Amatai no Shugo-ryū: Goals, Ki, and State of Mind

Achieving our two essential goals in the practice of Amatai no Shugo-ryu, that is the cutting of an opponent while avoiding being cut and the perfection of character, require an keen awareness of both the physical and mental aspects of each interaction between training partners or opponents. Equally important is the ability to feel the exchange of energy, ki, between the participants. One’s state of mind is critical to this; for, a negative state of mind will interfere with one’s ability to achieve the purpose of each exercise in practice. Anger, impatience and selfishness can limit one’s awareness and prevent them from determining their opponent’s intent.

On the other hand, proper practice does have a significant, positive effect on one’s state of mind. By putting one’s body and mind into action through the practice of kata and drills, while being focused on the key elements and asking one’s self questions about one’s strategy, the tendency is to disrupt anger and promote patience and cooperation. Happiness, patience and cooperation: all make the smooth flow of ki between training partners possible; therefore, each person is better able to react properly.

The more one is able to live in the moment and put aside all irrelevant thoughts and respond intuitively to perceived subtle changes of strength or weakness, the more one is able to sense the ki. To achieve such a state of mind is not easy; however, once one is really aware of the ki component in Kenjutsu, one can then begin to learn to control their attacker’s intent.

This is a valuable goal and it is not by chance that the same qualities one develops in the dojo will help them to become better people outside. Those who truly seek enlightenment, the “Way”, as Miyamoto Musashi put it, try hard to develop specific qualities within themselves: to live within the moment, to put aside irrelevant thought, and to allow intuition to guide them to correct action. As one studies Amatai no Shugo-ryū, they can attain a similar state of mind both inside the dojo and when they leave at the end of the day.

Strategy in Amatai no Shugo-ryū (Part 3)

One might well ask, “What is the difference between strategy and tactics, or between tactics and technique?” Well, they are each distinctively different; yet, they also go hand in hand. Remember, we have defined strategy as a plan of action that is intended to accomplish a specific goal. Tactics can be defined as a procedure, or a set of maneuvers which one engages in to achieve a particular end or goal. So then, strategy refers to one’s general plan of action and one’s tactics are the methods used in order to accomplish the plan.

Methods can be categorized even further into techniques. Techniques, with practice, will instill in one the intuitive response that will enable one to act within a tactical frame of mind and efficiently accomplish their strategic goals through the interaction of the sword.

As mentioned above, strategy, tactics and techniques go hand in hand and thus, often overlap. It is important to keep in mind however, the distinctions between them. Too illustrate, let us consider a reaction to a straight, downward strike with a katana. The basic goal, the strategy, is to cut the opponent without being cut. There are numerous ways to accomplish this particular goal. One tactic that could be employed to achieve this end would be to move to one’s side, then counter strike. A technique which could be utilized to do this would be for one to step forward and to the right with the right foot, whle rasing one’s sword overhead; then pivot back and out of the way with the left foot while executing a downward cut or lateral, decapitating strike.

Strategy then, is something that is accomplished by means of tactics, which in turn, consist of techniques. By being aware of the different facets of each encounter, one allows themselves the opportunity to focus their attention in such a manner that the effectiveness of one’s training is taken full advantage of. By examining an encounter in broad terms, one can determine their goal. By narrowing one’s perspective, one can then determine what tactic(s) best suit the accomplishment of that goal. Having done so, one should then select the techinque0s) which will make up the tactics and then practice them until they are literally done without conscious thought: automatic or intuitive. Practice, however, does not stop there. One needs to practice and practice more until one’s reflexive abilities and knowledge are such that we perform them at the very instant they are needed. One might consider it in this way: one’s goal is reflexive abilities and knowledge that “kick in” automatically the second they are required. The tactic to accomplish this goal is study and practice of the techniques we are taught.

As will be discussed later, the value of all of this extends well beyond the walls of the dojo. If one pursues their goals in this exact manner, one can accomplish great things and have a significant and pleasing upon their character.

Copyright 2009 by Hayato Tokugawa & Shisei-Do Publications. All rights reserved.

Strategy in Amatai no Shugo-ryū (Part 2)

To cut the opponent while avoiding being cut is in one sense largely external, because it depends, in part, on technique and strategies which are taught and learned. The second goal, to progress in the direction of perfection of character, is more internal, as it comes from within each of us; yet, it is equally as valid. Both of these objectives are keys to the proper practice of the art of swordsmanship and every subsequent goal is derived from them.

To cut an opponent while at the same time not being cut is, as noted above, a largely external goal. It relates to one’s physical actions as well as to those of their opponent. If one thinks about it, however, “to cut an opponent while not being cut” is also a theoretical goal, in that in modern Japanese society, we do not typically use the katana as a weapon. The modern trend is to place far less emphasis on the killing ability of the katana and instead focus on its character as a tool by which one adds or modifies character and self-discipline. It is however, necessary to keep in mind the true, fighting purpose of the katana. One must maintain a concept of the practical reasons for the art of swordsmanship; thus anchoring one to a sense of martial practicality. Each decision one makes; how to hold a sword, how to stand, how to move, how to think; must be based on the actual principles of fighting with the katana; otherwise one’s actions are no longer fixed in the art and its traditions.

Within our dojo, “to cut an opponent while not being cut” is taken quite seriously, both in discussion of tactics and techniques, as well as in practice. Wearing full bogu[i], it becomes a practical matter of not being “whacked” by bokken or shinai – both potentially a painful experience. The intent of such a practice, among others, is not a competition, but rather to take matters one step further in providing a real, tangible means of fixing in one’s mind in the true, practical aspects, traditions, and history of swordsmanship.

The perfection of character, an internal end, relates directly to the state of one’s mind and spirit. It is equally a real goal although difficult to achieve. It is possible through practice to improve one’s awareness, thought patterns, self-discipline, even one’s integrity and ability to live harmoniously within the community, in keeping with the principles of Wa-Dō. Granted, there is no actual need to develop the skills of sword fighting; yet, there does exist a true need for one to refine themselves and to work toward the betterment of themselves and their community.

The more one follows their quest to accomplish the first goal, the more one makes press along the path to the second. Time spent well in practicing kata, in drills, and in other training with the sword, the more the internal goals are achieved. Therefore, when one speaks of strategy, one addresses both the most successful ways to use a sword and the most effective ways to utilizing swordsmanship to fashion one’s spirit.

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[i] Bogu (防具 ) is the specially developed protective armor used in Japanese martial arts, particulary in Kendō. A complete set consist of: men (面 ), the facefask and shoulder protector or helmet; the dō (胴 ) or torso protector; the kote (小手 ) or hand and forearm protectors (long, extended gloves); tare (垂) the leg and groin protector.

The men which protects the face, neck and shoulders, consists of a facemask with several horizontal metal bars, running across the entire width of the face, from the chin to the upper forehead. To this is attached a long, rectangular, thick cloth padding, which curves over the top of the head and extends to cover the shoulders. A plate to protect the throat is also attached to the bottom of the facemask. The men is held in place with a pair of cords, which wrap around the head and are tied at the back. Note that the men is left open for ventilation and thus the back of the head is left unprotected. This is primarily due to the fact that there is no prescribed nor permitted stroke to the back of the head.

The main component of the dō is the curved stomach and chest protector. In its modern form, the dō has a distinct bulge, which helps convey the force of a strike away from the soft, middle areas of the torso. Lacquered bamboo has traditionally used however, molded plastic or fiberglass is now frequently used instead. The dō is held in place from the shoulders by two diagonal ties from the shoulders and a small set of ties at the back.

The kote are gloves that resemble long-sleeved mittens, designed specifically for Kendō. While they look cumbersome, they indeed provide a high degree of mobility for hands and writs in gripping in gripping and wielding the shina (the traditional split bamboo “sword” of Kendō.

The tare is a thick, padded, cloth belt that wraps around the waist and ties under the front flap. The padded flaps that hang from the belt protect both the upper legs as well as the groin area.

Copyright 2009 by Sekishinkan Tokguawa Dojo/Takayama Budokai, Shisei-Do Dojo, Shisei-Do Publications, and Hayato Tokugawa. All rights reserved.

Emotions and Forms: Uniquely Japanese

Emotions and Forms: Uniquely Japanese

Much of my formal education and training had been in science and law; both disciplines based upon logic. As I grew older, and hopefully wiser, and as a student of traditional Japanese Budō and Bushidō, I began to read and study about the Japan of past days; and as I experienced life in Japan, not only in the dojo but in the small towns and villages, away from the cities, I began to think about such Japanese things as jōcho (emotion) and katachi (forms of behavior). People took tradition seriously. They often enjoyed dressing in kimono; they enjoyed eating together as a family, gathered around a low table in the living area of a simple home. People who were too loud or boisterous were given a cold shoulder. I witnessed Japanese unspoken communication and personality projection. Away from the cities, the national character was entirely different. Customs and traditions, sincerity and humor, were considered of much greater value than the logic I had learned and trained in at school. Of course there were some people who clamored for “more”, “more is better”, “modern is better”; yet, those who shouted for more reform to the modern ways, were discreetly criticized by the elders as “lacking a proper sense of humor.”

I began to realize that, yes indeed, logic had its place, but aesthetics, emotions and forms of behavior could be equally important if not more; things uniquely Japanese. When I mention “aesthetics,” I am speaking of such things as nihonjin no shizenkan, the concept of nature. When I say “emotion,” I am not speaking feelings such as joy, anger, sympathy, sadness or happiness, which we learn about in school and which we all experience naturally; I am refereeing instead to emotions that are cultivated through cultural experience; such emotions as natsukashisa, a sense of yearning for the lost, an mono no aware, an awareness of the pathos of things. By “forms,” I mean the code of conduct that has been with us for centuries, derived from Bushidō, the samurai code of ethics.

When considered together, these are the things that make Japan and the Japanese special, unique in the world. Just as Nitobé Inazo pointed out that Bushidō was the foundation of Japan’s national character, so also are these others. Even as far back as the Meiji Restoration, both emotions and forms of behavior began to go into a gradual, imperceptible decline. The rate of decline was accelerated in the Showa Era and sustained extensive deterioration after World War II, as the country suffered from Americanization and free market principles which reached deep into the Japanese heart to exert their influence on Japanese society, culture and its character as a nation. Even the Japanese educational system, has served to erode the Japanese pride and confidence in their country, largely at the hands of revisionist politicians and historians. People, particularly in the cities began to forget those things that were the country’s traditional emotions and forms of behavior, the things that should have given them the pride to be uniquely Japanese. Instead, the country falls prey to the logic and reasoning of the West and the decline continues through a process of globalization, which is nothing more than an attempt at making the world homogenous. Japan must find the means to realize and preserve its individuality and to recapture its simplicity in living, its emotions, and its forms; thus, remaining forever, uniquely Japan.

THOUGHTS FROM A TAKAYAMA ROOFTOP: The End Purpose of Budo

The end purpose in practicing kenjutsu or any Budo is to make the art thoroughly a part of one's self. One must try to achieve a state wherein one can resond with the best of tacticsas a matter of reflex; that is to say, unconsciously.

This can be accomplished by learning to deal with every possible circuncstance. When one is using a sword aganst an opponent or enemy, one shouldl not allow their soul, their inner spirit, to link itself to the technique. The enemy will perhaps have the opportunity to see within you and strike at you in a way that could cuase you to be defeated. Do not think about being killed (defeated) or whether or no you have killed (defeated) your opponent.

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Copyright 2008 by Hayato Tokugawa & Sekshinkan Tokugawa Dojo/Takayama Budokai

THE CORE OF BUSHIDO

If we wish to find the core of Bushido, we must I think look at it in its historical context. To do that, I would like to use a metaphor, first put forward by Nitobe Inazo in his book on Bushido, worn as it may be; I think it is still effect. Certainly, we do not need all the flowery rhetoric or the cryptic European references of Nitobe so grasp what is truly simple.

If we think of Bushido as the Sakura, the cherry blossom, and think of how plants live, our search may become clearer. Japan of course is the soil and without the proper soil, no plant can flourish. Some will whither and die quickly, others will struggle over a long time, trying to survive, but never growing perhaps beyond some stunted weed. Japan, more than anywhere in the world, was the right “soil” for Bushido.’ The seeds came to Japan long ago from China, who in many ways is the “Mother of Japan”. The seeds came in the form on Confucius and then his disciple Mencius. If one wishes to understand Bushido, then look to the seeds themselves: Analects by Confucius and simply The Mencius. With these two great “fathers” came Wan Yang Ming and Lao Tsu. The great seeds of Asian thought came riding across the sea to eventually take root in Japan.

The Sakura, like any plant, not only needs soil, it needs nourishment and Shinto was just such nutrition for Bushido. Native to Japan, growing out of the sea with the land, it was there waiting to embrace Bushido and to give it all that it could. Perhaps the two greatest “gifts” of Shinto were its sense of patriotism, loyalty, reverence for ancestors, and love of family and parents, which lay at the very heart of Bushido at its birth as it does today. Look in any dojo and you will see the character of Shinto present from the walls to the etiquette of those who practice there.

Seeds, soil, nourishment, are fine but our analogy still lacks something. The Sakura needs sun and rain which was supplied in abundance by first Buddhism and later its refinement of Zen, which went directly to the growth and development of the Samurai character – the Samurai spirit, and provided for the growth and development of Bushido on the most personal of levels.

Bushido was exclusive only to Japan. Despite Nitobe’s analogies to European Chivalry, they are as different as night and day. Bushido could only have been in Japan. It was destined to be so.

Copyright 2008 by Hayato Tokugawa and Sekishinkan Tokugawa Dojo

INTRODUCTION TO AMATAI NO SHUGO-RYU

Introduction to Amatai No Shugo-ryu



Amatai no Shugo-ryu (Multitude of Dragons School) is a unique martial art which combines techniques of a number of Budo/martial art forms (amatai no Shugo or a multitude of dragons); yet, a the same time, through the study and application of the principles of Bushido, one forms a strong spiritual sense of love, peace, and harmony. It is art, beautiful and flowing it is Budo, powerful and effective.

Some people may be drawn to Amatai no Shugo-ryu because of one of those two aspects or for one or more of the “dragons”; yet, after a period of serious practice one is likely to discover that all of the elements and all of the “dragons” are interconnected. The spiritual sense is discovered through practice of technique and technique is improved through the development of the spiritual sense.

Amatai no Shugo-ryu is a contemporary Japanese martial art combining:

· Traditional Budo technique
· Traditional Budo values
· Traditional Bushido thought with modern applications
· Traditional Japanese and Asian philosophy and thought with modern applications
· Traditional Japanese culture

It is a non-competitive art which offers a model for self-defense, conflict management and resolution, as well as for both personal and social responsibility.
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© 2000 by Hayato Tokugawa, Aoi Tokugawa, and Sekishinkan tokugawa dojo. all rights reserved.

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