There was an interesting topic in a Bujinkan Facebook Group that someone posted: “What exactly constitutes what is part of Bujinkan?” What is the Bujinkan really? The Bujinkan is usually defined as the collection of nine ryuha that connect to the Iga and...
I have to confess: I haven’t been the best teacher. I rarely do the Sanshin in class. I figured it was super simple, and takes away the precious time we have in class from the “real training” where techniques are applied. Frankly, I thought it was a...
As we mention in our article Shuhari, there is a Japanese philosophy to studying a craft. However, this philosophy describes the process of learning, but not necessarily gives direction. In this article we are going to tackle our opinion on progressing through...
A student in class recently asked why I don’t say the entire Tadashi Kokoro no Kaisetsu. The answer was simple: I didn’t know it by heart. I also explained that I would be uncomfortable saying the phrase without knowing what it means. So I decided to find...
I heard a quote of Soke Masaaki Hatsumi saying “teach only 50% of what you know.” Without context, this might be viewed in a negative, as if something is being withheld to the detriment of the student. However, the reality is that in Japanese culture, it...
