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Walker
22nd August 2000, 18:00
Obata Sensei,
I wonder if you could talk about your translation of the Heiho Okugisho of Yamamoto Kansuke for the Hawley Library.
What prompted your translation?
What were some of the challenges you encountered in the translation?
What to you think is the value for or best way to approach the text as a student of budo? Or what do you think are the major lessons for practitioners?
Have you ever considered doing a commentary on your translation?
Do you plan to do any more translations of historic material in the future?
Thank you

Obata T
22nd August 2000, 21:58
Well, I found this book at the Hawley Private Library and found it quite interesting.

The owner wanted the book to be translated. Since the kanji are from the Edo Era, there were many kanji that I couldn't read. Also, since the text was very simple and didn't offer much details, it was very difficult to translate.

Learning directly from the text book is very difficult anyway because as I mentioned it was not written in detail. Many of the old books were written like this. I think that the major lessons are the sword and battle fighting situations.

My real purpose [intention] was to translate the book exactly as it was written, as true as possible. If I had time, I would have liked to have offer a commentary, but I'm busy these days...so my answer is yes and no.

I'm busy right now with promoting Shinkendo and writing my next book, among other things. Therefore, I probably wont have time to translate any more historical things, unfortunately.

I feel obligated to spend my time and energy towards supporting all the instructors and students that have come to me to learn the arts that I teach.

Actors or translaters can take my place in other areas, but no one can take my place to lead Shinkendo!


International Shinkendo Federation,

hyaku
23rd August 2000, 13:15
Obata Sensei,

I would be very grateful if you could suggest any other books that deal specifically with Batto Jutsu/Do. I am always searching for relevant information

Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu

Hyakutake Watkin.

Nippon Todo Renmei

Obata T
29th August 2000, 19:06
Not really. Battodo has very few techniques and focuses primarily on cutting only.

The kumite is too simple and there are only a few of them anyway. Their ranking system has become very strange since I left Japan.

There are also a lot of injuries and fights. In a short seminar, they recommend cutting immediately...I do not agree with this.

This is dangerous, and I believe they have forgotten the basic idea of swordsmanship.


International Shinkendo Federation,