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December 2007 Volume 11 Number 12

Providing information to over 1100 Bujinkan members in 67 different countries around the world

Available in 2008. Pre-orders being accepted on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk 1 Newsletter for the Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo

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All over the world we see frequent reports in the media that a samurai or ninja sword has been used to commit a crime. I personally know of only one case in the UK were a real genuine Samurai sword was used to commit a crime and that was a sword from world war 2. The result of this crime left at least one dead and another seriously injured. The reality of these crimes is that few of these crimes rarely involve what any serious martial artist or collector would even dare classify as a samurai sword. Many of use today would in some way include under that term swords by makers such as Paul Chen. Cold steel, etc etc. These higher quality blades come with a much higher price. The swords that tend to be used in these crimes can be described as nothing more than wall hangers or crap. I personally would not allow any of them to be used in my dojo at any time. The quality of the production is so low they scream out serious injury to the person who wishes to use them let alone who they wish to use it on. Not far from my home in Lincoln, England we have the regions largest car boot sale, and in the city centre a shop that sells hunting equipment. Both locations sell these wall hangers for as little as 35 (approx $70 USD) for a set of three (Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto). These items I am sure many of you are familiar with. EBay is also a huge market for these items. In the UK we will soon we will be having a new legislation made law which will make various types of swords including what is classed as a Japanese sword illegal to own or sell. The government is however looking at a variation in the legislation that will allow the sale of higher quality copies and original items. This will, it is hoped reduce the use of sword related crime. This type of legislation is not new as in one part of Australia and also in Denmark there is already some type of legislation already in place Looking at the above you have to wonder why does the government in the UK feel a need to restrict the sale of Samurai and Ninja swords? The reason is because of the incompetence of the British media and the British Police. Both of which are guilty of ignorance and causing mass hysteria that only comes back to haunt serious practitioners and collectors again and again. Every time a sword is used they are very quick to jump in and shout Ninja sword or Samurai sword. Yet no one ever takes the time to look and see is it really such a thing. Lets face it the average cop wouldnt know a claymore from a katana and a Army dress sword from a ninja sword. We cant blame their ignorance on lack of training as they are not antique dealers or in many cases not even martial artists. The media can easily be put under the same label, but they are much worse as it is their duty to info us of the facts not some fairy tale to expand and glorify the article and the crime. 2 Newsletter for the Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo

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The British media hear from the police that a crime has been committed with a sword, the media instantly claims its a Ninja sword or a Samurai sword. Not once will they ever tell us that it wasnt any such thing but some piece of crap that doesnt even look like a Japanese sword. This year in Lincoln a crime was committed where one young man was killed and another was stabbed several times. You can see from the pictures to the right of the front covers of the local newspaper that the press couldnt even make up its mind what type of sword was used. One front page says Ninja sword the next says samurai sword. What type of sword was used as it a ninja sword or a samurai sword at least they could stick to some consistency. The photo below appeared in the newspaper the day the murderer was convicted. This sword is the actual item that was used to kill the young man. Looking at it, it bears absolutely no resemblance to any Japanese sword I own or have ever seen even my 12 year old daughter says its not Japanese. It looks more like a sword you would expect to see in Star wars or some fantasy movie. So who said it was a Ninja sword, and who also said it was a Samurai sword? Who do we blame the media or the Police? In this case we must blame the media for not getting there facts right and providing the do good lobbyists with further inaccurate ammunition to aid a cause that is littered with inaccurate information provided from the main source of information, the media.

If you look at the sword it has a double edge something that is very rare in Japanese swords, it is also straight. The blade is also pierced with slots for decoration. Check out the handle, does any one own a genuine Samurai or Ninja sword that looks like this? The truth is no you dont. Maybe you have a star wars light sabre that looks like this. As you can see from the description below the photo it clearly says The sharp samurai sword. I think that a restriction on the selling and ownership of Samurai swords is maybe a good thing. It would reduce the market selling the dangerous decorative swords that people think are good enough to use in training. I dont think it will stop the use of swords, and knives in street crime. In fact the records show that kitchen knives cause more accidents and are used in more knife/sword related crime every year than all the other knife crimes combined. Criminals will just seek out the machete which they use to have and cost less than 20 ($40), they will buy low quality carving knives. Then we have to ask will the government ban the sale of kitchen knives?

Newsletter for the Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo

www.hanako.co.uk As I said I personally welcome a restriction on the sale etc of Samurai swords, but I blame the mistruths and rubbish we read in papers on incompetent and lazy journalists. It is their responsibility to keep us up to date with the truth but how can we trust such people. Its not as if they dont have the internet to have a quick look at what was really used or contact a martial arts club to ask what type of sword was used. Samurai and Ninja sword looks better and exaggerates the story to make readers even happier. Unfortunately in many case the media does not care if they are totally accurate all they care about is getting the story across to the public even if its been embellished quite a lot. After all who cares if its a samurai sword or just a sword. When crimes like this happen it is always sad that someone should be killed so young but these two that were killed and injured where not so much victims themselves, but habitual criminals. The one who died was out of prison on license from repeated crimes (over 60 convictions), the other one has himself pulled out a screw driver to threaten myself when I refused him entry to a bar I was working at as security. Another that was the actual cause of the incident that lead to the killing but escaped without injury has served a prison sentence for stabbing someone. The murderer has since been sentenced to life imprisonment Below is what the head lines should have really looked like

If your going to play with knives then you have to expect to be cut dont you.

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Conjuration
Shingon mysteries were handed down as those of Ninjutsu. They are based on the principle of correlation between mind and the body, which were translated from the Buddhistic point of view. They are a kind of self defence art through making symbolic signs with the fingers, which art is regarded one of the eighteen belonging to Buddha. 1. The sign of purification Joining palms, making inside hollow, chant the following phrase five times. Onso hanba shuda saraba darama sobabanba shudokan. You can purify your sins caused by your evil spirit. 2, The sign of longevity and blessing. Opening the palms, hold them as if putting something on them and chant three times. Oshitatagi yato toban hayasowaka. You will be under the protection of three Buddhas in the ten directions. 3. The sign for averting troubles. Opening the fingers, make the shape of a lotus flower with eight petals joining both thumbs and little fingers , and chant Onhan domodo hanbabaya tsuwaka three times. You will get her protection from Kannon (Avalokitesvara, the goddess of mercy) and other Bodhisatvas (Buddhist saints). 4. The sign for good health. Join the left palm turned backward and the right one turned upward at the backs, and link thumbs and little fingers respectively. Chant three time Onba saruda hanba soroka. By the mercy of Buddha in Kongo department you will be free from diseases. 5. The sign for self defence. Cross the little fingers, to which link ruing fingers respectively and make them firm, and chant three times Onha sara agini harachi hataya hawaka. You will be free from demons and be safe.
NINJUTSU - Working at once Written by Buyoken Kensai Translated by Matsuno Tsuneyoshi

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Nodachi Waki no kamae

The Nodachi is held to the rear of the right side of the body. The kissaki points to the ground. When faced from the front the Nodachi is not openly visible and is misleading to your opponent who will assume you have a standard length katana The saya (scabbard) of the Nodachi is either strapped to your back or is pushed through the Obi as you would with a katana. The saya because it is longer than normal is sometimes best pushed ot the rear when the Nodachi has been drawn.

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This is the place where we let you know what has been happening in the Dojo over the past month.

(2nd December) - With 2008 being a year of Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu we started our class with an intro to Kyoketsu Shoge . Paul showed how the rope it thrown and tied to the wrist. He can do this multiple times one after the other, but he explained this I only because he used to have a rope tied to a Jo years ago and he would practice every day until he could do it almost every time. Everyone had problems to start with but he worked one on one with all of us until everyone had managed to do it at least once. We were also shown how to pull in the Uke once you have entangled him up. He also showed how it can also be used for climbing. Next we worked on Koyoko from Koto Ryu . The first strike after the block is important to stop Uke coming in and striking at you a 2nd time. It is important not to strike too hard or you will knock him back too far, you need to hit him just enough to shock him and stop him from coming at you. The twist of the hips combined with the Yoko Aruki will instantly lock him arm to you allowing the Hidari Seio Nage to work perfectly. If you do it right you will feel Uke come to you and stop all locked up. Next was Shito . What is nice is the Koppo Ken to the Kasumi Gaeshi (temple), if you get this just right you will shock Uke so much he will release the Shime Waza he is attempting on you. Stewart got Paul just right and Paul says his eyes flashed pure white and didnt even know he had let go of Stewarts collars. This just shows that if done properly, Uke will not be able to resist the Omote Gyaku you do to his right hand. (4th December) With next year working on Togakure Ryu, Paul showed the difference between Togakure Ryu Ninja swords and a standard Katana, for this he brought two of his swords in to explain the differences and show some of the Iai that is standard with a katana and also a Ninjato. Everyone then worked on simple Taijutsu with an attitude away from samurai style Jujutsu and more of the natural movement that is found in Ninjutsu. The Juniors worked on their syllabus and two tested for there next grade. (9th December) - Paul wasnt able to attend so Jay took the class and taught simple Kyoketsu Shoge. (11th December) Paul was at a meeting and could not attend so Jay took the class again. (18th December) Paul brought a Kama Yari and Bisento to class. With the Bisento he wanted to show how a very heavy item can be used with the use of the body and keeping the arms close to the body to help control the Bisento. Even though this Bisento is just a blunt blade it was obvious that the sheer weight of the item could still easily smash into the body and cause serious damage, so if a Bisento was used it was plainly apparent that it would easily cleave the body in half. With the Kama Yari which is much lighter, the hooks were put into place to show how they can it can trap and deflect a sword cut coming down at you. Paul has also had a lesson a few years ago in Hozo-In Ryu Sojutsu, so he showed how they taught him to hook and trap a blade with the cross blades on the Yari. (23rd December) This is the last session of the year. Jay offered to bring his archery target which we use for shuriken training. Paul explained how to hold a Senban and then throw it. This covered the more common horizontal throw then the vertical throw which is not so common. Next we worked on the basic way to hold a Boshuriken, and then set the distance for throwing. Everyone managed to throw the Senban ok but soon found that Bo shuriken are not so easy and these are where the real skill in shuriken is found. Paul went on to show throwing two at a time form left and right hand, two form one hand, side and rear throws as well as running to the target and throwing and running from the target and throwing. He also showed to throw and draw the sword etc.

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NAGOYA OSHU TEMPLE

Recently ion Nagoya there was a festival for Geisha. Although Geisha are no longer found in Nagoya this festival is still held every year. The following photos were sent to me by Higashi Katsuhiro.

TRAINING TIMES: Tuesday 7pm 9pm Sunday 6pm 8pm Ermine United Reform Church, Sudbrooke Drive, Ermine East, Lincoln

Hanako is the newsletter of the Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo (UK). This is not an official Bujinkan newsletter. It is also a free publication, and may be copied and distributed to anyone free of charge, no monies are to be paid for newsletters except for the cost of reproducing the copies. Anyone wishing to submit an article should e-mail it or post it to the addresses below Produced and edited by Paul Richardson (Shidoshi) Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo, 13 Windsor House, Sudbrooke Drive, Lincoln LN22DZ, England. E-mail Umaryu@yahoo.co.uk Telephone (+44) 07929 502-511 For information regarding the newsletter, training, any comments, or to be added to the mailing list (Mailing list is e-mail based only), please E-mail us at umaryu@yahoo.co.uk Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo 2007ad

Disclaimer. All comments and views made in the articles are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the personal views of the Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo or the Bujinkan Dojo directly. If you have an issue with an article please take it up personally with the author. We dont have time for petty Bujinkan Politics.

Newsletter for the Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo