Report 7 from: Taiwan - Singapore – Malaysia

Taiwan
Following Japan, a visit was made to Taiwan for a few days. This visit was related to our business at Action Martial Arts Supplies and the need to keep close contact with our valued suppliers on behalf of Kiwi martial artists. Although some of our products come directly from Japan and some from Pakistan, the US and elsewhere, this provided an opportunity to keep our Taiwan suppliers informed about the particular needs of Kiwis within the martial arts world.

These discussions also increase our knowledge of the world scene for martial arts supply and it was found interesting that different countries have particular requirements. The USA for example is seen by our suppliers as price sensitive, so a great deal of lower quality product is sent to this market. Some suppliers have even withdrawn from the US market because it is uneconomic to sell there, and if they do sell there, they get a bad name because the quality they offer in order to meet the price level is so inferior, that it reflects poorly on their reputation. Europe, Japan and the UK markets are not so price sensitive and higher quality products are manufactured and dispatched to this market.

We at Action Martial Arts Supplies like to inform our customers of this point. “Action martial Arts Supplies ” try to strike a balance in order to provide high quality martial arts products at a competitive price. We avoid “cheaply-made” products because we believe it is not in the interests of our customers to provide low quality goods. We strive to provide good value for money, quality products and great service and to do this we in turn must cooperate with suppliers who have similar values.

Pro Budo is a great example of this. They manufacture high quality wooden weapons and uniforms in China but their biggest markets are in fact those who demand the highest quality – Japan, France, and UK.

Pro Budo quality must therefore be (and is!) at a level to support discerning customers in these demanding markets and to compete with other top end suppliers from Japan and elsewhere. It is important for us to visit Pro-Budo and similar suppliers to ensure that the interests of professional and amateur NZ martial artists are well catered for into the future. We want Kiwis to have the best.

Our Dojo Mat manufacturer and supplier was visited with a view to looking at their complete product range and possibly to including some aerobics and yoga exercise products within our portfolio of products. A major worldwide supplier of budo accessories (protectors, gloves, uniforms, weapons and so on) was visited and Dave spent the whole day at their distribution centre.

It was also interesting to note that some Taiwanese companies had collaborated with the world’s best-regarded athletic brands (we can’t disclose the brands for obvious legal reasons) to create a range of perceived top quality budo uniforms, only to find that once development was completed, these branded companies then took their business directly to China to reduce production cost. What this tells us is that buying a perceived top-branded uniform only guarantees the printing on the label, not necessarily the final quality of the goods. So when buying martial arts weapons and uniforms, judge your purchase on the product quality of the finished item, not just on the label printing.

Singapore
Business done it was time to move on to Singapore.
The objective here was for Dave to meet with Sensei Adam Wong. Dave met Adam when he came to New Zealand from Malaysia a year or so back to run seminars on a style of samurai-swordsmanship called Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu. Sensei Wong’s technique and training style impressed us as did the philosophy of Katori Shinto Ryu so this trip presented an opportunity to visit Sensei Wong and receive another exposure to a very traditional martial arts school.

This is an original form of Kenjutsu that originated in the 14th century well before the peaceful era of the Japanese Tokugawa Shogunate starting from 1603. In fact it is regarded as the first authentic style of Kenjutsu, with its founder Iizasa Choisai Ienao being born in 1387 more than 200 years earlier. Consequently it is a battle style of Kenjutsu as opposed to a form that is designed for maintaining law and order during peaceful times.

The techniques of Katori Shinto Ryu are all performed from either a standing posture (normal) or sometimes from a low posture of Iai-goshi (similar to Tate Hiza, a crouched position adopted by samurai scouting parties to remain concealed), but never from the kneeled seiza position. The reasoning for this is that Seiza is a position adopted when indoors, and the katana, (long sword) is never worn indoors. This traditional approach is adopted by many older styles of Kenjutsu (including Shinkendo) and contrasts with some of the sword styles which developed later.
While some aspects of Katori Shinto Ryu have parallels in Shinkendo (Which is the sword art developed by Toshishiro Obata based on Kashima Ryu, Toyama Ryu, Yagyu Ryu and Ioriken Ryu), the kamai (postures), the cuts and the defensive movements also have many differences. Because it is such an old art, consideration is made for the effects of wearing heavy armour where, for example the Kabuto (helmet and esp. the kuwagata) may prevent a standard jodan-kamai and therefore also may prevent a straight cut from this position. Thrusts are made to areas where the armour is thinner or where there is an opening and unlike Shinkendo, there are no direct blocking movements. All defensive movements also double as an attack. Almost every movement has more than one objective – for example, what appears to be a block, is also a cut that stops the attack before a block becomes necessary, and what appears to be a thrust may also stop or prevent an attack by keeping the assailant avoiding the kissaki (tip) of the sword. There is strategy in every move.

As an original school of Bu-Jutsu, Katori Shinto Ryu was not just about Kenjutsu. The school teaches the 18 arts of the samurai including the other weapon arts and the unarmed Kumiuchi or Ju-Jutsu techniques. These are on offer via Sensei Wong, but Dave’s main interest was in the Kenjutsu.

Dave’s visit to Singapore was cut short so to compensate, and to provide enough training a venue was attended that enabled training to continue during the night, beginning at 9pm.

Sensei Adam Wong is a very accomplished martial artist and has made it his mission to study this art from the Sugawara Martial Arts institute in Japan. As the surname “Wong” implies, Adam Wong is not a native Japanese, but he has phenomenal technique and has a very high level of understanding of Katori Shinto Ryu. The benefits are, that being non-Japanese, his English speaking skills are very good and combined with exceptional teaching ability Sensei can impart a lot of knowledge in a relatively short time. This trait also permits questions to be asked and a greater level of understanding to be reached whereas in Japan it is sometimes not considered the best etiquette to question your sensei.

Sensei Adam has invited Dave to go to Japan with him to study together with Sugawara Kyoshi at the dojo headquarters. Although very interested in doing this, he feels that he needs a lot of time one on one with Adam Wong Sensei in order to understand the art in more detail (and to substitute the earlier habits formed under previous training regimes) before accepting this kind invitation.

There may be an opportunity for Sensei Wong to come to New Zealand and run a seminar in Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu sometime over the next year for those interested (please register your interest with Christine@action.org.nz) as we will need at least 50 people to attend the seminar to make it viable. Registration does not commit people to attend, it merely provides a list of people for us to advise when a seminar is pending.

Conclusion
After Singapore, Dave is due to fly home in the next few days, from the heat and humidity of the Northern Summer and training on the Equator, to a Kiwi mid-winter. Although travel and training comes at a considerable financial cost the benefits are too many to list. When he returns Dave will update the Samurai-Arts Website (in much need of an overhaul) to include references to the instructors and organizations met or revisited on this occasion.

We remind those interested that there is likely to be another overseas trip planned to the Jiu-Jitsu International Seminar in Germany in 2009 and once again we urge those interested to register their interest with me at Christine@action.org.nz . We further urge those wishing to become members of Jiu-Jitsu International to contact us. Although the JJI organization is generally based around Ju-Jutsu, it must be remembered (in the words of Sato, Meijin, 10th Dan and Chief Director of the Kokusai Budoin in Japan) “Ju-Jutsu is the Mother of all Japanese Martial Arts”. The European seminars have instructors from the arts of Karate, Aikido, Judo, CQB, Penkat Selat, and other arts so it is not confined to ju-jutsu exponents or ju-jutsu techniques. If you train a Japanese martial art, it is likely to have been derived in some way from Ju-Jutsu so students and instructors of all other arts will find great benefit from attending a JJI seminar in Europe and will be welcomed in the same warm way that Dave was welcomed.

Our next project is to get the new Lake Tarawera Dojo in New Zealand operational. This has taken months longer than planned but light is now appearing at the end of the tunnel. Initially it will cater for beginner classes for local residents but past students and those wishing to study Japanese Budo will be welcome to enquire about training in 2 – 3 months time.

We look forward to seeing you or hearing from you and thank you for taking the time to follow our world martial arts extravaganza. We hope the benefits will in some way flow into the Kiwi martial arts community. If we can be of help, please let us know.

Report 6 - Budo Training in Tokyo, Japan

Following an exhilarating time in the south of Germany and Switzerland, Dave finally arrives in one of his favourite countries - Japan.

Much time has been spent here training with Kokusai Budoin (IMAF), another organisation Samurai-Arts has had much to do with. In addition to Dave, Samurai Arts sent 2 senior students to the IMAF Masters Convention in Nashville Tennessee some years ago, where they had the privilege of receiving their Ju Jutsu Dan Grade examination before a panel of the highest ranked Japanese Shihan of various disciplines. A 1st Dan grading is nerve racking enough, without having to give your best possible performance in front of 8 of the worlds best Japanese Masters in addition to having many of Americas top Masters watching from the sideline.

This event was inspiring enough for one of those students (Sensei Stephen Albrow) to relocate to Japan to study with Kokusai Budoin for several years before returning to Christchurch to complete his Masters Degree in the Japanese Language. Steve is now married to a lovely Japanese wife - its amazing what benefits training in Budo can offer!).

It is hoped that time will permit another visit to Kokusai Budoin Headquarters in Tokyo on Saturday morning but this is not the major reason for the visit. Permission had been granted to visit a traditional school of Kenjutsu and Jujutsu. This school has Kuroda Sensei as its Master. Kuroda Tetzuan Sensei is unique in todays world where martial arts has become a consumer product available to the masses.

The school Kuroda Sensei runs is a traditional Ryu-Ha in the sense that it has been handed down from generation to generation. Its name is Shinbukan Dojo where many of the original 18 arts of the samurai are taught. The school has outgrown its original dojo, so to cope with the demand from so many students Sensei runs classes at several of the facilities available in Tokyo. Sensei`s main dojo is now the Omiya Budokan which is situated a distance outside of Tokyo. The main arts now taught are Kenjutsu, Jujutsu, Bojutsu and related weapon arts. Access is gained only by invitation from Sensei and this is usually following a recommendation from another member at the school. Sensei wants only those students who can be trusted with what he teaches and only those students who have a suitable character. These arts should not be devalued through miss-use and Sensei tries to ensure this happens by selecting those he teaches.

First impressions in Tokyo have to be of the size of the city, the order that prevails in a city of so many people, and the services that are provided for the citizens. There are 2 aspects to this - firstly the transport system that provides trains at monotonous regularity from almost every location to almost any other location. Secondly the dedicated Budo facilities that are available to the public. On this occasion it is a while since visiting Tokyo so the ticketing system and directions need to be re- learned and Dave made it to the hotel safely, and thanks to Sensei's accurate map and directions he also made it to the Omiya Budokan.

The first impact was to see the Omiya Budokan. It is a large, well maintained building in a semi-residential area and notably it is situated on a street called 'Budokan Dori'. In keeping with Japanese culture the building is impressive without being flashy. It is entirely functional. But this is just the outside. At the entrance students and instructors alike remove their shoes in the foyer, replacing them with indoor footwear. The entrance foyer is expansive and has polished wooden floors. There are dojos in every direction so advice must be sought from the reception area.

Yes, he was told, this is the correct place and Shinbukan is upstairs.
Upon going up the steps about 25 martial artists are encountered, all quietly sitting in seiza outside a large dojo. A question is asked and the newcomer is politely informed where to get changed into his dogi.

By the time he returns the number has grown to about 40, and Kuroda Sensei is now amongst them but at the dojo door, also sitting in seiza.
This kind of formality has never been encountered before, even in his 15 years studying under Obata Sensei, and the newcomer is slightly bewildered, but with 40 Japanese martial artists focussing their eyes on him, what is the correct etiquette and procedure? The answer is not known so Dave kneels in seiza and hopes he will no longer be noticed, but this doesn't work either. A senior student approaches the newcomer and asks him to introduce himself to the gathering. The senior student soon explains the procedure and Kuroda Sensei calls the newcomer to his side, where at last things become a bit more relaxed.

Interestingly, and Dave was aware of this beforehand, to train at Shinbukan it is necessary to become a fully fledged member 10000 Yen as well as paying the class fee of 4000 Yen. In total this comes to something like NZ$160 - $170.
This was willingly paid, but mention of it is made here for the benefit of novice students in NZ and Australia who are asked to pay their monthly class fees and it has been known for them to be paid under duress, or not be paid at all. This would not happen at Shinbukan. If you want to learn you first show your interest by paying the correct amount, in full, ahead of time. If you don't pay, the answer is very simple - you don't get entry to the dojo.
And this is the way it should be. There are no misunderstandings about what is required by any of the parties. It is not just a commercial arrangement, it is more than this. It is a sign that the student values participation in the organisation and values the training that is about to be received.

The formality, while unusual is the way Kuroda Sensei operates his dojo.
There is an onus on the students to turn up on time, fully kitted, and those who are late place a severe burden on those who are early. If one person is disorganised, the entire class suffers, so to remain friends with your colleagues and with the teacher, it pays to be on time. Unlike many conventional western Dojos, there was little apparent obligation to fit in with the students. Quite the opposite, the students had an obligation to fit in with the sensei and with the dojo itself, but it was done in a calm and controlled fashion with no arrogance whatsoever. People just knew their place, and their place was to a large extent determined by their actions.

It can be a stressful situation travelling to a foreign country, especially the home of Japanese Budo, not knowing what is expected or how to react, but going through these challenges and coming out the other side still with your dignity and self-respect intact is a rewarding experience. Even if, in the process, you lose these things, it is only temporary and you are better prepared for a similar situation in the future, providing you learn form the experience.
Now in the dojo, dogi on, fees paid and out of the limelight - what happens now.

The newcomer wasn't even sure what the class was as he hadn’t been told.
Typical formalities then pursued, but with roll-call. Dave was bottom of the list, but at least his name was now on the Shinbukan roll.

The dojo was one of many in the complex with exceptionally clean tatami about the size of
8 competition judo areas. It was immense and there was plenty of room for all 40 practitioners. The lesson was Kenjutsu, an art Dave was very familiar with.

While this might be the case, training in Iaido, Batto-jutsu and Kenjutsu had taught that there were many styles and what was in practice in one style is sometimes frowned upon in another. For example it is common in some styles of Iaido to do many techniques from the knees, while in older schools of Kenjutsu such as Katori Shindo Ryu there are crouched techniques but nothing from the knees. Kuroda Sensei showed nothing form seiza position either. Everything was demonstrated from a standing kamai, however this was only an introduction to the style. Grip, cuts and posture are different from many other styles.

Particularly frowned upon is the sword grip that uses the forefinger and thumb pointed down from the tsuka (ie forefinger and thumb not used for gripping). Sensei said that this is in fact a rude position for the hands to be in and is never adopted in Shinbukan. Luckily it is not a grip adopted by Samurai Arts students. The swing is also quite different to many styles with no snapping of the wrists. In fact the wrists do not adjust during the swing and remain in one position. Foot position is also slightly different. With these changes in posture, hand placement and body movement, the cut is naturally also different from that taught at many schools.

This is one of the benefits of studying several styles of swordsmanship, or other martial art. The strongest points of each style can be adopted, or at least the strengths can be analysed and understood. It is also interesting to study within differing styles where the forbidden in one style is the norm in another.

This was Kenjutsu, but Dave also attended Jujutsu classes under the same master. In typical Japanese fashion basics are initially stressed and Kuroda Sensei was particular about using the internal energy, body position and strength so that when attacked it is possible to effectively disappear and have nothing left to attack. The attacker essentially defeats himself without a lot of outside intervention. Numerous examples were demonstrated and practiced but these are difficult concepts to understand, let alone to apply.

Kuroda Sensei invited Dave to attend various seminars being arranged in Paris, California and elsewhere or to return to Shinbukan for further training. An invitation was also received to go to dinner at one of the senior students homes, so despite bewilderment at the outset, the training with Kuroda Sensei turned out to be a very positive learning experience, and something that can be passed on to Samurai-Arts armed and unarmed classes.

Photos of the experience will be posted on the Samurai-Arts website when he returns.

While in Japan, one of our missions is to make contact with new and old suppliers for Action Martial Arts Supplies. Dave has already had meetings with martial arts equipment suppliers with interesting developments. Once these take form we hope to be able to pass on more information.

In short, anybody contemplating a visit to Japan (or to the historic base of whatever martial art you learn) are encouraged to explore the opportunity fully. It can be a daunting task and it can be an extremely expensive task when airfares, accommodation, meals and training fees are accounted for. To make the most of this investment students are encouraged to discuss their venture firstly with their instructor, then with others who may have done something similar. If you have a world governing body or international association with overseas contacts, make use of these resources to ensure that your time and money are put to best effect. If you are heading towards a senior (Dan) grading this may also provide an opportunity to be certified directly with your parent organisation, but please seek approval from your sensei before taking this step.

Japan visit continues with more training over the next few days then on to Taiwan to visit suppliers.