Jul. 26-28 2001[IMG]http://www.taijutsu.com/150_tim.jpg[/IMG]

[shinbushi]

Jul. 26-28 2002
Originally from Australia, Tim started training in the Bujinkan Dojo fourteen years ago and is currently ranked at 11th Dan He has been living in Japan for the last 4 years training every week with Hatsumi Sensei Nagato Sensei, as well as the other Shihan.


Tim is a translator at Hatsumi Sensei and Nagato Sensei's dojos. Tim also currently teaches both Japanese and foreign students at two locations in Tokyo.

Call For details contact David Dow.
ph: 310-366-7575
e-mail: seminar@taijutsu.com

Day 1 Friday night 6-9PM:

Newaza (ground fighting) Bujinkan Style.
How not to fight on the ground
Tachiwaza (standing techniques) on the ground
Day 2 & 3 Sat. & Sun. 10AM-5PM:
Takagi Yoshin Ryû Jutaijutsu.

Prepay by Jul.15:
$60 per day $150 for ALL 3 days.
At the door:
$70/ day $180 for the weekend.



Order online before Jul. 15, 2002 (http://www.taijutsu.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SBBS&Category_Code=TBS)

[Dark Knight]

"1993 Received 5th Dan Black Belt 1st try, Sensei used a Bo staff(He did not have a shinai on hand)
Dec. 1996 Received my 7th Dan Black belt
Dec. 1996 Go to Los Angeles U.S.A.
May 1999 Received 8th Dan at the Hombu, Noda city Japan "

I noticed your system moves through the ranks pretty fast.
Also I see your system has a 14th degree, how many degrees are there in your system?

[shinbushi]

Technically there are 10 dans and within the 10 are 5 elemental liscences (Earth, Water, Fire Wind Void) But for simplicityu every refers to them as 11-15th Dan. I was not aware that someone had been promoted to 14th (10th dan Wind liscense) but, it could have happened reciently.

[Dark Knight]

Do you have ranks below black belt? Or is your system just levels of Black?

[shinbushi]

Unlike most martial arts today, who rank in belt colors, our dojo uses dans and kyûs The first rank a student receives is 9th Kyû. All following ranks increase downward to 1st Kyû. After that the rank increases upward from 1st dan to 10th dan. And with in the 10 Dan there are 5 levels, being the five elements. A student wears a green belt until they hit 1st Dan or Shodan (meaning the first step) where they exchange it for black.(except for our children course incorporate colored belts for each Kyu) All ranks up to Fourth Dan are not based on tests but, by the teacher observing the student Most people have a misconception that being a black belt means mastery; it actually means that the student has just become a full liscenced practitioner in the art. The Headmaster then records the student's name in the Bujinkan annals. Then it is now time to start learning for real.

[Dark Knight]

The way my system works is pretty similar. We use a hyu system starting at white to brown. This process takes about four years to get through.

"Most people have a misconception that being a black belt means mastery; it actually means that the student has just become a full liscenced practitioner in the art. "

This is very true. After four years of raining the student has a good grasp on the basics and is ready to get to the good stuff. I meet so many people that think a shodan is the deadliest thing on the earth.

"Then it is now time to start learning for real."

The same with our system. Black Belt means that you have the basics down, now its time to start making use of them.

Our ranking system is based on international standards, there are many factors in being promoted. Obviously skill, knowledge and time in rank. An easy way to see it is basically one year in each black belt rank. (So if you were a fourth going for 5th it would be min of 4 years) But if the skills and knowledge are not there, the promotion will not happen no matter how long you have been in.