Wynton joins the Hyoho Taisha-ryu. Last month, Wynton and I went to Yatsushiro we he was accepted as a member of the Hyoho Taisha-ryu. Here are a few photos of the day.
Kumamoto trip Spring 2017 part 1
Today in the garden. Next training in Kumamoto!
Japan trip 2016 – the last day, tameshigiri (test cutting)
On my last day in Kumamoto we were invited to come to the home and dojo of the soke of the Unkou-ryu to practice tameshigiri or test-cutting. Yamamoto-sensei and Uehara-soke took me, Sakaguchi-san, Mori-san and Tazoe-kun to the house where we had lunch with the soke and a top disciple, Ms. Nakamura. After lunch we went to the outdoor dojo where we practiced tameshigiri.
Posted by David 36号
Japan trip 2016 – Nishiki-Machi Matsuri enbu
Last enbu of the trip at the Nishiki-Machi Matsuri (festival). – October 29, 2016.
The founder of the Taisha-ryu, Marume Kurando, retired to farm in Nishiki, a hamlet in Hitoyoshi when he retired from service with the ruling Sagara han and died there in 1629. His memory is still revered so Taisha-ryu is honoured to demonstrate for the local government every year at the annual festival and at other events.
Tazoe-kun and Mori-san
Me and Uemoto-san
Yamamoto-sensei and Gotan-shihandai
Mean samurai laughing at me.
Posted by David 36号
Japan trip 2016 -Hitoyoshi Cultural Center enbu
On October 17, the city of Hitoyoshi held a benefit to help victims of the Kumamoto earthquake which struck six months earlier. It was a showcase of traditional Japanese arts including the Martial Art of the Taisha-ryu which was founded in the area nearly 450 years ago. Happily, my only job on the day was to take photos. Here are a few them both backstage and from the audience.
Posted by David 36号
Japan trip 2016 – Aoi Aso enbu
Here are a few photos of Yamamoto-sensei (shihan of Taisha-ryu) and Gotan-shihandai during an enbu (demonstration) at the Aoi Aso shrine in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Japan. 16 October 2016.
Training with the Saga Study Group
The modern dojo in the country side
Prospective students came to meet Yamamoto -sensei. They are preformers in ninja shows at the Hizenyumekaido.
In the Hizenyumaikaido
There are now five study groups in Japan to which Yamamoto-sensei visits regularly.They are in Kagoshima, Saga, Hiroshima, Osaka and Tokyo. Two days ago I joined Yamamoto-sensei and Uehara-soke to go to train with the Saga group who practice in two different dojos; one is a modern building in the Ureshima country side, and the other in an old theatre they are allowed to use in a Ninja amusment park called the Hizenyumekaido. Here some photos of the training and the place.
Posted by David 36号
Training in the Yatsushiro dojo.
Some photos from Tuesday nights training.
Today’s training…
Hyoho Taisha-ryu Australia keikokai (study group) is still just the two of us – Go-san and I which is why the posting on this blog is infrequent – nothing much to tell. However, I’m going to the Yatsushiro dojo in Japan this week for ten days Intensive Training and will be going to the Saga dojo for practice and also to couple of enbu (demonstrations) at Hitoyoshi and Nishiki-machi festivals. For R&R I’m going to climb Mt. Takachio in Kirishima. I will try to post often while I’m there to explain more about the current state of the Taisha-ryu and also lots of photos of training and around some of the most beautiful parts of Kyushu.
A few shots of todays training below.
Posted by David 36号
News from Japan
Taisha-ryu’s 15th soke
Grading-March 2015 – Uehara Eriko with back to the camera.
Hyoho Taisha-ryu has announced that on the 1st of August 2015, Uehara Eriko-sensei will become the 15th soke of Hyoho Taisha-ryu Kenjutsu. In a lineage that dates back nearly 450 years from the late 16th century she will be the first ever woman to lead our ryu.
In the gallery below – Tazoe-sensei and Uehara-sensei at the 33rd annual Asakusa Taikai enbu in Tokyo 11th April, 2015.
Click on photos to enlarge
Posted by David 36号
Taisha-ryu Kenjutsu study group Australia 