SATSUJINKEN & KATSUJINKEN

Satsujinken & Katsujinken, an important concept in some old Koryu sword schools (eg Shinkage Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu).

Satsujinken is ”the life taking sword” and Katsujinken is ”the life giving sword”.

This concept symbolizes an ethical principle: one sword used to kill with, can also be used to save or give life, to protect the weak.

This concept would serve as a guiding principle, with the aim of preventing situations from being resolved solely by lethal force. One would not draw one’s sword without some caution. In a confrontation, could one prevent evil by sparing his counterpart’s life ?

JAPANSKA BUD(O)ORD: Kamidana

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KAMIDANA:

Kamidana (神棚) är ett miniatyraltare, som finns i både många hem och många dojo. Den kan beskrivas som en altarhylla med ett miniatyrtempel för Shinto-gudar (kami). I en dojo så är den upphängd högt upp på Shomen.

Kamidana (神棚) skrivs med två olika kanji-tecken och uttalas på kun’yomi, det japanska uttalet.

• Det första kanji-tecknet, 神, uttalas ”Kami” på kun’yomi och betyder ”gud”, ”ande” eller ”helig kraft”. På on’yomi, det sino-japanska uttalet, uttalas det Shin.

• Det andra kanji-tecknet, 棚, uttalas ”Tana” på kun’yomi och betyder ”hylla”. På grund av rendaku-reglerna (sammansatt ord, T blir d) blir uttalet –dana. På on’yomi, det sino-japanska uttalet, uttalas det ho.

Så direktöversättningen av Kamidana blir ungefär ”gudshylla”.

BUSHIDO (Way of the Warrior)

Bushido was the samurai’s code of honor, their spiritual and ethical code of conduct. Bushido was influenced by Zen Buddhism,
Taoism and Neo-Confucianism. The future samurai grew up with bushido, which came to characterize his entire life upbringing and adult life.

The samurai’s profession was a bloody craft and he would serve his master with an unwavering loyalty until death. Bushido developed the courage and necessary self-confidence. Bushido includes that one
through so-called acts of resistance, the will strengthens.

Bushido can be described as a form of personality development based on the following seven virtues:

• Gi: to make the right decision and make correct ethical values, even if it meant death to oneself. There was no gray area, just right or wrong.
• Yu: courage, the courage of the samurai in battle.
• Jin: goodness (benevolence). To show tolerance towards fellow human beings, to show compassion.
• Rei: proper behavior and action, etiquette, respect for others.
• Makoto: total sincerity. A samurai was straight-backed and did not have to ”give his word” or ”promise”.
• Meiyo: honor and glory.
• Chugi: loyalty, ie. the immense loyalty to his master, his master.

It is claimed that the seven folds on the samurai’s traditional trouser skirt (hakama) represent the seven virtues. This may be considered a myth, as the hakama is considerably older as a garment than Bushido is as a concept.

As a budoka (budo practitioner), one should know what bushido means, as its principles are important for the development of
a good personality and strength of character. Even in today’s society, these virtues could be important guidelines for all the people.

JAPANSKA BUD(O)ORD: Kai (Kwai)

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KAI (KWAI):

Kai (会) skrivs med ett kanji- tecken, som i sig kan ha flera olika betydelser. Vi känner ju igen kai eller kwai från både klubb-, stil och förbundsnamn. Så i det här sammanhanget är betydelsen förening eller sällskap.

• Kai är uttalet på on’yomi, det sino-japanska uttalet. Kwai är ett äldre historiskt uttal.

• På kun’yomi, det japanska uttalet, uttalas kanji-tecknet au.

Karatens historia del 1: Shurite & Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū

SHURITE:

Varje region på Okinawa hade sin egen stilart av Karate, som i början kom att kallas Okinawa Te (hand) eller Tang (handen från Kina). På Okinawa-dialekt blir
Okinawa Te, Uchinadi. Först och främst är det tre städer på Okinawa, som starkt har påverkat dagens stora karate-stilar, städerna Naha, Shuri och Tomari. Grundstilarna av karate kallas därför Nahate, Shurite och Tomarite. Vi skall nu börja gå igenom Shurite.

Shuri-Te (首里手) utvecklades i området kring staden Shuri. Shuri var kungarikets gamla huvudstad. Shurite tränades därför också främst av den lokala adeln. ”Bushi” Matsumura Sōkon (1809-1899) är känd för den som i grunden formade själva Shurite-karaten, det som i nästa utvecklingssteg skulle bli Shorin Ryu, via Chibana Chōshin. Det fanns tidigare utövare av Shurite. Den äldste utövaren som man hittills känner till var Choken Shinjo, en medlem av kungliga hovet i slutet av 1500- och tidigt 1600-tal. Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu, Shotokan och Shudokan är exempel på tre stilar som kan spåra sitt ursprung i linjen Shurite > Shorin Ryu.

Inom vår studiegrupp (Kyokai) för Okinawa Te och Okinawa-den Koyama Ryu, så tränar vi en del äldre kata med ursprung i Shurite och Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu, under ledning av Angelo Bonnano Shihan.

De kata som vi tränar från Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu, har följande ursprung och ”lineage”, kakei, ”den familjära arvsgången” är:
Sokon ”Bushi” Matsumura ->Nabe Matsumura -> Hohan Soken -> Takaya Yabiku -> Angelo Bonanno. Här följer en kort historisk sammanfattning av denna lineage!

Sokon ”Bushi” Matsumura:

Dagens alla moderna karatestilar, som har utvecklats ur Shurite, kan spåras bakåt i tiden till mästaren Sokon ”Bushi” Matsumura (1797-1889). Han var elev till ”Tode” Kanga Sakugawa (1733-1815), den mästare som kanske mest har bidragit till en systematisering av Okinawa Te (”te betyder hand”, föregångaren till Karate) och Shurite. Han betraktas också som ”the Father of Okinawa Te”. Sokon ”Bushi” Matsumura får däremot anses som den som verkligen klassificerade Shurite-typen av Karate.

Nabe Matsumura:

Sokon ”Bushi Matsumura valde ett av sina barnbarn, Nabe Matsumura, till sin efterträdare. ”Bushi” hade många kända elever, men det var Nabe som blev utsedd arvinge till Bushi’s personliga Shurite-system.

Hohan Soken:

Nabe valde sin brorson, Hohan Soken, som arvtagare till ”Bushi” Matsumura Shurite (”Machimura Sui-Di” på Okinawa-dialekt). Tyngdpunkten låg på att bevara den traditionella Shurite-karate. Både Nabe och Soken behöll namnet Machimura Sui-Di. (Shorin Ryu som stilnamn började dock användas redan år 1933 av Chibana Chōshin).

Hohan Soken emigrerade till Argentina år 1924 och spred där sin karate. År 1952 återvänder han till Okinawa. Då ser han hur den traditionella Okinawa-karate alltmer har utvecklats till Sport Karate. Detta var också ett av skälen till varför han aldrig anslöt sig till något av de snabbt växande karateförbunden.

År 1956 ändrar han dock namnet till Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū karate. Seito betyder ortodox, för att betona skillnaden mot sportkarate.

En av Hohan Sokens elever var mästaren Takaya Yabiku. Vår Kancho, Angelo Bonanno Shihan, har varit elev sedan många år till Takaya Yabiku. Angelo Shihan har också författat och publicerat en utmärkt bok i Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū.

MIKKYO, TENGU & SHUGENDO

Both Mikkyo and Tengu were of importance within some older koryu schools.

Mikkyo was a type of esoteric Buddhism,
often associated with the Shingon and Tendai sects. They were both important influences to the teachings of Shugendo, a type of ascetic-esoteric Buddhism with a belief in supernatural powers.

Tengu were mythological mountain and forest creatures, which could perhaps be compared to our wetts. They have still an important place in Japanese culture. Among other things, Tengu festivals are organized in today’s Japan. Tengu was demon-like, had magical powers and immense skill in the art of the sword. From the beginning they were depicted as
humanoid birds or foxes. After the Middle Ages, they were depicted as long-nested mountain warrior monks with red faces.

It is above all one of them, Sojobo, which has gained great importance within various traditions of Shinkage Ryu and Yoshin Ryu. Sojobo was the Tengu King of Mount Kurama. A style that has a very large origin both from mikkyo and the legend of Sojobo was Kyohachi Ryu, founded by Hogen Kiichi.
Tengu in the Middle Ages came to be mostly associated with the Yamabushi and their belief in Shugendo. As mountain warrior sect
(yama–bushi, mountain-warrior) they lived an ascetic life with extremely hard mental training.
Shugendo was a mixed religion based on Shinto, Taoism, esoteric Buddhism and local shamanism.
Kuji–kiri, ”the nine symbolic cuts”, is something that is intimately connected to mikkyo. These are the special hand gestures,
which remain in those koryu, which have in some way had some connection to ninja or yamabushi. Examples of schools are some
Shinkage Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu.

According to belief, Kuji-kiri can activate the nine energy structures, the grids (power, energy, harmony, healing, intuition, awareness, dimension, creation and completeness).

JAPANSKA BUD(O)ORD: Kagamibiraki

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KAGAMIBIRAKI:

Kagamibiraki (鏡開き) som ceremoni, markerar i många dojo starten på det nya dojoåret. Då blir Kagamibiraki ett traditionellt firande av årets första träningspass, Hatsugeiko, vanligen den 11 januari (eller runt detta datum). Kagami biraki betyder ”öppna spegeln”. Under ceremonin ”öppnar” och äter man en speciell mochikaka (riskaka), kagami mochi.

Kagamibiraki är uttalet på kun’yomi, det japanska uttalet av kanji-tecknen:

• Det första kanji-tecknet, 鏡, uttalas Kagami på kun’yomi, det japanska uttalet. Kagami betyder spegel. På on’yomi, det sino-japanska uttalet, blir det kyō.

• Det andra kanji-tecknet, 開, uttalas Hiraku på kun’yomi, det japanska uttalet. Hiraku betyder ”att öppna”. Hi ändras till –bi på grund av rendaku-reglerna. På on’yomi, det sino-japanska uttalet, blir det kai eller ke.

• det tredje tecknet, き, är en stavelse som skrivs på hiragana och uttalas ki. Hiragana är fonetiska tecken som används som ”postpartiklar”, vid böjning av verb och adjektiv.

Kenjutsu & Yoroi

Yoroi was the armor of the samurai. The application of the techniques in the various kenjutsu kata are based on the design of the armor itself. It belongs to the fact that as a kenjutsuka you also learn about the armor itself.

In kenjutsu kata, you train with the bokken against the bokken, where you strike your bokken against the opponent’s bokken. In real combat, however, you never clash your swords, as this can destroy the blade.

All cuts and blocks in kenjutsu are really aimed at hitting the openings in the opponent’s armor. These applications for combat are called kuzushi in Katori.

For example, in the case of a cut against the kote (forearm guard), the target is the inside of the forearm (with all vessels and nerves). When cutting the neck, aim for the opening between the kabuto (helmet) and the menpo (face mask). In this opening, just below the opponent’s chin, one hits the carotid artery. The insides of the thighs are an important target (the femoral artery), as these are not protected by the haidate, the thigh protectors. Suneate (the lower leg protectors) does not protect against cuts aimed at the knee folds and calves. When hitting the torso, aim at the level of the side of the pelvis.

Many of the different postures (kamae) are also slightly different from Iaido. In battle, yoroi (armour) was worn with the accompanying kabuto (helmet). This meant that in Jodan no Kamae you had to aim the sword at a 45 degree angle above the head, otherwise the helmet would receive. For the same reason, one instead uses a lot of rolling chops, makiuchi, from the left side of the body.

Ninja (Shinobi no Mono)

There were several other groups of warriors throughout the course of Japanese history, although the samurai class constituted
society’s elite.

THE NINJA

There are many myths about the Japanese ninja. The ninja historically appeared around the 15th century during the Ashikaga Shogunate, as a group specializing in assassination, guerrilla warfare and sabotage. They were most often exploited by various daimyo for both political and military purposes.

The designation Ninja and Shinobi:

Both ninja and shinobi are written with the same kanji characters and basically have the same meaning.

Use of the word ninja is quite modern. It is ninja that has been popularized as a concept, probably due to some manga series that appeared after the Second World War. A historically more used term than ninja was Shinobi no Mono. In fact, the original name of these warriors was ”Shinobi” or ”Kunoichi” for women. The two kanji characters can be pronounced in two ways: in kun’yomi and on’yomi.

In kun’yomi reading, the Japanese pronunciation, it becomes shinobi-no-mono.

In on’yomi reading, the Sino-Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters, it becomes nin-sha, but due to rendaku rules change –sha to –ja.

Both shinobi no mono and ninja primarily have two meanings. It can mean ”person who endures” or ”hidden person” (sneaking person).

Origin:

According to uncertain historical sources, shinobi were descended from Yamabushi. However, they probably originated from the Iga and Koga regions. There are several theories about their actual origin. The earliest traces of ninja can be traced back to about the year 1150, at the end of the Heian period. They were probably of Chinese origin and took refuge in the mountains of Iga and Koga where they lived together with the Yamabushi. They likely received some martial arts influences from Yamabushi monks. Shinobi lived up in the mountains in large clans, with a type of rank order. The fighting tradition was kept within the clan. During the Sengoku Jidai (the era of the great civil wars), Iga and Koga developed into Japan’s major shinobi regions. Just as with the samurai, one was born into the shinobi tradition with training that started as early as childhood.

Some common myths:

The myth of the ninja in black:

The black clad ninja is a myth and it is somewhat unclear where it comes from. There wasn’t some kind of black ”ninja uniform, ninja gi”. There is no evidence for this.

The shinobi were dressed in navy blue peasant clothes, a color also thought could scare away vipers. Shinobi out on a mission, appeared in disguise, such as samurai, priests, artists, craftsmen, ronin, monks.

The popularized black-clad ninja most likely originates from the kabuki theater.

Ninjato, the straight ninja sword:

There is no historical evidence that any ninjato ever existed. The first published image of a ninjato is from the year 1956 in a compendium published by Heishichirō Okuse.

At this time, during the heyday of the shinobi, there was already an excellent weapon, the katana. It was also used by shinobi, who sometimes carried it on their backs.

JAPANSKA BUD(O)ORD: Kabe

Den här gången skall vi lära oss lite mer Budojapanska genom att lära oss betydelsen av olika dojouttryck/termer.

KABE:
Kabe (壁) betyder ”vägg ”. Det är kanske inte det vanligaste ordet i dojovokabuläret. Ibland kan kabe förekomma i benämningen på olika angrepp mot vägg (till exempel stryptag mot vägg). Kabe kan betyda olika saker beroende på sammanhanget, som vägg, barriär, hinder.

Kabe (壁) skrivs med ett sammansatt tecken: 処 (ka, som betyder ”plats”) +‎ 重 (he, som betyder ” delning”). He ändras till att –be på grund av rendaku-reglerna.

Kabe är uttalet på kun’yomi, det japanska uttalet. På on’yomi, det sino–japanska uttalet, uttalas tecknet heki.