carly
03-06-2003, 08:36 PM
Junior Baby Ninja Member asks question:
Are we being scammed?
I think this deserves its own thread…..
Are we being scammed?
Do you think Japanese Instructors are teaching you that same way as they were taught? Are they purposely hiding their techniques or teaching incorrectly? Or are we being scammed?
We now have the world at the tip of our fingertips. You can find anything on the web… even the truth. Years ago Hatsumi sensei said he was the only student of Takamatsu sensei. Today we know there were others. The lineage of sokes cannot be proven and it may even be false. (See koryu.com search for Hatsumi).
Most likely your rank certificate says Dan/Kyu Rank in Budo or Ninpo Taijutsu… but not in any specific ryuha. Why? The original shihans received Menkyo (Shoden, Chuden, Okuden…) licenses and densho. Today we have 13th, 14th, & 15th dan (Chi, Sui, Ka…). Why? Many believe ground fighting (newaza) is nonexistent to Ninpo. Is it really?
Victor
*
Reply from indoctrinated old senior ninja to baby ninja:
Location: New York, NY, USA
Of course. Let me qualify:
1) As a student, you are not entitled to anything. You don't have the inalienable right to learn everything a teacher knows;
2) If you're a student of e.g., Hatsumi Sensei, who travels to Japan at best 2 times a year, maybe 2 weeks at a time, or what amounts to not much more than 'face time' with your teacher, how much do you think you're going to be exposed to? How much do you think you have a right to be taught? And if you're a student of that student/shidoshi, how much do you think you're going to get?;
3) It has been mentioned that there is special training for a group of young Japanese students in the Bujinkan honbu (I forget the name of this group, sorry). Do you think that's unfair? Sure it is! But that's just as it should be. That's the way it's always been in Japanese martial arts, except for those arts whose main purpose was to be teachable to many people, e.g., judo.
Personally, I think the worst thing that ever happened to koryu bujutsu in general and the so-called 'Takamatsu-den' in particular is that so many of us ever heard of them. It's like adding water to scotch -- you'll have more liquid, but the taste is weak and watered-down.
Are we being scammed?
I think this deserves its own thread…..
Are we being scammed?
Do you think Japanese Instructors are teaching you that same way as they were taught? Are they purposely hiding their techniques or teaching incorrectly? Or are we being scammed?
We now have the world at the tip of our fingertips. You can find anything on the web… even the truth. Years ago Hatsumi sensei said he was the only student of Takamatsu sensei. Today we know there were others. The lineage of sokes cannot be proven and it may even be false. (See koryu.com search for Hatsumi).
Most likely your rank certificate says Dan/Kyu Rank in Budo or Ninpo Taijutsu… but not in any specific ryuha. Why? The original shihans received Menkyo (Shoden, Chuden, Okuden…) licenses and densho. Today we have 13th, 14th, & 15th dan (Chi, Sui, Ka…). Why? Many believe ground fighting (newaza) is nonexistent to Ninpo. Is it really?
Victor
*
Reply from indoctrinated old senior ninja to baby ninja:
Location: New York, NY, USA
Of course. Let me qualify:
1) As a student, you are not entitled to anything. You don't have the inalienable right to learn everything a teacher knows;
2) If you're a student of e.g., Hatsumi Sensei, who travels to Japan at best 2 times a year, maybe 2 weeks at a time, or what amounts to not much more than 'face time' with your teacher, how much do you think you're going to be exposed to? How much do you think you have a right to be taught? And if you're a student of that student/shidoshi, how much do you think you're going to get?;
3) It has been mentioned that there is special training for a group of young Japanese students in the Bujinkan honbu (I forget the name of this group, sorry). Do you think that's unfair? Sure it is! But that's just as it should be. That's the way it's always been in Japanese martial arts, except for those arts whose main purpose was to be teachable to many people, e.g., judo.
Personally, I think the worst thing that ever happened to koryu bujutsu in general and the so-called 'Takamatsu-den' in particular is that so many of us ever heard of them. It's like adding water to scotch -- you'll have more liquid, but the taste is weak and watered-down.