Author: kabuto

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緊縛 Year of the rope

The theme of this year is the rope. The rope can be used to describe many things…

The rope is flexible, it has no static form. It change form depending on circumstances. We should strive to be the same in our Taijutsu.

The rope can tie your weapons together, it can hold things together. When you use the rope for tying things together you should make the knot very easy to release, in a way that you quickly can release everything and free the rope. In Taijutsu, use the same principle. You can tie the opponent up, but you should be able to quickly get free. For example the ever so popular jujidori armlock from judo and MMA cage fighting is not it.

The rope can be used as a net, or linked to many things. Like the synapses in your brain, or cables between the internet routers. If you need to use a weapon in Taijutsu you know how to get it and use it without thinking. Because you already made a whole system where everything is the same. You don’t need to think because everything is already linked by the synapses.

Also you can psychologically tie up your opponent in Taijutsu as if you really had a rope in your hands. If you belive it strongly, do it as if you had an invisible rope. The opponent might feel trapped and confused… maybe!

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Fix Universal


I must recommend this for cleaning swords, I think it is called “Fix Universal” and the website is universalfix.com.

I had a nasty spot on my iaito for years, from a chestnut I cut. I didn’t clean it properly so it was this for 10 years or so. The iaito is aluminium so it never rusted, anyway the stain looked worse and worse. It came of really easy with this fix.

It is also supposed to be very good for polishing away rust from metal. I don’t have anything rusty to clean, so I can not testify this myself. But I do believe it could work if you have a sword that got rusty and stained.

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才能魂器 sainou tamashi utsuwa

This years theme is taijutsu with the feeling of rope, and also a little sword. It is still early to tell how the year will continue, I was there the first two weeks and it will of course change. It is stupid to think you can get the whole thing in just two weeks. As soke so often says, “nothing is decided.” We should go along with what is given by the gods or spirits, not steal techniques or take something that is not given. If you train slowly and correct you should be able to sense what uke is giving you, if you go to fast your ego is directing you and you will not be able to see and use what is given to you.

Enlightenment can be found in three places. Under your feet, up in the space (heaven), and written on your eyelids. It is as simple as that. In our case that study Bujinkan it is as simple as Soke says. Go to japan and train with him, and train with those that do to keep yourself on the right path. So simple!

To become a master you need three things. Ability (what you are born with), soul (how much you put into the training), and openness (being open enough to take in all that is taught). There is also other words that can explain the kanji in other words, maybe even different. Look them up in a dictionary and read what others already explained on blogs and forums.

I wrote this in January already and just discovered it waiting to be posted. Sorry, but better late than never.

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The new Honbu dojo

Today was the first training with soke in honbu dojo. He opened speaking about a new honbu dojo that hopefully can be started on in 3-4 years. The current honbu will stand here for five more years, then the city will build the railway where it stands now.

Soke asked us to spread the word that it is ok to send in donations for the new honbu dojo. I would suggest that each dojo-cho will collect money and donate it in the name of respective dojo.