neko o kamu). Don't leave them an opening for them to 'bite' you."

"You must learn to use the jo as if you don't have it. That way they won't be able to anticipate what you are going to do."

"Don't become good by remembering techniques. Become good by not remembering them. That way your martial arts will come out in a real situation, and you will be victorious."

"In a real battle, you do not have time to recall techniques. Your reaction time would be much too slow. Train so as to not interfere with your natural reactions."

"You must have good Taijutsu to do this."

"From here, your ability to kick the jo straight into their groin depends on your positioning from your last move."

(After nailing his uke who did not anticipate a groin attack, Soke laughed,) "Are you okay?" (No answer) "Are you okay?" (Still, no answer. The victim bends over in pain, unable to answer. Soke walks over and begins hammering the poor guy's lower back to resettle his family jewels. After a few seconds, the guy looks up, smiles, and says, "I'm okay." Soke pans the room and with a giant smile, reminds us,) "Be careful !!!"

(Through a practitioner) "Soke asked me to share this with you. Perhaps you noticed, but when Nakadai-sensei did his second punch, he did so without stepping forward. But when Yabunaka-san did his second punch, he stepped forward. In both cases, however, Soke was positioned correctly so the jo had a straight line into the groin. In neither case did it hit the leg, regardless of whether his uke stepped forward or not. Please learn from this."

"The final outcome of a technique will depend on the exact circumstances at the very instant the technique is applied. But those circumstances are always different and always changing. As a result, it is impossible to do a technique exactly as I have done unless similar circumstances exist, and many times they won't. Therefore, please do a technique embodying the principle that I am teaching today. It does not have to be exactly the same."

"What if you cannot strike the striking arm because they retract their arm, like a boxer would with a jab? (Kicks his jo into his uke, and then pummels him to the ground.) Use your Taijutsu freely."

"Just because you strike someone, doesn't mean that it has affected them. That is why it is so important you keep going and not stop. If you stop after hitting someone once in a real battle, it could be very dangerous to you. Please keep moving, even if you miss your technique."

"Don't stop after you succeed in hitting them once. Control them, and don't let them get away from you.... Wrap them up like this."

"The jo is just like the naginata...."

"The jo is a very real object. And when you have one in your hands, you tend to forget that you have other limbs with which to punch and kick. Learn to use the jo as just another part of your body."

July 25 (Friday)
"Is there a translator here today? Okay, good.... There were around 700 people at the New Jersey Taikai... Many high level people. Many very good people. As a result, I can say that America is truly alright."

"Among the many participants were the author of the book 'Mental Judo' and several high ranking law enforcement officials.... The governor of New Jersey also came to the Taikai. He's evidently going to be running for President in the next election. He came to present a Certificate of Appreciation to me... There were many such high level people there."

"There was a Dr. Humphrey, who unfortunately died of cancer on the first day of the Taikai. Although he was not able to be there with us, we had a chance to watch some of his videos, and learn a lot from him as a result."

"Everything (at the Taikai) was recorded on video and will be available in the future. The French Taikai video was over four and a half hours long."

"There was also a reporter from Black Belt magazine. He was surprised by the number of attendees, and by the fact that no one got hurt.... Although most people who read such martial arts magazines are very low level martial artists, there are many learned and respected doctors and teachers who are equally widely-read in this day and age."

"There are essentially five variations of this Jumonji Kata. During the three days of Taikai, however, I only got through the first three.... When Andrew (Young) and the others get back, they shall be very surprised by what they see here."

"Just don't go through the movements here. You have to have something behind the strike. Really try to make it have the feeling of real combat (Jissen). The uke should just keep their distance and hop back as they give you a target with their jo like this."

"If this were a sword, you would be trying to cut with this few inches of the tip. The same goes with the jo. Ultimately, you want to train to strike with the top few inches of your jo.... As a result, you will have to watch your distance, and adjust yourself."

"If your opponent hops in to strike you, you can evade in much the same way. (Does so)."

"Do this without the jo, but with a shuto."

"Noguchi did this technique to a huge military guy from Sweden without him knowing it. And Noguchi is such a teeny guy.... He brought the man down with one blow. That's how effective it can be."

"The person on the defensive must also practice his defensive positioning."

"You are not trying to take their arm with your arm. You are moving in with your feet and the arm is just there."

"Don't try to apply a technique. Just move naturally and the technique will be there."

"This is not about how many techniques you can count. This is about natural movement. Collecting and counting techniques is childish--plain and simple."

"It's like what I've said before. Once you reach fifth dan, you must be willing to discard your Kihon--discard your set ways. If you cannot throw away your fundamentals, you are throwing away your life. You must find what's natural."

"Don't just stand there and try to block the punch with your jo straight on. Move out of the way with your feet and the jo block will become very light."

"If you don't have the first movement down, you cannot go any further. Please make sure you are moving out of the way with your feet."

"If you try to use the jo, you will be no good. Just move with Taijutsu as if you don't have the jo, and it will come alive."

"Don't be thinking about what techniques you are going to apply. Don't be thinking about what to do next. It's like life. Be free. Be natural."

"If your Ganseki isn't working, you need to be free enough to move your own arm and change the center of balance. You can press on the back of their armpit here with your elbow to inflict pain, or on the back of their tricep. That hurts too. Or even move up to their forearm. This is training to learn how to change the center of balance."

(To a group of three practitioners after everyone in the room finished their two-on-one Taijutsu techniques) "Okay. Now go out and do the same thing, but this time with a jo in your hand."

"The jo is a 'thing'. And when you have 'things', you tend to be preoccupied with them. Money, whatever, it's all the same. These 'things' can lead you astray. You must not lose your way because of them."

"Everyone experiment with this movement. Play!"

"This is the principle of leverage."

July 29 (Tuesday)
"Please talk about the Taikai."

"Bud (Malmstrom), would you share your opinion of the Taikai with everyone." (Bud responded by saying that he felt it acted as a means to build a bridge between America and the Europe, and that the presence of so many Europeans at the Taikai had been very positive. This comment became part of Soke's focus for the day.) "It is very important as part of the Bujinkan to have an international attitude. Such an attitude is important in your overall development. In this sense, the Japanese practitioners particularly need to adopt a more international outlook. If they don't, their progress will be slowed.... Please think about these things.... A dojo is a place of self-reflection and confession."

"Let's move on to Jumonji kata. I only got through the first three (of five) variations of this technique at the Taikai. We still have four and five to go.... Noguchi, teach!" (Before Noguchi-sensei could get into the technique,though, Soke interrupted and decided to work on the building blocks of this technique: Ihen no kata.) "Ihen no kata is just as its name states--an unforeseen occurrence or change. Such things happen all the time in this world. And you need to apply that feeling to the use of this technique."

"You are not merely flailing around your jo. You are trying to strike a certain point--a weak point--on your opponent's body. If you are further away, adjust your hands like this so you can strike with the end of your jo. If you are this close (stands right in front of his uke), you need to adjust in this way. (Moves his hand down toward the middle of his jo, then whacks his uke in the side of the head.) He won't see it coming and certainly wouldn't expect such an attack from this distance. It will just sneak right in there. Use this time to understand distancing."

"I am not just putting my jo out in front of my uke. I am holding him in place here (without touching him). He cannot move. (He asks his frozen uke) Can you? (The uke shakes his head) Can you punch or kick from there? (Once again no, despite Soke's proximity) You must learn to use the 'kukan' (space) like this."

"If you don't have the correct distance, if you don't use your knees, if you don't twist your spine, if you don't use ashi sabaki (foot movement)--you are doing it WRONG!"

"This is why I insist that you discard your fundamentals (Kihon) once you become a fifth dan. Otherwise you will not be able to find this feeling. Unfortunately, there are still many teachers around the world who do not recognize this. You must be willing to discard your Kihon. If you cannot, you will remain a child for the rest of your life. Those who remain stingy (with their techniques) will suffer as a result of it."

"Feel free to switch hands and move in or out. Please play with this and see what you can discover."

"I feel sorry for you, Bud. I spent the entire Taikai saying these things to you, and here you are in Japan to train, and I am just repeating the same things again...." (To which, Bud answered, "That's perfectly alright," in Japanese--much to Sensei's delight.)

"Practice moving your jo with your foot (by resting the end on the top of your foot)."

(After moving out of the way when his uke came in to punch from behind, Soke commented) "Did you notice that I didn't look at him when he punched. If you need to look, you can't very well be a Soke then, can you?... (He states, making it sound like anyone can become one). This is very important. I want you all to get this feeling. You must learn how to read the wind like this, and respond accordingly.... Bud, please tell everyone a story about this happening." (Bud assumed he meant the time Soke instructed Stephen Hayes to punch at him from behind, then moved out of the way right when the fist came. After the story was finished, and then translated into Japanese for Soke, he added,) This is a very important point. When was that, some 16 years ago or so? (Bud nods) There are people here in Japan who have been training with me for that long, but still don't get this point. I am not picking on them now by saying this.... And it is not something that can be taught. You must find this yourself."

"I am not teaching you techniques. I am teaching you this feeling. I am teaching you to recognize your own bad habits, and discard them."

"This is not a study of just one technique, this is a study of the entirety."

"Bud, can you show the three-person sitting technique that we did at the Taikai?"

(Concerning a sitting three person technique) "It doesn't matter where you are sitting. Or whether they are close to you or far. It is the same technique."

(Concerning a sitting three person technique) "The reason why I am having you work on this technique is so you cannot use strength. Experiment with your natural movement and beautiful things will be born."

(Concerning a man who pulled his female uke's hair) "Many men would never think of pulling a woman's hair like that. That is why you can sneak it in and use it advantageously."

(Concerning a sitting three person technique) "Don't discuss among yourselves who will do what when you demonstrate this technique. The best will end up on top.... (The only woman in the group won decisively. Soke laugh and clapped at what he had just seen, adding,) Wonderful! Who would have guessed it would be her!?!"

(Concerning a standing three person technique) "The punchline of this technique is that you are grabbing their hands."

(Concerning a standing three person technique) "Don't forget to use your elbows as well. One, two. It is very important to get these first movements down. Then from there, it is just your spine and legs that throw them."

(To a practitioner who stopped when his uke did something unexpected) "Don't stop! It's like life. You just can't stop because things didn't go your way."

"With both Don (Wachsman) and Bud (Malmstrom) here, I would like to work on getting this feeling across. That way you can carry it back to your own countries."

"You've got to have the 'Bushin'. (When the translator looked a little confused with his play on words, he added) It is like the saying 'You've got to have harmony.' (There is a saying here in Japan that reads, 'Wa o motte toutoshi to nasu.' It basically means that you have to have harmony with others. Soke replaced the first word of harmony with the word 'Bushin', the first two characters of 'Bujinkan,' which mean 'Martial Spirit.')"

"You must get in a position that covers all of your openings, yet entraps them in theirs."

"This is like going on a trip to the moon.... (After a few confused faces as to what exactly he meant) I am not talking about the word 'moon' here as you might believe. I am talking about the word which means 'luck'. This movement will carry you to luck--to naturalness.... That is why it is very difficult to translate what I say.... That's why I take Ben (Jones) along (to the Taikais). But even then, there are many mistakes in translating. Even for a genius, such as himself."

"Who has training on Monday? ... Tuesday? ... Wednesday? ... Thursday? .... Friday? Oh, that's me! (Laughs)... Saturday? ... Sunday? ... Monday? ... Please go to these dojos and train on your own.

August 1 (Friday)
"There were over 650 people at the U.S. Taikai, including many high ranking and high level people. There are many learned professors and leaders around the world who are familiar with the Bujinkan and its teachings.... Translation, please."

"When someone grabs you like this, you must immediately choose a direction and move to it, making sure to keep your elbow close to your body. Then from there, simply lift your hand behind your head like this and you get Gyaku on them here. Then just move your feet."

"If you use strength, you cannot get this technique to work. In fact, by using strength, you would be giving your opponent something to use against you. But because you are not using any for this, they cannot react."

"This keeping your elbow in is very similar to the way they move in the Karate kata 'Sanshin.' If you can recognize such principles at work (despite the art's name), then you are a true martial artist."

"Please remember that every person is different. The way they grab your jo, the amount of strength they use, their idiosyncrasies--all these things will change the way the technique works. The principle of the technique, however, will not change."

"This is the principle of leverage."

(Bud Malmstrom was part of a two-man uke team supposed to attack a lone tori. The tori managed to rid himself of one uke, but Bud, in a fine display of Taihenjutsu, despite being thrown and having to roll away, kept a hold of his victim and then kept attacking after regaining his feet. Everyone watching laughed and clapped at the unexpected outcome (After all, the tori is SUPPOSED to win, isn't he/she?) Soke was thinking other things at the sight...) "Don't laugh! Bud was able to do that because you (Speaking to the tori) had an opening, and he exploited it. You would be dead. Think about that as you continue training. (The room grew solemn, as the gravity of Soke's admonishment made us all think twice about the consequences of our training.... Yes, he truly would have been dead.)

"Don't go trying to take their arm. Try to catch it by moving with them. Move your feet to catch their arm."

(As a test of ability, Soke called out a visiting teacher from Europe and said) "Do five or six different variations of the technique I just showed."

(After a fine demonstration) "That was a very good example of Taijutsu. Please learn from this movement."

"You are all becoming very good. You could all survive a real battle with what you know now. Please have more confidence in your abilities."

"Everything is different, but everything is the same. Please try to find this commonality in all the movements of our art. This technique could be applied equally effectively with a gun, shuriken, sword...whatever. It's all the same."

"You must be looking directly to the side for this technique. Otherwise, your elbow will not be able to break their floating ribs here. (Whack!)"

"If you can find this 'feeling' within yourself, then beautiful things will be born. But if you are stuck in your mediocrity (and ignore 'the feeling'), everything will be for naught."

(After a practitioner kept at a technique when it was clear it wasn't going to work) "If your technique is not working, then give it up and do something else. Otherwise, you'll just end up getting your butt kicked."

"Please focus on the feeling of your fingertips. (After a few puzzled looks, Soke showed a technique so subtle that you had to know where each fingertip was and what it was doing.) THIS is what I meant by the feeling of your fingertips."

"If you can do this with Taijutsu, you can do this with a jo."

(A frequent uke of Soke speaks) "Whenever I am Soke's uke, I feel like I am just being tossed around. Rather than punching him, I am punching an air pocket that he's created that just carries me... and throws me."

August 12 (Tuesday)
"Practice just this first move."

"This technique is difficult because it is so easy. (Laughs) "

"You are making them feel as though they can hit you. But you are actually creating an air pocket for them to punch into, and from which they will not be able to remove their arm."

(Soke's uke speaks) "I really thought that I was punching Soke, but instead I found my hand trapped, and I couldn't pull it out."

"Distancing is very important."

(A practitioner commenting on a conversation held with Soke) "When Soke first showed you this technique, whereby your hand comes to their face, it worked fine. Now that he just showed that you can employ pokes, scratches, and pinching, everyone assumes that they HAVE to do so every time, when that is not the case at all. He was just showing you a possibility. If it's there, then you can take it. But don't go looking to do it, or you'll forget to move your body, which is the principle of what he is trying to teach here."

"Here. I have shown you three techniques. Practice each one."

(Soke calls out a teacher and tells him to do the three henka he just taught. The man obliges.) "Now, put down your jo and do them with Taijutsu."

"I am not teaching techniques. I am teaching you this feeling.... This is what I want you to take back to your home countries."

"Notice that I am holding everything with my two arms here. It is like when you carry a large fish, or cradle a dog or some other animal that will tend to squirm. You must make sure to hold it entirely or may fall out of your arms. I am teaching you a way of holding so that your opponent cannot squirm away."

"Whether it is with a sword, a fist, a jo, or whatever, I am trying to teach you how to control your opponents. If you can't do so, then you may find yourself being controlled by others."

"I am holding him here without having to use my hands. It's important to keep your hands free so you can grab weapons and so forth." (Soke had tied up his uke and had him precariously balanced. Right before his uke fell, Soke let him use his front arms to take front uke) "Let them go if it suits your needs." (He then placed his foot on the back of his uke's neck and pretended to break it by putting his weight on it) "From here, just break their neck." (After letting the uke up, Soke asked him to speak.) "Soke had me in a very dangerous position. If he had let me fall without giving me the opportunity to take ukemi, I would have fallen flat on my face and broken my arms at the same time (Believe me, what he is saying is totally true.) But instead, he let me free my arms enough right before impact so I could keep my face from hitting the floor." (To which, Soke added,) "Exactly! You want to make them think they're safe, when actually you are setting them up for an even more dangerous fall.... This is kyojutsu."

"This is like a cat toying with its prey--batting it about."

"What I am teaching you is how to control your opponent, but you need to understand this point yourself. So even if you can do the technique, if you don't know that you are doing it, you are actually doing Kyojutsu Tenkai on yourself."

"I've said this before concerning the roku-shaku bo, yari, naginata, ken, and now the jo, that I am teaching you how to move your body. When you understand this point, you are ready to move into the Happo Biken, which we will begin next year.... There is no way I could have just begun with the Happo Biken; it would have been a waste of time."

"A lot of people think that if they throw shuriken, they are doing Ninjutsu. It is only when you can do the Happo Biken that you are doing Ninjustu."

"A lot of people think that because they have a yari in their hands, they can use a yari. A lot of people think that because they have a jo in their hands, they can use a jo. A lot of people think that because they have nothing in their hands, they can do Taijutsu. When that is not true at all."

"You could do this technique using "Doron-doron" or with the kuji that I cut before every class. ("Doron-doron" is the onomatopoeia for whafting smoke in Japanese, and has come to characterize Ninjutsu in the eyes of the average Japanese person. Animation featuring ninjutsu usually include a scene of a ninja cutting 'kuji', saying the phrase "Doron-doron" and then disappearing in a puff of smoke. Speaking personally, I have never met a Japanese person who did not know the connection between "Doron-doron" and Ninjutsu. This is an interesting piece of trivia seeing how Soke's first foreign student turned out to be named Doron, as well.)

"You catch their hand here as if catching a baseball (i.e. giving a little upon impact to reduce damage to your hand)"

"Each person is different, so please note the differences in my Taijutsu. I can do this one handed here with this person, but I used both hands earlier."

"There is a tendency for people to want to grab with their hands. If you need to do so, use them like when your opponent tries to counter, such as here, and drop them."

"Please practice doing this technique so your balance it good enough that can lift one of your feet off the ground. This will allow you to hop in any direction."

August 26 (Tuesday)
"The Hombu Dojo is now finished, and thanks to Shiraishi-sensei's help, now has a heat/air conditioning system. We haven't thrown the switch just yet, so please look forward to comfortable training...next summer. (Everyone laughs)."

"The Japan Taikai will be from November 20-22. Both preceding and following the Taikai, we will be making the finishing touches on the Hombu Dojo, with the sign and interior decorations being finished around that time."

"The Bujinkan has begun receiving recognition among celebrities, politicians, and other such opinion leaders here in Japan. I hope to be meeting with Prime Minister Hashimoto at some point in the future. Is there anything you want me to tell him for you? (Laughs) From this point forward, I hope to create an even more respected Bujinkan."

"Remember that the jo is solid and that if you kick into it with your knee with this technique, you could damage your patella. Please just apply pressure with your knee to take them down; don't go striking your jo hard, or your could hurt yourself."

"Once you have the armbar, move the jo back and forth across the back of their elbow like this to inflict pain. Really rub it in, before your break it."

"Use the force of their kick to propel your jo (to bash them with)."

"It's not important if you don't hit them either. (Soke comes back the other way, having just missed, but his uke ducks right at the last second so the strike barely misses the back of his head. Everyone, led by Soke, laughs at the moment.)"

"Practice getting your distance."

"You must be completely lined up for this technique to work. Understand your distance. If you push their arm too far away, you can't get the angle for the groin attack. Please understand these points when you train."

"You can do the same technique with a hidden blade. That this point, you would expose the blade and cut them."

"If you were a sentry with a naginata, this is how you would move with this technique, cutting upwards like this at the end.... Please search for the commonality in all weapons."

"Warriors occasionally carried their swords like this (held in their left hand at hip level) rather than wearing them in their obi. If such a person were attacked, this is how they might handle the situation utilizing this technique. Block here, then expose the blace here and cut with it. this is another form of iai (sword drawing). There are too many iai teachers nowadays who think that iai is only done one way (pretends to draw a sword with his r.h. from his obi), when, in fact, such is not the case at all."

Ben's email address has changed. He can be reached at 6551312@tmail.toyota.co.jp

As Soke made mention of the importance of reading "The Guidelines for Participation in the Bujinkan" they are being reprinted for your perusal.

Guidelines for Participation in the Bujinkan

The Bujinkan shall be open to only those who agree with and uphold the guidelines of the Bujinkan Dojo. Those not doing so shall not be allowed to join. Specifically:

1. Only those who have read and agreed with these guidelines shall be allowed to participate.
2. Only those able to exercise true patience, self-control, and dedication shall be allowed to participate.
3. A physician’s examination report shall be required. Specifically, individuals with mental illness, drug addiction, or mentally instability shall be barred from joining. The necessity of such a report concerns individuals who may present a danger to others, for example, those with infectious diseases or illnesses, individuals with clinically abnormal personalities or physiology, and individuals lacking self-control.
4. Individuals with criminal records shall be turned away. Trouble makers, those who commit crimes, and those living in Japan who break domestic laws shall be turned away.
5. Those not upholding the guidelines of the Bujinkan, either as practitioners or as members of society, by committing disgraceful or reproachable acts shall be expelled. Until now, the Bujinkan was open to large numbers of people who came to Japan. Among them, unfortunately, were those committing violent drunken acts, the mentally ill, and trouble makers who thought only of themselves and failed to see how their actions might adversely affect others. Through their actions, such people were discarding the traditional righteous heart of the Bujinkan. From this day forward, all such people shall be expelled.
6. Regarding accidents occurring during training (both inside and outside the dojo), one should not cause trouble to the Bujinkan. This is an extremely important point. Those unwilling to take personal responsibility for accidents occurring during Bujinkan training shall not be admitted. Reiterating for clarity, the Bujinkan shall not take responsibility for any accidents happening in the course of training, regardless of the location.
7. All those joining the Bujinkan must get an annual member’s card. This card not only preserves the honor of the Bujinkan members, it indicates you are part of a larger whole — one whose members come together with warrior hearts to better themselves through training and friendship. It evinces the glory of warrior virtue, and embodies both loyalty and brotherly love.
8. The tradition of the Bujinkan recognizes nature and the universality of all human life, and is aware of that which flows naturally between the two parts:

THE CODE OF THE DOJO:

1. To know that patience comes first.
2. To know that the path of Man comes from justice.
3. To renounce avarice, indolence, and obstinacy.
4. To recognize sadness and worry as natural, and to seek the immovable heart.
5. To not stray from the path of loyalty and brotherly love, and to delve always deeper into the heart of Budo.

To follow this code is part of the dojo’s guidelines.

Meiji 23 (1890) Spring, Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu
Showa 33 (1958) March, Takamatsu Toshitsugu Uou
Hatsumi Masaaki Byakuryu

(9) INITIAL TRAINING BEGINS WITH TAIJUTSU:

• Kyu levels: beginners
• First to Fifth dans: Ten (heaven)
• Fifth to Tenth dans: Chi (earth)
• Tenth to Fifteenth dans: Jin (person)
• The eleventh to fifteenth dans are broken into Chi (earth), Sui (water), Ka (fire), Fu (wind) and Ku (the void); the Happo Hiken will be taught at these levels. The fifth dan test shall only be administered by Soke. True shihan can be given fifteenth dan.

Recently, the Bujinkan has become truly international. Just as there are various time zones, so exist various taboos among the world’s peoples and nations. We must respect each other, striving to avoid such taboos. We must put the heart of the warrior first, working together for self-improvement and for the betterment of the Bujinkan.

Those not upholding the above-mentioned guidelines shall be forced out of the Bujinkan.

The Bujinkan Dojo
Soke: Masaaki Hatsumi
Title: Hisamune
636 Noda Noda-shi
Chiba-ken 278 Japan
Tel: 0471-22-2020 Fax: 0471-23-6227

Togakure Ryu Ninpo Happo Hiken, 34th Grandmaster
Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu Happo Hiken, 28th Grandmaster
Koto Ryu Koppojutsu Happo Hiken, 18th Grandmaster
Shinden Fudo Ryu Daken Taijutsu Happo Hiken, 26th Grandmaster
Kukishin Ryu Taijutsu Happo Hiken, 28th Grandmaster
Takagiyoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu Happo Hiken, 17th Grandmaster
Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo Happo Hiken, 14th Grandmaster
Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo Happo Hiken, 21st Grandmaster
Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu Happo Hiken, 15th Grandmaster

The Bujinkan Headquarters publishes “Sanmyaku”, the Bujinkan publication. All members should own every copy, and read and re-read them consistently as part of your training. Reading them soon after you join, a year later, and then several years after that, will afford you with different interpretations and different feelings. “Sanmyaku” also contains information concerning the worldwide practice of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and the various materials (printed, video, or otherwise) available for training.