BUSHIDO FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

As it turns out, finding the time to edit together videos is rather difficult (especially with a toddler and newborn!).   So, in the meantime, here is a written summary of the intended video content:

The 1st Way: The Path of Cultural Preservation

While they are few and far between outside of Japan, it is possible to learn a classical sword system (koryu) dating all the way back to the feudal era.  These ancient systems (e.g. Ono-ha Itto-ryu; Yagyu Shinkage-ryu; Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu; etc.) are very strict in their observances of school-specific rituals and every aspect of transmission and training. Authenticity of lineages tend to be of extreme importance in such schools, and any “licensed” instructor or inheritor of said methods must be able to provide legitimate provenance of their qualifications (usually in the form of some formal/written sanction, which is often traceable back to the original founder of the school). There are also other, more recent (gendai) schools founded since the Meiji Restoration (Muso Shinden-ryu; Toyama-ryu; Shinkendo, etc.), not all of which fall under the purview of governing organizations like the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei(All Japan Kendo Federation), which provide consistency and quality control oversight. 

Practitioners of these systems diligently train in the prescribed techniques and follow the established methods, which often have the weight of centuries behind them. Whether with a wooden sword (bokken) or a live blade (shinken), these practitioners are invaluable in keeping alive the history and traditions of the ancient samurai, which would otherwise disappear forever. Thus, students develop as martial artists by measuring their growth against how faithfully and accurately they have learned – and thus learned to follow and preserve – those traditions and techniques.

The 2nd Way: The Path of Martial Prowess

Sport Kendo is the Japanese equivalent of sport fencing in the West. Instead of a metal foil, épée, or sabre, however, kendo players use hardened bamboo strips that have been bound together with leather to approximate a sword, called shinai (more durable carbon-fiber versions also exist). While the gradual evolution of kendo as a part of formal kenjutsu training can be traced back to early 18th century, kendo has evolved to become an international sport enjoyed all over the world in the modern age. Today, when swords are no longer needed in battle, the path of martial prowess is almost entirely limited to sport kendo for students of Japanese swordsmanship.

As a sport, the “winner” or “loser” of a kendo match is determined by points scored against specific armored parts of the head, wrists, waist, and throat. There are also variations that use polearms (naginata) and even rifle-bayonets (jukendo). Due to its rigid point system and eccentric methods of striking with the shinai, modern kendo has often faced criticisms that it is not a genuine combat sword art. Nevertheless, kendo is an enjoyable and enriching martial art that allows players to pit their skills against a live opponent in a safe, controlled environment. In short, how good you are as a kendokais largely a measure of how proficient you are in comparison to your opponents within the bounds of kendo scoring rules. 

[Note: Aside from sport kendo, there also exist other alternatives, such as “sport chanbara” (a.k.a. “spochan”), which uses flexible foam and other padded sticks to approximate a sword. While activities like spochan may offer good exercise and even passable training in timing and coordination, ultimately, they are to swordsmanship what “Tae Bo” was to “Tae Kwon Do.” TKD, especially in the World TKD Federation/“Olympic” style, is already more of a point-based sport than a complete combat system. Tae Bo was an aerobic fitness and dance program inspired by TKD movements. 

Today, there are some “schools” that teach what has rightfully been denounced as “bullshido” by the Japanese sword community at large. These schools “train” their hapless students to learn “flashy” acrobatic movements that are inspired by cartoons, action movies, and fanciful imagination. We will not waste our time on such nonsense, except to observe that tossing and twirling a katana is not actual swordsmanship; just as a color/flag guard performance is not related to soldiering/marksmanship. 

This video will outline the philosophy and approach at Yozan.  

The 3rd Way: The Path of Personal Growth and Character Development

Both paths summarized above share in common the opportunity for personal growth and development. Self-control, for example, can be learned through overcoming frustration and disappointment while repeatedly failing to perform a kata (choreographed exercise) according to the exacting requirements of a particular tradition (i.e. in the first path). It can also be learned through maintaining good sportsmanship, composure, and formal etiquette after suffering a crushing defeat in a kendo match. However, it could be argued that such lessons are desirable but not necessary byproducts of swordsmanship training. After all, history offers numerous examples of both samurai and rogue warriors who were prone to arrogant hubris, violent outbursts, and other undesirable characteristics.

Our way at Yozan* – the 3rd way – offers a more focused and intentional approach to cultivating a noble character. Through a proprietary synthesis of the first two paths of sword training, combined with guided self-reflection and philosophical discussion, students will explore the landscape of their own daily lives, identifying the challenges and obstacles that they must confront. This “3rd way” of swordsmanship is grounded in the insight that the greatest opponents whom we must face and overcome are the negative aspects of our own selves.

As a unique blend of the first two paths, the style of kenjutsu that students will learn at Yozan is oriented toward practical applications of sword techniques “under pressure” (i.e. against an uncooperative/resisting opponent). Rather than rigidly following any one school or tradition, our curriculum prioritizes combat effectiveness, efficiency, and versatility. Level 1 will teach basic sword swings (suburi), stances (kamae), footwork, and basic kumitachi (partnered aikiken/kenjutsu). Level 2 will teach more complex suburi with more challenging kumitachi and also introduce iai/batto-do (the art of drawing and slashing from the sheath, or saya, in one fluid movement). Level 3 will further build on the previous two levels, with additional focus on building perception of timing/distance and flexibility/improvisation. Two-sword (niten) techniques will also be explored at this level. Sparring, which will require appropriate protective equipment, will only be available to students who have demonstrated proficiency in the fundamental techniques and self-control.

Aside from the course “level” in which students are enrolled at the time, there will be no ranks/belts, recognition of “seniority,” or any other systems of formal hierarchy or accreditation. As the colorful anecdote from the American frontier goes: “God created men; Samuel Colt made them equal.” Indeed, even the most skilled samurai is still vulnerable to a well-timed or “lucky” attack by a novice. The spirit of zanshin in Japanese martial arts, which calls for a state of alert vigilance (and to rid oneself of over-confidence, even in the face of certain victory), reinforces this undeniable fact. Therefore, at Yozan, we will conduct ourselves with mutual regard, respect, and humility toward one another.  The truth is that no one, not even the course instructor, is “better”/stronger than anyone else – and the petty need to defeat or dominate others to “prove” one’s superiority is, in fact, a weakness of character which must be overcome.

* Yozan – the pen name of Uesugi Harunori (1752~1822), the 9th lord of Yonezawa during the Tokugawa reign over Japan. Among his many remarkable achievements, Harunori inspired the aristocratic warrior class to truly serve others through personal example and self-sacrifice. His belief that “[the bushi] exists for the sake of the state and the people: the state and the people do not exist for the sake of [the bushi],” was both revolutionary and transformative. Through Yozan’s leadership, the domain of Yonezawa was not only saved from the brink of poverty and destruction but eventually became a model of virtuous governance, peace, and prosperity.