Since March 2020, the training sessions provided by Meifu Shinkage Ryu Canada Branch have only been online. We have invested in two high-quality cameras to continue to provide expert instruction to our members. Please take a look at our dedicated online learning page to find out more about how to start training online.
Summer has started and the summer break is just around the corner. With that, our keiko schedule changes significantly for this summer.
If you are looking to purchase MSR Bo-Shuriken, please let me know as soon as possible. I can then place your order and pay Otsuka-sensei in Japan in 2 weeks.
Please note that we are moving away from Facebook, making future announcements on our general website and for our MSR Canada members on our Members Only website. All members have received information about this already. If you want to continue to follow our activities in Canada, post announcements will be made in Facebook automatically, just like this one.
Excitingly we are announcing a series of new workshops, to be offered in Saskatchewan and Toronto. Four workshops about Bo-Shurikenjutsu as well as four workshops about Fundo Kusarijutsu are currently being designed. Please take a look at the special announcement page, https://meifushinkageryu.ca/workshop-small-weapons/
In addition, we are setting up regular Keiko Cafe sessions. Please see the Facebook group for announcements.
The year 2016 was fantastic for Taka Budo Dokokai Martial Arts, Inc., and in particular for the Meifu Shinkage Ryu department. We were privileged to train with Otsuka-Sensei in Japan at the Tabata dojo, and again during the seminar in La Ronge in October. New members passed their first examination, whereas other members passed their Kyu and Dan ranks.
The year 2017 will be another fantastic year. First of all, the Meifu Shinkage Ryu Canada – Toronto Keikokai will start under leadership from Nigel. The startup will be slow to establish a solid foundation. There is quite some potential to grow Meifu Shinkage Ryu in Toronto and in the greater Ontario; a great opportunity.
Following is a list of exciting opportunities in 2017:
Please note that opportunities 3 and 4 are semi-private, with early bird registration fee of $300 for each seminar, and $600 for the April 2017 seminar. If you are interested in reserving at the early bird fee, please contact Chris de Feijter. MSR Canada Branch members will receive the usual 50% discount on seminar fees for MSR related seminars.
Meifu Shinkage Ryu training in November followed many training activities as practiced during the October 2016 Saskatchewan Seminar. Compared to previous training sessions, we decided to focus our training using one tool in particular, supplemented by the other. For example, the majority of training focused on Bo-Shuriken, and additionally, some of the Fundo-kusarijutsu kata were reviewed as well.
One of our newest member is starting to transition to the hard fundo-kusari. The soft fundo kusari is a great training tool, however, any member must transition to using the hard version sometime during the training progression. Therefore, we think it is important to do so as soon as possible, not much later than after graduating the 5th kyu level. Taking safety and confidence into consideration, it is however imperative that new members use hard fundo-kusari only with very limited power with the focus being on flow. This resulted in a review of Ippon-me to sanbon-me-ni.
In addition, some members have started working on the Nidan and Sandan kata, as detailed in the Mokuroku for Fundo-kusarijutsu. This is a new step towards further and deeper understanding of all the skills and techniques in the Meifu Shinkage Ryu curriculum.
Todays training was about all Bo-Shuriken waza, all stances and distances from 1 to 2 ken. Gyaku uchi is difficult from 2 ken. After that, I started to train Shomenuchi with the left hand from 1 ken. This was very interesting and forced me to really focus on the hand grip as left is my non-dominant hand. Then I followed up with Shomenuchi with two shuriken, one from the left hand and one from the right hand, thrown at the same time from Heiko-dachi and Fuko-dachi. I ended the training with throwing two shuriken at the same time from the right hand, trying to keep them within a 15cm grouping.
I also experimented with the new style bo-shuriken that arrived yesterday. The Shingetsu-ryu bo-shuriken are so strong that they almost penetrate two puzzle mats. I could not practice with the MSR Hanten-daho shuriken as I did not have enough room to move beyond 3 ken.
We had quite the week last week, here is an overview of what was worked on. Hip rotation and power generation while relaxing was the focus of all sessions.
Monday evening (April 27)
– Short primer on Kusari Fundojutsu: Ippon-me to Roppon-me, focusing on proper hip rotation. 20 minute session
Tuesday evening (April 28)
– Outside session. We worked on Shomenuchi from 2 and 2.5 ken, alternating with Shomenuchi hanten daho from about 5 ken. This was a challenge, but very interesting to explore. 2 hour session
Thursday morning (April 30)
– Shomenuchi from 1.5 and 2 ken. 1 hour session
Sunday morning (May 3)
– Shurikenjutsu, focusing on gyaku uchi only: the diagonal and horizontal variety. 1 hour session.
Participants: Darren, Chris (just under 2 hours)
Most of the training with Bou shuriken was done from 1.5 ken: shomenuchi, za-uchi, and gyaku-uchi. W also did a few shitate-uchi and dosoku-uchi to mix things up a bit. One of the techniques we worked on was aiming at a low target, and then aiming at a high target as done during the seminar. The aim was on precision.
We ended the session with fundo kusarijutsu, ippon-me to roppon-me, with relaxed swings and proper execution of each strike. We will continue with Fundo Kusarijutsu next Monday in the gym, focusing on distance and aim by using several objects at different distances.
Next sessions have been scheduled for April 20 (fundo kusarijutsu) and April 21 (Shurikenjutsu)
Participants: Darren, Kelvin, Chris.
Today, we had a guest participant joining us, to see if he would like to become a member. The session was planned around Fundo Kusari jutsu, and we worked on Ippon-me to Yonhon-me. Metsubushi and kosei uchi were practices against shomenuchi with bokuto, to learn the understand the concept of distance while using the fundo kusari.
In addition, we did quite some exercises on footwork: Balance, placement of the feet as well as proper timing.
Next session has been scheduled for April 14.
Present: Darren, Lance, Chris.
Welcome to our latest MSR member, Lance. This 2-hour session was mainly an introduction session for Lance, where many aspects from MSR were explained, demonstrated and reflected on. Closer towards half way of the session, after explaining balance, footwork and the hand grip position, Lance threw a few sets of 5 Bou Shuriken using Shomen-uchi. He did very well, and was really relaxed in his throw, posture, and mindset.
We decided to leave the real introduction for during the seminar. Nevertheless, Lance decided to become a member of MSR Saskatchewan Keikokai.
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