Kicking it in Kyoto

When five Aussie jujutsu instructors flew to the Far East in August for an elite jujutsu seminar with Japan’s 114-year-old Dai Nippon Butoku Kai(DNBK) organisation, they got the training experience of a lifetime. The group’s leader, Shihan Kevin Walsh, president of Idokan Australia and the Aussie Co-ordinator for DNBK’s International Division, reports on what went down in Kyoto, Japan.

Shihan Kevin Walsh teaching at a recent seminar

First, some history: the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai was established in Kyoto in 1895 under the authority of the Ministry of Education and endorsement of His Royal Highness, the Meiji Emperor. Its purpose was to solidify, promote and standardise Japanese classical martial disciplines and systems throughout Japan. Today, the Governor of DNBK is His Royal Highness, Sosai (Governor) Higashi Fushimi, Jigo, Abbot of Shorenin Temple and brother to the late Empress Kotaigo, wife of Emperor Hirohito of Japan.
The venue for the seminar was Kyoto’s famous Butokuden, which was first built in 794AD and rebuilt in 1899. Many of the modern masters like Jigoro Kano (judo’s founder), Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan karate’s founder) and Morihei Ueshiba (aikido’s founder) demonstrated before the Emperor on the floor of the Butokuden. We felt it a great honour to walk in the footsteps of such great masters, especially as this was the first time that any group was given the privilege to use the Butokuden as a dojo (training hall). Previously the Butokuden has only been used to host events, not as a regular training venue.
The seminar was attended by 30 martial artists from six countries: Australia, France, Romania, Russia, United Kingdom and USA. For the first nine days of the seminar, we trained in four different styles of jujutsu, studying the Shinden Ryu, Yanagi Ryu and Shibukawa Ryu jujutsu styles, as well as Chishin Ryu aikijujutsu.
The training regime was very demanding. We woke at 6am for briefing and breakfast before training. Participants then walked to the training hall and set up 200 mats (in less than 10 minutes) before training commenced for the day. Focus had to be maintained for the whole day; we continuously changed partners and in many cases could not talk to each other as we spoke different languages. Instead, we had to communicate through the common language of jujutsu. Training finished at 4:30pm with the packing up of the mats and a walk back to the ryokan (hotel). Dinner was at 6pm, followed by evening lectures or extra training. Often we would also practise in our rooms before breakfast and after dinner to solidify in our minds and bodies the concepts and techniques learnt.
The skill and patience of the Honbu instructors was exceptional. Even though some of them spoke little English, they demonstrated repeatedly and helped until you were able to perform the technique. Many of the senior instructors were advanced in years and it was inspiring just to work with them, especially given their fortitude in Kyoto’s hot and humid conditions. Daily temperatures averaged about 32 degrees with 60 per cent humidity and the oppressive heat caused some participants to break from training due to heat exhaustion. Typically, by 9:30am my gi would be soaked with sweat and I drank three-to-four litres of water every day to prevent dehydration. Not only was the training long and difficult to endure in the heat, but correct protocol had to be strictly adhered to at all times.
This seminar was not only concerned with technical training, but also other aspects of budo, so every night we would have a lecture and reflection on the day’s training. One night we had a Zen monk teach us the basics of meditation and during another of the lectures, DNBK vice president Hanshi Hamada gave the following quote: “Sport teaches you about winning and losing. Budo teaches you how to die.” That quote hit me right between the eyes. I’ve never been a fan of mixing martial art and sport, as I feel that when you put rules around the art (which are required for safety), the spontaneity is lost. However, the quote “Budo teaches you how to die” was a totally new concept to me. Hanshi Hamada went on to explain that the Samurai could be called upon to do battle at any time, day or night, and may not see the next sunrise. Therefore it was important for the Samurai to live a life without regret, so that when it was his turn to lay down his life, there would be nothing left undone.
A personal highlight of the seminar was being taught by Hanshi Kuwahara, 9th Dan in Shinden Ryu jujutsu and president of the DNBK. At 88 years old, Hanshi Kuwahara asked me to make a fist and extend my arm (as in a punch). He then grasped my hand, pressing on a point on my wrist. My wrist bent and I was easily forced to the ground. He told me to try again and make my fist harder. Once more I found myself on the ground. I then spent the next hour trying to emulate what I was shown.
After nine days of hard slog, on the 10th day we visited the Heian Shrine, where the Shinto Priest performed a purification ceremony for all of the seminar participants. Afterward we attended an international Rensei Taikai, where all the seminar participants demonstrated the techniques taught by the Honbu instructors and their own style, in front of Sosai and the DBNK’s Hanshi Board Members. After the demonstrations, awards were presented to some of the seminar participants. From the Australian team, Sensei Wendy Carroll [who has successfully battled an aggressive breast cancer and continued to teach while doing so; see the article online at www.blitzmag.net – Ed] received an inspiration award and I received a Shorei Sho (commendation) award.
The DNBK Honbu also authorises and certifies credentials in aikido, karate, kendo, kenjutsu and iaido (sword arts), judo, jodo (stick-fighting), sojutsu (spear combat), kyudo (archery) and various classical budo. So, at the conclusion of the seminar our Australian team received DNBK certification of our jujutsu ranks: Phillip Mathers, Godan (5th Dan); Leanne Walsh, Yondan (4th Dan); Wendy Carroll, Yondan; Ramon Aperia, Nidan (2nd Dan); and I was presented with the DNBK title of Shihan.
On the last day, the 30 participants had a farewell dinner to celebrate the unique experience we had shared. It was unique because we were not only training in Japanese martial techniques but we were immersed in the country’s culture. The accommodation was in a Zen monastery that has part of its building converted to a ryokan hotel. This is traditional Japanese accommodation: no shoes can be worn inside the hotel, the rooms have tatami (seagrass matting) floors, you sleep on futons and meals are served at low tables, where you sit on the floor.
From the training to the cultural experience, its was an amazing event and I’m sure none of the participants will return to their countries unchanged by their experience at the Butokuden. I’m hopeful that this will not be an isolated event and that in the future there may be seminars for other arts.