Bujinkan JutaiJutsu

The nine schools (流派 Ryuha) of Bujinkan are predominantly Ju Jutsu (柔術) Ryuha which individuals commonly identify as Samurai arts, and these ryuha have scrolls (伝書 densho) filled with military arts (武芸 Bugei) or fighting techniques (技 waza) which have been passed down from generation to generation within the family.

The waza contained within each densho are written in a basic format and is actually only the starting point of a fighting form. A student (弟子 deshi) which makes a statement, this is the real method to apply this technique and demonstrates the form in a specific way while suggesting it should only be undertaken in that way, is completely wrong.

An individual making statements like this, has no understanding of the particular waza or ryuha and is only copying and stating their perception or opinion. Soke (Hatsumi Sensei) repeatedly advised us within his honbu lessons (稽古 keiko), waza is the starting position, nothing is set and once this is understood, the waza can then be applied to any situation, whether one adversary or multiple.

Application of any fighting technique is determined by the environment (floor surface or terrain, space or any confinements, number of adversaries and their position of engagement or sequence of engagement) which in reality is completely different from a safe and controlled dojo setting.

This mind set, Soke’s forementioned statement that a waza is only a starting point is evident.

Densho are often written in a deceptive manner to protect the ryuha in the event any documents are stolen and read by an adversary.

Precepts of Perseverance in the Martial Arts
Essence of Budo and Ninjutsu

Learn first that whatever hardship you may have to endure is but temporary
Always behave correctly
Do not fall prey to avarice, indulgence, or egoism
Sorrow and hate are both part of life; understand that they too are gifts from the gods
Never stray from the path of the spirit, nor that of the martial arts; be ambitious in the ways of both pen and sword

32nd Grandmaster Toda Shinryuken – Year 1891

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We are sad to hear about the passing of Tetsuji Ishizuka-sensei, soke of Gyokkō Ryu Kosshijutsu. Rest in peace and condolences to his family and disciples.

Happy New Year (Akemash*te omedetō gozaimasu 明けましておめでとう ございます)

This moment in time should be of self-reflection or evaluation on previous strengths and weakness to further establish a direction towards an improvement and self-development goal for the new year and beyond.

The self-development plan should consist of the attainable goal, methodologies and the milestones to specifically focus your intentions within daily or weekly life. These incremental, consecutively actions must draw you towards the predetermine attainable goal.

On attaining each milestone regardless of the time of year or circumstances in your current life, competence gaps must be evaluated to certify a consistent proficiency to structure the consecutive step.

Note; some twenty years ago when I was studying in Japan, I trained with all the Senior Japanese Masters (Shihan 師範) within the Bujinkan main train hall/main office (Honbu 本部), and these Shihan have their own individual style of applying technique (Waza 技) or teaching methodologies.

On attending anywhere from 2 hours to 8 hours of training a day for approximately 4 weeks and recording personal study notes, I conducted a self-assessment of those notes and my training experiences to concluded minimal knowledge really had been obtained or retained, and the application of this knowledge could be non-existent founded on the absence of muscle memory.

Based on these factual findings, I concluded the most effective and efficient course of action would be to dedicate my martial (Bujutsu 武術) studies to one Shihan with a self-assessment on skill levels in a decade’s time.

This was to include training with Head of Family/ Bloodline/Head Master (Soke 宗家).

On completion of the self-assessment process and feedback obtained from my teacher (Sensei 先生), I can now express with confidence that I have mastered the fundamentals, however referring to a previous post, I have further growth or attributes to attain.

It has now excessed two decades from the original decision to dedicate my personal BuJutsu studies to one shihan, and I continue to remain under the guidance of Sensei with further reference to notes I accumulated over these years as his student.

As a practitioner who studies the Martial Way or the Art of Warfare (Budoka 武道家), this methodology and mindset must be implemented into daily life until such time it’s a true and unwaivable lifestyle.

A Shihan, Great Senior Master (Dai Shihan 大師範) or Soke of a classic martial school or discipline (Ryuha 流派) should emulate these qualities (intense training and discipline - Shugyo is 修行) which is beyond a desire to only attain a black belt (Kuro Obi 黒帯) or the rank of fifth dan (Godan 五段) to establish a training hall (Dojo 道場).

Budo and an old martial way (Kobudō 古武道) incorporate various self-sacrifices to achieve and maintain the life of a Budoka, which may manifest itself in the forms such as, declining to attend social events, career opportunities, sleep restful moments or holidays, financial prospects and possible relationships which may hinder practice until perfect (Renshu 練習).

Image 1:1 Soke completing a piece of Japanese calligraphy, (Shinobi ) for the author.

Direct transmission (kuden 口伝)

Kuden has long been associated with the direct transmission of knowledge passed down through generations to either an inside student (Uchi Deshi 内弟子) or an ancestor (Keito 血統) to maintain the lineage of a classical martial school’s disciplines (Ryuha 流派).

When I attained the rank of Tenth Dan (Ju Dan 十段) approximately fifteen years ago, the Grand Master, Massaki Hatsumi Sensei (Soke) requested my teacher (Sensei 先生), a Senior Japanese Master (Shihan 師範), to help me grow up.

Sensei fulfilled this request from Soke through invitations to classes (Keiko 稽古) within a small private training hall (Dojo 道場) which excluded the general Bujinkan community, discussions relevant to the nine Ryuha of the Bujinkan, and daily ways of living that were conducted through lunch meetings or journeys to and from the Dojo.

This approaching year for me will signify thirty-five years within the Bujinkan, and in this time period, I obtained another milestone in the form of the rank, Great Senior Master (Dai Shihan 大師範).

On reflection of my martial studies to incorporate the knowledge I’ve accumulated and the rank I hold, it has occurred to me that I haven’t really grown up to a satisfactory level.

Jutte 十手

The Jutte (十手 Ten hands) was a weapon utilised by the Japanese police as a self-defence implement while apprehending a dividual welding a sword. In the western world, we may classify this as truncheon or baton which could be manufacture from both metal and wooden materials.

There were various lengths of the Jutte which related to the law enforcement officer’s rank. A high-ranking officer may have a lengthier shaft with extraordinary tassels attached to the tsuka (柄 handle) of the Jutte, and lower ranked officer would weld a shorter basic shaft with no tassels or tsukamaki (柄巻き the wrapping on the handle) on their tsuka.

The length could differ from 18 to 60 centimetres and the weight of the implement could vary in accordance with the dimensions of the shaft and the materials from which it was constructed.

Their Jutte would further have a tsuba (鐔 guard) or kagi (鍵 hook) between the tsuka and the shaft to protect the officer’s hand or would be utilised to catch a cutting sword, wrap and tangle in an individual’s clothing, and to capture a portion of the body such as the mouth, nose or finger, striking muscle and joint manipulation to achieve an apprehension.

The Jutte was further utilised by various other enforcement officials such as the Shogun’s palace guards which prevented sword from entering the palace grounds, various governing inspectors to incorporate rice and grain or hotel officials. The law enforcement agencies would present their Jutte as a symbol or badge to promote authority.

Secret police or covert operatives would not be supplied with a Jutte however they would identify themselves by forming the index finger and thumb to symbolise a Jutte.

Innovation of the Jutte saw the introduction of Kakushi Buki (隠武器 concealed weapons) contained within a Jutte to incorporate a blade or even single-shot firearm.

Kumiuchi

When written in kanji, kumiuchi has two variants, either combination, the word can be used as a general term referring to grappling as an autonomous combative system or, as is seen in the densho of several jujutsu ryuha, as a specific term for a certain specialisation within the curriculum.

By the beginning of the Kumakura period (1192), Kumiuchi had already become an indispensable part of a warrior’s training; not surprisingly, the origin and mainstay of the earliest jujutsu ryuha was the battlefield type of kumiuchi. In kumiuchi, exponents lock onto one another in a symmetrical way known as yotsu gumi. This position serves as the starting point for one’s technique. One approach is for a combatant to try to unbalance the opponent. Another is that while both opponents are locked together in yotsu gumi, trying to unbalance each other, one of them releases his grip in order to grab either his own dagger or that of his opponent. Depending on which leg was forward and which arm outward, the positions could be referred to as migi kumi or hidari kumi. This method, so characteristic of kumiuchi, is found in both grappling in street clothes and grappling on the battlefield. In battlefield grappling in particular the opponent would be finished off with a dagger. Alternatively one might try to break the opponent’s neck or other limbs.

Goho and Koppo

According to Watatani and Yamada, goho and koppo are very similar. Goho was developed as a supplementary system to the jujutsu of a style referred to as Ichi Jo Funi Ho. Yamada Hiko uchi Nobunao, a samurai of the Owari domain, was said to have been an expert in goho. Goho arose from the idea that when using jujutsu like techniques to control a much stronger opponent, one needs some kind of equalizer. For this purpose, small unorthodox weapons, referred to as kakushibuki were used. These weapons could be used to deliver atemi, or to apply pressure to nerve centers.

Koppojutsu systems are often said to be hard systems using the thicker and more solid bones of one’s body to attack the enemy’s bones. The techniques make liberal use of atemi and powerful blocks. Koppo can translate to bone method, and so Koppojutsu is sometimes renedered as art of breaking or bone smashing art. Some schools used special methods to sufficiently condition the body to deliver and receive atemi. However, it is belived that Koppojutsu , just as was the case with goho, small concealed weapons were used.

Other terms that can be found in connection with some of koppojutsu schools are kosshijutsu and sh*tojutsu. Kosshijustu suggests attacking an oponent’s muscles, while sh*tojutsu refers to the use of the tips of thumbs and fingers to attack an opponent’s anatomically weak points.

Systems that include koppojutsu and kosshijutsu in their curricula occupy a somewhat marginal position; in particular the Koto Ryu, Gyokko Ryu and Gyokushin Ryu are usually situated within the realm of ninjutsu.

The systems combining koppojutsu and kosshijutsu are sometimes also called dakentaijutsu. From a merely technical perspective, however, they are jujutsu like systems that use a slightly harder approach than the average jujutsu school.

Taijutsu

Another term that appeared in the seventeenth century was Taijutsu, or “body art”. Technically speaking, taijutsu does not differ much from orthodox jujutsu, and it was probably not much more than another name for jujutsu.

Schools that still use the term include Asayama Ichiden Ryu, Nagao Ryu, Shindenfudo Ryu, and Yagyu Shingan Ryu. A closer look at these extant taijutsu schools shows that although each school has its own distinctive characteristics, taijutsu techniques in general are not different from Jujutsu techniques. Study of the various old densho also makes it apparent that names used for these taijutsu techniques are similar to those used for Jujutsu techniques.

The last Keiko (稽古 lesson) we studied basic Ken (剣 sword) kata (型 pattern) named Tsukikomi which predominantly focuses towards thrusting the adversary while they advance with their attack.

Tsukikomi
Saigan no kamae. The opponent is in Daijodan. Stand in Seigan pointing the sword with your whole heart (mind) at the opponent’s chest; your eyes stare into the opponent’s eyes. Without allowing the opponent’s Daijodan to enter you thoughts, at the moment the opponent steps into cut, let out a Kiai. Just as the opponent falters, drop the left knee to the floor and thrust in.

Happo Biken
Gunryaku (war strategy) and tenmon chimon (astrology and physiography)
JoJutsu and HanboJutsu (3ft and 5ft staff)
Rokushaku Bo (6ft staff) and tai no kuraidori (body positioning)
Naginata and Bisento Jutsu
Kodachi (short sword) and jutte Jutsu (iron truncheon)
Kisha (horseback riding) and suijutsu (swimming)
Shuriken and senban nage (throwing blades)
SoJutsu (spear)
Biken (hidden sword)

Bikenjutsu refers to taijutsu kenpo; adding bikenjutsu to happo (eight principles) makes kyuho (nine principles), the generic term for the skills of the Bushi (侍Warrior). The names kosshi-Jutsu, Jutai Jutsu, Daken-Tajutsu, and Ninpo-Taijutsu were created to describe taijutsu, the art of certain victory, and then the name Biken-Jutsu was developed.

We are currently studying Ken Jutsu (sword) and basic waza (技techniques) from Gyokko Ryu (Kosshijutsu 骨指術 attacks against muscles) and Koto Ryu (Koppojutsu 骨法術 Bone Breaking Attacks) for the next 6 months.