Shindo Yoshin Ryu and Shinto

While Threadgill sensei was over in New Zealand recently he spoke at some length about the importance of Shinto in our practice. Placing an importance on Shinto was one way Takamura sensei was trying to keep the martial art uniquely Japanese while being practised outside of Japan.

Shinto is embedded in Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu. Therefore there is an expectation that students of the ryu will learn and participate in various dojo rituals and practices associated with Shinto. At certain levels of study students are taught prayers and rites that function as initiation into higher learning.  

The TSYR Student Handbook mentions that Shinto is an integral part of the school's legacy because it functions as the foundation upon which the school's ethos resides. It is fundamental to capturing the cultural essence of the ryu.

So it goes without saying that deshi of this ryu must become familiar with Shinto and what it is all about. This does not mean you have to become a follower of Shinto, you are free to embrace any religion or form of spirituality that you choose. However, if your beliefs compromise the spiritual traditions of the art then you must ask yourself if Shindo Yoshin Ryu is really for you.

So what does this mean for my day-to-day practice?

In both the Hamilton dojo and my own private dojo there is a shelf holding a kamidana (spirit house) along with associated accessories such as a mirror and porcelain furniture. Before every training lesson we bow towards this kamidana. Often a short prayer in Japanese is said as well.

TSYR members in front of the kamidana at the Hamilton Dojo, 2017.

 The remainder of training is similar to many modern Japanese martial arts with people bowing to one another before trying a technique or form and then bowing at the end to thank each other for the practice. 

There are rules concerning how weapons are placed and carried in the dojo with the kamidana present. 

Purity and cleanliness are paramount in Shinto. Even in modern dojo this can be seen when students sweep and mop floors after training. Corruption of a person or object is something to be avoided if possible and there are various rituals and prayers that are used to purify a place, object or person. 

For many students this may be as much as they are exposed to concerning Shinto.

Of course there is much more to it than this. I am only relatively new to the kai and after sensei spoke recently it is obvious that there is so much more to learn. 

Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu honours four Shinto kami, seeking their protection and guidance. Ofuda (talismans) representing each kami are kept in the kamidana of the TSYR hombu dojo as well as some branch dojo. 

The most important Shinto kami is Amaterasu Omikami. She is the sun goddess and rules over the Heavenly Plain. 

Sarutahiko Okami is a guardian kami and leader of the earthly kami. He is seen as a symbol of strength and guidance and one of the patron kami of the martial arts.

Ame no Uzume no Mikoto is the kami of dawn, sensuality and revelry and she is the patron of actors, performers and negotiators.

Takemikazuchi no Mikoto is the fourth and final kami. He is  associated with sword work and is a patron of martial arts.

I am also aware of annual Shinto rituals that are observed. There are six mentioned in the handbook. Maintaining a traditional dojo that observes all of the above practises is quite a commitment but does allow the practitioner to get an understanding of the mindset of those who have gone before. This facet of TSYR is yet another reason why I enjoy pursuing this art. There is always more to learn beyond the physical techniques.

A great weekend of training.

Threadgill sensei was once again in New Zealand to assess our progress and further our training. I have had a great two days on the mats

There was the usual Friday night open seminar in Auckland where sensei demonstrated his skill with both sword and unarmed. I was not able to attend this but by all accounts it was enjoyed by those attending and sensei showed some new things he had not shown before.

The rest of the weekend we trained at the Hamilton dojo.

On Saturday morning Threadgill sensei spoke of shinto and its relationship with Shindo Yoshin Ryu before taking us through the first set of the kumitanto. The knife work is fun but teaches just how dangerous knives can be and why it is foolish to think that disarming a skilled knife-wielder would be an easy task (or even something you should contemplate).

In the afternoon we worked on sword disarms. A set of kata that teaches important body skills, distancing and timing.

My wife and I invited the group out to our house for Saturday evening and it was a night of great food, laughter and sensei telling his fabulous tales. The last of the guests didn't leave until after midnight. 

Threadgill Sensei and the rest of the crew relaxing in the evening.

I had the honour of sensei seeing my personal dojo for the first time. Some of the other TSYR members had not seen the space either and of course, like any good martial artists, they had to get on the mats to try them out. 

On Sunday morning we worked through the second set of the kumitanto. The knife is held in a different grip compared to the first set allowing for interesting techniques.

That afternoon we worked through battojutsu. The sword draws are very demanding as sensei is after precision. It is these techniques above all others we did this weekend that cause a lot of sweat and tears. They take a lot of concentration and sensei is very critical of our performance in these movements.

After the battojutsu we worked on one defense against a sword takeaway and then ran out of time for anything else. People were very tired by then.

The mood of the seminar was very positive. We had fourteen people there on the first day and only one less on Sunday. We also had one person from Australia looking to become a deshi of the school. The atmosphere was jovial and up-beat. People were training hard but enjoying themselves at the same time. With enough people of different shapes and sizes to work with it was very enjoyable.

Threadgill sensei said that he could see improvement in our teacher which is good news for us because if our teacher improves we benefit as a group. 

Everyone who was there was enjoying each other's company and I felt that the camaraderie and good will has not been this strong for a long, long time. It was exciting to be part of.

It is my hope that we carry on this good will in our training and that the various groups that attended train together more often to strengthen TSYR in this part of the world.

Is Koryu Bujutsu a Cult?

I have been thinking about this one for a while. Koryu practitioners can be known for their elitism and secrecy, so I can see why some people might view involvement with a koryu as cult behaviour.

Amaterasu - Japanese Sun Goddess

So, let's explore the idea of a cult. A simple definition is a social group that is devoted to or worships a person or object. 

In a martial art where people believe there to be cult behaviour the sensei is often the object of the devotion or worship. This is easy to understand as many people come to the martial arts to learn from a teacher. Some people have watched films or read books about wise, old Japanese men who pass on their martial prowess to those who are worthy. They can sometimes come along to a dojo with the idea that they must prove their worth to the sensei. There is an instant power imbalance in this relationship. 

A clip from Napoleon Dynamite illustrates this nicely.

Rex Kwon Do

Now that was fairly blatant and as one of the characters says at the end, "Well, that was a rip off."

So if many people already believe they have to prove themselves to the teacher, this could lead to all sorts of problems. New students may tolerate behaviour from their teacher that may deem unacceptable in another setting. They may not be as ready to question their teacher's actions because they are being 'tested'. So this opens up an opportunity for a less-than-decent person to exploit the situation. Of course this happens in religion, public education and just about anywhere else where there is a teacher-student relationship. In martial arts however, we deal with violence. This is to be expected. So how this situation can be abused is concerning. Not wanting to veer off topic too much, the martial arts has its fair share of egomaniacs that use this medium to manipulate and exploit others, sometimes to a point of creating cult-like behaviour.  In fact my aikido sensei was subjected to this very thing early in his life and had to come to terms with breaking away from that toxic environment. So does it happen in koryu?  My answer?  I am not sure. I have not experienced it nor do I know anyone who has. But people being people, most probably, somewhere, sometime. 

I think what leads some people to generalise about koryu and claim they are all cult-like is some of the differences to the shinbudo (modern Japanese martial arts). Phrases such as "Your life belongs to the school" and "The school is more important than you" are thrown around when people argue about koryu being cult-like. 

The reality is you have an obligation to do what you can. We all have to keep our jobs and commit to our families, what time and money is left we dedicate to our training. Most koryu practitioners I know (not that many to be fair) are intelligent people who question things. They are not sheep. So I do not think they would still be students of a koryu if they thought they were in a cult. 

In my very limited experience, people teaching in a koryu are often no-nonsense types that are happy to accept people but not concerned if the student walks away either. They are there to train and pass on the knowledge of their own teachers to their students. It is not so much that what they have to teach you is secret or special its just that it took them a long time to learn what they know and they know what is required to get you there. So if a student is appearing flaky or trying to move quickly through the curriculum when they are not ready for it, the teacher must address this. This might make them seem cagey or grumpy or even 'secretive' if you like, but at the heart of the matter it is the simple fact that the student is not grasping what is being taught.

A sensei that is ambiguous about their training history is someone to be careful of. A koryu sensei will be up-front about the lineage of his or her school and who taught them, why wouldn't they?  They really have nothing to hide. Although asking these questions on the mat might not be the best time as they want you to train. However, off the mat, while out at dinner or over a few drinks they will happily discuss history and lineage and they will want to get to know you. Your character is important to them as you may be carrying on what they know in the future. 

Another aspect of koryu that lends itself to criticism is some of the archaic practises and rituals that the school may contain. Koryu have their roots in a different time period, when Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism were very important to the people of the time. Students will participate in these practices to maintain a particular mindset or attitude but that doesn't mean we have to believe in all the hocus-pocus. For instance the utterance of a prayer to ask the martial spirits and ancestors to watch over our practice does not mean I believe that invisible spirits are watching me but it reminds me of the people that have trained before me and the respect I should have for the art while practising. 

At the end of the day I can say, faithfully, that I am not in a cult-like martial arts school. I am sure some exist but hopefully what I have written above clears up some of the ambiguity. 

Take care and keep training.

Dean.