Which koryu?

[PeterStezzor]

Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum. (Please be kind!)

I have been practicing Kendo for about 4 or 5 years now. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity of training with someone I don't normally see at any Kendo dojo in my area.

This guy was brilliant. I could not cut him.

I watched him train against more senior students than myself and they couldn't even touch him.

Some of the yodansha knew him and told me that he used to train very regularly but quit kendo. They told me that he does koryu now. However, nobody knows which style.

How can I find out what style this guy does?????????

Thank you,
Peter Stezzor

[Tenseiga]

Hi Peter,

Different ryu have different characteristics within their kata to make them distinct. A distinct kiai, different type of footwork, different ways of holding the sword, etc. However, especially during something as dynamic as kendo jikeiko, these things can become quite blurred.

The Itto ryu has a strong relation with modern kendo, and many students of the various Itto ryu branches also do modern kendo. Another one would be the Shindo Munen ryu.

Easiest thing, of course, would be to ask him :)

However, if you're never going to see him again, and you're just dying to find out, you'd have to do some research. YouTube has quite a lot of clips of various koryu, and there is the very awesome (and expensive) video series called "Nihon Kobudo", which features an extensive collection of different ryuha, documenting their techniques and history.

Sorry, but unless you can provide us with some video clips of this guy, or at least a detailed explanation of his movements and mannerisms, I don't think we can be of much help here.

[George Kohler]

I don't normally see at any Kendo dojo in my area.


I see that your in Melbourne.

Here are a few links I found that teach koryu in your area:

http://users.bigpond.net.au/koryu/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/koryu-bujutsu/dojoguide.html

[Tenseiga]

Location...OOOOoooohhh...haha, there goes me forgetting about the obvious again :p

[A.J. Bryant]

Peter,

Why not just ask your sensei or seniors in the dojo next class?

[Brently Keen]

Interesting, that reminded me of this article somewhat:

http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=284&highlight=Famous+Swordsmen

If he's not around to ask, I would ask those that seemed to know him and see what you can find out, but meanwhile why not start a discussion about the kind of skills that you saw him display?

What was he doing that made it so difficult to touch him?

Did he display any unique footwork or taisabaki, or was he simply swifter with the usual? Did repeatedly use the same "favorite" technique(s) or setup(s)? Was he blocking, parrying everything? Would you say that he more offensive or defensive? Was he just able to read his opponents moves faster? Was he particularly deceptive? Was he more physically or psychologically dominating? How so? Would you describe anything you saw or experienced as characteristic of having exceptional internal strength, ki/kokyu, etc...?

Does anyone else have any similar stories or experiences of encounters with people with apparently exceptional skill like this to share?

Brently Keen

[JAnstey]

Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum. (Please be kind!)

I have been practicing Kendo for about 4 or 5 years now. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity of training with someone I don't normally see at any Kendo dojo in my area.

This guy was brilliant. I could not cut him.

I watched him train against more senior students than myself and they couldn't even touch him.

Some of the yodansha knew him and told me that he used to train very regularly but quit kendo. They told me that he does koryu now. However, nobody knows which style.

How can I find out what style this guy does?????????

Thank you,
Peter Stezzor

Hi Peter,

What is his name?

Cheers

Jason

[DDATFUS]

Does anyone else have any similar stories or experiences of encounters with people with apparently exceptional skill like this to share?


No personal stories, but this did make me think of something that I have read. In the book The Fighting Man of Japan, F.J. Norman, a British army officer who spent some time in Japan teaching at the military academies and studying kendo, describes witnessing a Tatsumi Ryu instructor by the name of Henmi participate in kendo bouts. According to Norman, Henmi would sometimes intentionally drop his sword to deliberately give his oponent an opening, but that blows aimed at him would invariably land in empty space.

[ichibyoshi]

Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum. (Please be kind!)

I have been practicing Kendo for about 4 or 5 years now. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity of training with someone I don't normally see at any Kendo dojo in my area.

This guy was brilliant. I could not cut him.

I watched him train against more senior students than myself and they couldn't even touch him.

Some of the yodansha knew him and told me that he used to train very regularly but quit kendo. They told me that he does koryu now. However, nobody knows which style.

How can I find out what style this guy does?????????

Thank you,
Peter Stezzor

Whereabouts do you train Peter? When people said this chap does koryu, did they mean iaido, or kenjutsu? Can you describe him physically? I'm in Melbourne and its a pretty small kendo community. Unless you're talking about AKD, I probably know him.

b

[PeterStezzor]

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

Thank you all for your prompt replies! :)

I found out that he does not do koryu. The idea that he did koryu was a speculation made by a two guys, when they didn't even have a clue (sorry for jumping the gun, I should have asked more obvious questions!!!!)

Found out from my sensei that the guy does a form of freestyle stick fighting and my sensei passed on his email address :) So I am going to check it out.

Thank you all for your suggestions and help! :)

Bye
Peter Stezzor

BTW, I train at a club in Box Hill

[ichibyoshi]

Box Hill = AKD to-omoimasu...

b

[jest]

Freestyle stick fighting?

[Maro]

Box Hill = AKD to-omoimasu...

b


What does that mean? I'm not au fait with Kendo groups in Oz

[Aden]

I think AKD are Australian Kendo Dojos - a non AKR affiliated kendo organisation, training down in Melbourne.

Aden

[ichibyoshi]

Aden's right. Not VKR, AKR or FIK affiliated in fact. (I say that because in the USA you do have the odd situation of having the AUSKF and the KKUSA operating separately but both being FIK affiliated...).

b

[Maro]

Cheers - Acronymns! :rolleyes: