MJER two or three branchs???

[yohimbo]

When we refer to MUSO JIKIDEN EISHIN RYU leave promptly the currents of Hokiyama-ha (ikeda seiko) and Masaoka-ha (Miura osensei) but the teachers never speak of yamauchi-ha (komei sensei) the division went many years ago, when oe masamichi(shikei)17th headmaster did past a way. We teach our iaijins that there are other groups, but why the other groups do not know us?? the iaijines of here don't know that all these teachers gather each certain time in MEIBUKAN DOJO for enjoyed the benefits of the iaijutsu?? Then why we follow to putting barriers a true??
one day i asked to Komei Sekiguchi sensei about the division, and who has the true.
he told me:
-YOU KNOW MY MASTER DID SAID ME:(HIS MASTER)
--NAKAYAMA HAKUDO AND KAZUMI MASAOKA ARE THE BETTERS SWORDMANSHIPS THAN I HAVE SEEM EVER---
and Sekiguchi sensei told me :
one day you must see to miura sensei and then that you seem what is iaijutsu :
¿is not that open mind and greatness of spirit?

[Charles Mahan]

I suspect that most of the longer term MJER students in this country are at least a little familiar with the larger branches of MJER. What you refer to as Hogiyama-ha is typically refered to online as the Seitokai organization. The MJER organization that Ikeda-soke leads is called the MJER Seitokai. I cannot recall having seen the Hogiyama-ha designation used online.

I personally know little of Yamauchi-ha except that you use truly monsterous swords, by Seitokai standards. I think the internet is helping to spread information about the various branches to the newer students as well. I doubt that the situation in this country is all that different from the situation in Japan. Newer students are more interested in the kihon and day to day practice to worry about the politics of the ryu.

As for why there is more information and more discussion online related to the Seitokai and Masaoka-ha groups is simply that there are more students from these groups online, and we are more vocal. I know fo 5 vibrant Seitokai dojos around the country and I know there are a LOT more from Shimabukuro's group. To the best of my knowledge you have the only dojo in the country from Yamauchi-ha.

Unfortunately that's the way it seems to work online. A few years ago there wasn't much known about the Seitokai group in this country. There are still people who insist that the Zen Nippon Iaido Renmei is some kinda style in and of itself like ZNKR's Seitei kata. As each group comes in and prospers, there is a proliferation of knowledge regarding that group. Until then, the online denizens make due with the information they have, which is sometimes faulty in amusing ways.

Again I'd like to say welcome to the community.

[Chidokan]

Yohimbo,
welcome to E-budo! Try this thread as well, "Multiple MJER Associations", I got quite a lot of responses on this one. The reason why we may not have heard of you until now is that iaido in general is not very well spread in the West, compared to, say, karate.
Hopefully in time to come, MJER will become better known as clubs spread around... I have definitely heard of Miura sensei, but not Komei sensei. Perhaps you could tell us some stories about him? I am sure we would all be interested.

Tim Hamilton

[yohimbo]

Tim sensei my dear friend:
one of the things that does not please to Komei Sekiguchi sensei is to create histories around him.
he born 03/20/48 in Saitama and has dedicated all its life to it practices of the Budo.
Karate-do shito ryu 8th dan ,kenbu jutsu 10 th dan, iaijutsu 10 th dan SOKE ,kendo 8 th dan ,and is also master in naginata, judo, aikido, etc.
He was president of the Nippon Budo Kan and at present he directs other 5 associations inside and out of Japan.
Sekiguchi sensei is a teacher very respected in Japan by their position against the money in the martial arts and at the same time he is criticized for the ones that they want to live on the money that to we pay for learning Budo correctly.
Its greater one vitues is their great heart and is incredible to see it to use a katana of 57 inches and 12 pounds of weight. Sensei is faithful to the traditions and obliges us to follow its example.
MusO Jikiden Eishi Ryu Iaijutsu Komei Jyuku has dojos in Austria ,Polonia,Rusia.Ruba,Inglaterra,Hawaii, Texas, Miami, Australia,only them interested they should utilize this same instrument, the internet to seek information.

[Charles Mahan]

I have heard nothing but good things about Sekiguchi-sensei from Ray-sensei. He sounds like an excellent gentleman.

Yamauchi-ha MJER in Texas? Really? That's intriguing. Where abouts? I thought the Seitokai was the only MJER in Texas. Do tell.

[yohimbo]

please check :
www.katsujin.org

[Charles Mahan]

Are these guys part of your organization? It is difficult to tell by the website that they even do MJER. They have a section on Iai/Battojutsu but it is called Gendai Goshin Iaijutsu/Battojutsu.

[Erik Tracy]

Greetings Yaiquimi,
It's interesting you bring up the question on the number of 'branches' off the Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu 'tree'. ;)

I am a student of Shimabukuro Hanshi, deshi under Miura Hanshi, who we consider the 20th Grandmaster of our particular branch of MJER.

I have seen pictures of Miura Hanshi doing iaijutsu, videos of him as well, and had the privilege of studying with him for a special seminar we had in his honor back in the year 2000.

He is a most committed and empassioned swordsman - but very humble and most of all sincere.

I would hope that someday I can see and train with other high ranking representatives of other branches of Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu, as I find the subtle differences most interesting and revealing for how each technique can be varied within its bunkai (application).

I've compiled a lineage of Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu that I will try to post here later tonight when I get home, but here is the list of the different Head/Grandmasters of MJER that I know of - in no particular order:

* 20th -Miura Takeyuki Hidefusa Sensei.
* 22nd - Ikeda Takeshi (Seiko) S.
* 21st - Sekeguchi Takaaki (Komei) S.
* 20th - Takeshima Toshio S.
* 19th - Iwata Norikazu S.

There are others I have listed that seem to be the head of particular "off-shoots", that I have not found 'official' designations for Head/Grandmaster, but seem to be carrying on as lead.

Everything seemed clearcut and traceable, until Oe Masamichi S., 17th Grandmaster, after which it gets - ah - interesting ;)

Hopefully, I can find that picture drew up (mostly to keep my sanity when reading the posts here with names dropped here and there like leaves falling from a tree) and post it later.

Regards,
Erik Tracy
Jikishin-Kai Intl.

[yohimbo]

is a great honor for me
please check in my web page and you can find all information about
please chek introduction and learn more

www.miami-komei-jyuku.org

the change was many years ago and that is not are cuestion

we must learn and try to be betters every day

[Chidokan]

Yohimbo,
I think you misunderstood when I asked for stories...one thing which is difficult to get in the West is the relationships between the various teachers. A good example is Oe sensei's students. We all know that they trained with him, but it is difficult to find out when and for how long, for example, or whether they were all there at the dojo at the same time. It is also difficult for us to determine what happened after this level, although I think most of us have the lineage from their own instructor, for instance my teacher is Iwata Norikazu sensei, and I know this section but the others not so well..
Could you tell me the address of the England club? It is possible that I know it!
BTW Erik, Iwata sensei does not claim to be a grand master although he has the qualifications, he says the title for his line belongs to the current head of the Chidokan dojo in Kochi, Takeshima sensei. A good example of how things can be confusing to us all!!!
:D

Tim Hamilton

[yohimbo]

Dear Timmy.

Please forgive my incapacity in English but as you know is not my first language

SEKIGUCHI TAKAAKI (KOMEI) come from MEIBUKAN dojo and the was student of ONOUE MASAMITSU, 20th Headmaster in the little town outside of Tokyo. I am studying even what he passed when Oe MASAMISHI passed away and I prefer not to expose my limited knowledge in this forum .

After the 17th Headmaster, some reason provoked that break and is there where the 3 branches were born . Toyotake sensei maintained the long sword as form of doing iai very traditional as well as the techniques of tamaeshigiri.
Masaoka-ha also keep great performance in tamaeshigiri,and Miura's sensei tamaeshiri is increible.
many master don't teach cut techniques because believe that practice is very dangerous in the new times. i also believe that:
cut is not the iai reason.
we must learn first:
nuke tsuke.noto,chiburi,filosofy,history,everything about kihon iai
I believe that we should follow our master without thinking who they are or who they can be, the important thing is to give thanks to God by being near them and to feed us of with their knowledge.

[yohimbo]

dear Tim san:

Sekiguchi Komei sensei tries that all members of their academy (jyuku)dominate not only the sword therefore we learn other manifestations of the Japanese budo like:
-naginata jutsu(JIKISHIN KAGE RYU NAGINATAJUTSU).
-KARATE-DO .
-KENDO.
-AIKIDO.
-KOBUDO.
-KYUDO.
We also learn other manifestation of the japanese culture like:
-TE CEREMONY
-SHODO
-DRAWING,ETC
that it is the reason of NIHON KODEN BUJUTSU IAIDO RENMEI(IAIDO and
CLASSICAL JAPANESE MARTIAL ARTS)
these are words of sensei: : put your body strong but enlarges your mind and your soul.
SOME INSTRUCTORS DENY THEIR STUDENTS THE POSSIBILITY OF STUDYING OTHER BRANCHES OF THE SAME STYLE OR OF OTHER STYLES. IN KOMEI JYUKU LEARN OF ALL BECAUSE we BELIEVE THAT NOBODY HAS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
my favorite book is FLASHING STEEL by SHIMA SENSEI

[Chidokan]

Yohimbo,
this is an interesting approach. I understand that a long time ago MJER had at least an unarmed combat system but this has been forgotten or lost over time, along with many sword waza. Last time I was in Japan I was shown a copy of a notebook by Mori Shigeki sensei with a list of the waza names in, and my teacher said it was sad that no-one knew these anymore. I would like to do other arts but never have enough time, so have to stick to just kendo and iaido, as it would take most of the day to get to the nearest kyudo dojo!Perhaps when I retire I can do more.. :D
Your use of longer swords is interesting, Iwata sensei seems to prefer a shorter sword with a small tsuba. Is the use of long swords limited to your group or do other MJER dojos use long swords as well?
I tried to find the English club on your website but can't find it...do you have an address?

Tim Hamilton

[yohimbo]

dear Tim san:

Preciselly today I try to communicate with Sekiguchi sensei in Japan and I will ask it all the directions that can give me of the clubs in Europe.
Many time ago the samurais practiced diferents self defense system based on DAITO RYU AIKI JUTSU, later on was to add TAI-JUTSU,JU-UTSU,KARATE-DO and more recently AIKI-DO.
That depends on the styles that practice each family and the inclinations of each person.
I don’t doing kyudo because I haven't time to do many things. Now i doing kendo, iai, naginata and tanto-do is enough. in this moment i must memorize more than 200 katas in your head.

if you learn Toryu-Bangai and Tsume-Iai you can find many of those techniques forgot.

[Chidokan]

Thanks for the help, I hope to visit the club sometime soon. I may have been there already!!:D There are not a lot of dojos in England so everyone just about knows everyone else.
As a matter of interest, I am six feet tall and use a 2 shaku 5 bu sword. How long would the sword be for me if I used your style of sword?

Tim Hamilton

[yohimbo]

To do KOMEI JYUKU IAIJUTSU does not do lack to use a katana so long, that is not the reason of our form.
neither is mandatory to do it, those practice are agree to the dexterity of each iaijin.
not everyone can do it even that it desire. these daikatanas are not to do katas, they are for tamaeshigiri and demonstrations we use a great deal the bokken with saya.
even that there is teachers that if they can work with them with great facility. (komei,Montgomery and other)
The quality of the blade and your technical knowledge are more important than a long sword. I seen many persons to do tamaeshigiri and don't know to do nuke tsuke and noto I also seen persons to did hit in the head upon doing FURIKABUTE and don't use the hakama correctly.
that is what we want to avoid in komei jyuku.
Every day cut something, papers, wood, bread many things. But that difficult is to maintain a good attitude front the society. That difficult it is to use the sword for good works and with good will, remembers always these phrases of Sekiguchi Komei:
1- That the persons respect you by whom you are and that not they fear you for which do.
2- The hardest and true victory is the one that achieve with the sword kept(tei-to)