We warmed up with 半棒術 hanbōjutsu using 挟み捕り hasami dori. I showed how to roll into the shime on the wrist or forearm. We did henka trapping both hands or splitting up the middle to take either hand.
This class was a bit different. Some of you may have seen a quote that I posted from my recent Japan training. Soke said, “You can watch this but you can’t understand. You have to make a shugyo to understand it. Work on it yourself. Discover this 武道の神髄 budo no shinzui, the essence of budo.”
I recently made a video about this for members of my website: Bujinkan Kuden: 武道の神髄 Budo No Shinzui
But tonight I began my own shugyo. The topic was a way of moving Hatsumi Sensei called kukan no kyusho or 急所丸 kyusho maru. Against my attacker I find the weak point in the kukan and attack it. Beginning class this way meant there was no set form and it was very advanced.
As the attack came in, I pressured then release to attack the covering hand. This tension gets his body all twisted up. I don’t need any effort to throw, I just release the tension and he will throw himself.
Next I used three hidden weapons, shuriken, knife, and kusarifundō. The opponent only notices the weapon the moment it hits kyusho. But sometimes you show the weapon as a form of kyojitsu.
Next I used the principles of 無刀捕 muto dori against a one handed tachi style cut or knife attack. Why does the opponent give you his sword? You make yourself empty. But he, his attack, and his weapon are also empty. One of my students was very surprised when I gave his weapon back to him and then took it again during that moment of shock.
Of Note: 不動明王の目 Fudōmyōō no me like 天地眼 tenchigan
