Bujinkan Santa Monica

I titled this post Born to Fly because I sometimes feel like I am compelled to fly to Japan. It feels like a second home. But I also benefit from all of the wonderful Bujinkan training, friends and teachers there. This latest Japan Report video is accompanied by「Born to fly」from アキ SONGBIRD . When I arrived in Noda-shi for a class with Furuta Sensei, I noticed some changes. I walked to my quick bird watching spot in さざんか公園. And I saw the pedestrian bridge over 県道3号 was closed for repair or demolition. Also the パチンコマルキン (pachinko Marukin) is no more.   Class with Furuta Sensei Furuta Sensei began with a type of 打払型 uchi harai gata. He struck the opponent in 朝霞 asagasumi. But there was a hidden, hooking finger strike down into the throat. During this exchange he focused on changing levels. He used cross steps to enter and occupy space. And the “body lean” to occupy the gaps in the opponent’s kamae. He had the attacker deliver a second punch. And Furuta Sensei ...

Before I got to Gasshō, I began my morning commuting to 菊川駅 Kikukawa station. I was on my way to visit 井上刃物 Inoue Hamono. I had some questions to ask and maybe some items to purchase.  At the shop they sell Japanese woodworking tools. Their business has been around since the Meiji era. It is currently run by third and fourth generation family members 井上 時 夫 Inoue Tokio, and 井上 真 俊 Inoue Masatoshi. Some tools they sell include: 鉋 kan’na (planes); 彫刻鑿 chokoku nomi (carving chisels); 玄能 Gen’nō (hammers); 鋸 nokogiri (hand saws); and all variety of 刃物 hamono for specific use cases. They even had 尺 shaku and 寸 sun measuring squares. They also displayed a collection of cute 源氏鶴亀 墨壺 genji tsurukame sumitsubo (turtle and crane ink pots). These are used like the chalk lines that I grew up using in construction to snap lines on lumber. After running some more errands, I ended up walking to 両国駅 Ryōgoku Station. I caught the train from there all the way to Nodashi. It was...

The Dainichi effect happened around midday, but first this morning I went to the 大江戸骨董市 Oedo Antique Market with Peter Crocoll. This market is quite large with many collectibles, art, and weapons. Many people bought and even wore vintage clothing. Peter found a book of 春画 shunga full of erotic woodblock prints as an amusing gift for one of his students back home. From there we made a visit to 美術刀剣松本 Bijutsu Tōken Matsumoto . Peter brought another tsuka from home to be wrapped and restored. You may remember my trip last year when he had his first tsukamaki from Matsumoto. While we were there, a koshirae for a dagger caught his eye. The fittings had a rare decorative 海老鞘 ebisaya and Peter couldn’t resist adding it to his collection. The Dainichi Effect Later, seeking some inspiration, I returned to ponder the copy of Dojo Giga at the bookstore. When I randomly opened the pages, it fell open to Hatsumi Sensei’s painting of 大日如来 Dainichi Nyorai. Dainichi represents the center,...

Today I had class with Nagase and Furuta 先生方. I wake up early these days. So I made some coffee with an AeroPress in my hotel room. Then I went out to take a few street photographs. By the time I had to catch the train, I was ready for more coffee. I installed myself at the lunch counter of a cafe. A handsome elderly woman sat next to me, drinking tea, and eating pasta. Her hair was pulled tight, and a jacket draped from her shoulders. I noted her posture with tucked elbows and a delicate use of the fork and spoon. Holding a proper teacup. I was no match for her. Nagase and Furuta 先生方 I thought about her as I rode the train to go to Nagase Sensei’s class at the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo. I normally train with him at his own Dojo, but things are more convenient now with him having classes at the Honbu. When he arrived, I helped him unload his bags from the car. Nagase Sensei started class with a 手解 tehodoki technique leading to both 武者捕 musha dori and 武双捕 musō dori. But these techn...

I rose early to catch a train. First I boarded the Jōban line, then transferred to the Toei subway to catch the Ōedo line. I warmed to the early morning sunlight because my trip had a dark destination. I was up to investigate the sites of two assassinations, or 暗殺 ansatsu. If you would like to support my Japan reports, get the FULL video of this Japan Report here: https://www.rojodojo.com/ansatsu-japan-report-three-reiwa6/ I wandered the neighborhood following a hand drawn map from the 幕末 Bakumatsu era. The map actually marked with red ink where blood was found on the street at the site of the murders. The first ansatsu was at 中ﾉ橋 Naka no Hashi. Henry Heusken was born in Holland, but his family moved to the United States. He learned many languages and was asked to travel with the American Legation to act as a translator for the first Consul to Japan, Townsend Harris. He really took to Japan, dating women, and traveling freely even though foreigners were regarded with great s...

I began this day by catching a train to the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo for a class with Furuta Sensei. In the past few years I’ve been able to train with him quite a bit. And each class gives me a little more insight into the gokui of 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū and Ninjutsu. Furuta Sensei began class using 乱勝 Ranshō as a springboard to explore many ideas. He would use a dramatic drop or lean in his body to evade and upset his opponent’s balance. He also shifts this way to hide within the opponent’s movement. When he called me to be his uke, he blocked my attack, but the way he held his other hand gave me the impression that I could attack again. Then Furuta Sensei encouraged me to hit him. I said, “are you sure?” But this was intentional because he was baiting me. So when I went for it, I fell into the space as he hit me with an unseen strike. He used this same feeling to access hidden weapons. If you’ve trained with Furuta, you know he always has a couple of knives on him. One mo...

I got up early for a long train ride to 石神井城跡 Shakujiijō ato. I wanted to investigate the ruins of Shakujii castle. This also gave me some time for reflection on my training here in Japan and to add more detail to my training notes. My view on train ride to 石神井城跡 Shakujiijō ato, photo by Michael Glenn Last night in Furuta Sensei’s class we were training in the old middle school gymnasium. He warmed us up with a bunch of ukemi practice. I was doing ok until he went into the standing forward breakfalls. For some reason after about ten of these, fatigue got the best of me. Maybe all of the classes are catching up to me. After that he went into basic 捕手基本型 Torite Kihon Gata. We did 表逆 Omote Gyaku and 裏逆 Ura Gyaku. He had a particular focus on the line of entry to affect balance. Furuta Sensei evolved the technique from there to do 輦輿 Ren’yo. He kept saying 斯う入る kō hairu, or enter like this. He really emphasized the 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū way of entering to set up the technique. Next...

I began the morning in a hurry because I had to get to the dojo early. My days in Japan are very busy. I run and gun to fit in all of the classes, recording my video reports in between. And I still have to find time for food, laundry, sleep, as well as tourism and shopping.  Today I planned three classes, Furuta Sensei, Nagase Sensei, and Noguchi Sensei. But I didn’t have time to review my notes until the next morning in a cafe. The coffee sure helped. The FULL video review can be found here: https://www.rojodojo.com/japan-report-seven-reiwa-five/ The first class was at the Bujinkan Honbu dojo with Furuta Sensei. We began class wearing a lot of knives. He said you should wear at least 9 knives. He didn’t mean that literally but the number 9 implies an infinite amount. So you have the ability to respond or attack infinitely. He kept hiding behind the attack of his opponents. I learned this approach from him a few years ago during our study of 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū in ...

I was invited to Furuta Sensei’s home dojo out in the countryside. He is very generous and picked us up from the train station. The only problem is that he plays a Lady Gaga CD on repeat during the drive. Furuta’s home dojo is very rustic with traditional tatami mats. He started training with ukemi and my cotton tabi really slid across the straw! His exploration of 基本八法 Kihon Happō is influenced by his study of 雲隠流 Kumogakure Ryū. As the next Soke of Kumogakure Ryū, he is hard at work learning and studying this school. And I feel lucky to be part of this journey every time I study with him. At one point he showed a detail of how to attack the 急所 kyūsho 血止 chidome and 血ダメ chidame. The name of this kyūsho means to stop the blood. Obviously this would incapacitate an opponent if you pull it off. But Furuta Sensei used a hooking strike into chidome to unbalance with one finger. The kyūsho becomes a 支点 shiten. The pressure creates a pivot or a fulcrum to affect the oppon...

Morning Song at 月野宮神社 Tsukinomiya Jinja, photo: Michael Glenn On this day of my Bujinkan Japan Training trip, I began with a visit to the the 月野宮神社 Tsukinomiya Jinja Flea Market. There, I found an impromptu concert from a local guy with a guitar. And I also found many antique swords, jutte, and miscellaneous weapons. I finish by sharing a lesson from Hatsumi Sensei about 弱いも支点 yowai mo shiten, using your weakness as a pivot point. If you want to support my work, sign up to Rojodojo, and you can watch the full video: Japan Report Two 令和5年 During my train ride back to the dojo in Noda-shi, I stopped for lunch at a street festival on 大宮銀座通り商店街 Ōmiya Ginza-dōri shōten machi. This was random luck, I just popped out of the station and the party was on! Some nice people whipped up tasty and filling yakisoba for me and I ate it straight off the grill. Once back in Noda, I had a great class with Furuta Sensei. He started the class with tehodoki. But his unique approach is informed by 雲隠流 Kumoga...

What are the current Bujinkan Themes? For my second week of Japan training, I begin with a visit to 上野東照宮 Ueno Tōshōgū. This shrine was built in 1627, and enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu. I have visited many times, but they did an extensive remodel a few years ago. This was my first time going beyond the 唐門 Karamon and into the grounds. The entire 本殿 Honden is covered in gold leaf and looks spectacular with the gingko leaves fluttering down around me. Michael Glenn at 上野東照宮 Ueno Tōshōgū Later that night, I arrived a bit early for Nagase Sensei’s class. He had moved the class time back 45 minutes so I took the opportunity to review my notes from the prior class. He has been working with 十方折衝 juppō sesshō and the directions for 天地人 Tenchijin and the sanshin within it. He described many aspects of Tenchijin. He would control his opponent at three points, high, middle, and low. He told us the Ten direction is 天照大御神 Amaterasu ōmikami. The Chi direction is 国常立尊 Kunitokotachi no mi...

Who is teaching at the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo? The Japan training schedule is irregular and I am following my instincts rather than any set schedule. Peter Crocoll shared a story about Hatsumi Sensei using instinct to buy an antique jūmonji yari based on a feeling. Furuta Sensei invited me to his class. He picked us up from the train station and we went to a high school gymnasium. We warmed up with a bit of rolling, sanshin, and 骨指基本三法 kosshi kihon sanpō. Then he went into the kata 乱勝 Ranshō from Takagi Yoshin Ryū. He did a deep dive with many themes from Hatsumi Sensei. The next day, I got up early to have coffee with my friend, Craig Olson . He told me some funny Nagato Sensei stories. He also told me that Furuta-san would be helping out at the Honbu office today. This piqued my interest because I had a lot of ranks and paperwork to be approved and recorded. Many things have changed in the Bujinkan office, and I had a lot of questions. Craig suggested that it would be ...

 Which Dojo's are Open in Japan? After three long years, I return for Bujinkan training in Japan. The world is different. Training in Japan is different. Michael Glenn at the Bujinkan Honbu Dojo I share my expectations and my actual experiences. I came here as a scouting trip. I wanted to see what changed and where the Bujinkan is going. So far I’ve trained in three dojos. Nagase Sensei started my trip with quick, focused taijutsu. Nagase Sensei with Michael Glenn November 2022 I visited my friend Sakai-san for training in Kasukabe. Michael at 酒井一弘 Dojo Novemeber 2022 And Furuta Sensei invited me to his dojo. Furuta Sensei and Michael Glenn November 2022 Luckily, I found more training than I anticipated. And I’m having a great time. I’m encouraged for the future. And this is only part one of my Bujinkan training in Japan report. You can watch the video about my training in Japan here: Bujinkan Training in Japan November 2022