Yamazaki Kiyoshi and his iai tate do

[O'Neill]

I just visited a site by this group and it mostly mentions his film work. Any serious iai history here? It says something about being from some kashima group. I will look for the link and post it.

[O'Neill]

The site states that it is kashima shinto ryu iaido.

[Rob Alvelais]

Originally posted by O'Neill
I just visited a site by this group and it mostly mentions his film work. Any serious iai history here? It says something about being from some kashima group. I will look for the link and post it.

If you mean serious iai history, in terms of his lineage and legitimacy in sword ryu, then yes, AFAIK. He brought out his Batto Jutsu teacher one year to demonstrate at one of his karate tournaments. He was an older fellow named Nakamura, I believe. It was some time ago, though, so my memory is fading.


Rob

[Tetsuo]

First of all, that page is grossly outdated. We do not do Kashima Shinto Ryu Iaido. Kashima Shinto Ryu doesn't do iaido for that matter. Kashima Shinto Ryu is just one of the schools that Yamazaki Kiyoshi Sensei learned some of his sword techniques from. *note: not kyoshi, Kiyoshi is his first name, just wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding of any claim of him being kyoshi, which we are not doing at all*.

I will defer any further explanations of the ryu to some of my senior instructors that visit this board. Hopefully he will be able to give you a more definitive answer.

Mr. Alvelais:

How long ago was this karate tournament? I'd be curious to know anything you could possibly remember from it.

[fifthchamber]

Hi all,
Regarding the "Older fellow named Nakamura". Could it have been Nakamura Taisaburo?...A Battojutsu teacher who started the Nakamura-Ryu Battojutsu and was a major influence on Toyama Ryu Battojutsu.
Someone on this site who trains in Shinkendo would know more about him but I would think it is the same man...By all accounts a very able and knowledgeable teacher of Batto and Iai.
A search on him would turn up a lot of info and he has written several books on the subject also and it would have been a sight to watch him train/demonstrate.
Rob, Does the name ring any bells?
Anyway...

[T. ALVAREZ]

Hey guys,
This is a response to a thread that was up a couple of months ago regarding Yamazaki sensei. I was having lots of trouble logging on to the forum then and was unable to ever get this post up.

So for the record. I am sorry to Mr. Earl Hartman and the others that were asking questions and did not get a response.

Also, Yamazaki Sensei’s Batto teacher was not Nakamura Sensei of Nakamura Ryu.
From what I understand, it was one of his students that were under the Toyama Ryu before Nakamura Ryu was officially developed.

Here you go.

Anyway, it seems that you guys have some questions about Yamasaki Sensei and his organization.
I began my sword training with Yamazaki Sensei a number of years ago. I do NOT currently study under him and have not for a couple of years. I have since pursued my training in Japan as well as with a couple of teachers here in the U.S...
Yamazaki Sensei does not call his style of swordsmanship Kashima Shinto Ryu Iaido.
He does call it Tate-Do which he translates as “Killing Way” or so the term dictates.
Yamazaki Sensei to the best of my knowledge did not set up the web site that refers to his organization studying and teaching Kashima Shinto Ryu. This was put together by some students of the organization that are based in the eastern part of the U.S...
In either case, the Japan Iai-Tate Do federation is not a recognized school of the Kashima Shinto Ryu and does not teach its curriculum or test its students under such banners.
I personally have only seen the web site mentioned once and that was about five or so years ago. I actually forgot about it and would urge them to change it or pull it down.

Now, Yamazaki Sensei has done fight/sword choreography for the movies much like Obata Sensei has. To the best of my knowledge in the late 70’s and early 80’s there were only two people teaching sword in the Los Angeles area and that was Obata Sensei and Yamasaki Sensei. Makes sense to consult with those guys if you are making a sword movie!
In any case, Yamazaki Sensei has been training in sword related arts since the age of 8yrs. Old.
His background in sword consists of both Kashima Shinto Ryu and Toyama Ryu batto Jutsu techniques. He is not licensed to teach under the names of these schools and does not. His studies took place in private dojos from his teacher’s homes much like many of us train here in the U.S... I have been researching these teachers over the years to try and get a better understanding of where his sword work has come from.
Yamazaki Sensei has taken the techniques that he has learned and blended them together to form his Gendai art of Tate-Do. It does however have roots in those two styles and a resemblance in some techniques. Its only focus is on the sword and does not have other disciplines associated with it as does the Kashima Shinto Ryu.
Like Mr. Hartman stated, the Kashima Shinto Ryu is a Sogo Bujutsu and Tate-Do is not.

The curriculum does consist of a very old and modified version of the Setei Iai.
It is taught as the begging or shoden waza. The organization does not belong to either of the ZNKR or ZNIR type federations as he feels that there are too many politics involved with both... This is why he does not have the two new kata added as those organizations did this last year.
In any case, Yamazaki Sensei is a very qualified swordsman and an excellent cutter.
Though he does not do much of the teaching at the Honbu dojo anymore. He has over the years turned out some really fine deshi whose technique and cutting ability has impressed many high ranking teachers from Japan and the U.S...
I still use many of the kata that I learned from him in the various Tai Kai’s that I compete in as a representative for Bugei Trading Co...
I still pop into his dojo from time to time to say hello or just jump in to break a sweat. I even show the students some of the original techniques that those they are studying came from and try to explain to them why this works and that doesn’t etc.. Either way, Yamazaki Sensei is a man of great respect and technique. He has encouraged me to go on and find the next level of my training as I have done. Much like he did, I too study some of the things that I do in the same capacity.

I hope this answers your questions about Yamazaki Sensei and his organization.

If you would like to discuss this further please feel free to e-mail me directly at bigtony@volcom.com

Enjoy

BIG TONY

[Rob Alvelais]

Originally posted by Tetsuo

Mr. Alvelais:

How long ago was this karate tournament? I'd be curious to know anything you could possibly remember from it.

It was in the late 80's. Probably 88 or 89 at Santa Monica City College, I believe.
The fellow doing the cutting was introduced as Mr. Yamazaki's Batto Jutsu teacher, from Japan, Mr. Nakamura.

But, it was a long time ago, and after reading Tony's post, I could be mistaken.

However, I do echo Tony's sentiments about Mr. Yamazaki's character. From all of my experiences with him, he's a stand-up guy!

Rob

[Rob Alvelais]

Originally posted by fifthchamber
Hi all,
Regarding the "Older fellow named Nakamura". Could it have been Nakamura Taisaburo?...A Battojutsu teacher who started the Nakamura-Ryu Battojutsu and was a major influence on Toyama Ryu Battojutsu.
Someone on this site who trains in Shinkendo would know more about him but I would think it is the same man...By all accounts a very able and knowledgeable teacher of Batto and Iai.
A search on him would turn up a lot of info and he has written several books on the subject also and it would have been a sight to watch him train/demonstrate.
Rob, Does the name ring any bells?
Anyway...

Yes, it rings bells. But, I couldn't honestly tell you if it was the one and same fellow, but my hunch is that it is.

I'm really not a sword afficionado, so I can't be sure. After reading Tony's post, it might not be.

Again, let me say, that Mr. Yamazaki has always shown himself to me, as a friendly, honorable, considerate, and in every way a stand up fellow.

Rob

[Brian Stokes]

Hello all,

As Yamazaki Sensei's senior student I can verify all that Big Tony has stated in his post. At no time ever has Yamazaki-Sensei claimed to be part of the Kashima school. He has told me that many years ago he was awarded Mokuroku by one of the senior instuctors of that school but beyond that he claims no ties to either the Toyama hombu nor the Kashima hombu. However, he did start his sword training at eight (apparently his father was heavily into kendo) and has never stopped. Karate may be his living but iai is his passion.

That being said I can also safely state that he is one of the best instructors that I have run across in my travels. (I have been active in the Japanese sword arts for some 23 years and trained under various instructors.) Without overly expounding upon it I can safely state that his attitude with katana in hand is all business. Those of you who have been around for some time will appreciate that statement. There are very few instructors who exude what I preceive as the "samurai spirt." Yamazaki-Sensei is one such instructor.

The one particular point that I truly appreciate about Yamazaki-Sensei is his open-mindedness to other styles and other arts. Never once have I heard him say anything disrespectful of other teachers or styles. Considering all of the politics that rage around the martial arts this is quite refreshing.

This is my two yens worth!

Brian Stokes

[Yamantaka]

Originally posted by Brian Stokes
Hello all,

As Yamazaki Sensei's senior student I can verify all that Big Tony has stated in his post. At no time ever has Yamazaki-Sensei claimed to be part of the Kashima school. He has told me that many years ago he was awarded Mokuroku by one of the senior instuctors of that school but beyond that he claims no ties to either the Toyama hombu nor the Kashima hombu. However, he did start his sword training at eight (apparently his father was heavily into kendo) and has never stopped. Karate may be his living but iai is his passion.
That being said I can also safely state that he is one of the best instructors that I have run across in my travels.
Brian Stokes

YAMANTAKA : From all that I ever read or heard you are right about Yamazaki Sensei. I heard much about him from Howard High Sensei and when Yamazaki Sensei came to Brazil for the WKF World Karate Championship, he wished to meet me but we were unable to arrange for that meeting.
By the way, did you receive an e-mail from me asking about the Suio Ryu and if it had a representative in South America? Could you tell me something about that? If you can, please write me personally. I have great interest in that information.
Best regards

[Brian Stokes]

Hi YAMANTAKA,

No, I do not remember receiving your e-mail. There will be a Suio Ryu seminar during Yamazaki Sensei's tournament at the end of April. E-mail me at iaibri@aol.com.

Thanks,

Brian Stokes

[Brian Stokes]

Hi All,

In an earlier post someone eluded to remembering an individual named Nakamura attending a seminar/tournament at Santa Monica College in the mid-1980's. I was there as well but the instructor was Shindo Hisateru Shihan. He was a proponent of an obscure system of Batto and was not Yamazaki-Sensei's instructor. (He was a superb cutter!) For a short period following that seminar there was a connection between his dojo and that of Yamazaki-Sensei's. Sadly, Shindo-Sensei developed a malady that forced him to cease his sword arts (or so I was informed).

Brian Stokes