Chikushin Martial & Cultural Training Group

A new article is online at Light in the Clouds blog, which gives shine to the theatrical world of nōgaku. Many should be familiar with images or depictions of Noh, where actors wear eye-catching masks or face paint, lavish wigs, and colorful outfits on a stage with props depicting medieval Japan layout, singing in an enchantinh voice. When did this style of performing art begin in Japan? Who are the pioneers? Was this form of entertainment popular?

Nōgaku as a field of performing arts has a very long history, and has a systematic structure. The latest serves to give readers a brief introduction and overview of its role in Japanese history, which can be accessed at the link below.

Nōgaku and the 3 Stages of Evolution Over the years, many articles here cover medieval Japan, from famous warlords, iconic battles, and legendary weapons. In some of these, theatrical actors and performers have also been mentioned, su…

Recently I saw a topic about extreme mobility from a low crouching posture while wielding a sword. It was quite impressive, and had me thinking about my own experience in relations to the topic. This led to the following article, entitled "Basics 101: Bending the Knees". Here, I showcase some of the methods used for building strong legs, and what the purposes are in relations to kobudō.

Leg strength is essential in martial arts, but it's more than just building large muscles. To find out more, just click the link below.

Basics 101: Bending the Knees Mobility is a core point in all martial arts. Ensuring we strengthen our legs on a regular basis is important. Standard leg exercises is good, such as running, squats, training with weights, and so…

Being in the year of the Fire Horse, what intersting tales are there that await us? The following article, which has just went live, is the first on my list to cover. Different from the usual myth stories covered on my blog, this story is supposedly based on a real life incident, one that will act as a forced cautionary one against women born under the Fire Horse sign.

This tale is a renown one, about a young girl named Yaoya Oshichi who fell in love, but chose the wrong way to pursue it. To learn more, please click the link below.

Yaoya Oshichi: A Story about Love and Fire ~ Part 1 In the Lunar New Year article where we discussed about this year’s sign, I mentioned that there is the possibility of falling into ruins to those born in the year of the Fire Horse. To reiter…

A while ago I had acquired a tachi (太刀) style sword. A new addition to my training, this allows me to further understand the traits of this sword and its usage in the past, especially how it capable it was against foes wearing gusoku (具足).

Here's a side-by-side comparison of a tachi and a katana. Some differences are pretty obvious, which includes the curvature in both the blade and the handle.

Early this morning, I did solo training at a field where no one else was around. I moved at a steady pace while working on nagamaki and rokushaku bō techniques, despite the freezing cold due to the recent heavy snowfall.

早朝、静かで人気がない場所によって一人訓練した。最近の大雪で激寒くなっているが、長巻や六尺棒の技法を軽く振ってみた。

#長巻術 #棒術 #一人稽古

Today we have a bonus article! In honor of Seijin no Hi (成人の日), I put together a short writing about this national holiday celebrated in Japan, as well as some historical background related to its roots. You can find it at A light in the Clouds blog, or click on the link below.

Seijin no Hi: Coming of Age January 12 marks “Seijin no Hi” (成人の日) in Japan. Interpreted as “Coming of Age Day”, those who turn 20 are celebrated as adults. These individuals attend a “Seijin shi…

With the opening of the new year, the 1st article is now up on Light in the Clouds blog. Continuing with the previous years, this article covers the Lunar year, with the horse being the Zodiac sign. Being an animal that assists humans in all walks of life throughout history, it's no surprise that good fortune tends to be one of the predictions in the year of the horse.

There's a bit of attention in terms of potential success awaiting all of us in 2026...yet a bit of caution to ultimate failure is the buzz as well. Some of this falls on the fact that we are in the year of the fire horse, which is accompanied by double-fire power.

What does this all mean? To learn more, feel free to click on the link below.

Umadoshi: Charging into 2026 Welcome 2026! As the 1st post of the year, we start off with a review of this year’s Zodiac sign. For those who follow this on their own, or have seen related posts on social media, are aware…

I used to take my training gear like my bokken and bō staff, and head out to Prospect Park in NYC to do martial arts training on the 1st day of the New Year. Since I no longer live there, this time around I headed to a short hiking trail in my neighborhood do more natural training for my body and senses.

For example, I took the opportunity to breath in the fresh air in nature, practice walking in the snow, work on stepping along on top of natural obstacles, and traversing along different paths to learn how to keep track of the directions I was heading. Such training is great outdoors, and today was a great chance to do just this on my day off from work.

Of course, my regularly scheduled martial arts training will still tale place, but later at home.

新年の元日に木刀や棒などの道具を持ってNYC市のプロスペクト• パークで古武道の稽古をする予定は元々ありました。しかし、もう引越ししたので、今年のために近所にある短いハイキングスポットにより、自然環境で健康運動をしました。

例えば、きれいな空気での呼吸法、雪上歩行、自然の中にある物や地形などを踏み越え、そして歩く道を見覚える方向感覚鍛錬という運動が行いました。自然環境しか出来ないことなので、休暇として今日はいいチャンス。

もちろん、後で古武道稽古は家でやります。

#古武道 #自然修行

Happy New Year! For all those who follow and support Chikushin group and what we've put out for all these years, I'm very grateful. We will continue to pump out new content regarding Japanese martial arts, culture, research projects, and related topics. ⁡
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⁡Wish you all the best in 2026, and charge forward to success like a horse!⁡⁡
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⁡ #2026新年 #古武道 #午年