Member of society

“Karate-do is not only the acquisition of certain defensive skills, but also the mastering of the art of being a good and honest member of society.”

- Gichin Funakoshi

Defeat

Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality.

Locust Valley Karate Club

photo from Mr. Vidal's Facebook page

artwork by Marten Go

Happy Karate Kid day

artwork by cobrakaitilidie.tumblr

Tai Chi Man kicks butt thanks to Tiger

(by Bruce Demara thestar.com 10-31-13)

Starring Tiger Hu Chen, Keanu Reeves. Directed by Keanu Reeves.

If you’re going to make a kick-ass martial arts movie, you’d better have a tiger on tap.

Keanu Reeves, making his directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi, has chosen wisely and well in selecting Tiger Hu Chen to play the hero. Without Chen in the lead role, Man of Tai Chi could easily have been chop-socky awful.

The plot isn’t exactly original. Donaka Mark (played by Reeves) is the head of a Hong Kong-based security firm who runs a lucrative sideline: a fight club of sorts catering to the idle rich in which competitors eventually battle to the death.

Mark spots a rising young talent in Chen Lin-Hu (could they not have given him another name than his actual birth name?), a practitioner of tai chi-inspired martial arts.

It doesn’t take a whole lot of urging to persuade Chen to start scrapping for dollars despite a severe admonition of his master, Yang, that doing so is “dishonourable.”

Will Chen allow “dark chi” to consume his otherwise gentle nature? Will policewoman Sun Jingshi be able to unmask the dastardly head of the fighting ring? Will the man in the black mask turn out to be Mark himself? It won’t take a degree in rocket science to work out the answer to any of these questions.

Fortunately, Chen, whom Reeves knows because of his stunt and fight work on The Matrix trilogy, is an appealing protagonist with his thick mop of hair and genial everyman appeal. He’s also a heck of a martial artist and the fight scenes, varied and plentiful, are easily the best parts of the movie.

Karen Mok is a wonderfully indomitable policewoman and Yu Hai is suitably wise and venerable as Master Yang.

“You have power, not control,” Yang warns his young acolyte to little avail, although the money Chen earns certainly helps put some spit and polish on the aged temple that authorities are threatening to condemn.

Reeves, whose appeal as an actor remains an inscrutable mystery, bares his teeth here and there. But as a villain, he’s barely passable. Only in Reeves’ opaque stare do we sense the sociopath lurking beneath the character’s surface.

But Reeves provides serviceable direction and his wretched acting isn’t sufficient to mar this passably pleasing martial arts adventure.

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https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2013/10/31/tai_chi_man_kicks_butt_thanks_to_tiger.html

Remember the lesson

Artwork by Futonzzz

 

Genji, demon samurai

Calligraphy “Demon, ONI”

artwork by remycks.tumblr

Dutch, out of control at the All Valley

Kendo artwork

Ronin in the snow

 

るろうに剣心  by  逸

Ochi Sensei

Hideo Ochi Sensei (February 29th, 1940) is a Japanese master of karate. He is ranked 9th Dan, and is a former Japan Karate Association World Champion in kumite and kata.

1964:He passed all the tests, and in 1964 the JKA made him instructor for the honbu dojo (headquarters training hall) in Tokyo

 

1971:He was also coach (European Championship in 1971, 1972 and 1975) of the German national team and Chief Instructor for JKA Europe.

 

1993:In 1993, he founded the DJKB (Deutscher JKA-Karate Bund) as German branch of the JKA.

 

1997:In 1997, he received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
 

2011:In 2011 he gave his belt -which was almost white- to a boy blackbelt from Venezuela, when he asked Master Ochi for a picture for his birthday.
 

2016:In 2016, he was awarded 9th dan.

Ninja dojo

artwork by Stephane Baton

Spirit of a tiger

Shotokan wallpaper

Morning meditation by the pond

She called me a nerd

Kusunoki Masashige

Kusunoki Masashige was a 14th-century samurai who fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in the Genkō War, the attempt to wrest rulership of Japan away from the Kamakura shogunate and is remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty. His origin has not been validated and it was merely six years between the start of his military campaign in 1331 and his demise in 1336. He received the highest decoration from the Meiji government of Japan in 1880.

Dojo by the lake

The 20 guiding principles of karate

Gichin Funakoshi was the founder of Shotokan, and is considered by many to be the most influential person involved in the popularisation and growth of modern karate. One of his most quoted works is his 20 guiding principles, (Niju Kun) in which he enunciates what he considers to be the most important philosophies for a karateka to understand and follow. It was published in 1938, long after he had altered karate to make it consumer-friendly, but it is suggested that the ideas were first penned (or brushed) in 1890 when he was jst 22, in which case, you might view them as the zealous gushings of a young man. If they were devised in 1938, when Funakoshi was 70 years old, then you may view them as the distillation of a lifetime in karate do.

Some of them seem to be reworded repeats, and some you may disagree with entirely. Nevertheless, you will hear these endlessly quoted and misquoted, as if their mere existence gives them divine truth. That's not the case. Funakoshi was just a man: he put on his hakama one leg at a time, just like the rest of us. But I think that there are many lessons to learn from them. I think that to understand their deeper meanings, you must realise that they pertain to karate do - the way of karate, not mere karate jutsu - the study of techniques. Do encompasses spiritual and emotional philosophies, as well as physical principles and tactics. Study well, and adopt as you see fit...

1. Do not forget that Karate begins and ends with rei
2. There is no first strike in karate
3. Karate stands on the side of justice
4. First know yourself and then know others
5. Mentality over technique
6. The heart must be set free
7. Calamity springs from carelessness
8. Karate goes beyond the dojo
9. Karate is a life-long pursuit
10. Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty
11. Karate is like boiling water, without heat it returns to its tedip state
12. Do not think about winning; think rather of not losing
13. Make adjustments according to your opponent
14. The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness (weakness and strength)
15. Think of hands and feet as swords
16. When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies
17. Formal stances are for beginners; later one stands naturally
18. Perform prescribed sets of techniques exactly; actual combat is another matter
19. Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power, the extension or contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique

20. Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way

Please note, Funakoshi prefixes each principle with the word "hitotsu" meaning first or one. This is done to make it clear that all principles are of equal importance.


1. Do not forget that Karate begins and ends with rei

Hitotsu, karate-do wa rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru koto a wasaru na
一、空手道は礼に始まり礼に終る事を忘るな

Rei, or a bow, symbolises respect. Respect for others and respect for the art. But more importantly, it shows an attitude of humility that means one is open to learn, and to receive new ways of thinking.


2. There is no first attack in karate

Hitotsu, karate ni sente nashi
一、空手に先手なし

Karate ka should not be aggressive in their attitude, nor look to provoke trouble. We should not be the ones to start hostility. This does not mean that we cannot throw the first blow if it is clear that we are about to be attacked.


3. Karate stands on the side of justice

Hitotsu, karate wa, gi no tasuke
一、空手は義の補け

The do of karate do, is "the way". This way, which comes to us from the budo code of ancient warriors, says that we should not use our skills for unjust pursuits such as bullying or rabble-rousing. In fact, we should have the courage to stand up (verbally or physically) for the weak when we see them under attack. With power comes responsibility.


4. First know yourself and then know others

Hitotsu, mazu onore o shire, shikashite ta o shire

一、先づ自己を知れ而して他を知れ

To know the ways of conflict, you must understand yourself. This refers both to your physical abilities, but also to your mind. There is no point understanding the way the world works if you do not understand how you interact with it.


5. Mentality over technique

Hitotsu, gijitsu yori shinjitsu
一、技術より心術

A sharp mind may defeat the sharpest weapon. Whether you use tactics to avoid a fight, or talk to diffuse one, your mind is your first weapon. Once the violence begins, it is your tactics that give you the greatest chance of winnng, not your physical abilities.


6. The heart must be set free

Hitotsu, kokoro wa hanatan koto o yosu
一、心は放たん事を要す

Do not get stuck into linear ways of thinking. Open your mind to all possibilities. Do not be trapped by your emotions - free your actions from emotional responses.


7. Calamity springs from carelessness

Hitotsu, wazawai wa ketai ni seizu
一、禍は懈怠に生ず

Carelessness or casualness in your words or actions towards others can cause offence and conflict. Carelessness or casualness in your personal affairs or training can bring about disaster in those areas.


8. Karate goes beyond the dojo
Hitotsu, dojo nomino karate to omou na
一、道場のみの空手と思ふな
Karate is not just something that is switched on and off as you enter and leave the dojo. Matters such as posture, movement and strength should be attended to all the time as you go through your daily life. The do in karate do, means that you should hold yourself to a high physical and moral standard at all times.


9. Karate is a life-long pursuitHitotsu, karate-do no shugyo wa isssho de aru
一、空手の修業は一生である
Once you have embarked upon the way, it becomes a never ending quest for refinementnt in the pursuit of unattainable perfection - just like the Borg. As with healthy eating, or being courteous, there is no point at which karate do ceases to be valuable and beneficial.


10. Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty
Hitotsu, ara yuru mono o karateka seyo; sokoni myomi ari
一、凡ゆるものを空手化せよ其処に妙味あり
Because karate encompasses so many aspects, both physical and spiritual, everything you do in your life has aspects that pertain to your training. Self discipline at school or work, posture on the dance floor, courtesy to friends or elders


11. Karate is like boiling water, without heat it returns to its tepid state
Hitotsu, karate Wa Yu No Gotoku Taezu Netsu O Atae Zareba Motono Mizuni Kaeru
一、空手は湯の如し絶えず熱度を与えざれば元の水に還る
Karate is only truly effective when it is at its sharpest, but it will only stay sharp with constant practice. If you take even a week or two off training, it will start to dull noticeably.


12. Do not think about winning; think rather of not losing
Hitotsu, katsu kangae wa motsuna; makenu kangae wa hitsuyo
一、勝つ考は持つな負けぬ考は必要
If you are obsessed with victory, you may adopt aggressive tactics that expose vulnerabilities that can be exploited, and you will become predictable. If your goal is simply not to be defeated, you may attack or defend, counter or evade. Your only goal is not to be defeated. Just like Commander Data demonstrated in "Peak Performance".


13. Make adjustments according to your opponent
Hitotsu, tekki ni yotte tenka seyo
一、敵に因って轉化せよ
You cannot use a one-size fits all fighting tactic. Against a fast opponent, your tactics must be very different than against a slow powerful one for instance. This principle applies in any confrontational situation, such as interactions with your boss or partner.


14. The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness (weakness and strength)
Hitotsu, tattakai wa kyo-jitsu no soju ikan ni ari
一、戦は虚実の操縦如何に在り
Don't try to hammer a square peg into a round hole when fighting. Don't use irrational tactics, such as going toe to toe with a very physically strong fighter. Contract or evade when your opponent attacks. Expand or attack when he contracts. Find the rhythm of combat and fight in harmony with it.


15. Think of hands and feet as swords
Hitotsu, hi to no te-ashi wa ken to omoe
一、人の手足を剣と思へ
Just as you can hack and stab with a sword, your hands and feet can be used in the same way and should be conditioned accordingly. Targets that are vulnerable to a sword can usually be attacked in a similar way using hands or feet.


16. When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies
Hitotsu, danshi mon o izureba hyakuman no teki ari
一、男子門を出づれば百万の敵あり
Danger lies all around us as soon as we leave the relative safety of our familiar domains (home, the area we live; even our traditional ways of thinking), so remain ever vigilant. By "foes" Funakoshi is probably not referring simply to physical enemies, but any of the dangers that exist in daily life.


17. Formal stances are for beginners; later one stands naturally
Hitotsu, kamae wa shoshinsha ni atowa shizentai
一、構は初心者に後は自然体
In his Book of Five Rings Miyamoto Musashi cautioned that you should only use natural footwork, cautioning against having your mind in your feet. Stances are ways for beginners to learn how to use their weight and position their bodies for or against action. Once those lessons are learned and internalised, the discrete stances are no longer necessary, and you should lift your mind out of your feet, moving smoothly and fluidly into whatever position is most beneficial.


18. Perform kata exactly; actual combat is another matter
Hitotsu, kata wa tadashiku, jisen wa betsumono
一、形は正しく実戦は別物
Kata is not merely the practice of combat moves, but a zen discipline of physical and spiritual mastery. If you practice kata solely as combat you will miss the other benefits. However, always remember that real combat is far less predictable; far messier and nastier than kata. Kata is like an idealised drawing of combat.


19. Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power, the extension or contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique
Hitotsu, chikara no kyojaku tai no shinshuku waza no kankyu
一、力の強弱体の伸縮技の緩急を忘るな
Use a full range of application in your techniques. It is not enough to always be powerful, or always fast, nor to always attack or always defend.


20. Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way
Hitotsu, tsune ni shinen ku fu seyo
一、常に思念工夫せよ
Always be thinking, always committed, and be creative and versatile about your practice of karate do and the knowledge of fighting and peace.

------------------

http://www.ilovegkr.com/pages/essays/20principles.html

To win any battle

Pat Morita !

Awesome photo shared on Darryl Vidal's Facebook page by Matt Kerbyson.

(No info was given on the date or location.)

Fudoshin

The Concept of Immovability

(by Christopher Caile fightingarts.com)

Fudo is a Japanese term often used in Buddhism, especially in Zen and Esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyo) to represent a mental state -- one of  immovability, not physically or literally, but in mind, one that is not captured, or moved, or dwells, or loiters on a thought or in a focus - a total unobstructed awareness and focus on everything, thus not moving with, or fixed upon something (limited by a focused attention).

In the martial arts the character "shin," meaning spirit, heart or will, is often added to the root "fudo" to become "fudoshin," a term meaning calm spirit, even when faced with danger, without fear or confusion, that does not dwell or become fixed on anything. This was the highest attainment of spiritual skill only attainable when the mind is totally focused on the totality of sensory input and free of thoughts and emotions - detached but aware and present. A related term "mushin" also is often used to mean "without mind" (not occupied by thought or emotion).

Using the "fudo" root, other related terms include "fudo-chi," meaning immovable spirit or wisdom that can't be influenced, or confused, "fudotai" or immovable body, and "fudoshise" or immovable stance and "fudo-dachi" or "immovable stance" also sometimes referred to as a "preparation stance" (as in the initial and final stance in kata, one that allows the participant freedom of movement and action in any direction).

Many Japanese Samurai practiced Esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyo), especially revering the deity Fudo Myo-o. They saw themselves as guardians of order in a nation besieged with disorder just as Fudo Myo-o served as a guardian of Buddhism. Fudo Myo-o also represented the highest attainment of the Samurai  state of mind  -- the mind that does not move, and the body that is not unsettled even when surrounded by danger. Because of this reverence, statues  and brushed images of this deity were very popular.  Images of Fudo Myo-o also often adorned samurai armor and weapons.

The concept of "Fudo" is also important to martial artists. The famous Zen priest Takuan in his famous three part treatise titled "Fudochi Shinmyoroku" ("The Mysterious Records of Immovable Wisdom") identifies Fudo-Myo-o attributes as they apply to Japanese (Samurai) swordsmanship. He notes the Fudo Myo-o's grasp of the sword in his right hand, his body standing firmly with mind immovable (detached and not distracted), looking at something but not stopping the mind during a flow of action or combat. He warned the Samurai against stopping the mind on a particular object, emotion or thought, noting that such stopping clutters (stops) the mind, something that curtailed the performance of technique.

The most famous Japanese swordsman known today is Miyemoto Masashi. He too was influenced by Fudo Myo-o. "Fudo" and its derivative concepts (noted above) represent a central concept in Masashi's strategy of combat (that reflect Takuan's tenets), ideas he later encapsulated in his famous text on strategy, "The Book of Five Rings.

Even today many martial artists use Zazen (seated Zen meditation), chants (some derived from Esoteric Buddhism), and other to clear, fortify and purify the mind. Standing and/or meditating under a cold waterfall is another similar practice. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, is famous for this practice (which he termed Misogi) of ritual purification.
It should be noted, however, that in modern times most martial artists who use these practices do so to enhance their mental and spiritual discipline, and to  clarity their awareness and mind,  ends that are separate from any religion or religious doctrine.

Modern martial artists also express similar concepts of the immovable mind. Mas Oyama (founder of Kyokushinkai karate and one of my first karate teachers), for example, used to tell me that the ideal karate mind is that of a person who could walk through a burning building without fear --  a very Fudo Myo-o image.

Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura (founder of Seido Karate and my current karate teacher) has said that a true karate-ka must be present in the now, the present moment, totally absorbed in action, mind void of distraction (thought or emotion) and spirit supreme.

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http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=60

Improvement

Entrance to the ninja forest

Traveling warrior takes much needed break

A ronin life

A short Ronin life, a long list of bloody deeds, a force of nature.

from the Samurai Tears tumblr page

The Seven Spears of Shizugatake

The Seven Spears of Shizugatake (賤ヶ岳の七本槍 Shizugatake no shichi-hon-yari) were mounted bodyguards for Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the battle of Shizugatake in 1583. At the decisive moment in the battle, Hideyoshi ordered them to leave the position and charge at the opposing army of Katsuie Shibata. After Hideyoshi gained control of Japan, many of the members were promoted to Daimyō.

The Seven Spears of Shizugatake were the following Samurai:

   Fukushima Masanori (1561–1624)
   Hirano Nagayasu (1559–1628)
   Kasuya Takenori (1562–1607)
   Katagiri Katsumoto (1556–1615)
   Katō Kiyomasa (1562–1611)
   Katō Yoshiaki (1563–1631)
   Wakizaka Yasuharu (1554–1626)

Fukushima, Katō Kiyomasa and Katō Yoshiaki were given large benefices by Hideyoshi, 240,000 Koku in Owari Province, 195,000 Koku in Higo Province and 100,000 Koku in Iyo Province, respectively. Rest of the members remained as a small retainer of some thousands Koku.

At the Battle of Sekigahara and Siege of Osaka, all betrayed Toyotomi Hideyori, the son of Hideyoshi, and took the part of Tokugawa Ieyasu. After the foundation of the Tokugawa shogunate, they or their successors were ousted from their territories, except Hirano.

My eyes

My eyes have seen into the souls of an uncountable number of victims. I am my own spirit animal. 

Ayase Haruka in "Ichi" (2008)

From Yoji Yamada's "Love and Honor"

Blackbelt

Bathed in blood

check out this Antony Cummins video for a little explanation:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M36NStS-Lqc

The original Ninja Warrior

I was so into this, the original Ninja Warrior (known as Sasuke in Japan) which used to be aired on the old cable channel G4.

G4 was awesome, on Saturdays they had "Movies for guys who like movies" which usually consisted of action movies from the 80's.

When they would do their Ninja Warrior marathons I was glued to the TV.

Good times for sure.

Autumn training

Some Cobra Kai t-shirt designs

Ninjutsu and ninjutsu organizations

(martial.arts.tripod.com)

What is ninjutsu?

The martial art known as Ninjutsu is very secret, with a very clouded history. The history isn't documented all that well, as most of what is known about the martial art is that which has been passed down from generation to generation. There are a lot of historical records that state families from the Koga region as being the creators to this very secret style.

Over 70 different Ninjutsu Ryu have been identified and discovered over the years, however most of them have died out. A majority of them were created around a set of specific techniques and skills, although when those skills of a specific Ryu were no longer needed or wanted, the Ryu seems to die out and fade away from existence.

The art of Ninjutsu is best associated with the ninja's from ancient Japan. The ninja's are well known all around the world, for their stealth and very secreted life. The ninja is known to have went through very tough and demanding training, which hardly anyone really knows about. Those that were actual ninja's are either dead, or not allowed to let anyone know their true identity.

During the 1980's, when the ninja trend really hit the United States, the instructors of Ninjutsu popped out all over the place, making black a very happening color. Years later, the trend seemed to die out, and there aren't that many people trying to learn the art.

In regards to the art, the term of Ninjutsu doesn't actually refer to any certain style, but rather a group of the martial arts, with each one having it's own view that's expressed with each of the different Ryu. The Ryu vary, meaning that one may focus on one certain physical dynamic, while the next may be focused on redirection.

What many people aren't aware of, is the fact that Ninjutsu involves both unarmed and armed fighting skills, along with philosophy, strategy, and history. There are a few dojo's that offer the art, many of them being quite comprehensive with the way they teach.

During combat, Ninjutsu focuses on distance, posture, and flow. Stylists are taught to react to every movement, and respond in ways that will place them in the advantage position. From being in a position of advantage, the stylist can effectively change the outcome of the encounter - quickly going from negative to positive.

Those that practice the martial art of Ninjutsu are instructed and trained to use their entire body for everything they do, which provides the most leverage and power. Ninjutsu is well known in Japan, and for good reason. It is a very secretive martial art, yet very powerful. The techniques can be used or self defense, along with stealth. It can be a great martial art to learn - if you can find a dojo that teaches it.



(Japanese kanji for shinobi (ninja)

 



There are three major ninjutsu organizations that teach ninjutsu around the world.

They are: the Bujinkan, the Genbukan, and the Jinenkan

Bujinkan, headed by Masaaki Hatsumi

www.bujinkan.com

Genbukan, headed by Shoto Tanemura

http://genbukan.org/home/arts/genbukan-overview/

Jinenkan, headed by Fumio Manaka  

http://www.jinenkan.com/ennew/index.html

Jade Xu

Xu Huihui (Jade Xu) is a Chinese martial arts actress and multiple World Wushu Champion. She most recently performed in Cirque Du Soleil's Las Vegas show One.

Born in China, raised in Italy and now living in the United States, Jade Xu is an international martial arts icon and aspiring actress who combines natural beauty, incredible talent and cultural diversity.

Check her out at www.jadexu.com or follow her on Facebook.